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From the Editor
What s in a Name? WELL, MY FRIENDS, I APPOLOGIZE, but a degenerative lumbar disc disease prevented me from making it to Vegas in October. So I missed the NBAA Convention for the first time since 1975! But BART was well-represented, and according to our Managing Editor Paul, it was the best meeting ever. The turnout, the exhibits, the technical meetings, the static display, the speeches and the social hours were top-notch. The attendance record crushed the previous high at Orlando. Now of course Disney World is not Sin City, but we have to recognize that the NBAA had put the china out for its 66th edition of the Convention and Exhibition. As a result, exhibitors were spread over a million square feet of floor space and an all new indoor static display debuted to complement the already impressive static out at Henderson Executive Airport. The aircraft manufacturers really outdid themselves, focusing on the many projects they currently have in development. Meanwhile, the people at Dassault took high honors with an unexpected bolt from the blue. It was indeed heartwarming to see Monsieur Serge Dassault himself coming from Paris, France to unveil the new Falcon 5X program. Supposed to be a Super Midsize Aircraft, the 5X ended up being a hefty jet boasting the largest cross section in its category. But enough recapping, I will let you enjoy reading the full show report written by Marc Grangier on page 72. By the way, it was Marc who came up with the scoop on the NBAA Convention s name change. The rebranding will turn the NBAA Annual Meeting and Convention to the NBAA Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition. According to Marc, the decision was made to harmonize the show with such other leading Business Aviation exhibitions. Start marking your calendars for EBACE, LABACE,
ABACE and now BACE! Oops, they didn t get everything harmonized after all the letter C in EBACE and BACE stand for Convention, while in LABACE (initially co-hosted by the NBAA) and ABACE it stands for Conference! Maybe we ll see some more name changes in the near future? This may seem like a non-issue, but typically when people have adopted a product, they do not like a name or logo change. Companies spend fortunes to brand a product, and changing the name or logo of a successful event is always challenging. Think about Beechcraft, which was unfortunately rebranded Raytheon in the eighties at the great disenchantment of Beechcraft aficionados not to mention the sorrow of the people in Wichita. A few years later, the company name was changed again to Hawker Beechcraft, with the result that we all know well. Finally the Beechcraft name has been resurrected, with the picture of Olive and Walter Beech once again proudly displayed in the entrance of the Beechcraft building. Not surprisingly, the change has brought widespread satisfaction to shareholders and the people of Wichita.
Then there s April 23, 1985, a day that will live in marketing infamy. On that day, The CocaCola Company took arguably the biggest risk in consumer goods history when it changed the name of the most popular soft drink to simply Coke. The change was an immediate failure and today, based on Interbrand s Best Global Brand, Coca-Cola is the world s most valuable brand. That being said, I don t know if you will attend BACE next year, but I hope to see you at HEN. BEE. Double A 2014 in Orlando. In the meantime, you re authorized to proceed into the New Year with joy and happiness. Greetings from Fernand and the Team at BART.
The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names. Chinese Proverb
DECEMBER - 2013 - JANUARY - 2014 Volume XVI - No 6 BART No 148 WWW.BARTINTL.COM
CONTENTS 32
54
FBOS READY TO SERVE A special report on the evolution of FBOs in the US, Europe and beyond.
WICHITA PACKS A PUNCH In a special report from Wichita, we examine Cessna and Beechcraft as they position themselves for long-term success.
44 LEADERS IN LINE MAINTENANCE FBO line-maintenance standards are higher than ever; read our report to find out why.
48 FLIGHT PLANNING ON THE MOVE With flight planning evolving at lightning pace, our comprehensive round-up keeps you up to speed.
66 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES Reporting from the cockpit, our resident pilot LeRoy Cook, looks at basic crisis management strategies.
72 SHOW RECAP This yearÂ’s NBAA saw confidence returning to the industry, Marc Grangier reports.
Member
PREMIER TRANSATLANTIC BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE IN EUROPE
UNVEILED The all-new Dassault Falcon 5X will breathe new life into the large jet segment. OUR COVER Pen and paper are becoming redundant for today s trip planners. Read our special report page 48.
