viation International News April 2023

APRIL 2023 | Vol. 52 No. 4 | AINonline.com

SHOWS: CROWDS RETURN TO HELI-EXPO SAFETY: SOLVING PART 135 DUTY TIME AND REST ISSUES BIZJETS: MAXIMUM ALTITUDE VERSUS REALITY

AV I AT I O N I N T E R N AT I O N A L N E W S

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In this issue

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Part 135 rest, duty regulations review leads to calls for change

HAI explores rebranding to reflect evolving industry

How Jimmy Webb’s ambitious dream led to Elvis’s JetStar

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Dassault soars as Falcon, Rafale order book swells

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Avidyne and IS&S unveil Helix avionics upgrade

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Airbus, Genesys launch IFR-capable H125 program

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GAMA: General aviation aircraft shipments, billings improve in 2022

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ACSF stepping up spotlight on FDM program

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Safety Talk: Bryan Burns traces ACSF growth in members, safety programs

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Special Report: 2023 FBO Survey, The Americas

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AIN senior editor Jerry Siebenmark flies west

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Market Corner: Weighing highaltitude in purchase decisions

DEPARTMENTS 46 Avionics | 50 Rotorcraft | 53 Maintenance 54 Accidents | 56 Compliance | 58 People in Aviation

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Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

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Dassault soars as Falcon, Rafale order book swells B Y C HR IS P O C O C K

News Briefs BBGA: BIZAV MUST FIGHT BACK The business aviation industry must be more outspoken and confident about its environmental achievements and goals if it is to successfully combat growing hostility from environmental activists, stressed speakers at the British Business and General Aviation Association conference last month. In fact, the conference itself was interrupted by those activists. Rana Walker of business development/crisis management firm GR&AT said social media platforms are essential tools to fight misinformation of business aviation and to communicate its “positive story.”

ONE KILLED IN CHALLENGER 300 IN-FLIGHT UPSET The Falcon 6X is schedule to enter service in the middle of this year. Last year, the company booked net orders for 64 Falcons, boosting its order book to 87 for its business jet line. Rafale fighter orders reached 92, with deliveries for the UAE’s order for 80 starting in 2027.

Dassault posted a net profit of €830 million ($890 million) on €6.9 billion in revenues last year, despite supply-chain difficulties, inflation, and Western sanctions that resulted in the cancelation of Russian orders for Falcon business jets. The company also booked net orders for 64 Falcons and 92 Rafales, the latter mainly thanks to the UAE’s confirmation of its order for 80.

CEO Eric Trappier told journalists at the company’s annual results press conference last month that “the backlog was full and is the largest in the company’s history.” It comprises 87 Falcons and 164 Rafales.

Trappier described progress with the Falcon 6X and 10X programs. Certification and first deliveries of the 6X are expected in midyear, with some aircraft already completed at its Little Rock factory. Some minor improvements are being made as a result of the recently concluded 6X world tour.

Some parts for the 10X are already made and wing tests have been conducted. It is being designed to fly on 100 percent

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sustainable aviation fuel. Trappier said that the spacious cabin will be a major selling point and suggested that China could be a significant source of 10X orders.

Meanwhile, production of forward fuselages for the Falcon in India is ramping up, and the EASy IV avionics upgrade for the 7X and 8X is continuing.

A Falcon maintenance hub was opened in the UAE last year and a new center is opening in Melbourne, Florida, to replace the now-closed facility in Wilmington, Delaware, where “the facilities were becoming obsolete,” Trappier noted. He admitted that support for Falcon customers worldwide could be improved, especially regarding the supply of spare parts. But Falcons still remain in high demand, as evidenced by the few available on the preowned market, he added.

Dassault is proposing the 10X for Europe’s next maritime patrol aircraft.

Study contracts worth €10.9 million each were recently awarded to Dassault and Airbus, which is proposing the A320neo. z

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“Investigators are now looking at a reported trim issue that occurred prior to the in-flight upset” of a Bombardier Challenger 300 on March 3 over Northampton, Massachusetts, that killed one passenger, according to the NTSB. The twinjet, took off from Dillant-Hopkins Airport (KEEN) in Keene, New Hampshire, with two flight crew and three passengers. Flight tracking data from ADSBExchange indicates that the aircraft climbed to about 24,000 feet before the in-flight upset occurred eight minutes into the flight, with vertical speed peaking at almost 6,000 fpm before dropping to nearly -2,000 fpm some 15 seconds later. The jet diverted to Bradley International Airport (KBDL) in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

RUNWAY EXCURSION REMAINS TOP BIZJET ACCIDENT TYPE Runway excursions remained the top accident type for business jets in 2022, according to the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) 2022 Safety Report. In 2022, FSF’s Aviation Safety Network logged 35 business jet accidents, down from 40 in 2021. Runway excursions accounted for 17 accidents. Also topping the list were loss of control, gear up/ landing gear collapse, and ground damage.

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News Briefs Avidyne and Innovative Solutions & Support’s Helix integrated flight deck brings helicopters to modern standards.

Avidyne and IS&S unveil Helix avionics upgrade

BY CHARLES ALCOCK

Heli-Expo 2023 Avidyne and Innovative Solutions & Support (IS&S) have launched their new Helix integrated flight deck as an upgrade package for in-service helicopters. The system combines Avidyne’s Helios FMS and IS&S’s 10.4-inch flat-panel displays.

The companies said they first plan to offer the Helix retrofit package for the Sikorsky S-76C++ rotorcraft. They expect to announce pricing later this year, once they complete integration work and certification, which will be done by PHI MRO Services.

PHI will also perform installations and provide aftermarket support.

Along with the new displays, the Helix package includes 3D synthetic vision, electronic charts, ADS-B weather and traffic, and SBAS/LPV approaches.

The Helix installations will include a pair of display units, one configured as a primary flight display and the other as a multifunction and engine instrument display. As an option, the installation can include another pair of displays for a co-pilot.

Avidyne’s dual Helios units are dzusmounted GPS/SBAS FMSs that meet

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TSO-C146c for full GPS SBA S/LPV approach guidance, including flight planning, “one-touch” departure, airway, and arrival navigation, and the company’s GeoFill waypoint nomination. The equipment features a full QWERTY-style keyboard and a touchscreen “hybrid touch” user interface for map panning and rubber-band flight plan editing. Other features include integrated wireless connectivity to iPads for access to third-party apps, such as ForeFlight and Avidyne’s IFD100, as well as 16-watt VHF radios, Jeppesen charts and airport diagrams, video, fuel flow, ADS-B In display, moving map, and synthetic vision.

“Avidyne and IS&S have put together a solution that is designed and targeted to extend the life of a large number of legacy helicopters still in operation, including the S-76C++, the Black Hawk, the AW109, and more,” said John Talmadge, Avidyne’s v-p of worldwide sales. “We are excited to be working alongside IS&S to develop Helix, which will give new life to these airframes at a cost that won’t break the bank, and that provides operators with a whole host of new capabilities while dramatically improving reliability and dispatchability.” z

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WHEELS UP ANNOUNCES $30M IN COST-CUTTING, LAYOFFS Wheels Up is implementing a restructuring plan it expects to produce $30 million in annual savings. In an 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company said the plan “is intended to streamline the company’s organization and reduce headcount in areas of the business that do not directly impact the company’s operations or its customers’ experience.”

The plan is designed to deliver “positive adjusted EBITDA” in 2024, the company said. Savings would come primarily from cutting sales, marketing, and general administrative expenses. Last year, Wheels Up reported a net loss of $507 million.

SAF MADE FROM AIR COULD BE GAME CHANGER Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) developer Air Company has received a $65 million contract from the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to scale up production and install its technology at military bases. As Air Company’s Airmade SAF is derived from captured carbon dioxide and water, it can be made anywhere and is not tied to a specific feedstock. The company is moving through the approval process with ASTM as it works to ramp up production. Last year, the company supplied the USAF with a small amount of Airmade SAF, which was tested in an unmanned aircraft. The USAF said the fuel “matches the properties and performance of jet A-1.”

CJP-FOQA AVAILABLE FOR CITATION JET PILOTS MEMBERS CloudAhoy’s CJP-FOQA (flight operations quality assurance) program is now available for Citation Jet Pilots Association (CJP) members. Using information from LinxUs flight data monitoring system or AirSync data acquisition device, CJP-FOQA helps pilots view post-flight analyses to help improve their performance and inform training plans.

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News Briefs STELLAR AVIATION BREAKS GROUND ON RENO FBO

Airbus and Genesys Aerosystems are making the H125 helicopter capable of operating under instrument flight rules.

Airbus, Genesys launch IFRcapable H125 program

BY CHARLES ALCOCK

Heli-Expo 2023 Airbus Helicopters is introducing instrument flight rules (IFR) capability for its H125 single-engine helicopter. Developed in partnership with Genesys Aerosystems, the upgrade could significantly improve the operational flexibility for missions such as law enforcement and emergency medical services.

The partners expect to make it available in the second half of 2024.

The changes needed to free the H125 from the constraints of operating only under visual flight rules (VFR) will include an upgraded cockpit, a three-axis autopilot, and redundant hydraulic and electrical systems. Genesys has already installed the same autopilot under a supplemental type certificate on the larger Airbus H145 and also on Sikorsky’s UH-60A Black Hawk.

“We have seen some demand for IFR from customers and now we want to be ready to meet this demand,” Airbus Helicopters, Inc., CEO Romain Trapp said at

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Heli-Expo in March. “It will enhance the all-weather capability of the aircraft.”

Initial certification with the FAA will be followed by Brazil’s air safety agency.

Airbus may seek STCs in other markets, including Europe.

The IFR upgrade is the latest in a series of investments Airbus has made in enhancing its single-engine aircraft. Last year, the manufacturer increased the power of the model to boost payload by 120 kg (264 pounds) in hot-and-high operating conditions.

“Thanks to its recent innovations, the H125 remains an unrivaled product in terms of performance and value for money,” said Jérome Ronssin, head of light helicopter programs at Airbus. “This new IFR feature will expand the helicopter’s mission capabilities in all weather conditions, especially for critical missions such as public services, including law enforcement, emergency medical services, and enhanced training—all missions that are in high demand worldwide, and in particular in North America.”

See further Heli-Expo coverage on pg. 34. z

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Stellar Aviation—which operates a trio of FBOs in Florida, Illinois, and Nevada—has broken ground on a new facility at Reno/ Tahoe International Airport (KRNO). The $25 million project on the northeast corner of the airfield will include a 5,000-sq-ft terminal, a pair of 30,000-sq-ft heated hangars, 10,000 sq ft of combined attached office space, and five acres of ramp area. First phase of construction is expected to be completed by mid-2024. The Epic Fuels-branded FBO is also about to complete the installation of a 40,000-gallon tank farm. It soon plans to continuously stock sustainable aviation fuel.

AEROBRIGHAM BUYS MYGOFLIGHT HUD DIVISION Texas-based MRO AeroBrigham has purchased the SkyDisplay head-up display (HUD) division from MyGoFlight. SkyDisplay can be installed in numerous aircraft under an approved model list supplemental type certificate, including several turboprops and light jets. Under the new company name AeroDisplay, AeroBrigham plans to continue developing the HUD, including configurations for additional Part 23 airplanes, as well as Part 27 helicopters.

AVIATION’S NET-ZERO GOAL NOT EASILY ACHIEVABLE A new report from the UK’s Royal Society concludes that no single path to achieving net-zero carbon in aviation exists and the avenues being explored are all fraught with technological and practical difficulties. Among the more startling conclusions: the UK would have to allocate huge areas of agricultural land to support biofuel production or more than double its renewable electricity supply just to support the greening of aviation.

The working group called for more R&D in efficient production, storage, and use of green hydrogen, ammonia, and efuels.

General aviation shipments, billings improve in 2022 B Y K E R R Y LY N C H

Aircraft shipments were higher last year than in 2021, GAMA reported, and turboprop deliveries led the way with deliveries up 10.4 percent.

Global business and general aviation Business jet makers last year largely fixed-wing aircraft shipments increased reported strong order books and book-to-bill across all categories in 2022 with a com- ratios well in excess of 1:1, but supply-chain bined improvement of 6.5 percent and a problems and market uncertainties temcorresponding 5.8 percent rise in billings, pered ramp-ups in production. Even so, busiaccording to the General Aviation Manu- ness jet makers handed over 712 aircraft in facturers Association (GAMA). Similarly, 2022, two more than a year earlier. Deliveries rotorcraft shipments and billings were were up in the single digits at Textron Aviu p 7. 5 p e r c e n t ation, Bombardier, and 6.8 percent, and Gulfstream. respectively.

GAMA presiGAMA , which dent and CEO Pete released its yearBunce, noting his end shipment board members report on Februpoint out that ary 22 during its “It’s not about the annual “State of units, it’s about the the Industry” press conference, reported value,” said value is up 4.5 percent. “When that 2,818 fixed-wing aircraft were handed you are delivering $19.8 billion of business over last year, compared with 2,648 in the jet aircraft, that’s pretty remarkable.” year earlier. Turboprop deliveries surged He further noted that the North Amerby 10.4 percent, while business jet deliver- ican contribution reached its highest ies improved by only 0.3 percent. Billings percentage at 69.9 percent since GAMA last year were $22.9 billion, up $1.3 billion began tracking market share in 2007.

continues on page 60  from 2021.

 ... what we’re seeing

now is they go from single-engine aircraft to a single-engine turboprop. 

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News Briefs PT6 REACHES 60 YEARS Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) is celebrating the 60th year of PT6 engine production and the accumulation of one billion hours of flying on its various engine models since the company was formed nearly 100 years ago.

More than 64,000 PT6s have been produced since 1963, and some 155 different aviation applications are powered by the turbine engines, according to P&WC. “Today’s PT6 is up to four times more powerful, has a 50 percent better power-to-weight ratio, and up to 20 percent better specific fuel consumption compared to the original engine,” said P&WC president Maria Della Posta.

GJC: STRONG BIZJET MARKET FACES HEADWINDS The business jet market remained strong in 2022 but questions remain about whether 2023 may bring a tougher environment for the industry, Global Jet Capital (GJC) said in its latest Market Brief. GJC noted that in the fourth quarter flight operations improved year-over-year; orders for new aircraft came in at high levels; transactions were still above pre-Covid levels; and pricing remained stable. But it also pointed to uncertainties such as inflation, supply chain disruption, the war in Ukraine, energy instability, and Covid. “The biggest question going forward is the health of the global economy,” GJC said. “The business jet market has remained resilient but will likely be tested this year.”

THRIVE AVIATION OPENS HEADQUARTERS EXPANSION Charter operator Thrive Aviation has opened a 17,000-sq-ft headquarters expansion in Henderson, Nevada, as the company continues to experience rapid growth. The expansion houses the company’s operational control center, as well as a training and development lab. Thrive anticipates making additional growth announcements in the coming months.

Part 135 rest, duty regs review leads to calls for change B Y S T UA R T “K IP P ” L AU

Decades-old Part 135 pilot rest and duty regulations may be giving way to a more progressive set of science-based rules. Current regulations, according to experts, are far too prescriptive and fail to recognize the effects of circadian rhythm and cumulative duty time. A new set of rules is soon expected to enter the notice of proposed rulemaking process and would be based on modern fatigue science while accommodating the diversity of operations within the charter and air ambulance industry.

In July 2021, the Part 135 Pilot Rest and Duty Rules Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) submitted its recommendations to the FAA, after nearly three years of collaborative industry work. Established by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, the Pilot Rest and Duty Rules ARC was formed to identify the effectiveness and deficiencies of the current Part 135 regulatory framework and to develop

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recommendations for future rulemaking activities.

The ARC comprised a group of individuals that represented a cross-section of the charter industry and fatigue experts including government, industry organizations, operators, academia, and labor.

Originally established in 2019, the primary objective of the ARC was to achieve the following as it relates to pilot rest and duty regulations: reduce the potential for excess fatigue across the complexity of Part 135 operations, provide a tiered approach for effective alertness management for a variety of business models, improve the enforcement of regulations, minimize the economic impact, accommodate the unique requirements of air medical services, and provide additional protections for flightcrew members operating during the window of circadian low (WOCL).

According to NBAA director of flight operations and regulations and member of

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

the ARC Brian Koester, “The existing rules are based on preventing acute and cumulative fatigue. While they are based on science, fatigue science has advanced since the rules were written. Our goal was to use the opportunity presented by the ARC to recommend modern, performance-based regulations that reflect the advancements in fatigue science.”

In its report, the ARC identified several deficiencies in the rest and duty regulations and other dangerous practices that are common with some Part 135 operators.

Most apparent was an acknowledgment that the rules, first established in 1978, are applied equally around the clock and do not consider WOCL—a period where fatigue is at its highest level and alertness is low.

WOCL is identified as a period between 0200-0600 (local for the pilots’ home base). Thus, the ARC recommended that regulations should account for the safety risks of increased fatigue during this period.

DANGEROUS PRACTICES

Other dangerous practices, as identified, include “rolling rest” and “Part 91 tailend ferry flights.” Both practices hold the potential to induce fatigue and decrease safety margins.

Rolling rest is an “illegal and widespread practice of requiring a crew member to be in rest on a rolling (continuing) basis without assigning an end to the rest period.” Prospective rest periods—those with a defined beginning and end—are a better way to manage rest and, with new record-keeping requirements, will be more enforceable.

BR I A N KOE S T E R N B A A D IR E C T OR OF F L IG H T OP S A N D R E G S

Part 91 tail-end ferry flights are another practice where operators require flightcrew to reposition an aircraft at the end of a Part 135 duty period. This practice was commonplace in helicopter air ambulance (HAA) operations until 2014 when regulations (FAR 135.601) were changed to define a Part 135 HAA flight to include those “conducted to reposition the helicopter after completing the patient or donor organ transport.”

Several Part 135 Pilot Rest and Duty Rules ARC members spoke with AIN about the prevalence of fatigue in Part 135 and other non-scheduled flight operations and about the ARC’s recommended new rules.