OUR ADVERTISERS AND THEIR AGENCIES 53 35 27 17 9 84 19 11 65 21 2 23 12 13 47 15 69 39 83 7
ABACE 2014 Air BP AIR SERVICE BASEL GmbH ARINC Blackhawk Modifications, Inc. Cessna Jet Sales (COPP MEDIA SERVICES, INC.) Dassault Falcon (PUCK L AGENCE) Duncan Aviation EBACE 2014 Euro Jet Intercontinental FlightSafety (GRETEMAN GROUP) Javajet Asia Jet Aviation FBO Geneva Jet Aviation FBO Dusseldorf JetNet LLC Pilatus Aircraft NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference 2014 TAG Farnborough Airport Universal Avionics Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc.
SECTIONS 3 EDITORIAL 6 FAST TRACK 26 BUSINESS NEWS 28 EUROPEAN UPDATE 30 CEO S CORNER
Editor and Publisher Fernand M. Francois Senior Editor Marc Grangier Managing Editor Paul Walsh Editor-at-Large Nick Klenske Senior Writers Liz Moscrop, Jack Carroll Contributors Fabio Gamba, Michel R. Grüninger, Capt. Giancarlo Buono, Ivan Veretennikov, Markus Kohler, Aoife O'Sullivan, Giulia Mauri, LeRoy Cook, Louis Smyth, Derek A. Bloom, Steve Nichols, Eugene Gordon Business Aviation Consultants Walter Scharff, Guy Visele Director Marketing & Advertising Kathy Ann Francois +32 472 333 636 e-mail advertising@bartintl.com Administration and Circulation Carolyn Berteau cberteau@bartintl.com Production Manager Tanguy Francois Photographer: Michel Coryn, Pascal Strube Circulation and Editorial Office: BART International, 20 rue de l'Industrie, BE1400 Nivelles, Europe Phone +326 788 3603 Fax +326 788 3623, e-mail info@bartintl.com BART International (USPS #016707), ISSN 0776-7596 Governed by international copyright laws. Free subscription obtainable for qualified individuals. Bank account: Fortis 271-0061004-23. Printed in Belgium. Bimestriel. Bureau de depot B-1380 Lasne. Responsible editor Fernand M. Francois, 38 rue de Braine 7110 La Louviere.
AGENDA SCHEDULERS & DISPATCHERS January 14-17, 2014 New Orleans, USA HELI-EXPO 2014 February 24-27 Anaheim, CA, USA EBACE 2014 May 20-22 Geneva, Switzerland
StandardAero SIGNS GTCP36-150RJ APU AGREEMENT
StandardAero has signed another exclusive APU maintenance agreement with Air Nostrum. The agreement is for a fleet of Honeywell GTCP36-150RJ auxiliary power units (APUs). Last month, StandardAero announced a similar agreement with Air Nostrum for 31 Honeywell RE220RJ APUs. “Our ability to immediately secure additional follow-on MRO business from Air Nostrum not only reflects their confidence and satisfaction with our work, it serves as growing regional advocacy of StandardAero among European air carriers,” said Rob Cords, Senior Vice President, Airlines & Fleets, StandardAero. All work will be performed in the U.S. at StandardAero’s Maryville, Tenn., facility; a one-stop shop that not only repairs the APU but all Line Replaceable Units (LRU’s) associated with the APU.
JET AVIATION DUBAI EXPANDS SERVICES AT DUBAI WORLD CENTRAL Jet Aviation Dubai’s fully operational FBO at Dubai World Central’s Al Maktoum International Airport is expanding its services in preparation for an increase in traffic. As more companies expand operations at Dubai World Central (DWC), the Al Maktoum International Airport is experiencing an increase in passenger traffic. In response, Jet Aviation’s FBO at DWC now offers 96-hour visa facilities, public transport and improved catering options through local service suppliers, as well as 24/7 VIP limousine service, oxygen and nitrogen services, airside storage and assistance with Duty Free Shopping. The company is also offering interior and exterior VIP aircraft cleaning, as well as bright work polishing, through Go Aviation at DWC.
GULFSTREAM LUTON CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. recently celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its service center at London Luton Airport in the United Kingdom. The facility, located at one of Europe’s Business Aviation hubs, was the company’s first international service center. “We moved to Luton in 2003 because of the skilled employees available there and its prime location in relationship to our installed fleet,” said Larry Flynn, president, Gulfstream. “As our fleet continues to expand internationally, Gulfstream Luton will continue as a vital part of our world-class service and support network.” Within a year of acquiring the operation, which is located 30 miles north of London, Luton’s hangar space doubled to 56,000 square feet/5,203 square meters. Facility expansion led to employee growth, and by the close of 2007, Gulfstream Luton had nearly 100 employees, up from 40 in 2003.
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PILATUS AND FALCON AVIATION SERVICES SIGN LETTER OF INTENT FOR PC-24 While the official opening of the order book will only take place at EBACE 2014, Pilatus has announced that Falcon Aviation Services of Abu Dhabi has decided to enter into a Letter Of Intent thus confirming their strong interest in the newest Pilatus aircraft. The Letter Of Intent was signed during a ceremony in Pilatus’ Chalet A 56 at the Dubai Airshow. Signatories of the LOI were H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, Chairman of Falcon Aviation Services, and Jim Roche, Vice President Government Aviation of Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. “When Pilatus announced the PC-24 in May this year I immediately recognized the enormous potential for an aircraft with such unique specification and performance data in the GCC. With its hallmark cargo door, the spacious cabin and the flat floor it can easily be configured to fulfill a broad variety of missions for our customers. The PC-24’s capability to operate from short and unimproved runways makes the aircraft a true game changer in a class of its own. I fully trust in the expertise of the Pilatus staff ensuring that the PC-24 will meet or exceed its design goals and look forward to see the aircraft joining the Falcon Aviation Service fleet”, says H.H. Dr. Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahayan.
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FAA VERIFIES CITATION X SPEED Cessna recently concluded all high-speed certification flights with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the new Citation X. This marks the completion of all testing requirements needed to validate the aircraft’s unmatched maximum operating speed of Mach 0.935 (617 mph, 536 ktas), solidifying the Citation X’s position as the fastest civilian aircraft in the world. Michael Thacker, Cessna senior vice president of Engineering, said: “The high-speed testing of the new Citation X was a success. All responses from the high-speed certification testing were well within the expected performance envelope. While these are the results our engineers fully anticipated, this final round of testing went so smoothly the conditions were completed in fewer flights and hours than planned.”
VECTOR AND ERA SIGN CONTRACT FOR S76 AND AS350 FLEETS
Vector Aerospace has announced that Vector Aerospace Helicopter Services-North America (“HSNA”), a subsidiary of Vector Aerospace and one of the world’s leading providers of helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services, has signed a five-year agreement with Era Helicopters LLC (“Era”) for repair and overhaul of dynamic components for Era’s Sikorsky S76 and Eurocopter AS350 fleets. As per the terms of the five-year agreement, HSNA will provide Era with inspection, repair, overhaul, testing, modification and other services as required including on site rental assets on Era’s S76 and AS350 fleets.
DUNCAN AVIATION FACILITIES EARN NEW CERTIFICATIONS FOR MEXICO AND BERMUDA
Duncan Aviation’s location in Provo, Utah, recently announced that it has been approved by the Mexican Civil Aviation Authority as an approved aircraft maintenance organization. In addition, the company’s Battle Creek, Michigan, location recently received approval by Bermuda’s Civil Aviation Authority. “Duncan Aviation continually evaluates its certifications and is constantly communicating with customers and prospects around the world to secure new certifications when it makes sense to do so,” says Chris VanderWeide, Chief Inspector of International Airworthiness for Duncan Aviation. Besides the FAA, Duncan Aviation’s locations in Lincoln, Neb., Battle Creek and Provo hold certificates for 10 additional civil aviation authorities around the world. The Lincoln facility has certifications for Argentina, Bermuda, Brazil, Cayman Islands, China, EASA, The Gambia, Mexico, South Africa and Venezuela. The Battle Creek facility has authorizations for Argentina, Brazil, Cayman Islands, EASA, Mexico and South Africa.