According to fatigue expert and Coalition of Airline Pilots Association (CAPA) representative Lauri Esposito, “Fatigue is a serious issue in nonscheduled flight operations because a pilot doesn’t always know when they are going to be operating a flight, which

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makes sleep management difficult. In other and we’re setting them up for success, not such as ASIAS so that all aviation stakewords, a pilot may know that he is ‘on call’ for pushing them beyond their physical limits holders can benefit.” Hanson has held vara specific time period, but because he doesn’t that could endanger them,” she said. ious leadership positions at NJASAP and is know exactly when his flight assignment is Quantifying the issue of fatigue in a Cessna Citation XLS captain. during this timeframe, it is difficult to plan non-scheduled operations is difficult and Hanson believes that fatigue is a major when to sleep.” Esposito, a Boeing 757/767 the problem is more than likely under-­ challenge for pilots flying for nonschedcaptain, also served on the Part 121 Pilot Rest reported, according to NetJets Association uled operators. “As a Part 135 pilot for a and Duty ARC—these efforts and recommen- of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP) Industry large operator, there are many issues that dations created a new set of regulations (Part Research Committee member Mike Hanson. we face daily that can lead to acute and 117) that are now applicable to all Part 121 cumulative fatigue,” he said. passenger operators—cargo operators were These issues include operating during exempt from these rules. the overnight hours, schedule flips (an Jessica Naor, president of Grandview early duty show time followed by a late Aviation—a large charter operator—added, duty show time, or vice versa), inconsis“Fatigue, particularly with Part 135 operatent duty start times, consecutive long tors flying at night [during the WOCL], is duty days (up to 14 hours per duty day, no a major problem in the industry. Many 135 matter what time of day), an excessive operators on the ARC agreed that the curnumber of consecutive duty days (with rent rest rules are not being followed, nor no current limit, outside of 13 days off per JE S S IC A N AOR enforced, because our current rules aren’t quarter), multiple changes to duty assignP R E S ID E N T, G R A N D V IE W AV I AT IO N clear enough. Prospective rest requires ments during a duty day, no limit to the that pilots are assigned specific rest perinumber of segments flown, long-range ods and specific duty periods—on-call is international operations, Part 91 ferry legs not rest, yet many operators are leaving at the end of a Part 135 duty day, and hotel pilots ‘on-call’ or in ‘rolling rest,’ which has and transportation issues. a huge impact on the alertness of crews fly“Other operators and pilots may face addiing in these environments.” tional challenges, depending on the type Naor expressed concern that the current and schedule of their operations. Pilots that rules are difficult to enforce; this creates a diswork for Part 135 scheduled operators face advantage for those operators that perform at similar obstacles and challenges that pilots a higher level of safety. “Operators following “Fatigue has long been an issue in Part of Part 121 passenger carrying operators face, the rules can’t compete today either,” she said. 135 [and 91/91K] operations but quantifying but without the fatigue protections of Part “I have had charter brokers tell me personally that fatigue has always been a challenging 121...rules.” Hanson added, “Additionally, they can’t use us because we have assigned task,” Hanson said. “Our Part 121 coun- some Part 135 operators incorrectly still use rest periods for pilots—that was the day I terparts have benefited from mandatory ‘rolling rest’ scheduling practices, and pilots realized how bad and how widespread this safety reporting systems to help identify may fear retribution if they were to call in issue is. The industry can, and should, do bet- and mitigate safety-related issues [such as ‘fatigued’ when they are too tired to safely ter for our pilots and our passengers.” fatigue] for many years. However, Part 135 operate an aircraft.” and Part 91/91K operators lag behind in the Likewise, fatigue creates specific operSAFETY FIRST implementation of formal safety reporting ational challenges ranging from routine Naor believes that taking a “safety first” systems, let alone the sharing of that data business trips to complex aeromedical approach to fatigue risk management was with other potential aviation stakeholders.” transport flights. “One of the key chalnot only the right thing to do but may have A lack of a mandatory reporting system lenges we discussed on the ARC was organ some other intangible benefits such as masks the true nature of the fatigue threat transplant missions because this is one of pilot retention. “I feel strongly that when facing the industry, he continued. “Less the most fatiguing mission types in Part you make the right calls you will always be than a quarter of Part 135 operators have a 135 today,” Naor said. “Grandview Aviation successful in the end. Beyond the safety formal ASAP [reporting] program, and less has been flying these missions since 2007 aspect of this, we have better retention of than 10 percent of operators share quan- so we have a lot of experience and have felt pilots because they know we value them tifiable information with an organization the challenges of the existing rule set in

 I feel strongly that when you make the right calls you will always be successful in the end.

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this environment. Organ transplant flights happen with a couple hours’ notice during WOCL periods and the average mission lasts 10 hours. That’s very difficult to fit into a 14-hour pre-assigned shift without having many overlapping crew shifts to accommodate it, which most operators don’t have.”

Naor noted the ARC also identified the typical business meeting trip as being tough as well. “Pilots waking up in early morning hours to take off at 7 a.m. and fly back many hours later in the evening is grueling on crews.

But, having a hotel room to in which to grab a nap would make a positive impact.

Every table in the report is tied to some common circumstance that pilots in 135 fly and attempts to mitigate the fatigue risk associated with the timing and duration of the trips in cumulative hours, days, or time of day.”

FAA HAS FALLEN BEHIND

Hanson believes the FAA has fallen behind in implementing science-based rest and duty rules for charter operators, saying, “EASA, CASA, and the [Canada] ‘air charter’ Part 135 equivalents have all updated their rest and

 As a Part 135 pilot for a large

the first ARC was formed in 2003 with no action taken and additional efforts began in 2009. The 2009 Duty and Rest ARC was the basis for Part 117 rules, which were applied only to Part 121 passenger operations and ignored Part 121 cargo operations and Part 135 operations.

Hanson pointed out the irony because the FAA in its 2009 Rest and Duty ARC charter stated: “The FAA recognizes that the effects of fatigue are universal, and the profiles of operations occurring under parts 121 and 135 are similar enough that the same fatigue mitigations should be applied across operations for flightcrew members. To carry out the Administrator’s goal, the FAA is chartering an ARC that will develop recommendations regarding rulemaking on flight time limitations, duty period limits, and rest requirements for pilots in operations under Parts 121 and 135.”

operator, there are many issues that we face daily that can lead to acute and cumulative fatigue.  duty rules in recent years to reflect current scientific understanding of human physiology as it relates to fatigue. The U.S. regulations lag despite numerous attempts to bring our segment of the industry up to date.”

Efforts to change Part 135 rest and duty regulations began nearly 20 years ago;

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ALERTNESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Recommendations from the Part 135 Pilot Rest and Duty ARC attempted to limit the overall economic impact while providing provisions for improved recordkeeping and rest scheduling. The report introduces the concept of an Alertness Management Program (AMP) and outlines a tiered solution that can accommodate operators ranging from a small charter with low-­fatigue related risk to a more comprehensive set of rules for certificate holders more likely to be exposed to fatigue-­inducing circumstances, including air medical and organ transport operators.

The purpose of an AMP is to promote flightcrew member alertness by providing fatigue monitoring and fatigue mitigations.

The complexity of an AMP and the mitiga- New rest and duty recommendations for Part 135 operators aim to improve fatigue management. tions will depend on the type of operation.

The ARC has recommended that the FAA Transforming these recommendations its impact on safety, Hanson stated, addpublish an advisory circular on AMP. into law is a long process, and when asked ing: “And so it remains, fatigue has been Smaller operators that do not routinely if the industry is prepared for this change, common in our segment of the industry operate during WOCL may opt not to the responses varied. and continues to be to this day. employ an AMP. Rest and duty limits, in CAPA’s Esposito, who has personally “Part 135 operations have greatly evolved this case, are more restrictive to avoid the witnessed changes to rest and duty rules, over the decades, with aircraft that can potential for unmitigated fatigue. maintained, “Yes, the industry is ready for cover all corners of the globe. Unfortunately, A Level 1 AMP, in general, has more these changes. FAR Part 117 was imple- the only things that haven’t changed in that prescriptive limits based on the number mented in 2012. These scientifically based time is the human physiology that requires of pilots, and whether the duty period flight/duty regulations replaced FAR Part sleep to allow pilots to safely perform our infringes on WOCL. As envisioned, the 121 for passenger carriers only. Initially, duties, and the antiquated rest and duty Level 1 AMP would allow additional flexi- there was resistance from the airline indus- rules that govern our operations. We are bility and would be approved by the opera- try, however, after more than a decade of hopeful that the ARC recommendation doctor’s principal operations inspector. operating under Part 117, none of the pre- ument will be the basis for a long overdue A Level 2 AMP includes a customized dicted detrimental impacts have come to NPRM that will finally update these rules.” set of flight, duty, and rest limits accom- fruition. The same thing will happen with Grandview Aviation’s Naor further said, panied by an expanded AMP defining Part 135. Both operators and pilots will “Fatigue doesn’t typically get recorded as the mitigations necessary for that oper- adapt and adjust to the new rules.” the primary cause of an accident, but we ation. The recommended requirements NJASAP’s Hanson added, “I think the know that human factors is the biggest for a Level 2 AMP are much greater than industry is averse to change in general, contributor to aviation accidents. Fatigue a Level 1 AMP and would require approval but this is a known issue that needs to be induces poor decision-­making, mistakes, from FAA headquarters. addressed by all stakeholders involved: the loss of concentration, and slowed reaction The Part 135 Pilot Rest and Duty Rules regulator, the operators, and the pilots. The times, everything we know that causes ARC came to a consensus support- ARC membership discussed this at length, accidents. The NTSB may not always ing the recommendations in the report and while there will be an adjustment period, name fatigue as the cause of an accident, submitted to the FAA. The proposed the recommendations will lead to a safer but we can all understand intuitively that changes account for WOCL and other operation for the entire U.S. aviation system.” it plays a role in most accidents and inciscientific principles to establish a more Throughout the process, members of the dents.” particularly in cases where pilots progressive set of rest and duty rules. ARC have remained focused on fatigue and are highly skilled.” z

16

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

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ACSF stepping up spotlight on FDM program B Y K E R R Y LY N C H

Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is hoping to use events such as its annual Safety Symposium and word-of-mouth to build momentum for its recently launched flight data monitoring program and encourage others to adopt such practices.

Most recently ACSF held its Safety Symposium last month at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, and on the agenda was a session of top executives discussing the challenges they’ve faced regarding the perception of FDM, how they overcame those challenges, the hardware involved, data analysis that comes with the program, and the safety and operational benefits.

Taking a page from the effort to develop its Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP)—which was built by word of mouth—ACSF president Bryan Burns said his hope is to foster similar success for FDM. “It’s a mirror image of what we did with ASAP 10 years ago,” he told AIN. ACSF formally opened the FDM program to participation this year after beta-testing it with three operators in 2022.

Frank Raymond, director of safety for a Part 91 operation, who formerly held the same title for ACSF, explained that the program is designed to help organizations improve their flight operations by using more data.

With ASAP, a voluntary reporting program, operators can learn what happened from the pilot’s perspective, Raymond said. FDM tells the operator what the airplane did. The programs can work together, he noted.

Many of ASAP participants have FDM, Raymond said. “But we’re really trying to

get folks that haven’t touched FDM and who are afraid of the cost and complexity. There are a lot of smaller operators out there that don’t have the time, the money, the resources, to get some of these programs. That’s where [ACSF’s FDM initiative] started. How do we get these programs down to operators that typically wouldn’t have been able to afford them?

How do we raise their safety game?”

ACSF looked to develop cost-effective solutions to reach those operators. “They may not have all the bells and whistles of some of these legacy programs, but for the cost, you’re still getting access to data that you wouldn’t otherwise have,” he said.

To get started, Raymond added, “you have to have the right safety culture.”

Without a just culture in place, “FDM isn’t going to be in an environment where it can thrive.” ACSF also stresses the importance of training on FDM for both management and flight crews so they have a better understanding of what they can do with the data in a non-punitive environment.

“We want to provide training to everybody from the frontline to the C-suite on what FDM can and cannot do,” Raymond said. “‘This is how it should be used, this is how it should not be used.’”

Once that foundation is built, operators need to look at the aircraft and the avionics to know what type of hardware is best for the airplane. The right hardware is critical to getting the data off the airplane, he explained.

“Technology has gotten less expensive and more readily available,” Raymond said. “There are more options out there than there were 15 years ago when I started my FDM at another company.”

Program partners include AirSync and CloudAhoy, which make FDM feasible for light jets, turboprops, and even piston aircraft. AirSync provides hardware options and cellular connectivity to get the data off the aircraft.

The data is then transmitted wirelessly to CloudAhoy, which provides the analysis.

“That’s where we’re actually looking at the data,” Raymond said. CloudAhoy created a dashboard with graphics to provide a picture of what’s happening with the aircraft.

“The basic idea of FDM is that we’re using aggregated data to look at our system,” Raymond commented. “The goal, as a flight department, is [to ask] how are we flying our aircraft? Are we flying in accordance with the aircraft flight manual? Are we flying in accordance with our SOPs with the CFRs?” The beta test ran for a year, and Raymond said the feedback was positive. z

a i n o n l i n e .c o m \ April 2023 \ Aviation International News

17

Safety Talk

Bryan Burns traces ACSF growth in members, safety programs B Y K E R R Y LY N C H

Bryan Burns has steered the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) through its near infancy to a multi-faceted safety organization that offers a variety of safety programs to charter operators. He joined ACSF in 2010, two years after it was formally established, as executive director and later became president. He brought 30 years of fixed-base operation experience to his role at ACSF, serving as general manager for Signature Flight Support at Washington Dulles and Ronald Reagan Washington National airports and before that v-p of Jackson Hole Aviation and president of Vail Valley Jet Center in Eagle, Colorado. He was the recipient of the NBAA Dr. Tony Kern Aviation Professionalism Award in 2021 as well as the Flight Safety Foundation Business Aviation Meritorious Service Award in 2022. He discussed the evolution of ACSF with AIN.

Talk a little about the history of the Air initially began as our Industry Audit Standard.

Charter Safety Foundation.

After ACSF was formed, it really concentrated The foundation was formed as a spinoff on the Industry Audit Standard and didn’t of NATA [the National Air Transporta- even consider ASAP till five years later. tion Association] as a sister organization because of the large number of high-profile How did you get involved with ASAP? fatal accidents that were happening in the [ACSF] evolved and we became a little industry back in 2006 and 2007. bit more creative. We started thinking about The FAA was not happy with charter oper- why the Part 121 world has ASAP, but Part 91 ator safety and said, “You guys have got to does not and relatively few 135s were particireach out to your charter members to fix pating. That was a huge turning point in the this. This is just not acceptable.” That’s what foundation: creating the relationship not only triggered the Industry Audit Standard. [The with the FAA headquarters but more imporlate ACSF v-p operations] Russ [Lawton] tantly the Flight Standards District Offices developed the original [ACSF] Industry Audit [FSDOs] in the field, to become recognized as Standard. Really, 90 percent of the founda- a third-party program manager for the ASAP tion back in the day was doing audit stan- program. dards. Literally, that was the purpose of it.

Russ and I went around the nation literally talking to all the FSDOs and introducing How has the ACSF evolved? the ASAP concept in the early stages [to the When I started with the foundation, we industry]. Like most things, word of mouth had 30 members, and literally, that consisted just kind of began in the industry and we proof our entire board. We are now over 300 moted the heck out of it. And so, we created today. So, when you talk about growth, you an entire—how would you say—ASAP industalk about exponentially where we’re at. I try that was never considered in the past to think what’s really driving a lot of that, if mitigate risk and move the safety needle. not the majority of it, is our Aviation Safety Action Program [ASAP, a non-punitive volun- What’s been the result? tary safety reporting initiative]. That’s been We’ve got well over 278 of what we refer kind of the staple that has [grown] from what to as ASAP certificates. We’re managing

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Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

about 222 companies, but they have multiple certificates. We’re about split right now between Part 135 and 91.

I think one of the major factors that validates everything we’re doing in the ASAP space is that we have the FAA, especially in the FSDOs, reaching out to us to train their own inspectors on the ASAP program. The FAA has had its own challenges with attrition, staffing issues, and internally trying to keep inspectors current. We have built an enormous relationship with these folks to the point that there are times when they’re referring operators to the ACSF if they want to start an ASAP program. So I mean, just back to the word of mouth is where it’s coming from and the really solid trust relationship, this partnership, that truly makes it all work.

Was there reluctance for operators to sign onto a voluntary safety reporting program?

Russ and I always go back to 3M and Target, the Part 91 flight departments that really were the first to participate in the program even before 135 joined. We went around the country doing various regional forum presentations on the ASAP program. There absolutely was reluctance. There was the piece of why

should we do this. However, we tapped into those folks [participating] and that started trickling into the system. We gave a venue [at our annual conference] to get operators that were participating in our ASAP program to tell the audience the value and benefits of it.

There wasn’t any kind of directive that came out from the FAA. We just took the liberty of kind of growing it ourselves Flight data monitoring [FDM] is, in my view, a very similar path that we’re taking with the challenges of folks being concerned about Big Brother looking.

These are all very similar challenges.

You have to switch that conversation over to the impact it’s having on enhancement in improving your operation from a safety component. It’s the culture. And if you’ve got the right culture, it is hugely successful.

With ASAP rolling and the Industry Audit Standard getting regular customers, what was next for ACSF? It led to what has now been a combination of the SMS [safety management system] program. As a component of ASAP, we were relying on many other commercial businesses that had SMS platforms, servers, and tools that we did not. Customer feedback, however, was “We would love to have one-stop shopping.”

Basically, let’s have everything reside under one server, under one platform.

Because with all these programs, you have to make it simple in order for folks to participate. So that was another turning point for us a year ago or so.

By allowing the SMS platform to be introduced, now folks can file a combination of SMS reports and ASAP reports, under our QuickBase server. That was a big add to our initiatives and programs.

And then, what has been most recent in this past year has been FDM. We felt that was a natural evolution of the pathway to safety.

If you look at all those steps [Industry Audit Standard, ASAP, SMS, and FDM], you are capturing a ton of data that analyzed properly and reviewed properly can improve what

you’re doing. I always look at that as peace of There’s the cost, and members saying mind at the end of the day that you’re doing “We’d love to participate, but who’s going everything through those channels to manage to pay and how will we find time for this?” your safety program as best as possible.

When you’re a large mega operator, that works on a scale of an airline.

Did the NTSB coordinate with you or When you’ve got two aircraft and a ask you to take on these roles? dozen employees, you need help to truly No, never. Obviously, [former NTSB apply these safety programs and initiachair] Robert Sumwalt was very helpful tives properly and monitor them, police with some direction and guidance. We just them, provide feedback, and corrective felt that it was right for our members. action improvement.

When it comes to recommendations and How is this scalable to the Part 91 and the terms the [NTSB] always uses after an Part 135 world? This has always been the accident, it is encouraging and promoting challenge, and this is where the Foundasafety programs by looking at what histori- tion fits in. The ACSF comes in to try to cally has been the domestic airlines’ safety help facilitate and manage. That’s what record. The airlines have three things that made the ASAP program so successtypically small and medium-sized operators ful, managing those programs as best do not: time, money, and resources. So, the we can. airlines have all these wonderful programs.

That’s what we’re trying to do with FDM. z Historically, everything we just talked about they’ve had for years.

This interview was edited and condensed.

a i n o n l i n e .c o m \ April 2023 \ Aviation International News

19

AIN 2023 FBO Survey: The Americas R E P OR T B Y CUR T E P S T E I N , C H A R T S A N D DATA B Y DAV E L E AC H

Business has been good for the FBO indus- than $11 a gallon, according to Airnav.com. try in the post-Covid period. Private avia“We are continuing to see traffic tion was spurred to record heights by an increase...and the gallons pumped are influx of new users, seeking more con- really reflecting this,” said David Peacock, trolled travel environments as well as relief general manager of Wilson Air Center’s from the still-diminished airline schedules. Memphis International Airport location.

According to Argus TraqPak data, flight “The higher fuel prices we are experiencing activity last year in North America was haven’t seemed to have an effect on this.” more than 5 percent above 2021 levels Among the FBOs AIN spoke with for and 15.5 percent over pre-Covid 2019. this year’s FBO survey, many indicated Flight hours increased by nearly 11 per- they experienced record totals in activity cent year-over-year and were up 22 percent and fuel sales in 2022. from 2019.

That increase in activity, coupled with a The large-cabin jet segment saw the wave of new private aviation users, has also largest increase, up 11.4 percent compared exacerbated the shortage in hangar space with 2021. Yet operators are seeing the cost being felt by many service providers. of flying rise for a variety of reasons.