8 - BART: DEC - JAN - 2013 - 2014
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LUFTHANSA TECHNIK DEVELOPS PROCESS FOR SAFE CABIN INSTALLATIONS Lufthansa Technik develops process for safe cabin installations in CFC aircraft - Methods for load transmission into the CFC-fuselage developed In the framework of the “Fiber Force� research project, started in 2010, working together with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Technical University of Darmstadt, Lufthansa Technik has developed methods for load transmission into carbon fiber composites (CFC) aircraft fuselage structures for VIP customer aircraft. New generations of aircraft, such as the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 787, are manufactured predominantly out of CFC. As these aircraft will also play an increasingly important role for VIP customers in the future, appropriate changes to the original aircraft structure are essential for manufacturer-independent modifications and individual cabin solutions. It must be made possible to install specific cabin components at the desired location in an aircraft, and the primary structure must be reinforced in such a way that the additional load can be introduced and distributed safely.
CERTIFICATION TESTING COMPLETE ON HF120 ENGINE GE Honda Aero Engines announced it has completed all U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification testing on its HF120 engine, with all certification reports submitted. GE Honda anticipates receiving type certification by year end. The HF120 engine program involved 13 certification groundtest engines in addition to flighttest engines that accumulated more than 12,000 cycles and more than 8,400 hours.
BLACKHAWK CERTIFICATION EFFORTS FOR FLOAT-EQUIPPED CARAVANS Caravan and Grand Caravan operators who fly with Wipline Amphibious Floats will soon be able to further enhance the performance, flexibility and utility of their aircraft with the Blackhawk XP42A engine upgrade. Blackhawk expects the combined package of engine, floats and more to receive a Supplemental Type Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration in the first quarter of 2014. The certified Blackhawk engine upgrade package will significantly improve Caravan and Grand Caravan performance in take-off, climb, and cruise, all key to effective float operations. The certification aircraft is currently being upgraded at the Blackhawk Modifications facility in Waco, Texas.
JET AVIATION SAUDI ARABIA PROVIDES GACA-APPROVED TRAINING COURSES Jet Aviation Saudi Arabia has received authorization from the Saudi Arabian General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to provide on-site training courses to its employees in Jeddah, Riyadh and Medina, as well as to commercial customers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Jet Aviation Saudi Arabia is now authorized to offer training courses to its FBO and maintenance teams and commercial customers and operators at the Jeddah, Riyadh and Medina facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The company has a full-time GACA-approved training instructor on-site and course offerings include GACA Regulations, Maintenance Human Factor and Hazmat (Dangerous Goods).
10 - BART: DEC - JAN - 2013 - 2014
When you need a creative and detailed paint scheme applied on your aircraft, where can you find a team with the skill and drive to complete it beautifully?
Paint master specialists Troy Reinke and Stacy Finch were excited to take on this large aircraft paint project. The custom paint scheme commissioned by artist Wilfrid Buch with countless lines swirling around the fuselage to create a psychedelic 3D image required talent, patience and detail few paint technicians possess.
For the rest of the story visit www.DuncanAviation.aero/experience/paint.php. +1 402.475.2611 | 800.228.4277 Experience. Unlike any other.
SATCOM1 TO LIFT SATELLITE CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS Complete airtime and in-flight solutions provider - Satcom1, and aircraft technologies innovator - Vision Systems, has teamed up to provide cutting-edge satellite communication and cabin application management solutions tailored to the business jet market. With the introduction of Satcom1’s router application suite AvioIP, Vision Systems’ VisiConnect offers the highest standards within satellite bandwidth access and utilization, as well as in-flight cabin communication applications. Users can now benefit from a broad range of communication solutions based on Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband service, from ordinary voice to shared IP for internet, Fax over IP, streaming services, Voice over IP (VoIP) solutions, Video Conferencing, In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) and data compression.