“If you look at every manufacturer, the With that increased usage came higher airplanes that they are making today are fuel sales for most FBOs, despite the surge substantially larger than they were 20 in jet-fuel pricing caused by Russia’s inva- years ago,” explained Scott Cutshall, senior sion of Ukraine in February 2022. The v-p of development and sustainability with resulting sanctions on Russia led to a tight- California-based Clay Lacy Aviation. “So, ening of the global oil supply, which saw jet-A there is a need for not only more hangar prices skyrocket to new levels in the second space but hangars large enough to accomquarter of the year, reaching nearly $13 a modate what we are referring to as the gallon in some areas. High prices have per- upgauging that’s going on in the industry.” sisted with the nationwide average at more In the post-Covid environment, labor

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Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

issues were another factor FBOs had to address. With a tight labor market, aviation service providers competed with other service-oriented industries for staff. This required FBOs to step up their compensation to attract and maintain quality talent.

“Finding staff remains a challenge,” said Dana Fales, general manager of Sheltair’s facility at Fort Lauderdale International Airport. “To combat this, we have adjusted the way we pay our employees to encourage longevity and growth.” The Florida-based company is also offering additional benefits such as longevity bonuses, educational reimbursements, and new employee referral financial incentives.

Against this backdrop, AIN once again asked its readers to rate FBOs they frequented over the year in five categories: line service, passenger amenities, pilot amenities, facilities, and CSRs. To land at the top of the survey ratings, it is not enough for an FBO to excel in just one or two categories; a location must demonstrate all-around consistency. We present to you this year’s top 5 percent. International results will appear in the May issue. z

TOP RATED FBOS IN THE AMERICAS (BY OVERALL AVERAGE) FBO

AIRPORT CODE

AIRPORT

OVERALL AVERAGE

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

AIRPORT CODE

FBO

AIRPORT

OVERALL AVERAGE

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

PENTASTAR AVIATION

KPTK

OAKLAND COUNTY INTERNATIONAL

4.78

0.02

Top 5%

HERITAGE AVIATION

KBTV

BURLINGTON INTERNATIONAL

4.63

0.00

Top 20%

AMERICAN AERO

KFTW

FORT WORTH MEACHAM INTERNATIONAL

4.77

0.02

Top 5%

MILLION AIR

KHPN

WESTCHESTER COUNTY

4.63

0.01

Top 20%

SHELTAIR

KTPA

TAMPA INTERNATIONAL

4.77

0.01

Top 5%

MILLION AIR

KADS

ADDISON

4.63

0.00

Top 20%

BANYAN AIR SERVICE

KFXE

FORT LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE

4.73

0.01

Top 5%

MODERN AVIATION

KAPA

CENTENNIAL

4.63

-0.02

Top 20%

WILSON AIR CENTER

KMEM

MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL

4.73

0.01

Top 5%

MONTEREY JET CENTER

KMRY

MONTEREY PENINSULA

4.63

-0.01

Top 20%

HENRIKSEN JET CENTER

KTME

HOUSTON EXECUTIVE

4.72

0.05

Top 5%

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KCRQ

MC CLELLANPALOMAR

4.62

-0.01

Top 20%

JET AVIATION

KPBI

PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL

4.72

0.00

Top 5%

DESERT JET CENTER

KTRM

JACQUELINE COCHRAN REGIONAL

4.62

0.11

Top 20%

HENRIKSEN JET CENTER

KEDC

AUSTIN EXECUTIVE

4.71

-0.01

Top 5%

SHELTAIR

KDAB

DAYTONA BEACH INTERNATIONAL

4.62

0.01

Top 20%

SHELTAIR

KFLL

FORT LAUDERDALE/ HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL

4.71

0.01

Top 5%

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KSTP

ST PAUL DOWNTOWN HOLMAN FLD

4.62

0.01

Top 20%

SHELTAIR

KBJC

ROCKY MOUNTAIN METROPOLITAN

4.71

0.00

Top 5%

SKYSERVICE

CYYZ

LESTER B. PEARSON INTERNATIONAL

4.62

0.00

Top 20%

AERO-ONE AVIATION

KDHN

DOTHAN REGIONAL

4.69

0.04

Top 5%

EMBRAER FBO

SDCO

SOROCABA

4.61

0.00

Top 20%

BUSINESS JET CENTER

KDAL

DALLAS LOVE FIELD

4.69

0.01

Top 5%

MERIDIAN HAYWARD

KHWD

HAYWARD EXECUTIVE

4.61

-0.02

Top 20%

WESTERN AIRCRAFT

KBOI

BOISE AIR TERMINAL/ GOWEN FLD

4.69

-0.02

Top 5%

MILLION AIR

KHOU

WILLIAM P HOBBY

4.61

0.01

Top 20%

BASE OPERATIONS AT PAGE FIELD

KFMY

PAGE FIELD

4.68

0.01

Top 10%

SHELTAIR

KSAV

SAVANNAH/ HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL

4.61

0.00

Top 20%

FARGO JET CENTER

KFAR

HECTOR INTERNATIONAL

4.68

0.01

Top 10%

AERO CHARTER, INC

KSUS

SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS

4.60

0.01

Top 20%

GLOBAL SELECT

KSGR

SUGAR LAND REGIONAL

4.67

0.00

Top 10%

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KMTJ

MONTROSE REGIONAL

4.60

-0.02

Top 20%

HAWTHORNE GLOBAL AVIATION SERVICES

KPWK

CHICAGO EXECUTIVE

4.67

0.01

Top 10%

J. A. AIR CENTER

KARR

AURORA MUNICIPAL

4.60

0.00

Top 20%

MERIDIAN TETERBORO

KTEB

TETERBORO

4.67

-0.01

Top 10%

JACKSON JET CENTER

KPHX

4.60

0.02

Top 20%

SHELTAIR

KORL

ORLANDO EXECUTIVE

4.67

0.02

Top 10%

PHOENIX SKY HARBOR INTERNATIONAL

SHELTAIR

KPIE

4.60

0.03

Top 20%

KTKI

MCKINNEY NATIONAL AIRPORT

4.66

0.04

Top 10%

ST PETERSBURGCLEARWATER INTERNATIONAL

SHELTAIR

KECP

NORTHWEST FLORIDA BEACHES INTERNATIONAL

4.60

0.04

Top 20%

ALLIANCE AVIATION

KAFW

FORT WORTH ALLIANCE

4.59

0.04

Top 20%

CUTTER AVIATION

KPHX

PHOENIX SKY HARBOR INTERNATIONAL

4.59

0.02

Top 20%

CUTTER AVIATION

KCOS

CITY OF COLORADO SPRINGS MUNICIPAL

4.59

0.02

Top 20%

GLOBAL AVIATION

KHIO

PORTLANDHILLSBORO

4.59

0.01

Top 20%

NATIONAL JETS

KFLL

FORT LAUDERDALE/ HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL

4.59

0.00

Top 20%

NORTHEAST AIR

KPWM

PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL JETPORT

4.59

0.02

Top 20%

KCLT

CHARLOTTE/ DOUGLAS INTERNATIONAL

4.59

-0.01

Top 20%

MCKINNEY AIR CENTER SHELTAIR

KJAX

JACKSONVILLE INTERNATIONAL

4.66

-0.01

Top 10%

WILSON AIR CENTER

KCHA

LOVELL FIELD

4.66

0.00

Top 10%

DEL MONTE AVIATION

KMRY

MONTEREY PENINSULA

4.65

0.00

Top 10%

JET CENTER AT SANTA FE

KSAF

SANTA FE MUNICIPAL

4.65

0.03

Top 10%

TEXAS JET

KFTW

FORT WORTH MEACHAM INTERNATIONAL

4.65

0.00

Top 10%

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KMKC

CHARLES B. WHEELER DOWNTOWN

4.64

0.00

Top 10%

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KOKC

WILL ROGERS WORLD

4.64

N/A

Top 10%

LUX FBO

CYHU

ST-HUBERT

4.64

0.03

Top 10%

WILSON AIR CENTER

ATLANTIC AVIATION - STUART JET CENTER

KSUA

WITHAM FIELD

4.64

0.00

Top 10%

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

a i n o n l i n e .c o m \ April 2023 \ Aviation International News

21

4.78 Pentastar Aviation

SOUTHEAST REGION FBO

AIRPORT CODE

OVERALL AVERAGE

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

ATLANTA HILL AIRCRAFT

KFTY

4.41

0.04

EPPS AVIATION

KPDK

4.37

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KPDK

4.20

0.00

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KPDK

4.17

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KFTY

3.95

0.00

BOCA RATON/POMPANO BEACH SHELTAIR

KPMP

4.56

-0.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KBCT

4.36

-0.04

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KBCT

4.17

0.02

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KCHS

4.53

0.00

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KCHS

4.09

-0.08

KCLT

4.59

-0.01

KCHA

4.66

0.00

KDAB

4.62

0.01

CHARLESTON

CHARLOTTE WILSON AIR CENTER

CHATTANOOGA WILSON AIR CENTER

DAYTONA BEACH SHELTAIR

FORT LAUDERDALE BANYAN AIR SERVICE

KFXE

4.73

0.01

SHELTAIR

KFLL

4.71

0.01

NATIONAL JETS

KFLL

4.59

0.00

JETSCAPE

KFLL

4.24

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KFLL

4.15

0.00

KFMY

4.68

0.01

NAPLES AVIATION

KAPF

4.26

0.01

PRIVATESKY AVIATION

KRSW

4.25

-0.04

KJAX

4.66

-0.01

FORT MYERS/NAPLES BASE OPERATIONS AT PAGE FIELD

JACKSONVILLE SHELTAIR

MEMPHIS WILSON AIR CENTER

KMEM

4.73

0.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KMEM

4.04

0.02

FONTAINEBLEAU AVIATION

KOPF

4.46

0.00

ATLANTIC AVIATON

KOPF

4.40

0.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KMIA

4.24

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KOPF

4.15

0.00

MIAMI

NASHVILLE ATLANTIC AVIATION

KBNA

4.12

0.02

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KBNA

4.12

0.01

SHELTAIR

KECP

4.60

0.04

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KDTS

4.44

-0.04

MILLION AIR

KTLH

4.22

0.00

NORTHWEST FLORIDA

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

22

Unique among FBOs, Pentastar has its own jet bridge, attached to the 10,000-sq-ft, Oakland County International two-story satellite Stargate terminal. It is speAirport (KPTK), Pontiac, Michigan cially equipped to handle large charter flights such as sports teams, with its own baggage carousel, departure lounge, and workstations.

On one of the few remaining undeveloped parcels of land at KPTK, the company is about to break ground on a new $11 million expansion that will add a pair of 25,000-sq-ft hangars and 8,000 sq ft of passenger lounge and offices.

Last summer, the Avfuel-branded location achieved Stage 2 registration under Occupying the top seat in the FBO Survey the International Standard for Business for the third-year running is Pentastar Avi- Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH). ation. It ranked among the top 10 in all five survey categories this year, the only location to achieve that status. To ensure it continues to exceed the expectations of its clients it recently added the director of customer Fort Worth Meacham International experience position to its leadership team.

Airport (KFTW), Fort Worth, Texas Standing out among the gaggle of service providers at Oakland County International Airport in Michigan, the company traces its existence back nearly 60 years to its roots as the flight department for the Chrysler Corporation. It eventually extended its services to other jet operators, and in 2001 it was purchased by Edsel B. Ford II, the great-grandson of the legendary Henry Ford, to pursue his passion for aviation.

American Aero FTW’s facility was designed Pentastar, which is open and staffed 24/7, from the start to incorporate virtually every is a full-service FBO offering a broad slate of feature to improve the customer experience, capabilities from aircraft management and and it has certainly accomplished that goal, charter to 24-hour maintenance and inte- according to AIN’s readers who have placed rior refurbishments. One distinctive feature it firmly in the top 5 percent of all FBOs is its in-house kitchen: Fivestar Gourmet, since 2017 when its current facility opened. which supplies catering to aircraft opera- This year, the company scored in the top 10 tors as well as meals to FBO customers and in four of the five survey categories: passenairport workers. It has even expanded its ger amenities (4.73), pilot amenities (4.73), catering service to other airports in the area. facilities (4.77), and CSRs (4.85).

The complex includes 155,000 sq ft of The 8,600-sq-ft terminal adjacent to hangar space and 10 acres of reinforced the U.S. Customs facility features an ramp space. It has a pair of terminals with array of technologies and amenities such the main 5,000-sq-ft building offering pas- as self-tinting glass windows, white noise senger lounges, multimedia-equipped con- speakers embedded in the lobby walls ference rooms, and the Fivestar Café. along with sound dampening materials

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

4.77 American Aero FTW

to provide a tranquil environment, a pri- sq ft of hangar space capable of sheltering vate lounge for groups of up to 12 people, the latest ultra-long-range business jets. It a fully-­soundproofed snooze room com- expects to break ground soon on an addiplete with a one-ton door, shower facilities, tional 40,000 sq ft of aircraft storage. a crew dining room with china service, a From its start in 2012, safety has always well-stocked refreshment bar, 25-seat A/V- been the cornerstone of the company, as it equipped conference room, and even a was the world’s first to achieve Stage 1 and high-speed dishwasher for aircraft service Stage 3 IS-BAH registration and was receritems during quick turns. It offers 80 cov- tified as Stage 3 in 2021. The location is norered parking spaces to protect customer mally open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. every (4.73), and facilities (4.79) categories, makvehicles from the harsh Texas sun and day with after-hours callouts available. ing it one of only three FBOs to top score complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi through4.7 or higher in every category. out the terminal and ramp. “Every detail of While most FBOs have warehouses and the customer experience has been considfuel terminals as their neighbors, that is ered and our team takes that attentiveness Tampa International Airport certainly not the case with Sheltair Tampa. to the next level by delivering the highest (KTPA), Tampa, Florida KTPA’s central location means customers standard of customer service,” said genare not resigned to vending machines, with eral manager Angela Thurmond.

A top performer in the AIN FBO Survey an upscale shopping district and fine dinThe Signature Select-badged FBO occu- for its entire nearly two-decade existence, ing restaurants just across the street from pies a 34-acre leasehold at FTW, with 255,000 Sheltair Tampa was among the highest the Avfuel-supplied FBO. scorers this year in the line service (4.81), One of the notable features of the SOUTHEAST REGION (continues) passenger amenities (4.77), pilot amenities IS-BAH Stage 2-registered location,

4.77 Sheltair

FBO

AIRPORT CODE

OVERALL AVERAGE

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

ORLANDO SHELTAIR

KORL

4.67

0.02

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KORL

4.50

0.00

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KMCO

4.48

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KMCO

4.35

0.01

ATLANTIC AVIATION (Formerly TAC Air)

KRDU

4.15

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KRDU

3.88

-0.01

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KSRQ

4.55

0.00

DOLPHIN AVIATION

KSRQ

3.56

0.00

KSAV

4.61

0.00

KTPA

4.77

0.01

SHELTAIR

KPIE

4.60

0.03

SHELTAIR

KSPG

4.37

-0.11

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KTPA

3.94

0.00

RALEIGH/DURHAM

SARASOTA

SAVANNAH SHELTAIR

TAMPA/ST. PETERSBURG SHELTAIR

WEST PALM BEACH/STUART JET AVIATION

KPBI

4.72

0.00

ATLANTIC AVIATION– STUART JET CENTER

KSUA

4.64

0.00

APP JET CENTER

KSUA

4.45

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KPBI

4.41

0.01

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KPBI

4.33

-0.02

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FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

a i n1o n l i n e .c o m \ April 2023 \ Aviation International 3739-AIN_REI_EPIC-Caravan_Ad_v5.indd 6/2/22 News 12:18 PM

23

WEST REGION AIRPORT CODE

OVERALL AVERAGE

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

PANC

4.31

0.00

ATLANTIC AVIATION

PHNL

4.49

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

PHNL

4.24

-0.01

FBO

ANCHORAGE ATLANTIC AVIATION

HONOLULU

LAS VEGAS SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KLAS

4.36

-0.03

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KLAS

4.28

-0.01

HENDERSON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT

KHND

4.16

0.02

LOS ANGELES ATLANTIC AVIATION

KLGB

4.56

0.00

MILLION AIR

KBUR

4.50

0.00

CLAY LACY AVIATION

KVNY

4.32

0.02

ACI JET (SNA)

KSNA

4.30

0.03

DESERT JET CENTER

KTRM

4.62

0.11

PALM SPRINGS ATLANTIC AVIATION

KTRM

4.42

0.00

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KPSP

4.38

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KPSP

4.28

0.00

GLOBAL AVIATION

KHIO

4.59

0.01

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KPDX

4.47

0.02

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KCRQ

4.62

-0.01

CARLSBAD JET CENTER

KCRQ

4.41

0.15

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KSAN

3.88

0.00 0.00

PORTLAND

SAN DIEGO

SAN FRANCISCO/OAKLAND DEL MONTE AVIATION

KMRY

4.65

MONTEREY JET CENTER

KMRY

4.63

-0.01

MERIDIAN HAYWARD

KHWD

4.61

-0.02

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KOAK

4.25

0.00

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KSJC

4.19

-0.01

MODERN AVIATION

KBFI

4.25

0.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KBFI

4.13

-0.01

SEATTLE

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

which is adjacent to the U.S. Customs facility, is its iconic 13,000-sq-ft aircraft arrivals canopy that protects passengers from Florida’s alternately intense sunshine or rain. Sheltair is about to embark on a major $1.4 million renovation of the complex’s 8,300-sq-ft, two-story terminal, one that will completely reconfigure its interior to improve customer service flow.

24

Its 150,000 sq ft of hangar space—which complex across the field, which opened in can hold aircraft up to a Global 7500—will 2020 and added 160,000 sq ft of hangars soon be augmented by the opening of a and a 9,500-sq-ft satellite terminal. long-awaited $20 million expansion that The 14,000-sq-ft main terminal features will add more than 77,000 sq ft of aircraft an airy two-story, Key West-themed atrium, shelter, 32,000 sq ft of office space, and including a separate TV lounge, waterfall, nearly two acres to the ramp. Next year, the 800-gallon saltwater aquarium, palm trees, FBO is also planning to add another 50,000- and paddle fans; three pilot lounges; a trio sq-ft hangar capable of housing aircraft up of a/v-equipped conference rooms seating to a BBJ. six, 10, and 30 respectively; two snooze “Demand for hangar space in the Florida rooms, business center; and duty-free shop. market has seen rapid growth in recent years,” Also, part of the complex are the world’s said general manager James Toler. “With our largest pilot shop and the Jetway Café, a soon-to-be-completed hangar development, popular breakfast and lunch destination we are rising to meet the growing demand for that is run by a local caterer. hangar and class A office space.”

Combined, they all served to give the FBO its top-10 scores in the passenger amenities (4.72) and facilities (4.80) categories.

Due to its location, the IS-BAH Stage 2 facility, which has a staff of 190, serves as Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport a gateway to the Caribbean, offering travel (KFXE), Fort Lauderdale, Florida assistance and documentation services for the Bahamas and other island destinations. The company has patiently awaited the institution of Bahamas customs pre-­ clearance and even has a facility earmarked for its eventual introduction.

The Avfuel-branded FBO is also well known throughout Central and South America as well as with operators in those areas scheduling their maintenance at Banyan to coincide with trips to the U.S. BanBanyan Air Service, one of four FBOs at yan’s line service staff recently transitioned Fort Lauderdale’s dedicated general avia- to 100 percent paperless, which has reduced tion airport has come a long way from its the communications required between its 1979 founding as a small aircraft mainte- line staff and CSRs by 80 percent. nance facility. Today it is the world’s largest FBO, occupying more than 120 acres at KFXE and offering aircraft operators virtually every service they might require.