EMBRAER SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH ARAB WINGS FOR LINEAGE 1000 Embraer Executive Jets have announced the signature of a purchase agreement for an ultralarge Lineage 1000 to Arab Wings. The aircraft will be managed on behalf of an undisclosed customer and be available for third party charter. The aircraft will join a super midsize Legacy 600 and large Legacy 650 already on Arab Wings’ AOC, operating out of its Jordan base. Delivery of the aircraft is scheduled for the first semester of 2014. “We are honored by the confidence Arab Wings has shown in Embraer by selecting the Lineage 1000 to expand its business aircraft fleet in the ultra-large category,” said Colin Steven, Vice President EMEA, Embraer Executive Jets. “The Middle-East is the largest market for the Lineage 1000, which perfectly matches passengers’ expectations in the region, offering unparalleled comfort in the cabin with its five distinct zones providing space to both work and relax. The aircraft’s huge baggage compartment, accessible in flight, is also appreciated for long-distance flying.”
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COMLUX DELIVERS JET PREMIER ONE MALAYSIA ACJ319 Comlux Aviation Services has successfully delivered an ACJ319, the Head of State of Malaysia aircraft operated by Jet premier One. Since the arrival of the aircraft in June 2013, the dedicated engineers, technicians and craftsmen of Comlux have performed the maintenance tasks required for C4 and the 6-year checks and have reworked major parts of the VIP cabin to comply with an Airworthiness Directive by EASA. A new external painting has also been performed, featuring now the new emblem of the Malaysian Government. Captain Norudin Abd. Majid, CEO Jet Premier One, and his team along with Department of Civil Aviation Malaysia monitored carefully the process in Indianapolis, experiencing a successful flight test program before final handover and smooth return back to Kuala Lumpur. “The aircraft is really impeccable” He says. ”I am particularly pleased with the upholstery and the finish on the wood work accomplished by Comlux craftsmen in the VIP cabin. Despite challenges faced due to the complexity of the cabin rework, the overall project went extremely smooth and the aircraft was delivered on time reflecting Comlux spirit and commitment”.
HONEYWELL AEROSPACE HIGHLIGHTS LATEST AIRCRAFT UPGRADES Honeywell has highlighted the operational benefits and momentum of its retrofit, modification and upgrade (RMU) technologies. These upgrades include a range of Honeywell’s satellite communications (SATCOM) products, flight management systems (FMS), cabin management systems (CMS) and cockpit displays.
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BOMBARDIER LEARJET PROGRAMS MAKE PROGRESS Bombardier has shared new details of its progress on the Learjet 70, Learjet 75 and Learjet 85 aircraft programs. “As we mark the 50th anniversary of Learjet this year, it’s a very exciting time for us to be sharing tremendous progress on our new Learjet aircraft programs,” said Ralph Acs, Vice President and General Manager, Learjet, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “We are very much focused on achieving the first Learjet 85 aircraft flight before the end of this year, and we are currently in the delivery process of the first Learjet 75 jets. These milestones are a testament to the enduring legacy and popularity of the world’s very first business jet, the Learjet aircraft,” he added. Learjet 70/ Learjet 75 aircraft program Bombardier has commenced the delivery process with its initial customers. Certification and first deliveries of the Learjet 70 aircraft will follow later this year. The new Learjet production hangar in Wichita for the Learjet 70, Learjet 75 and Learjet 85 aircraft programs is now ready and operational.
ELLIOTT AVIATION JOINS THE JSSI ALLIANCE PROGRAM Elliott Aviation, a leader in a diverse set of Business Aviation services have announced their membership in the Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI) Alliance Program. JSSI is the largest independent provider of hourly cost maintenance programs for business aircraft engines, airframes and APUs. Offering business aircraft operators a wide range of maintenance programs for more than 325 different aircraft makes and models, JSSI created the revolutionary Tip-to-Tail ® program that provides comprehensive coverage for virtually every assembly and system on an aircraft.
TAG AVIATION MAINTENANCE CONTINUES TO IMPROVE MRO PRODUCTIVITY Component Control announced that longstanding customer TAG Aviation Maintenance, a leading global provider of maintenance services, is continuing to improve productivity with Quantum ControlTM as its primary operational software for TAG Aviation SA located at Geneva Airport, and TAG Farnborough Engineering (TFE) located at TAG Farnborough Airport. TAG Aviation SA and TFE are Authorized Service Centers for Dassault, Bombardier and Learjet aircrafts as well as Honeywell engines. Jonathan Di Paolo, Maintenance ERP Administrator, TAG Aviation SA, said: “TAG Aviation Maintenance is known for its exceptional support, engineering and maintenance practices. In order to further increase operational efficiency for both heavy and line maintenance, we required a comprehensive software system that would easily integrate with our financial system and maintenance-tracking provider. Quantum has facilitated these requirements and has continued to perform well.”
14 - BART: DEC - JAN - 2013 - 2014
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BLR AEROSPACE: FAA CERTIFICATION PENDING FOR KING AIR 90 The BLR Aerospace Ultimate Performance Package™ (UPP) will soon be available as an FAA-certified enhancement for King Air 90s. BLR announced that Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) approval is expected as furloughed FAA personnel return to work. The UPP for the King Air 200GT is already certified and was developed in partnership with Beechcraft Corporation. An STC’d Flight Manual Supplement will enable King Air 90 operators to take full advantage of performance improvements, which are significant, with installation of the BLR Winglet System, according to Dave Marone, BLR’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
ARINC DIRECT SIGNS AGREEMENT As the designated Business Aviation airtime reseller for Inmarsat’s GX Aviation global Ka-band solution, Honeywell has signed an agreement with ARINC Direct to bring this connectivity to the Business Aviation market. GX Aviation is scheduled to be available in early 2015 and will utilize Kaband satellites both to provide much higher broadband speeds than existing services, and consistent global coverage. Faster speeds will give business jet operators, owners and passengers the ability to work and entertain, all while over bodies of water and around the world.
CAE ADDS 7X SIM
GULFSTREAM STRENGTHENS SUPPORT FOR U.S. OPERATORS Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. announced it has bolstered its support of U.S.-based Gulfstream aircraft operators with the addition of three specially outfitted Field and Airborne Support Team (FAST) vehicles and two field service representatives (FSRs), Kevin Volland and Tony Tommasino. The new rapid-response Gulfstream FAST vehicles were deployed to Houston and the New York and Los Angeles metropolitan areas. Each custom-designed vehicle, which typically has a team of two or three technicians, is particularly effective in supporting operators in aircraft-onground situations because of its quick response time and the tooling it transports. The new FSRs will support operators based in or traveling through the Pacific Northwest, Arizona and Nevada.
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CAE has announced the addition of a fourth Dassault Falcon 7X full-flight simulator (FFS) to its global training network. The simulator is expected to be ready for training in 2015 at a yet to be disclosed location. CAE is an Authorized Training Provider for the Falcon Jet. “With more than 200 Falcon 7X aircraft delivered, the extension of the Falcon 7X simulator network will benefit our growing fleet of operators,” said Frederic Leboeuf, Falcon Operational Support Directorate, Dassault Aviation. “We are a proud training partner of Dassault Falcon and we continue to support their growing fleet by adding this Falcon 7X simulator,” said Nick Leontidis, CAE Group President, Civil Simulation Products, Training and Services. “We will work closely with Dassault to determine the best location for service, based on localized customer demand, existing network of training devices and the travel needs of the Dassault Falcon 7X operators.”
CITATION LATITUDE FIRST FLIGHT IN FIRST QUARTER Cessna announced the eagerly anticipated Citation Latitude midsize business jet is on schedule for its first prototype flight in the first quarter of 2014. Terry Shriner, Cessna business leader for the Latitude, said: “We have nearly finished with the Latitude wing, and the Latitude fuselage is almost complete. The team is looking forward to showing some outstanding features to Latitude customers. The Garmin G5000 avionics are clearly a big step ahead in convenience and ease of operation for business jet operators in the mid-size category, but we are also delivering a high-powered cooling system, a stand-up flat floor cabin and in a first for a Cessna Citation, an electronically-operated door.”