Memphis International Airport True to its maintenance roots, the facil(KMEM), Memphis, Tennessee ity offers a full Part 145 repair station, avionics shop, engine shop, paint shop, and Though Wilson Air Center may be a small parts department. Home to a flock of 185 FBO chain with just four locations in Tennesturbine-powered aircraft in addition to see, Texas, and North Carolina, the company, hundreds of piston aircraft, Banyan man- with its ties to the Holiday Inn chain, knows a ages 360,000 sq ft of hangar space (over bit about hospitality, and it shows. one million sq ft including offices). This Bearing the name of late patriarch Kemincludes the Sheltair-built Northside mons Wilson, who also founded the hotel

4.73 Banyan Air Service

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

4.73 Wilson Air Center

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brand, the family-owned company brings A major feature of the facility is its those service flourishes to all of its loca- 26,000-sq-ft aircraft canopy, one of the tions including its flagship Memphis FBO, largest in the world. The company looks which earned its highest score this year in to bring every arriving aircraft under that the CSR category (4.80).

“We pride ourselves on outstanding customer service and attention to detail,” said general manager David Peacock, adding the company also pioneered the use of a “hotel style” concierge to enhance the service level of the FBO. “The concierge will meet each arriving and departing aircraft to take the stress out of travel for the customer.”

canopy no matter how large or small.

AIN’s readers clearly appreciate that capability, awarding the location a top 10 score in the facilities category (4.75).

The 5,700-sq-ft terminal includes a passenger lounge, business center, conference rooms, pilot lounge with snooze room, and refreshment bar featuring local favorite Blue Bell ice cream yearround. A separate 730-sq-ft VIP handling area with ensuite bathroom is aimed at professional and collegiate sports teams.

The location also placed among the

TOP FBOS BY CATEGORY — AMERICAS FBO

AIRPORT

LINE SERVICE

FBO

AIRPORT CODE

AIRPORT

PILOT AMENITIES

PENTASTAR AVIATION

KPTK

OAKLAND COUNTY INTERNATIONAL

4.72

SHELTAIR

KFLL

FORT LAUDERDALE/HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL

4.70

WESTERN AIRCRAFT

KBOI

BOISE AIR TERMINAL/GOWEN FLD

4.70

JET AVIATION

KPBI

PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL

4.69

FBO

AIRPORT CODE

AIRPORT

JET CENTER AT SANTA FE

KSAF

SANTA FE MUNICIPAL

4.91

DESERT JET CENTER

KTRM

JACQUELINE COCHRAN REGIONAL

4.86

ATLANTIC AVIATION– STUART JET CENTER

KSUA

WITHAM FIELD

4.84

NATIONAL JETS

KFLL

FORT LAUDERDALE/HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL

4.81

PENTASTAR AVIATION

KPTK

OAKLAND COUNTY INTERNATIONAL

4.81

SHELTAIR

KTPA

TAMPA INTERNATIONAL

4.81

GLOBAL SELECT

KSGR

SUGAR LAND REGIONAL

MCKINNEY AIR CENTER

KTKI

MCKINNEY NATIONAL AIRPORT

4.80

HENRIKSEN JET CENTER

KEDC

AUSTIN EXECUTIVE

4.82

MONTEREY JET CENTER

KMRY

MONTEREY PENINSULA

4.80

BANYAN AIR SERVICE

KFXE

FORT LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE

4.80

GLACIER JET CENTER

KGPI

GLACIER PARK INTERNATIONAL

4.78

HENRIKSEN JET CENTER

KTME

HOUSTON EXECUTIVE

4.80

KPWM

PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL JETPORT

4.78

SHELTAIR

KTPA

TAMPA INTERNATIONAL

4.79

4.78

BASE OPERATIONS AT PAGE FIELD

KFMY

PAGE FIELD

4.78

PASSENGER AMENITIES

PENTASTAR AVIATION

KPTK

OAKLAND COUNTY INTERNATIONAL

4.78

AMERICAN AERO

KFTW

FORT WORTH MEACHAM INTERNATIONAL

4.77

WILSON AIR CENTER

KCHA

LOVELL FIELD

4.76

WILSON AIR CENTER

KMEM

MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL

4.75

FBO

AIRPORT CODE

AIRPORT

CSRS

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KSTP

ST PAUL DOWNTOWN HOLMAN FLD

4.91

OAKLAND COUNTY INTERNATIONAL

4.88

NORTHEAST AIR

26

AIRPORT CODE

FACILITIES 4.83

WILSON AIR CENTER

KHOU

WILLIAM P HOBBY

FBO

AIRPORT CODE

AIRPORT

HENRIKSEN JET CENTER

KEDC

AUSTIN EXECUTIVE

4.82

SHELTAIR

KTPA

TAMPA INTERNATIONAL

4.77

WESTERN AIRCRAFT

KBOI

BOISE AIR TERMINAL/GOWEN FLD

4.76

AMERICAN AERO

KFTW

FORT WORTH MEACHAM INTERNATIONAL

4.73

BUSINESS JET CENTER

KDAL

DALLAS LOVE FIELD

4.73

LUX FBO

CYHU

ST-HUBERT

4.73

WILSON AIR CENTER

KMEM

MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL

4.73

PENTASTAR AVIATION

KPTK

BANYAN AIR SERVICE

KFXE

FORT LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE

4.72

ATLANTIC AVIATION

PHNL

HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL

4.87

AMERICAN AERO

KFTW

FORT WORTH MEACHAM INTERNATIONAL

4.85

JET CENTER AT SANTA FE

KSAF

SANTA FE MUNICIPAL

4.83

MERIDIAN TETERBORO

KTEB

TETERBORO

4.83

DEL MONTE AVIATION

KMRY

MONTEREY PENINSULA

4.81

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KTRM

JACQUELINE COCHRAN REGIONAL

4.80

GLOBAL SELECT

KSGR

SUGAR LAND REGIONAL

4.72

AERO-ONE AVIATION

KDHN

DOTHAN REGIONAL

4.71

PENTASTAR AVIATION

KPTK

OAKLAND COUNTY INTERNATIONAL

4.71

FBO

AIRPORT CODE

AIRPORT

PILOT AMENITIES

HENRIKSEN JET CENTER

KTME

HOUSTON EXECUTIVE

4.78

GLOBAL SELECT

KSGR

SUGAR LAND REGIONAL

4.76

ATLANTIC AVIATION– STUART JET CENTER

KSUA

WITHAM FIELD

4.80

AMERICAN AERO

KFTW

FORT WORTH MEACHAM INTERNATIONAL

4.73

TEXAS JET

KFTW

FORT WORTH MEACHAM INTERNATIONAL

4.80

HENRIKSEN JET CENTER

KEDC

AUSTIN EXECUTIVE

4.73

WILSON AIR CENTER

KMEM

MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL

4.80

SHELTAIR

KTPA

TAMPA INTERNATIONAL

4.73

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

leaders this year in the passenger amenities category (4.73).

The facility, which has 35 NATA Safety 1st trained employees and is open 24/7, occupies nearly 18 acres at KMEM. It offers 108,000 sq ft of heated hangar space, which can accommodate aircraft up to a Bombardier Global 6000, and is home to 26 jets and turboprops.

4.72 Henriksen Jet Center Houston Executive Airport (KTME), Houston, Texas

MIDWEST REGION

GREAT LAKES REGION AIRPORT CODE

OVERALL AVERAGE

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

KBTL

4.38

0.00

KPWK

4.67

0.01

J. A. AIR CENTER

KARR

4.60

0.00

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KPWK

4.54

0.00

B COLEMAN AVIATION

KGYY

4.40

-0.03

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KPWK

4.40

0.03

FBO

CHICAGO

CINCINNATI SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KLUK

3.93

0.03

KCLE

3.87

0.00

LANE AVIATION

KCMH

4.21

0.02

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KCMH

3.92

0.00

KPTK

4.78

0.02

CLEVELAND ATLANTIC AVIATION

COLUMBUS

DETROIT PENTASTAR AVIATION

INDIANAPOLIS

While most of the FBOs that placed highly in the AIN FBO Survey are located at municipally-operated, publicly-owned airports, Henriksen Jet Center at privately-­ owned Houston Executive Airport breaks that mold as it is operated by the same company that owns the airport.

The 23,300-sq-ft terminal, which opened in 2013, is staffed 24/7/365. It includes 8,000 sq ft of tenant office space, as well as a two-story lobby with an authentic Ferrari 333SP race car on display, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ramp, crew suite with theater room, shower facilities, a pair of snooze/ quiet rooms, kitchenette, and dining area, flight planning room, 10-seat A/Vequipped conference room, refreshment bar, and concierge service. A complimentary valet parking garage is available to customers. Those features served to give the facility the highest overall score (4.78) in the pilot amenities category in this year’s survey.

MILLION AIR

KIND

4.54

0.00

FIRST WING JET CENTER

KTYQ

4.27

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KIND

4.27

0.00

LEXINGTON/LOUISVILLE SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KLEX

4.48

0.00

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KSDF

4.21

0.02

MILWAUKEE SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

OVERALL AVERAGE

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

KDSM

4.44

0.02

KFAR

4.68

0.01

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KMKC

4.64

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KMKC

3.92

0.01

DES MOINES

BATTLE CREEK DUNCAN AVIATION HAWTHORNE GLOBAL AVIATION SERVICES

AIRPORT CODE

FBO

KMKE

4.36

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

0.00

MODERN AVIATION

FARGO FARGO JET CENTER

KANSAS CITY

LINCOLN ATLANTIC AVIATION

KLNK

4.49

-0.02

DUNCAN AVIATION

KLNK

4.26

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KSTP

4.62

0.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KMSP

4.49

0.01

ST PAUL FLIGHT CENTER

KSTP

4.35

0.00

PREMIER JET CENTER

KFCM

4.31

0.02

ELLIOTT AVIATION

KFCM

4.12

0.00

REVV AVIATION

KCBF

4.30

-0.04

ATLANTIC AVIATION (Formerly TAC Air)

KOMA

4.25

0.02

AERO CHARTER

KSUS

4.60

0.01

MILLION AIR

KSUS

4.48

-0.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KSUS

4.39

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KSTL

3.80

0.00

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL

OMAHA

ST LOUIS

WICHITA YINGLING AVIATION

KICT

4.41

0.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KICT

4.31

0.00

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

A benefit of being the only service pro- Gulfstream and Bombardier. It also has, vider on the field, the FBO has free reign at 33,000 sq ft, what is believed to be over more than 10.5 acres of ramp. “We the world’s largest aircraft canopy, shelhave recently put in practice a customer tering three-quarters of an acre, with a service ramp agent, who is able to offer a center height of 53 feet. This contributed friendly face while greeting our custom- to the location’s high score in the faciliers, and who can provide quick and effi- ties category (4.80), the third-highest cient service while communicating with score overall. our line service team,” said Andrew Perry, executive director of the company’s airports in Houston and Austin.

The FBO offers nearly 180,000 sq ft Palm Beach International Airport of hangar space including a 23,000-sq(KPBI), West Palm Beach, Florida ft hangar with 3,000 sq ft of office space that opened last year. Home to 65 busi- As a global FBO operator with more than ness jets and turboprops, the facility can 30 locations including eight in the U.S., accommodate the latest offerings from Jet Aviation is well known to the business

4.72 Jet Aviation

a i n o n l i n e .c o m \ April 2023 \ Aviation International News

27

SOUTH REGION

the second highest in the facilities category (4.82). Like its sister at Houston Executive CHANGE FROM AIRPORT OVERALL FBO Airport, both locations are Paragon AviaCODE AVERAGE LAST YEAR tion Group members, and as in Houston, AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO the company owns both the airport and HENRIKSEN JET KEDC 4.71 -0.01 CENTER the FBO. MILLION AIR KSAT 4.55 -0.02 The 22,500-sq-ft terminal at KEDC feaATLANTIC AVIATION KAUS 4.31 0.00 tures an airy two-story, glass-sheathed SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT–NORTH KSAT 4.30 0.03 lobby, with a Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus TERMINAL memorable experience every time they 593 engine from the former Concorde jetSIGNATURE FLIGHT KAUS 4.15 0.00 SUPPORT visit us.” The main 18,000-sq-ft, two-story liner on display as a focal point along with DALLAS/FORT WORTH terminal, which is staffed 24/7, has served a fully-restored 1914 Indian motorcycle in a AMERICAN AERO KFTW 4.77 0.02 since the company began operations there glass case. Among the amenities are a pilot BUSINESS JET CENTER KDAL 4.69 0.01 in 1985 and has been renovated several lounge with quiet rooms equipped with the MCKINNEY AIR CENTER KTKI 4.66 0.04 TEXAS JET KFTW 4.65 0.00 times. The building includes an executive latest in massage chairs, shower facilities, MILLION AIR KADS 4.63 0.00 lounge, conference room, business center, a luxurious theater room with stadium ALLIANCE AVIATION KAFW 4.59 0.04 pilot lounge with snooze room and show- seating, a 12-seat A/V-equipped conference HOUSTON ers, flight planning area, and refreshment room, and a 15,000-sq-ft aircraft arrivals HENRIKSEN JET KTME 4.72 0.05 CENTER bar offering treats such as freshly-squeezed canopy, which can accommodate a BBJGLOBAL SELECT KSGR 4.67 0.00 lemonade, warm cookies, tropical flavored class aircraft. That shelter can lower the MILLION AIR KHOU 4.61 0.01 slushies, and local favorite Rich’s ice cream. temperature by more than 30 degrees verJET AVIATION KHOU 4.43 0.00 HOUSTON It rated among the top facilities in the sus the exposed ramp baked by Texas’s ATLANTIC AVIATION KHOU 4.38 0.03 pilot amenities category (4.69) in this blazing sun.

LITTLE ROCK year’s survey. The facility also shares the SIGNATURE FLIGHT KLIT 4.11 0.00 SUPPORT recently opened satellite FBO on the NEW ORLEANS northwest side of the field with fellow FLIGHTLINE FIRST KNEW 4.38 0.00 General Dynamics subsidiary Gulfstream.

ATLANTIC AVIATION KMSY 4.23 0.00 SIGNATURE FLIGHT Like all of the Jet Aviation locations, the KNEW 4.21 0.00 SUPPORT KPBI facility has achieved Stage 2 registraOKLAHOMA CITY tion under IS-BAH. ATLANTIC AVIATION KOKC 4.64 N/A The 25-acre complex has more than half FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order a million square feet of ramp space and aviation industry, and its lone Florida facil- 200,000 sq ft of hangars, which can hanity at Palm Beach International Airport has dle anything up to a BBJ-class aircraft. It is The Phillips 66-branded location, which continually impressed AIN’s readership home to 62 jets and turboprops. is staffed 24/7 every day, has 175,000 sq ft with its highest score tally this year being of hangar space to house its 62 based jets a 4.79 in the CSR category. and turboprops, including the 28,000-sqAccording to general manager Nuno Da ft community hangar with 3,000 sq ft of Silva, his 53-person staff with an average Austin Executive Airport office and shop space completed last year. tenure of 20 years is crucial to the Air Elite (KEDC), Austin, Texas Given that hangar is already full, the comFBO Network location’s success. “The pany has already poured the foundation for critical differentiating factors that set us For the sixth consecutive year, Henriksen the next similar-sized one. apart from our competition are primarily Jet Center, the FBO at privately-owned “2022 was our best year in fuel sales our people and their longevity at Jet Avi- Austin Executive Airport, has placed in and operations since we opened in 2011,” ation Palm Beach,” he told AIN. “This the top 5 percent of all FBOs, according said airport executive director Andrew degree of experience enables us to provide to AIN’s readers. More remarkably, the Perry. “The Austin area is one of the fasta safety-driven environment, and by famil- facility has also earned the top score of all est growing areas in the U.S., and our base iarizing ourselves with our client’s needs FBOs in the passenger amenities category tenant count and our transient traffic has and preferences, we are able to create a during that same span, and this year tallied increased over the last two years.”

4.71 Henriksen Jet Center

28

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

4.71 Sheltair Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (KFLL), Fort Lauderdale, Florida

As the CAA-preferred FBO on the field, the Avfuel-branded FBO is an official gateway to the Bahamas, offering pre-clearance services, along with a 24-hour U.S. Customs service facility adjacent to its terminal. The location is also an authorized departure point for flights into Washington Reagan National Airport under the TSA’s DASSP program.

As part of a company-wide initiative, the location also welcomes and supports flights for animal rescue charities including Turtles Fly Too and Pilots N Paws.

4.71 Sheltair Sheltair’s flagship facility at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport is Rocky Mountain Metropolitan the Florida-based chain’s second location Airport (KBJC), Denver, Colorado to reach the top 5 percent in this year’s AIN FBO Survey. With the largest leasehold of the four service providers at KFLL, the facility, which opened in 1988, operates 21 hangars with nearly 320,000 sq ft of aircraft storage space. It is home to 36 jets, nine turboprops, and eight helicopters.

The IS-BAH Stage 2-registered FBO, which has a staff of 65 and is operational 24/7, earned its highest survey score this year in the CSR category (4.76) and placed among Rounding out Sheltair’s trio of locations the top finishers in pilot amenities (4.70). making the top 5 percent in this year’s Like its Tampa sibling, the KFLL facil- AIN FBO Survey is its facility at Denver ity, which occupies more than 50 acres, is Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, set to undergo a multi-million-dollar ren- the chain’s first location away from the ovation program including improved land- East Coast of the U.S. with its $20 million scaping, reconfiguration of its parking lot, permanent complex opening in mid-2020 and new signage. Next year in a second during the height of the Covid pandemic. phase, its three-story, 68,000-sq-ft terThe 27-acre leasehold includes a 10,400minal—which is open 24/7—will undergo sq-ft terminal with a land-side porte reconstruction with the expansion of its cochere for passenger drop off and pick porte cochere to accommodate more vehi- up, and a 162-foot wide, 32-foot-tall aircraft cles and reconfiguration of the lobby to arrivals canopy that can handle anything improve customer service flow. up to a Bombardier Global 7500. The lobby Amenities include a pilot lounge, snooze interior features pine, stone, and exposed rooms, and flight planning area; the onsite raw steel as well as a radiant-heat floor for Jet Runway Express deli/café; duty-free gift customer comfort. Amenities include two shop; private charter lounge; three confer- A/V-equipped conference rooms, passenger ence rooms; refreshment bar; fitness center and pilot lounges with fireplaces, snooze with sauna, showers, and locker room; con- rooms, concierge, crew cars, and onsite cierge; courtesy shuttle; and crew cars. car rental.

NORTHEAST REGION AIRPORT CODE

OVERALL AVERAGE

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

KALB

4.50

0.02

KBWI

4.10

0.00

JET AVIATION

KBED

4.27

0.01

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KBED

4.27

-0.04

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KBED

3.96

-0.05

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KBOS

3.59

0.01

KBTV

4.63

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KBDL

4.34

0.03

ATLANTIC AVIATION (Formerly TAC Air)

KBDL

4.07

0.00

MODERN AVIATION

KISP

4.52

-0.03

MODERN AVIATION

KFRG

4.43

0.01

MODERN AVIATION

KFOK

4.43

0.01

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KFRG

4.21

-0.04

NORTHEAST AIR

KPWM

4.59

0.02

BANGOR AVIATION SERVICES

KBGR

3.93

0.00 -0.01

FBO

ALBANY MILLION AIR

BALTIMORE SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

BOSTON

BURLINGTON HERITAGE AVIATION

HARTFORD

LONG ISLAND

MAINE

NEW YORK CITY MERIDIAN TETERBORO

KTEB

4.67

MILLION AIR

KHPN

4.63

0.01

JET AVIATION

KTEB

4.46

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT–SOUTH TERMINAL

KTEB

4.36

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KMMU

4.25

0.00

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KPHL

4.03

0.01

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KPNE

3.59

0.00

KPIT

4.55

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KDCA

4.43

0.00

PHILADELPHIA

PITTSBURGH ATLANTIC AVIATION

WASHINGTON D.C. APP JET CENTER

KHEF

4.29

0.00

JET AVIATION

KIAD

4.26

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KIAD

4.23

0.00

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

The IS-BAH Stage 2-registered complex, open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. with afterhours callout available, added 29,000 sq ft of hangar space last year along with 6,200 sq ft of offices and nearly 50,000 sq ft of ramp space, bringing the site to 12 acres of apron.

a i n o n l i n e .c o m \ April 2023 \ Aviation International News

29

ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION AIRPORT CODE

OVERALL AVERAGE

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

KABQ

4.51

0.01

WESTERN AIRCRAFT

KBOI

4.69

-0.02

JACKSON JET CENTER

KBOI

4.35

-0.02

YELLOWSTONE JETCENTER BY SIGNATURE

KBZN

4.51

-0.01

JET AVIATION

KBZN

4.28

0.02

FBO

ALBUQUERQUE CUTTER AVIATION

BOISE

BOZEMAN

COLORADO MOUNTAINS ATLANTIC AVIATION

KMTJ

4.60

-0.02

VAIL VALLEY JET CENTER

KEGE

4.58

0.00

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KRIL

4.30

0.05

TELLURIDE REGIONAL AIRPORT

KTEX

4.21

0.03

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KASE

4.12

0.02

CUTTER AVIATION

KCOS

4.59

0.02

COLORADO JETCENTER

KCOS

3.98

0.02

COLORADO SPRINGS

DENVER SHELTAIR

KBJC

4.71

0.00

MODERN AVIATION

KAPA

4.63

-0.02

DENVER JETCENTER

KAPA

4.50

0.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KDEN

4.42

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT SOUTH

KAPA

4.20

0.00

KGPI

4.51

0.00

KGJT

4.46

0.00

KJAC

3.66

0.00

JACKSON JET CENTER

KPHX

4.60

0.02

CUTTER AVIATION

KPHX

4.59

0.02

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KSDL

4.58

0.00

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KSDL

4.40

0.00

CUTTER AVIATION

KDVT

4.35

0.00

KPUB

4.43

0.01

Currently under construction are an additional three hangars, each with a pair of dedicated offices, restrooms, and a private garage with streetside as well as hangar access. They will add an additional 52,000 sq ft of heated hangar space and 3,700 sq ft of office space, and when complete they will bring the location to more than 113,000 sq ft of aircraft storage.

To mitigate the winter conditions the region is known for, each hangar threshold as well as the concrete walkways throughout the facility are equipped with an ice-melting system.

The location received its highest score this year in the line service category (4.75) and it also expanded its Avfuel-branded fuel farm with the addition of another 20,000-gallon tank that brings its capacity to 55,000 gallons of jet-A.

4.69 Aero-One Aviation Dothan Regional Airport (KDHN), Dothan, Alabama

GLACIER GLACIER JET CENTER

GRAND JUNCTION WEST STAR AVIATION

JACKSON HOLE JACKSON HOLE AVIATION

PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE

PUEBLO FLOWER AVIATION

SALT LAKE CITY SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KSLC

4.45

-0.01

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KSLC

4.33

0.11

JET CENTER AT SANTA FE

KSAF

4.65

0.03

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KSAF

3.82

0.00

KSUN

4.47

-0.01

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KTUS

4.38

0.02

MILLION AIR

KTUS

4.25

N/A

SANTA FE

SUN VALLEY ATLANTIC AVIATION

TUCSON

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

30

the success of our business through our profit-sharing program, so they think all day, every day like owners of the business,” he told AIN. The location services the 30 jets and turboprops based on the field in addition to transient general aviation and military aircraft. Dupree noted the airport recently hosted an Air National Guard disaster training exercise that attracted dozens of C-17s and F-16s and kept the FBO’s 21 NATA-Safety 1st-trained employees on their toes for days.

The facility has more than 100,000 sq ft of hangar space, capable of sheltering aircraft up to a Citation Longitude.

Age is but a number for the facility’s 1965-vintage, 5,000-sq-ft terminal, which earned the company one of the top overall scores for passenger amenities (4.71) this year. lt offers two seating areas, refreshments and snacks, the Prop & Rotor Café, a conference room, office space, and a recently renovated pilot lounge.

While the company has worked diligently to keep it updated, Dupree explained that he is currently working with the airport to determine whether there is yet another renovation in the facility’s future or if it will finally be demolished and replaced with a new terminal. A decision is expected by the end of this year.

4.69 Business Jet Center Dallas Love Field (KDAL), Dallas, Texas Aero-One Aviation, which was founded in 2010 and is the sole service provider at Dothan Regional Airport in Alabama, made its first appearance this year as a top 5 percent FBO in AIN’s annual survey.

The family-­owned business is a member of the World Fuel Service-sponsored Air Elite Network.

It earned its highest score this year in the line service category (4.76) due in part to its quick turn expertise and its staff which has extra incentive to provide top-notch service, according to company owner and president Chris Dupree. “Our employees participate in

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

When it comes to top-tier service providers, the Lone Star State has the bar raised high, and included among them is Business Jet Center (BJC), the highest-rated FBO among the four service providers at Dallas Love Field.

In operation since 1997, the family-owned facility placed among the top scorers this year in the passenger amenities category with its score of 4.73. The FBO seems to offer things in triplicate in its unique 33,000-sq-ft, threestory atrium terminal: three crew lounges, three snooze rooms, three conference rooms, and three Mercedes-Benz crew cars. Other amenities include private crew showers, game

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room with golf simulator, foosball, and pinservice providers at Boise Air Terminal/ ball, a large meeting room, and a well-stocked Gowen Field from placing it in the top 5 refreshment area. Canine passengers are welpercent of all facilities in the AIN FBO comed as well with treats and their own fire Survey for the third consecutive year. hydrant relief area.

The Greenwich AeroGroup member, which Having opened its 16th hangar—a new celebrates its 65th anniversary this year, once 49,000-sq-ft structure—late last year, the again earned top-tier scores in the passenger 53-acre complex has nearly 400,000 sq ft (4.76) and pilot amenities (4.73) categories, of hangar and office space, yet even that finishing third overall in the former. “Westis not enough, as chief properties officer our team believes and is invested in our ern Aviation is unrivaled in terms of facilities,” Jason Pons explained to AIN. The company four values: family spirit, humble heart, FBO manager Dan Milender told AIN, adding, has plans to build another five hangars of a trusted service, and vibrant experience,” “our exceptional service-oriented approach, similar size able to accommodate the latest said chief experience officer Cat Wren. as well as our ambition to be the safest, most ultra-long-range business jets along with “We take the time to learn what you need progressive business aviation provider distinthe accompanying ramp. and want out of your FBO experience and guishes us from our competitors.”

A full-service FBO, BJC provides aircraft will do our very best to make sure you The 5,000-sq-ft terminal features a pilot charter, management, maintenance, sales, receive that every time you come see us!” lounge with a pair of snooze rooms and and acquisitions along with its business aircraft ground handling. The Phillips-66branded location just purchased six new jet-A refuelers and an avgas truck to ensure Boise Air Terminal/Gowen it maintains a safe and current fleet, accordField (KBOI), Boise, Idaho ing to managing partner Mike Wright.

Open 24/7, the FBO part of the facility Idaho may be a bit off the beaten trail for has a staff of more than 80 (out of 150 total some, but that hasn’t stopped the cuscompany employees). “Every person on tomers of Western Aircraft, one of three

4.69 Western Aircraft

ABOVE & BEYOND

32

PERSON

FBO

AIRPORT CODE

PERSON

FBO

AIRPORT CODE

Marc Joseph

SHELTAIR KPMP

KPMP

Nancy Rios

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

KSDL

Estrella Flores

CARLSBAD JET CENTER

KCRQ

Denise Ortiz

SHELTAIR

KLAL

Amanda Brown

HILL AIRCRAFT

KFTY

Cat Wren

BUSINESS JET CENTER

KDAL

Marina Sobas

ATLANTIC AVIATION–STUART JET CENTER

KSUA

Ciara Read

SHELTAIR KFLL

KFLL

Pablo Garcia

BANYAN AIR SERVICE

KFXE

Dawndi Ulmer

FARGO JET CENTER

KFAR

Johanna Echeto

SHELTAIR KORL

KORL

Laura Foscolo

MODERN AVIATION

KFOK

Lizeth Cervantes

HENRIKSEN JET CENTER

KEDC

Gene Mcdonough

MILLION AIR–RIC

KRIC

Krissy Ross

PENTASTAR AVIATION

KPTK

Shinelle Haag

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KSRQ

Lauren Rones-Payne

MILLION AIR–HPN

KHPN

Christina Sanders

SHELTAIR KJAX

KJAX

Cathy Frank

NAPLES AVIATION

KAPF

Gavin Dyer

WILSON AIR CENTER CLT

KCLT

Ysabella Tetley

HENRIKSEN JET CENTER

KTME

Sebastian Rose

SHELTAIR KDAB

KDAB

Stephanie Annunziata

MODERN AVIATION

KFRG

Hannah Branda

SHELTAIR KTPA

KTPA

Betsy Wines

MERIDIAN TETERBORO

KTEB

Richard Campbell

CUTTER AVIATION

KPHX

Rick Vigue

NORTHEAST AIR

KPWM

Claudia Tascon

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT–SOUTH TERMINAL

KTEB

Dayna Reynolds

MILLION AIR–DALLAS

KADS

Brooke Kirklen

B COLEMAN AVIATION

KGYY

Jessica Blakeman

SHELTAIR KOCF

KOCF

Rosemary Gomez

SUN VALLEY AVIATION

KHRL

Brittany Lacy

AERO CHARTER, INC

KSUS

Melina Verdugo

DESERT JET CENTER

KTRM

Ashley Harris

AMERICAN AERO

KFTW

Carlos Rodriguez

MERIDIAN HAYWARD

KHWD

Holly Hopkins

TEXAS JET

KFTW

Mark Jackson

ATLANTIC AVIATION

KANE

Kawai Lopez

MONTEREY JET CENTER

KMRY

Ashley Rainer

SHELTAIR KBJC

KBJC

Katie Senior

GLOBAL SELECT

KSGR

Kiah Ziegler

CHANTILLY AIR JET CENTER

KHEF

Jeanette Rivera

CLAY LACY AVIATION

KVNY

Jamie Munoz

GALAXY FBO

KADS

Kevin Cayer

FONTAINEBLEAU AVIATION

KOPF

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

CANADA

shower facilities, eight-seat A/V-equipped refurbishment. In addition, Western is an conference room, flight planning area, pas- authorized Piper and Pilatus aircraft dealer. senger lounge with refreshment bar, courEach July, the location sees a boost in tesy cars and shuttles, plane-side vehicle business aviation traffic courtesy of the Allen valet, and concierge. It is staffed from 6 & Company Sun Valley Conference, a weeka.m. until 9 p.m. with after-hours callout long media finance event that has taken available. Milender noted the company will place since 1983 and attracts major political be switching to X-1 FBO management soft- figures and corporate executives. z ware this year.

With 14 based turbine-powered aircraft, CARIBBEAN the facility has seven heated hangars rangCHANGE FROM AIRPORT OVERALL ing in size from 50,000 sq ft capable of shel- FBO CODE AVERAGE LAST YEAR tering five Gulfstream G650s at once, to PROVIDENCIALES the smallest at 7,884 sq ft, as well as nearly PROVO AIR CENTER MBPV 4.48 0.03 seven acres of ramp space. It also offers NASSAU a dedicated mobile AOG response team ODYSSEY AVIATION MYNN 4.36 0.00 from its Class 1, 2, 3, and 4 FAA repair sta- JET NASSAU MYNN 4.07 0.01 tion—the highest classification—meaning ST MAARTEN EXECUJET TNCM 3.68 0.00 it can work on any production aircraft. The location also offers avionics and interiors FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

FBO

AIRPORT CODE

OVERALL AVERAGE

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

CYYC

4.49

0.00 0.03

CALGARY SKYSERVICE

MONTREAL LUX FBO

CYHU

4.64

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

CYUL

4.52

0.01

SKYSERVICE

CYUL

4.41

0.00

SKYSERVICE

CYYZ

4.62

0.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT

CYYZ

3.50

0.00

AIRPORT CODE

OVERALL AVERAGE

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

TORONTO

BRAZIL FBO

SAO PAULO EMBRAER FBO

SDCO

4.61

0.00

WORLD-WAY AVIATION

SDCO

4.53

0.00

LIDER AVIACAO

SBSP

3.77

0.00

FBO SURVEY RULES AND METHODOLOGY This report on AIN’s FBO survey covers fixed base operations in the Americas.

History AIN has been conducting surveys since 1981, asking about the service that FBOs provide their customers and reporting the results from these annual surveys. Initially, we sent out a paper survey questionnaire by mail to qualified subscribers in the U.S.—pilots, flight attendants, and dispatchers—the people who use or make arrangements with FBOs. In later years, qualified subscribers in the remainder of North America and the rest of the world were added to the survey.

In 2006 we moved the FBO survey online.

We have continued to add FBOs each year and now offer respondents a comprehensive list of 4,500 FBOs worldwide.

The Survey The FBO Survey site allows subscribers to keep a list of personalized FBOs and from this list they can easily change or affirm a prior rating and leave an updated comment.

The scores in this report and on our website reflect the cumulative average of scores from

2015 through today. Only the most recent rating of an FBO is counted on a per-user basis and only FBOs that have received 20 or more ratings are eligible for their scores to be published.

From May 1, 2022, until Feb. 3, 2023, we asked subscribers to update and give new ratings for FBOs they had visited in the preceding 12 months. We contacted readers via email and announcements in our enewsletters. The bulk of this promotion took place from Dec. 1, 2022 through Feb. 3, 2023.

The FBO survey site asks readers to evaluate FBOs they visited the previous year in five categories: line service; passenger amenities; pilot amenities; facilities; and customer service representatives (CSRs). For each of these categories, the participant is asked to assign a number from 1 to 5, 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest.

Observations Each year we review ratings to ensure their accuracy. On our new site we have a system to flag, review, and, if necessary, remove ratings identi-

fied as dubious by factors such as email address, IP address, and concentration of scores.

Score Calculations An FBO’s overall average is calculated by adding all the individual category ratings received by that FBO and dividing the resulting sum by the total number of all category ratings received by the FBO. In other words, if a particular FBO was evaluated by 50 people (and assuming that all 50 evaluators gave that FBO a rating in each of the five categories), then the FBO would receive a total of 250 category ratings. These 250 category ratings are added together and then the sum is divided by 250 to arrive at the overall average for this particular FBO. Overall averages are calculated using the cumulative average of all ratings given from 2015 through the present. This year’s results will show an FBO’s increase or decrease versus that FBO’s cumulative rating from one year ago.

a i n o n l i n e .c o m \ April 2023 \ Aviation International News

33

MARIANO ROSALES

SIKORSKY SEEKS TO HEX EVTOL COMPETITORS

This year’s Heli-Expo show reflected renewed optimism in the rotorcraft segment.

HAI explores rebranding to reflect evolving priorities

BY CHARLES ALCOCK

Heli-Expo 2023 Helicopter Association International opened the 2023 Heli-Expo last month in Atlanta with a push to have a more expansive reach to all vertical aviation. This reach could mean a new name for the association under a strategic initiative that president and CEO James Viola unveiled as the annual convention was set to kick off.

“We know we must unify the industry with a new vision for vertical aviation and promote community compatibility,” Viola said.

The HAI board, consisting entirely of senior executives from helicopter operators, has embarked on a rebranding exercise. The objective centers on demonstrating HAI’s determination to be inclusive to all aspects of the burgeoning vertical flight sector now rocketing into new directions driven by new electric propulsion technology and automation.

That might or might not mean retaining the word “helicopter” when HAI reinvents itself, but Viola pledged the rebranding will “look to the future while honoring the past.”

34

One of the key planks of the new HAI strategy involves elevating safety culture throughout the value chain. “This is one of the toughest things to do because we still see far too many accidents, and helicopter accidents always make the front page,” cautioned Viola. Working with ICAO, HAI helped form a global vertical safety team and at Heli-Expo rolled out a more extensive portfolio of safety tools intended for member companies of all shapes and sizes.

Also new at HAI is a small business advisory council working to support that demographic. One of the key challenges—access to a skilled workforce—will result from the pilot and mechanic shortage expected to stretch for another decade. “We need new pathways to attract and retain the best workforce, and we can’t just depend on recruiting people who are fascinated by rotary aviation,” Viola concluded.

When the show wrapped, HAI estimated that $2 billion in business was conducted during the event, which drew 12,400 attendees from 97 counties and featured 639 exhibitors alongside 49 aircraft on display. z

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

Sikorsky is getting into the eVTOL race in a big way. It announced plans at Heli-Expo to partner with GE to develop “HEX,” a fully-autonomous, hybrid-­electric demonstrator eVTOL prototype. The company expects the uncrewed aircraft to fly by 2026 or 2027, have a maximum weight of more than 7,000 pounds, and offer range of greater than 500 nm. The prototype would serve as a flying testbed to evaluate large aircraft design and novel propulsion and control architectures for sustained hover.

For HEX, GE will combine its CT7 turboshaft engine with a 1 MW-class generator and associated power electronics, building on hybrid propulsion systems it is already developing for NASA and the U.S. Army. The aircraft will use Sikorsky’s Matrix autonomy flight control system and Sikorsky will design, build, and system integrate the aircraft. The company envisions HEX spawning an entire family of eVTOLs scaled to carry passengers and payload for both the civil and military markets. Sikorsky has developed and extensively tested Matrix over the last decade.

“Sikorsky’s HEX aircraft will provide critical insights into the possibilities of electric systems in VTOL aircraft,” said Paul Lemmo, Sikorsky president. “Ultimately, we want to show the potential of large advanced air mobility vehicles to perform utility missions for the U.S. military and transport passengers between cities. As Sikorsky celebrates 100 years of flight innovations, it’s fitting to highlight our continued commitment to safe and sustainable transformative flight.”

M.H.

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AIN senior editor Jerry Siebenmark flies west B Y A I N S TA F F

ride in Blade Urban Air Mobility’s Airbus EC130 that resulted in the article “How Urban Air Mobility Helped Me Beat My Boss.” Siebenmark suggested that he “race” his editor Matt Thurber, who was driving to the same destination (see accompanying article).

In addition, he became known at AIN for his sense of humor and fun. Siebenmark would zoom around the convention halls with glee despite being dependent on an electric scooter. He enthusiastically made the multiple-leg airline trip to join the AIN team at recent conventions regardless of the enormous challenges.

Apart from an incurable obsession with squirreling away airshow and convention memorabilia, especially hats and coffee mugs, Siebenmark was known for an equally

deep love of high-quality watches. In Wichita, he was a member of an informal group that gathered every Saturday at Watch Works, a local store where owner Gregg Breeden welcomed anyone with an interest in complex watch innards and endless discussions about the clockmaker’s art.

A tangible expression of Siebenmark’s fascination with watches was his almostdaily Instagram posting of the watch he was wearing and how it was calibrated to match the day’s weather or other elements of the ever-changing Wichita environment.

During Siebenmark’s illness, longtime Wichita aviation communications executive Dave Franson would check Siebenmark’s Instagram postings, and if no posting appeared for a few days would call to check if Siebenmark was alright. At a

PHOTOS: FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND CO-WORKERS OF JERRY SIEBEMARK

AIN senior editor Jerry Siebenmark, 56, passed away on Feb. 20th, 2023.

Siebenmark joined AIN in 2018, covering mainly business aviation news with a concentration on maintenance/MRO and charter/fractional topics from his office in Wichita. Despite struggling with cancer for more than three years, he remained a prolific writer and raised his hand for nearly every assignment offered.

He had developed a reputation for a fair yet tough approach to his news gathering and writing. One spokesperson told AIN that he could ask a difficult question and inquire after their children right afterward—and it was well received.

Siebenmark brought a zeal to his coverage of the aviation industry. One of his favorite assignments, was a demonstration

36

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

HOW I BEAT MY BOSS WITH BLADE As determined as my boss, AIN editor-in-chief Thurber had zero chance of beating me to Matt Thurber, was to win, there was absolutely KHND—it took him 30 minutes while I flew over no way he was going to beat me in him in early evening traffic. For me, it was an a race between the Las Vegas Conapproximately 15-minute journey, cruising at 130 ConvNBA vention Center’s West Hall and Henknots, from the time I climbed into entio A n Ne w s derson Executive Airport (KHND). the helicopter outside the north end That’s because he was drivof the West Hall and stepped out next ing a rented, late-model Ford How I beat my bo to Blade’s chalet at the static display. ss w ith B lade Escape and I was flying in What he also missed was first-class Blade Urban Air Mobility’s treatment by Blade’s crews, both at the Airbus EC130, operated by company’s preflight lounge at the north local outfit Maverick Helicopters. In end of the West Hall and at its static chalet. partnership with NBAA, Blade has been operatWith an already booked flight, check-in was ing helicopter shuttles for NBAA-BACE attendees as easy as showing a Blade attendant a photo between the convention center and static display ID. And then I was offered my choice of bottled for $99 one way. NBAA and Blade are pitching the water or a soda as I awaited my flight, sitting on flights as a demonstration of urban air mobility. one of the three contemporary couches.

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post-funeral memorial on February 25, members of Siebenmark’s family each wore one of his watches.

Siebenmark grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho, before joining the U.S. Air Force and serving at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita. After his honorable discharge, he graduated from Wichita State University and spent 25 years as a journalist covering aviation and business beats, first for the Wichita Business Journal and then the Wichita Eagle.

“Jerry was a devoted husband, father, and friend and truly loved his work covering business aviation. He wanted nothing more than to keep working as long as he could, and he never let his illness get in the way of pursuing a good story and doing a stellar job covering the maintenance beat and the Wichita aviation scene,” said AIN editor-inchief Matt Thurber. “We will miss his crafty sense of humor and willingness to jump in feet first to help get the job done.”

Siebenmark is survived by his wife, Carri, and two adult children—son Cal and daughter Carli. z

Insura nce

E par pilot trainin tner on g › pag e 28

The wait wasn’t long before I and another passenger were led out to a blocked-off section of the Diamond parking lot, where our pilot and helicopter awaited us. After a brief demonstration of how to put on the four-point safety belt, we climbed into the seven-seat cabin, the pilot fired up the light-single helicopter’s 848-shp engine, and we lifted off.

Flying at 350 feet agl, the short ride provided a beautiful backdrop of the blue mountains surrounding Las Vegas at dusk. After touchdown and upon exiting the helicopter, a Blade golf cart shuttled us to the company’s chalet. There, once again, we were offered a choice of beverages, including adult libations of which I was able to indulge while Thurber was still making his way to KHND. J.S.

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a i n o n l i n e .c o m \ April 2023 \ Aviation International News

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Market Corner

Weighing high-altitude capabilities in purchase decisions B Y K E V I N O’L E A R Y

If the Germans had developed the Me262 often are these HM aircraft able to benefit a couple of years earlier, this altitude and from these advantages? Are these meaningperformance advantage could have changed ful advantages of HM business jets or just or at least delayed the outcome of WWII. hype that lacks substance?

However, does a higher maximum cerTo gain insight into this, my firm, Jet tified altitude (HM) make one business jet Advisors, conducted a study of 29.8 million a better purchase decision than another? IFR flights either arriving, departing, or flyThose that agree will boast about the ability ing point-to-point in the U.S. Ninety-one their aircraft has “to get up high” and sip different jet types were included. fuel, fly over thunderstorms, avoid other traffic, and receive more direct routing.

STUDYING HIGH ALTITUDE FLYING These may all be real-world advantages Our study initially looks at all business jet of using these higher altitudes but how flights that achieved an altitude greater

0%

0% 36 FL

FL

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FL

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

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2% 0 38 0 FL 39 0 FL 40 0 FL 41 0 FL 42 0 FL 43 0 FL 44 0 FL 45 0 FL 46 0 FL 47 0 FL 48 0 FL 49 0 FL 50 0 FL 51 0

4%

1% 0

2%

CHARTS: JET ADVISORS

6%

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8%

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4%

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7% 6%

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Percentage of Flights Above FL350 (All Bizjets on Long Flights)

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Percentage of Flights Above FL350 (All Bizjets)

FL

Since the Wright Brothers invented the aircraft, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have tried to build aircraft that fly higher, faster, and farther than all other competitors.

In warfare, an aircraft with a higher max altitude could be a huge advantage in that it could attack from above or climb to escape.

In the same fashion, as a bird of prey taking out its target from above, the German Messerschmitt Me262 jet could climb faster and higher than Allied piston-powered fighters.

This altitude advantage allowed the Me262 to attack Allied bombers from above.

Percentage of Flights Above FL450 (All Bizjets on Long Flights)

Percentage of Flights Above FL450 (HM Bizjets)

50%

16%

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40%

12%

35% 30% 25%

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CHARTS: JET ADVISORS

10%

4%

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0%

0%

FL460

FL470

FL480

FL490

FL500

FL510

FL460

FL470

FL480

FL490

FL500

FL510

CHART: JET ADVISORS

than 35,000 feet (FL350). Since most FL450. Gulfstream is clearly the leader but it’s bility on international/North Atlantic routes. business jets are not certified to fly above worth noting that the flights on Gulfstream But for aircraft used for domestic trips 45,000 feet (FL450), we then focused on products capable of flying over FL450 still in the U.S., HM is not a material criterion altitudes achieved by HM aircraft on all only use airspace above FL450 on only 8.9 per- for a purchase decision and has little operflights, and subsequently, on longer flights cent of their total U.S. flights (including inter- ational advantage over other aircraft. where it makes more sense operationally national departures and arrivals). None of the As always in aviation, there are exceptions to climb to higher altitudes.

HM aircraft types in the study flew more than where high-altitude capability can make a Comparing altitudes above 35,000 feet, 2 percent of all their flights over FL470 and certain critical trip nonstop, and then max the study found that most business jets fly most flew nearly zero flights at those altitudes. certified altitude needs to be considered. z at 41,000 feet or FL410. A large number of What are the answers to the questions flights also use FL430 and FL450. There is a of whether an HM has a material opera- Kevin O’Leary, Ph.D., is the CEO and founder dramatic drop-off after FL450. This is likely tional advantage over one that does not and of Jet Advisors, an aircraft acquisition, brokerage, because many aircraft are not certified to fly whether that should be a criterion for buying consulting, fleet planning, and insurance firm. higher than those altitudes. But despite being a certain aircraft type for primarily domestic The opinions expressed in this column the most popular altitude, FL410 is only used use? The data suggest that ultra-long-range are those of the author and not necessarily by 8 percent of all business jet flights. aircraft such as Gulfstreams need this capa- endorsed by AIN Media Group.

Since it is logical that shorter flights wouldn’t benefit from higher altitudes, the Percentage of Flights Above FL450 (HM Bizjets by OEM) study also analyzed longer flights, defined as those greater than 1,000 nm. About 3.9 60% million business jet flights were considered long. Nearly 16 percent of long flights 50% were at FL410 and 44 percent were flown between FL410 and FL450.

40% The study then considers high-­altitude flying. Only 23 of the 91 types in the study are certified to fly above FL450, and we 30% examined 8.3 million flights flown by these HM aircraft. There is a distinct pattern 20% showing that after FL470, flights drop off dramatically. It also shows that FL470 only represents 1.4 percent of all flights for 10% HM-capable bizjets. Of some 1.6 million long flights involving HM aircraft above 0% FL450, the largest percentage was at FL470.

FL460 FL470 FL480 FL490 FL500 FL510 Our study also showed which aircraft types Bombardier Cessna Dassault Gulfstream Learjet are making the most use of the airspace above a i n o n l i n e .c o m \ April 2023 \ Aviation International News

39

How Jimmy Webb’s ambitious dream led to Elvis’s JetStar B Y DA L E S MI T H , P HO T O G R A P H Y B Y B A R R Y A MBRO S E

“Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine.”

—Elvis Presley As the best-selling solo recording artist of all time, Elvis Presley is the undisputed “King of Rock and Roll.” But few people appreciate that between his music, movies, television appearances, and other business ventures, “ol’ swivel hips” was also one of the entertainment industry’s most ambitious entrepreneurs.

To Elvis, time was money, so he maximized every moment, and that included being an early adopter of private aviation. He started out chartering, but as his desire for increased convenience, privacy, and security grew, he moved into the world of aircraft ownership.

After buying and selling a variety of airplanes, he made his move into the big jet in April 1975 when he purchased a four-engine

40

Convair 880 from Delta Air Lines for took six months and cost $800,000. $250,000.

Interestingly, while the cabin’s color The airline-worn 880 was sent to Mea- palette and finishings would have made cham Field in Fort Worth, Texas, to Austin Powers proud, the exterior paint undergo a complete interior upgrade, scheme was relatively sedate, featuring including 29-place seating, a conference overall white with blue and red striping. room, a master suite, a guest bedroom, Other than the “880EP” N-number, the two and a half baths with gold-plated fix- only other adornment was an American tures, an entertainment system with quad- flag and the letters TCB on the tail. TCB raphonic 8-track sound, sky-to-ground was an acronym for Elvis’s motto: Taking phone, and a full galley. The cabin was fin- Care of Business. ished in yellow, green, and gold fabrics. It Christened “Lisa Marie” after his only also had suede sofas, which, unlike Elvis’s daughter, Elvis and his family flew on the shoes, were not blue.

Convair 880 for the first time on Nov. 27, It’s said that Elvis was especially excited 1975, and used it extensively for travel about the fact that the same team who had throughout the U.S. and parts of Canada. previously designed Air Force One was creating his Convair’s new look. According to the VIVA LAS JETSTAR Graceland Blog—the official publication of It was during the 880’s six-month upgrade Elvis’s Graceland Museum—the renovations that Elvis bought his first Lockheed

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

GRACELAND MUSEUM ARCHIVES

Elvis paid just $250,000 for his first big jet, a Delta Convair 880 he named “Lisa Marie.”

JetStar—nicknamed “Hound Dog II“—so he and his wife, Priscilla, could easily travel to Fort Worth to inspect the big jet’s progress. Elvis was a stickler for details and kept tight reigns on the refurb process.

Today, Lisa Marie and Hound Dog II are displayed at Elvis’s Graceland Museum in Memphis, Tennessee.

With these two airplanes being kept well busy, in late 1976, he added another JetStar to “Elvis’s Air Force.” Purchased just a few months before his untimely passing, neither Elvis, his family, friends, nor any of the infamous “Memphis Mafia” members ever used his second JetStar. It was Elvis’s in name only.

While N20TC (the N-number was later changed to its current 440RM) had the shortest history with the “King,” it probably has the most colorful backstory.

According to Graceland’s archivists, the aircraft was purchased in December 1976 for $840,000 by Elvis’s father, Vernon, as a business investment. Immediately after the purchase, he signed an agreement with Omni Aircraft Sales to lease the airplane out.

And, contrary to popular belief, Elvis had nothing to do with the JetStar’s striking interior or exterior finishes. In fact, when it comes to the aircraft’s rather flamboyant red velvet tufted upholstery, the Graceland archivists say that the previous owner, Roy

McKay, had explained in a TV interview that he designed the cabin’s look himself.

As McKay related the story, when he originally purchased the JetStar, it had a two-toned gray interior, which “kind of looked like a casket,” he said.

After Elvis’s death in August 1977, Vernon Presley sold the JetStar to Air Cargo Express. From there, it had a couple of owners and was finally bought by McKay Oil Corporation.

JIMMY HAS ENTERED THE BUILDING

How and why the airplane was abandoned remains a mystery, but the aircraft sat at Roswell International Air Center in Roswell, New Mexico, for many years. Its original avionics disappeared, and the four engines—it’s unclear if it had Pratts or Garretts—had been repossessed.

In 2017, the unlucky JetStar was sold at auction for a whopping $430,000. The undisclosed buyer did nothing with the airplane. It sat unattended in the desert until this past January when it was up for auction as part of the Mecum Auction in Kissimmee, Florida.

That’s where it came to the attention of Jimmy Webb, host of YouTube’s popular “Jimmy’s World.” If you’re one of his 322,000-plus subscribers or any of the millions who watch his weekly vlogs, you know that he’s all about rescuing abandoned airplanes.

“I’ve always enjoyed taking things apart and fixing them. I started with dirt bikes and four-wheelers when I was about 10 years old—fix it and trade it for something else,” Webb said, noting he went to school for automotive and diesel mechanics and then to college to study electromechanical engineering.

“I’ve done a lot of things: real estate investing, restoring classic cars, even some ministry work—but I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart,” he continued.

“Then, in 2019, we moved from Colorado to Florida, and I joined the Air Force Reserve.”

Webb explained that it was joining the Reserve that got him into flying. He had to drive nearly five hours from his home in west central Florida to the Air Force Reserve base in Jacksonville.

“I hated that drive. One day, a friend at the base suggested I learn to fly and turn that long drive into a short flight. It sounded like a great idea,” he said. “I didn’t know anything about learning to fly, so I asked around and was told the best way

 I’ve done a lot of things;

JIMM Y W E BB

real estate investing, restoring classic cars, even some ministry work—but I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart. 

HO S T, JIMM Y ’S WOR L D

a i n o n l i n e .c o m \ April 2023 \ Aviation International News

41

was to get the written and the FAA physical out of the way, so that’s what I did.

“I was also told that buying an airplane to train in was a good way to go, so I bought a nice Cherokee 180,” Webb continued. “I earned my private and instrument ratings and built over 120 hours of flight time in five months. It was during the pandemic shutdown; gas was cheap, so I just flew the wings off that airplane.”

WELCOME TO JIMMY’S WORLD

It was about this time that Webb started his current avocation of “saving” abandoned airplanes.

“There was a derelict Cherokee 6-300 at the airport where we do our monthly Reserve drills,” he said. “I started asking about it and found it had an interesting backstory. It looked like a solid airplane, so Jimmy Webb was surprised and pleased to find the JetStar’s interior in fairly decent shape.

I bought it and spent six months fixing it up. I flew it for a while and sold it.

JetStar would be sold, and drove the two So, according to Webb, everything was “That’s when I started the YouTube hours to the auction’s location. Not want- working according to the script when his channel,” Webb continued. “Everyone told ing to accelerate his race to bankruptcy, he phone rang an hour after he had left the me I’d go bankrupt, and I figured people set a somewhat conservative bid limit. auction site. would like to watch me do it—and they did.

Frankly, he wasn’t really expecting to go “It was one of the sales guys telling me It’s been quite a ride.” home with the airplane; he mainly wanted that the phone buyer was backing out, and Webb stressed that all the work done to to create some good vlog content. But he the auctioneers would rather sell it to me,” any airplane on the channel is done under also knows how the whole TV auction Webb continued. After some phone negothe supervision of licensed A&Ps. He’s also process works, and things are never what tiations, he agreed on $234,000, including working on earning an A&P himself. they seem. the buyer’s premium (10 percent of the In the few years he’s had the channel, After all was said and done, Webb’s final selling price). Mecum provided financing.

Webb has already found and rehabilitated bid—which was well above his original “After the deal was done, my first thought a variety of piston singles and twins, but ceiling—fell short of the $260,000 gavel was ‘what an idiot I am,’ followed quickly throughout them all, his driving goal has price. Although he didn’t “win,” he did with the realization that I now owned Elvis’s been to own a private jet. say a real highlight of the event was seeing JetStar—how cool is that?” Webb said.

And if you’re ambition is to buy a Pricilla Presley on the auction stage. jet, what better one to start with than TRYING TO GET TO YOU… Elvis’s JetStar?

JIMMY HAS LEFT THE BUILDING The $234,000 question was: what would “I saw the airplane come up on a video “I knew a lot about the auction process and Webb do with it? Step one of his plan was somewhere, and with Elvis’s current resur- how it works. The job of the auction house accomplished in mid-February when he and gence in popularity, I thought, ‘what the is to get as close to the reserve selling price his team traveled to Roswell to see the jet heck.’ This was something I couldn’t pass as possible,” he explained. “I needed to in person—something Elvis never did—and up,” he said. “The JetStar is an amaz- have a bid in so it would be considered to disassemble it so it could be trucked ing airplane anyway, and having one that when the ‘winning’ bid fell through. That’s to Tampa. belonged to ‘The King’ is about as cool as when they start the real negotiations.

The disassembly process began a litit gets.”

“The phone bidder who actually ‘won’ was tle roughly with circular cutting blades Webb signed up as a bidder for the likely a fake to drive up the price,” Webb breaking and, as the crew went to get Mecum Auction in Kissimmee, where the said. “None of this was a surprise to me.” more, their truck had also broken down.

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Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

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But the crew soldiered through these issues and Webb was pleased with the aircraft.

“Actually, it is in much better condition than I had thought, especially in the cabin,” Webb said.

“We were able to connect an external GPU, and all the electronics—VHF radio, microwave, TV, and lights all powered up. I could hear the tower but didn’t have a mic to try and call them. That would have been pretty cool.”

As much as he’d love to resurrect the JetStar to flying condition, that’s not realistic.

“I talked to experts, and they say it’s about $6 million to get it airworthy,” he explains. “Even if we had the time and money, it still couldn’t legally fly.” The aircraft would not meet noise restrictions,

44

he explained, and there are no hush kits airplanes,” he continued. “I want to find available. “And there’s no telling what kind a way for as many people to enjoy seeing of ADs [airworthiness directives] are on it as possible. And be happy that I saved it the airframe.” from the scrap yard.”

So, what do you do with a JetStar that Obviously, being on a trailer, the wings can’t fly? In Jimmy’s World, you mount and tail will have to be removed, but Webb the fuselage on an RV chassis and drive it has a creative use for those parts. around the country.

“We’re going to cut them up and sell “That’s the best solution for what we them as Elvis collectibles,” he explained. have to work with,” Webb says. “The inte- “Each one will be engraved and include rior is in good shape, so it doesn’t need a copy of the original bill of sale signed much work, and we can put instruments by Elvis.” and avionics in the cockpit. The real work No matter what the JetStar’s final conwill be repainting it in the silver and red figuration is, every airplane fan who apprescheme it had when Elvis bought it.” ciates Webb’s commitment to keeping a No doubt it will be an interesting pro- very unique airplane out of the smelter can cess, and, of course, Webb will vlog it all. say: “Thank you. Thank you very much.” z “My goal is to find the best way to continue Elvis’s legacy with his fans and his —Curt Epstein contributed to this article

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

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Avionics

Exploring trade-offs and options for obsolete helo avionics B Y M A R IO P IE ROBO N

Garmin AS350 upgrade

A multitude of options are available to heliWhen it comes to considering an copter operators wanting to upgrade obso- upgrade to helicopter avionics, the lete or near-obsolete aircraft instruments cost-benefit analysis must make sense, and avionics. These options, however, agreed Universal Avionics CEO Dror require careful consideration and each Yahav. “The capability to upgrade helicopcomes with trade-offs. ter avionics may be limited by the number Andrew Barker, v-p of integrated avion- of dealers/installers and the required regics at Honeywell Aerospace, cited as exam- ulatory issues that may be faced,” he said. ples of trade-offs the expense of upgrading “The conversation on whether to upgrade the equipment, required database services, or not would certainly have to consider and aircraft installation downtime—all of the quantity of upgrades desired to comwhich can add to the overall upgrading cost. plete and the similarity between the

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Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

aircraft desired to be upgraded. Having to integrate avionics not previously proven on the helicopter model may be extremely cost prohibitive.”

Once a decision is made on helicopter avionics upgrades, operators need to consider details like mounting locations, building block architecture, and navigational and situational awareness tools, which have different display sizes, said Pat Coleman, manager of aviation aftermarket sales for the Americas at Garmin.

“We offer an array of attitude indicator be aware of repair lead times and mitigate function enhancements, terrain avoidance products ranging from a single 3.125-inch those by keeping spares on hand. In a way and warning systems, forward-looking instrument replacement, like the GI 275, this is like insurance, something one has to infrared, and others that can help enhance versus a full EFIS retrofit, like the G500H pay for hoping to never use it,” Stubbs said. situational awareness.

TXi,” Coleman said. “The integration “The future should continue to focus between Garmin products and others is UPGRADE OPTIONS on the ability to maintain situational paramount in streamlining efficiencies for The biggest change today is moving into the awareness, to include hazard avoidthe pilot.” glass cockpit environment, Stubbs added. ance, reduced visual environments, and There is a push for digital/electronic “And that has [propelled] continuous enhanced communication capabilities flight instruments to replace older “steam improvement, particularly on the human with the multiple entities helicopters are gauge” gyro-based instruments because factor side, since being initially developed. often required to engage with,” he said. they are lighter, more reliable, easier to We have a few new developments com- “The use of enhanced flight vision systems, sustain, and offer many more features, ing up that will assist the flight crew fur- synthetic vision systems, artificial intelsaid Chris Polynin, director of product ther still in the design stage at this point,” ligence capabilities of recognizing hazmanagement at L3Harris Commercial he said. ards, and the capabilities to communicate Aviation Solutions. “However, it really Today, numerous upgrade options are with multiple ranges of voice communidepends on the core operation of the heli- on the market for helicopters and, accord- cation systems without having to focus copter and requirements, and the avail- ing to Yahav, some of the most reasonable inside the cockpit should be the focus of able space, in addition to the costs and to consider include display systems, radio future capabilities.” if a supplemental type certificate [STC] is needed. For example, if an operator is actively using flight data analytics, then it needs systems and recorders to capture the data from the various systems, provided there is room for the equipment,” he said. “There is an increasing emphasis on open architecture and software upgrades. This allows rapid data sharing between systems; however, depending on the platform, not all the equipment will be available and will prohibit the ideal upgrade.”

Flight control systems have become sought-after upgrades in recent years as stability augmentation has helped decrease helicopter pilot workload, according to Coleman. “Garmin’s GFC 600H incorporates fully coupled autopilot functions as well as electronic stability and protection, hover mode, level mode, as well as a modern ‘smart servo’ design. In short, operators are seeking modern solutions that incorporate an attractive balance of performance, capabilities, and value,” he said.

Operators also need to concentrate on customer service before, during, and after the sale, explained Jeff Stubbs, senior v-p of operations and systems technology at Bedford, Texas-based Rebtech specializes in an important aspect of helicopter avionics upgrades, Rebtech. “Helicopter operators need to making sure that the new avionics are compatible with night-vision technology.

 The future should continue to focus on the

ability to maintain situational awareness, to include hazard avoidance, reduced visual environments, and enhanced communication capabilities... 

a i n o n l i n e .c o m \ April 2023 \ Aviation International News

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Avionics For Garmin, the most popular helicopter avionics upgrades include the GTN Xi series of navigators, G500H TXi EFIS display, GI 275 multifunction display, and GFC 600H autopilot. “Select helicopter models have options to retrofit a Garmin integrated flight deck, including the G1000H NXi and G5000H,” Coleman said. “Other helicopter-specific products available include radar altimeters, onboard weather radar, ADS-B compliant transponders, and an array of portable avionics products and pilot-specific wearables. The future of our helicopter products will inevitably allow for greater integration, capabilities, and enhancements as we continue to develop innovations for safety and operational efficiency, largely based on our core products available today.”

L3Harris is developing and integrating non-cooperative surveillance equipment enabling detect and avoid operations. “The smaller footprint and advanced operations are ideal for urban air mobility and light helicopter customers,” said Polynin. “Our

 The ability to collect usable

include the soon-to-be-released HeliVue Touch PFD/MFD display, the AeroNav 800/900 navigators with a KXP-80 remote transponder, KRA-405B radar altimeter, and the KGX-130 providing ADS-B In information, said Barker. “In the future, helicopter operators and owners can look forward to Anthem,” he said. “This cockpit system offers a simple and intuitive user interface, always-on cloud connectivity, scalable architecture, and advanced safety features. It is a ground-up new system that improves flight efficiency, operations, safety, and comfort.”

flight data is the foundation; the next step is to have the right tools and software to be able to use that data for safety purposes.  EFD-750 is a multifunction display that can serve as a primary display for helicopters. We are developing more integrated multipurpose displays that combine primary flight, standby, navigation, and auxiliary displays into a single device.

“They minimize cockpit space using an edge-to-edge front glass LED-backlit LCD touchscreen and contain the horizontal situation indicator, attitude directional indicator, synthetic vision, ADS-B traffic, aircraft system monitor pages, communication, and navigation. These displays enhance situational awareness and pilot efficiency in a small footprint.”

The primary helicopter avionics upgrade options available today from Honeywell

Becker and AvPanels developed a Robinson R44 avionics upgrade using Honeywell BendixKing’s 10.1-inch touchscreen display along with Becker’s AMU 6500 digital audio management unit.

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Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

FLIGHT DATA MONITORING

In the helicopter industry, flight data monitoring is becoming a common safety tool for operators, providing the ability to measure aircraft and pilot performance and use that data to improve training and identify risk areas, Polynin said. “If the helicopter has a quick access recorder, flight data recorder, avionics suite, or other types of recording device in the aircraft, users can offload the data for analysis by L3Harris and our partner Truth Data. Truth Data Insights has focused on adapting flight data monitoring software to better fit the many roles a helicopter can have,” he said.

“The ability to collect usable flight data is the foundation; the next step is to have the right tools and software to be able to use that data for safety purposes,” added Tom Nied, director of operations at Truth Data.

The system creates a database of all information produced and aggregates the data into various graphic formats and dashboard presentations. The analytics will reveal actionable operational trends to improve operational safety and efficiency, explained Nied. “The user can establish a customized HFDM/HFOQA [helicopter flight data monitoring/flight operations quality assurance] program to transform the data into useful and actionable information,” he said. z

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Rotorcraft

The scarcest airframe in the helicopter market remains the multi-role Leonardo AW139 intermediate twin, according to most market watchers.

Tight helicopter market in hover B Y M A R K HUBE R

Manufacturers, financiers, and leading pilot transfer,” said Jaspal Jandu, CEO of rotorcraft analysts expect the market for helicopter lessor LCI. “It’s tight everyboth new and used civil helicopters to where.” While new civil helicopter proremain tight for the remainder of 2023, duction is up, it is nowhere near the levels squeezed by a triumvirate of pressures required to take pressure off the used marincluding inventory, inflation, and continu- ket. This is partially the function of coning supply-chain challenges. tinuing supply disruptions.

While the civil market has mostly The likelihood that OEMs will significantly returned to pre-Covid normal in terms of boost production to alleviate scarcity across overall new helicopter sales and/or flight all categories remains low, according to the hours, price increases have placed addi- experts. “I think they’re [the OEMs] strapped tional pressure on the already constrained for resources,” said Jason Zilberbrand, prespreowned market. Meaningful forecasting ident of aircraft valuation and consulting in this environment, clouded by continuing service Vref. Zilberbrand doesn’t see supeconomic uncertainty, is difficult, so much ply and prices getting back to normal until so that, for the first time in recent memory, 2024, at the earliest. “I think a lot of folks just Honeywell did not issue its turbine heli- didn’t come back after Covid and it’s going to copter sales forecast at this year’s Helicop- reduce capacity. They can’t get stuff up fast ter Association International Heli-Expo. enough, and the stuff that they’re getting out “The market is quite tight. That’s across is having more issues post-delivery.” the board: search and rescue, EMS, offHeliValues CEO Jason Kmiecik thinks shore wind, oil and gas, utility, and marine OEMs will remain cautious about raising

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Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

production in the face of economic uncertainty. “Given that behavior, odds are the used market will remain tight for newer and current production models,” he explained.

While Safran Helicopter Engines CEO Franck Saudo describes the helicopter market as “superb,” he acknowledges “severe supply-chain headwinds.” Saudo characterized the business as “the best market I have seen for close to the past 10 years.”

With “positive momentum in next to all helicopter market segments” in “all geographical areas,” the upward trend prevails for both new helicopter demand and the aftermarket, he added.

He at tributed the scenario to an increase in worldwide helicopter flight hours, which have returned to pre-pandemic levels and contributed to a “robust and sustained demand for new helicopters” that has eclipsed the demand recorded in 2019.

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Rotorcraft However, Saudo said his company’s supAnd the competition for helicopters com- 60 percent of the demand was for growth ply chain “remains very much constrained… ing off lease can be intense. “We’re seeing and 40 percent was for replacement, he mainly due to labor shortages” and con- multiple operators and end-users bidding noted, adding those numbers are now stitutes “the number one challenge of our for the same aircraft. There is competition inverted with 60 percent, even 70 percent company in 2023.” He said Safran has battled out there for relatively scarce resources.” of the demand for replacement and the the problem by becoming increasingly verti- Scarcity and rising interest rates are propel- remainder for growth. cally integrated and adding employees—400 ling lease rates upward, Jandu said.

“You can delay the purchase cycle but at last year and an estimated 200 more in 2023.

That includes rates on models such some point, the hull gets too old, you start Material shortages are acute in steel, partic- as the Airbus EC225LP and the Sikorsky reaching service limits, or the end-user ularly superalloys, he added. “In the foresee- S-92A, once orphaned by the collapse of demands more safety features that the able future, I do not see an improvement,” the offshore oil market immediately before old units can’t accommodate. So I feel like Saudo said. “We keep assessing the situation.” and extending into the pandemic, accord- there’s an entire bow wave that has yet to In the face of this environment, some ing to HeliValues’s Kmiecik. happen on the replacement side.” suppliers are moving to alleviate uncer“We are finally starting to see prices rise Jandu thinks these market dynamics will tainty by stocking an abnormally large for the first time in years for the heavy help the overall helicopter market, particunumber of parts. Atlanta-based Rotorcorp class of helicopters,” he said, adding that larly the super-­midsize category, which has is doubling its inventory of Robinson Heli- recent transactions in the third and fourth been slow to gain traction. “We’re quite copter parts in response to continuing quarters of 2022 drove up valuations on bullish on the super-­medium category,” he supply-chain disruptions and rising costs, both the EC225LP and S-92A. EC225LP said, while also noting that technological which it anticipates will extend into 2024. sales involved the utility or search and res- advances are also showing up in smaller Rotorcorp is the largest reseller of Rob- cue sector, and S-92A sales remained in the helicopters, specifically the Airbus H145. But inson parts in the world with more than offshore energy transport sector. none of this comes cheap.

3,000 customers in 40 countries.

“Somebody’s going to pay for The company is taking the action it,” Jandu cautioned. “We’re in the to “ensure that high-tempo and business to help end-users and high-urgency Robinson R22, R44, operators and we want to drive this and R66 helicopter operators growth. But interest rates are movaround the world can easily access the critiOffshore’s increasing sole reliance on ing up. Capital also has some requirements cal parts they need to keep flying safely.” the S-92A as its main heavy twin-engine for ESG [economic, social, and governance According to Rotorcorp, supply-chain helicopter could pave the way for the Bell compliance]. Ultimately the end user is going problems and price increases were particu- 525 as a second-source aircraft, particularly to have to come to the table and we’re going larly acute for the Lycoming piston engines in the North Sea, depending on its even- to have to arrange these [lease] contracts in a and related parts used to power R22 and R44 tual sales price and timing of its final cer- more aligned [fashion],” he said. “All this new models. In fact, the engine manufacturer’s tification, he said. equipment doesn’t come for free.” prices have increased by 25 to 30 percent Jandu said a fundamental demand The scarcest airframe in this market while lead times for items such as cylinder pattern shift could subject the market remains the multi-role Leonardo AW139 kits are up to 12 months. Meanwhile, obtain- to continuing supply scarcity for some intermediate twin, according to most maring whole engines can take eight months. time. During the oil price collapse and ket watchers. Although the price of used LCI’s Jandu says the situation requires the pandemic, “new orders and deliveries Leonardo AW139s has dropped slightly in OEMs, suppliers, owners, and operators to decreased and operators and end users the last six months, the demand for leasplan well in advance, significantly changing started using the existing equipment a little ing one has increased. “Lease rates are how the rotorcraft community does business. bit harder and a little bit longer,” he said. going up faster than the [sales] values are “For operators coming to us [lead times] are As a result, “the entire replacement dropping,” said HeliValues’s Kmiecik. “The increasing quite dramatically,” he told AIN. cycle got pushed out three or four years 139 is still one of the most popular aircraft “Operators are speaking to us one, two, even to the right. Now it has to be addressed,” because it has proven itself to be a very two and a half years in advance” of when Jandu said. “The replacement cycle is upon reliable aircraft. Everybody loves it, they they need a helicopter, he said, “looking at us and the mathematics is against us.” His- love flying in it, they love flying it, they capacity requirements in 2024 and 2025.” toric market forecasts typically indicated love working on it.” z

 Somebody’s going to pay for it... 

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Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

Maintenance

BY CHAD TRAUT VET TER

Constant Aviation Now Under Flexjet’s Wing Business aircraft MRO Constant Aviation is being folded into sister company Flexjet as the fractional provider’s in-house maintenance department. Flexjet noted that its fleet grew by 40 percent last year, bringing additional demands for maintenance services. Constant Aviation will continue to operate under its own brand name and provide maintenance services for both Flexjet and non-Flexjet-operated aircraft.

While both companies are Directional Aviation subsidiaries, Flexjet is technically acquiring Constant because the MRO arm wasn’t wholly owned by Directional.

Under the deal, Flexjet will acquire Constant’s facilities at Ohio’s Cleveland Hopkins International and Florida’s Orlando Sanford International airports, as well as its nationwide AOG mobile response network. Flexjet also plans to build facilities at Sanford, expanding its maintenance footprint there to 220,000 sq ft.

“Integrating Constant Aviation into Flexjet is part of an overriding strategic vision to differentiate Flexjet among its

competitors at the most fundamental level,” said Flexjet senior v-p of maintenance Jay Heublein. “Typically, other companies in our space rely largely on third-party providers to meet their global product support and maintenance needs. This not only limits their overall ability to meet the needs of their customers, but it also takes control away from operators and limits their ability to deliver the highest possible levels of service.” z

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53

Accidents

BY DAVID JACK KENNY

The material on this page is based on reports by the official agencies of the countries having the reponsibility for aircraft accident and incident investigations. It is not intended to judge or evaluate the ability of any person, living or dead, and is presented here for informational purposes.

Preliminary Reports No Survivors in King Air Crash Beech King Air 200, Feb. 22, 2023, Little Rock, Arkansas Five members of a North Little Rock environmental consulting firm were killed when their King Air crashed just after takeoff from Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport. The flight was bound for Columbus, Ohio, where the occupants were to investigate a fatal explosion in a metals factory. A line of thunderstorms with 40-knot wind gusts was reportedly passing through the area at the time, and the National Weather Service had issued a Special Weather Statement about 30 minutes before the accident. Initial press reports did not include any witness accounts of the crash, which occurred within one mile of the airport.

Five Lost in Air Ambulance Break-up Pilatus PC-12/45, Feb. 24, 2023, Stagecoach, Nevada All five occupants, including the pilot, two medical crewmen, a patient, and the patient’s wife, perished when the single-engine turboprop crashed 14 minutes after takeoff from Reno/Tahoe International Airport. The air ambulance flight departed at 21:00 local time with a destination of Salt Lake City. Radar and ADS-B track data showed that it reached a maximum altitude of 19,400 feet before entering a spiralling descent at a rate that exceeded 30,000 fpm.

No distress call was received. The last radar hit came at 11,000 feet; two hours later first responders found the main wreckage about 25 miles southeast of the airport.

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In a press conference on February 26, NTSB vice chairman Bruce Landsberg cited evidence that the airplane had broken up in flight: the outboard portion of the right wing and one horizontal stabilizer and elevator were found half to three-quarters of a mile from the fuselage.

Prevailing weather included gusty winds and less than two miles visibility in snow beneath a 2,000-foot overcast with both forecasts and pilot reports of icing up to 20,000 feet and light to moderate turbulence, conditions within the Pilatus’s capabilities. Landsberg described the weather as “pretty much a normal winter evening around Reno.” He also noted that the airplane was not equipped with a flight data recorder or a cockpit voice recorder, something the NTSB has long recommended that FAA regulations be revised to require.

Final Reports Loose Ring Nut Precipitated L.A. Hospital Crash Agusta A109S, Nov. 16, 2020, Los Angeles, California Examination of the wreckage determined that the ring nut securing the tail rotor duplex bearing had backed out of its sleeve, causing the loss of yaw control during a steep approach. The pilot and one of the two passengers suffered serious injuries when the helicopter crashed onto the rooftop helipad of the USC Keck Medical Center at the conclusion of an organ procurement flight. The pilot reported that about 40 feet above the helipad, while descending at 40-50 knots airspeed and 102 percent engine rpm, a gradual right

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

yaw began that was not corrected by full left pedal. As the helicopter’s nose crossed over the edge of the building, the yaw accelerated dramatically. Realizing that the aircraft was becoming uncontrollable, the pilot “dumped collective” to keep it on the helipad. Footage recorded by a witness in an adjacent building corroborated his account, showing the helicopter slowly rotating clockwise during its descent and rolling left prior to impact. The main rotor blades struck first, followed by the left main landing gear and then the fuselage, and the helicopter came to rest on its left side.

All major components of the wreckage remained on the rooftop. The tail rotor assembly and 90-degree gearbox were separated from the tail boom, and examination of the tail rotor rotating controls found that the ring nut had separated from the thrust sleeve assembly, disconnecting the tail rotor control servo actuator from the pitch-change links.

The manufacturer reported four previous instances of ring nut failures attributed to installation errors, none of which had been investigated by the NTSB. These led the manufacturer to issue five successive technical bulletins, the EASA to issue Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) 2012-1095E, and the FAA to issue AD 2014-02-08, later superseded by AD 2015-11-08. Among other provisions, these required daily pilot inspections of the dual safety wires securing the ring nut.

Fragments of one safety wire remained attached to the ring nut, which also showed accelerated wear at the bottom edge of its outside diameter. The manufacturer has since developed an improved dual-lock bearing support retrofittable to current aircraft.

Ice Accumulation Cited in Landing Stall

stabilizers. The BEA also noted that the for the little show.” The pilot replied “I can increased landing speeds and distances the get closer if you’d like,” and the controller manufacturer required with deicing sys- answered, “Sure.”

Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100, tems in use would have precluded landing Before the second takeoff, the pilot transAug. 2, 2021, Paris-Le Bourget Airport, France at Le Bourget due to insufficient runway mitted: “Get your camera ready if you’d like,” Airframe ice accreted after the crew deac- length and inadequate climb performance. and a second (trainee) controller responded tivated the anti-icing systems, and their Other Phenom 100 pilots interviewed “Sure! Will do.” Asked whether he’d prefer decision to fly a no-ice approach profile led acknowledged that they had “unofficially” the pilot to fly north or south of the tower, the light jet to stall onto the runway just been taught to use deicing just long enough the trainee replied, “Your choice. I got the before landing, shearing the nose and right to dislodge visible ice to avoid having to camera ready.” The pilot opted to go south, main landing gear and igniting a fire after divert. The investigation also cited similar banking earlier and harder, this time passing the strut punctured the right fuel tank. The accidents in Gaithersburg, Maryland, in some 600 feet behind the tower. The trainee airplane slid some 1,050 meters (3,445 feet), 2014 and Berlin in 2013 attributed to failure radioed, “Thanks for the show. Next time I then veered off the left side of Runway 27. to properly use deicing systems. want to be on board.”

Airport rescue and firefighting crews extinThe accident flight was intended to guished the fire and the two pilots and sole Aggressive Takeoffs Preceded reposition the airplane for maintenance at passenger were evacuated without injury.

Fatal Departure Stall Dryden Regional Airport in Ontario, so the The Maltese-registered charter flight forestry air attack officer was not on board. departed from Venice at 08:17, cruising at Rockwell International Aero Commander 690B, The pilot was instructed to line up and wait Aug. 16, 2021, FL 340. The first officer was the pilot flying. on Runway 12 while another aircraft landed Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada Flight manual charts for non-icing condion Runway 25; the two pilots briefly contions led them to calculate a final approach The TSB’s review of radio communications versed on tower frequency before the Comspeed of 121 knots and reference landing between the pilot and the control tower mander was cleared for takeoff. speed (Vref) of 97 knots. showed that on at least his two previous The airplane began a steep left turn At 09:20, they tuned in the Le Bourget departures, the accident pilot had made immediately after rotation, rolled hard left, ATIS recording. The snow predicted in their sharp left turns immediately after takeoff to and crashed inverted onto the surface of departure weather briefing had not mate- fly in close proximity to the control tower, Runway 07, catching fire. Examination of rialized and the runways were clean, but apparently for the entertainment of the the wreckage found no evidence of pre-imsevere icing was reported between 3,000 tower controllers. pact anomalies except a failed elevator trim and 5,000 feet, something the captain said The solo pilot was killed and the airplane cable, most of whose strands had worn was “common” at Le Bourget. destroyed when it stalled into the ground through before the accident flight.

The crew activated the engine and wind- from approximately 45 feet, igniting a fire However, the trim tab was found in the shield de-icing prior to descending to 5,000 that consumed three-quarters of the air- normal takeoff position, and the TSB ruled feet; then, after descending to 3,000 feet frame in the less than three minutes it took out runaway trim as having played any part in with clearance for the ILS 27 approach, airport rescue and firefighting crews to the accident. The Board noted that high-enoperated the wing and stabilizer boots for reach and extinguish the blaze. ergy maneuvering often required during 21 seconds, deactivating them after conThe accident flight was the day’s third of fire-spotting flights likely desensitized the firming that ice along the leading edges had “bird dog” firefighting operations conducted pilot to risks of accelerated stalls. z broken off. The approach was flown with to establish entry and exit routes for waterfull flaps at 135 knots indicated airspeed. bomber crews and coordinate operations Five seconds after the radar altimeter with fire crews on the ground.

YO U R S O U R C E F O R AV I AT I O N N E W S AINonline logo indicated 50 feet, airspeed dropped from On the first two flights, the pilot was Your source www.ainonline.com 94 to 90 knots and the angle of attack accompanied by a forestry air attack offifor aviation news! increased from 10 to 28 degrees. The cap- cer, as is standard for “bird dog” operations.

E - N E W S L E T T E R F O R B U S I N E S S AV I AT I O N tain took the controls and attempted a On the first, the pilot made a steep left turn www.ainonline.com/alerts go-around as the stall warning activated, immediately after takeoff from Runway 12, but too late. Three hours after the acci- passing within 200 feet of the front of the GetA Ethe latest bizav RO DEFENSE INDUSTRY E-NEWSLETTER dent, BEA investigators found ice on the control tower. The tower controller radinews ! www.ainonline.com/subscribe leading edges of both wings and horizontal oed: “That was fantastic,” adding “thanks AIN logo: C 0 M 100 Y 63 B 12 Hex: D31245 RGB: R 211 G 18 B 69 Alerts: 65% black font: Myriad Pro semi extended 90% height

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Compliance Countdown

BY GORDON GILBERT

JUST AROUND THE CORNER

April 12, 2023

U.S.: Safety Management Systems The FAA proposes to update and expand the requirements for safety management systems (SMS) to make them applicable to all certificate holders operating under the rules for commuter and on-demand operations, commercial air tour operators (under Parts 91 and 135), production certificate holders that are holders or licensees of a type certificate (TC) for the same product, and holders of a TC who license out that TC for production. Charter and tour operators would be required to implement an FAA-approved SMS no later than two years after the effective date of the rule. Comments on the proposal are due by April 12, 2023.

April 14, 2023

Europe: Heli CrashResistant Fuel Systems

This EASA notice of proposed amendment (NPA) seeks to mandate the installation of crash-resistant fuel systems (CRFS) into existing rotorcraft designs that are still in production and the retrofit of existing rotorcraft that are operated in EASA member states. The objective of the NPA is to mitigate the risks linked to a post-crash fire involving rotorcraft. Comments due by April 14, 2023.

April 20, 2023

U.S.: Northeast Route Update

The FAA has postponed the implementation date for the final phase of its multi-year Northeast Corridor Atlantic Coast Routes (ACR) project from the previously scheduled Nov. 3, 2022 to April 20, 2023. The FAA said the delay is to avoid making numerous route changes during the busy summer and winter peaks. The main change of the ACR project is that about 150 new or modified routes using performance-based navigation (PBN) procedures are replacing the high-­ altitude route structure, decreasing reliance on ground-based navaids.

May 31, 2023 and Nov. 30, 2023

Europe: Passenger Entry Requirements

The European Commission has delayed the onset of new passenger reporting requirements that were previously scheduled to

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start on Sept. 30, 2022. EES (Entry/ Exit System), designed to replace the current system of manual stamping of passports with an electronic record, is now scheduled to start a transitional phase in May 2023. Manual stamping of passports will end in mid-August 2023, and the transitional phase will end in February 2024. ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) is an online pre-travel, and pre-boarding requirement applying to visa-exempt third-country nationals planning to travel to European states. It is expected to be implemented in November 2023.

June 7, 2023

Europe: ADS-B Out Mandate

The ADS-B Out requirement in Europe was Dec. 7, 2020, for aircraft receiving their certificate of airworthiness (C of A) on or after December 7. Aircraft that obtained their C of A between June 6, 1995, and Dec. 7, 2020, must arrange for retrofits to meet the ADS-B Out mandate by June 7, 2023. Both deadlines apply only to aircraft with an mtow exceeding 5,700 kg (12,566 pounds) or having a maximum cruising true airspeed capability greater than 250 knots. Aircraft with a C of A dated before June 6, 1995 are exempt from European ADS-B requirements.

June 12, 2023 and Sept. 9, 2024

U.S.: Pilot Records Database

By June 12, 2023, operators under Parts 91, 91K, and 135 must complete submissions of

Aviation International News \ April 2023 \ a i n o n l i n e .c o m

reports to the pilot records database (PRD) of all historical records concerning training, alcohol testing, qualification, proficiency, and disciplinary actions dating on or after Jan. 1, 2015. Final compliance date for reporting historical records before January 1, 2015, is Sept. 9, 2024. Also beginning on Sept. 9, 2024, the Pilot Records Improvement Act ceases to be effective and will not be an available alternative to the PRD. Aug. 1, 2023

U.S.: Maintenance Schools

As part of an interim final rule overhauling aviation maintenance technician school regulations (Parts 65 and 147), the FAA is transitioning from using the mechanic practical test standards (PTS) as the testing standard for obtaining a mechanic certificate. As a part of this transition, the FAA developed the mechanic airman certification standards (ACS), which adds task-specific knowledge and risk management elements. The FAA will use the PTS as the testing standard until July 31, 2023. Starting Aug. 1, 2023, the FAA will use the ACS to conduct mechanic certification tests.

Aug. 10, 2023 and May 16, 2024

Canada: ADS-B Out Mandate

Due to continued supply chain impacts, the previously announced implementation dates for ADS-B Out in Canada is delayed beyond the original date of Feb. 23, 2023. As a result, the mandate will come into effect

as follows: Class A Canadian airspace on August 10, 2023; Class B Canadian airspace on May 16, 2024; and Class C, D, and E air space to occur no sooner than 2026.

April 24, 2024; Oct. 24, 2024; April 25, 2025 NEW

U.S.: Airport Safety Management Systems

Certain air carrier airports certified under Part 139 will be required to submit implementation plans for a safety management system on the following deadlines: April 24, 2024 for airports designated as hubs; Oct. 24, 2024 for airports with 100,000 or more annual operations over the previous three years; and April 25, 2025 for airports classified as port of entry, landing rights, user fee, and international facilities. In each case, the SMS must be implemented no later than 12 months after receiving FAA approval of the certificate holder’s implementation plan.

Most GA airports will be able to obtain a waiver from the SMS requirement.

Dec. 2, 2024

Europe: Part 145 Safety Management Systems

Starting on Dec. 2, 2022 EASA Part 145 maintenance organizations were required to meet revised regulations. However, there is a two year transition period, to Dec. 2, 2024, to allow maintenance organizations to correct any findings of noncompliance with the new Part 145 requirements. The main change is implementation of a safety management system (SMS), which requires hazard identification systems, risk management and safety assurance processes, and the designation of a safety manager. To support the SMS process, several requirements have been changed including the safety policy, internal occurrence reporting, competence of staff, and compliance monitoring (replacing quality assurance).

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6/30/2022 3:43:53 PM

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People in Aviation

BY K AIT WILSON

David Allen was promoted to COO at Elevate Aviation Group subsidiary Keystone Aviation. Allen joined Keystone in 2018 and has more than 35 years of experience in the industry, leading various business functions involving operations DAVID ALLEN and safety at TAC Air, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, and US Airways. At Keystone, he assisted with establishing the organization’s safety management system.

West Star promoted Ryan Law to project manager at its Grand Junction, Colorado facility. Law was hired as an AMT at West Star in 2014.

Mark Hall is the new site manager at Spirit Aeronautics Ohio. Hall has over 30 years' experience in aviation including as avionics installer, supervisor, planner, and project manager.

Ashley Bowen Cook was appointed president of Greteman Group, succeeding the company’s sole owner and creative director Sonia Greteman, who will transition to chair of the board while continuing to serve as creative direcASHLE Y BOWEN tor. Cook’s career in aviation includes COOK previously interning in the Bombardier Learjet public-relations department, working in events and marketing for Bombardier Flexjet in Dallas, and serving as the first female board chair of the Wichita Aero Club.

Embraer appointed Roberto Chaves to the newly created role as v-p of global procurement and Dimas Tomelin to the new position of v-p of strategy, digital, and innovation. Chaves joined Embraer in 2001 and most recently served as director of procurement. Tomelin has been with Embraer for 21 years and has served as director of strategy for the past three years.

Nicolas Potier was appointed v-p of support and services at Safran Aircraft Engines replacing François Planaud, who is retiring. Potier will also serve as a member of the company’s executive committee. He has held various leadership positions with Safran since joining the company in 2012, most recently as executive v-p of the wheels and brakes division at Safran Landing Systems.

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Pat Harvey was named v-p of sales at Hatt & Associates. Harvey has prior experience as a sales director at a worldwide aircraft brokerage. He is also a pilot and certified flight instructor based in Minneapolis and will be responsible for leading aircraft sales initiatives in the Midwest U.S. Aviation Maintenance Professionals hired Tru Pham as v-p of marketing and branding. Pham has more than 15 years of experience in private aviation with a blended background in sales, marketing, FBO management, and ownership services.

Paragon Aviation Group appointed Gary Forster, Jean-François Guitard, and Florian Samsinger as members of its FBO advisory board. Forster serves as managing director of ExecuJet Caribbean, Guitard is the director of the general aviation and business development unit of Société des Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur, and Samsinger is managing director of Magnum FBO. Jay Merkle was appointed senior director of regulatory affairs at Supernal. Merkle previously spent 30 years at the FAA, most recently as executive director of the agency’s unmanned aircraft systems integration office. In his JAY MERKLE new role, he will assist the company with developing an integrated regulatory and policy framework to support advanced air mobility operations globally.

Simon Roussel was hired as director of flight operations by ACASS. Roussel has more than 35 years of experience in flight operations, having previously worked as an aircraft dispatcher for several commercial operators, as well as for Skyservice Business Aviation as director of operations control center and most recently as director of flight operations.

Alyssa Sleight was promoted by the Air Charter Safety Foundation to director of safety. Sleight previously served as assistant director of safety and programs manager for the foundation’s various safety initiatives, including the ALYSSA SLEIGHT Aviation Safety Action Program.

Wheels Up subsidiary Air Partner appointed Rommel Dones director of charter sales, based at Los Angeles International Airport. Dones has more than three decades in the international cargo market, having most recently worked at Navitrans Global where he spent six years doubling as director of its charter division and regional sales manager of the U.S. West Coast.

Jet East appointed David Crowder general manager of its newly established Statesville, North Carolina MRO facility. Crowder began his aviation career in 1988 as an aviation maintenance technician with American Eagle.

DAVID CROWDER From there, he accepted a position with Stevens Aviation as general manager before eventually being hired by Jet East.

NATA promoted Ken Thompson to managing director of regulatory affairs and hired Paige Kroner as senior advisor for industry relations.

Thompson, who previously served as NATA’s senior advisor of regulatory affairs for maintenance, is an A&P mechanic and served as an aircraft mechanic/inspector, quality control inspector, quality assurance manager, chief inspector, designated manufacturing inspection representative, and senior manager in manufacturing and maintenance facilities. Kroner previously worked for aviation companies Piedmont-Hawthorne Aviation, Chantilly Air, and Signature Flight Support, as well as trade associations American Association of Airport Executives and NBAA. Raffi Kasparian was appointed to head Alton Aviation Consultancy’s new Dubai office as managing director; Mabel Kwan, previously managing director of investments at Changi Airports International, joined Alton as managing director in the Singapore office; and Ronan Murphy, previously v-p of strategy and planning at AMCK Aviation, joined as director in Dublin.

JetAviva hired Timon Huber as managing director for its new Embraer sales division. Huber previously worked for 36 years at Embraer and was one of the first employees to join Embraer’s business jets division.

TIMON HUBER Robert Grimmett was hired by helicopter manufacturer Schweizer as the company’s North American sales manager. z

Long-time aircraft broker Jack Prewitt passed away at age 91 on February 8 at his home in Texas. Prewitt served in the U.S. Air Force and trained as an avionics technician. Following his military service, he began a career with Dallas Aero as an avionics technician. Later, he joined a new division of Qualitron Aero, where he was involved with avionics and interior completions at Meacham Field and worked on Air Force One for presidents Johnson and Nixon. Prewitt shifted his focus to aircraft sales in 1973 when he joined Associated Air Center at Dallas Love Field. Prewitt founded aviation brokerage Jack Prewitt & Associates in 1978, offering a range of services. The company is now run by his family, with son-in-law Rick Pitts serving as president and Sabrina Prewitt and Rene Prewitt serving as senior vice-presidents.

James A. Wilding—founding president and former CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority—passed away on February 24 at age 85. Wilding began work with the FAA in 1959 and participated in the planning and development of Washington Dulles International Airport. In 2016, the main international arrivals area at Dulles was renamed in his honor.

AWARDS AND HONORS Wayne Johnson is the recipient of the 2023 Daniel Guggenheim Medal for his contributions to vertical flight aeronautics and resulting computational codes enabling the design of the first tiltrotor aircraft and eVTOL, as well as the Mars Helicopter. Johnson will receive the award during the Vertical Flight Society’s 79th Annual Forum in mid-May. NBAA’s business aviation management committee selected Rebecca Torres, Mya Coley, and Emily White as recipients of its 2023 leadership conference scholarship. Torres is an aerial services project manager, Coley is a certified flight instructor and coordinator of aviation operations for a flight department in Newburgh, New York, and White is a senior specialist in data and tech analysis with a private company in San Antonio.

The scholarship covered the cost of registration and associated attendance at the organization’s 2023 Leadership Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. The recipients were also recognized by the committee during the conference.

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 continued from page 10

At the same time, the European share has dropped from 18 percent to 11.8 percent.

Meanwhile, turboprop makers enjoyed a strong year, reporting 582 deliveries versus 527 in 2021. Simcom International CEO and GAMA chair Eric Hinson noted this marked three years of increased shipments for the segment. Turboprop billings jumped 15 percent last year to $2 billion.

Hinson noted that over the past several decades, “we’ve seen this continued growth of single-engine turboprop aircraft.” In the past the owner-pilot would move from the single-engine piston to the twin-piston, Hinson said. “But what we’re seeing now is they go from single-engine aircraft to a single-engine turboprop.” In fact, Daher said it had a record year in orders, setting the company up for some 100 shipments in 2023 and 2024.

As demand for new pilots remains strong—and alongside it a need for training—the piston market improved by 8.2 percent, with 1,524 aircraft delivered last year. This is up from the 1,409 piston aircraft shipped in 2021.

As for the rotorcraft market, OEMs delivered 876 units worth $4 billion in 2022. This is up from the 812 shipped and $3.7 billion in billings in 2021.

Turbine helicopters led these increases, up 7.6 percent with 682 deliveries. This marked an improvement from 631 a year earlier. Piston helicopter shipments rose almost as much, at least percentage-wise—up 7.2 percent. Helicopter manufacturers reported 194 piston deliveries in 2022 and 181 in 2021.

“The general aviation manufacturing industry continues to show increasing strength despite workforce and supply-chain challenges across our industry,” Bunce said as he anounced the results.

“Our product development across the spectrum of fixed-wing, rotorcraft, and advanced air mobility vehicles is spurred by the recognition that our industry is the safety and sustainability technology incubator for global civil aviation.” z

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