FLEXJET DOUBLES FIRM LEARJET 85 ORDER
Flexjet, LLC – a newly created company funded by a group led by Directional Aviation Capital – announced it is doubling its recent Learjet 85 aircraft order of 30 aircraft by converting 30 options into firm orders for a total of 60 business jets valued at approximately $1.2 billion, based on the 2013 list prices. The options were originally purchased on September 5, 2013 as part of the historic order for up to 245 Bombardier business jets. Additionally, Flexjet, LLC is procuring incremental options for 20 Learjet 85 aircraft.
PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA SIGNS ENGINE SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH HBS Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) has signed an engine service agreement with Hawker Beechcraft Services (HBS) for the support of Beechcraft King Air series turboprops and Hawker business jets. P&WC is a division of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX). Under this agreement, P&WC will provide HBS with comprehensive engine support, including repair, hot section inspection and overhaul, for PT6A-powered Beechcraft King Air turboprops, PW305B-powered Hawker 1000 aircraft, JT15D-5-powered Hawker 400A jets, and PW308A-powered Hawker 4000 aircraft. The work will be performed by Pratt & Whitney Engine Services (PWES) at its overhaul and repair facility in Bridgeport, West Virginia, and at P&WC’s main repair and overhaul center in StHubert, Quebec, which is celebrating its 35th year of operations this year.
FLIGHTSAFETY DEMONSTRATES NEWLY ENHANCED TRAINING MATERIALS iPAD APP FlightSafety International announces that it will demonstrate its newly enhanced training materials iPad App at the 2013 National Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition. “FlightSafety’s newly enhanced iPad App offers interactive features that increase the efficiency and effectiveness of training while providing convenient access to pre-study and classroom course materials,” said Greg McGowan, Senior Vice President, Operations. The App can be downloaded at no charge from the iTunes App Store. Once a FlightSafety Customer is enrolled in a training program, the App will automatically download of the course materials. It is currently available for use in a growing number of pilot, maintenance technician and flight attendant courses.
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THE 5X: PREPARE TO INTRODUCING THE BIGGEST, MOST ENGAGE YOUR ADVANCED FALCON YET. SENSES.
Dassault Falcon has reinvented the private jet travel experience. With the largest cabin cross section in business aviation.
A top speed of .90 Mach. A range of 5,200 nautical miles. The short-field capability of much smaller jets. And the best fuel efficiency in its category. The ultimate benefit: a big plane you can use for almost any mission, short or long. The Falcon 5X is built to appeal to all your senses, not least your common sense.
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EMBRAER ANNOUNCES LEGACY 500 AND LEGACY 450 PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
PILATUS ANNOUNCES WORLDWIDE SALES AND SERVICE NETWORK FOR THE PC-24
Embraer Executive Jets have announced product enhancements in the Legacy 500 and Legacy 450 Program. The range of the Legacy 450 has been increased to 2,500 nm, with four passengers; 200 nm farther than its initial specification. The Legacy 450 fuselage has been extended to provide more cabin space. “The Legacy 450 will be the best-in-class mid-light executive jet,” said Ernest Edwards, President, Embraer Executive Jets. “We never stop listening to our customers’ input. Thanks to their invaluable feedback and our commitment to deliver distinctive business aircraft, both the Legacy 450 and the Legacy 500 will deliver an above premium travel experience to our customers.”
Pilatus Aircraft Ltd announced that it has formally established a sales and service network for its upcoming flagship business aircraft – the Pilatus PC-24 twin-jet. Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus Aircraft Ltd stated, “We are proud to announce the extension of our partnership with an outstanding network of Authorized Sales and Service Centers for the PC-24. For 13 years in a row, the PC-12 has set the standard for the highest level of customer service, as rated by readers of Professional Pilot magazine. Our goal is to raise the bar even higher with the PC-24. Pilatus is confident that through our Authorized Pilatus Centers we will create a customer experience, the ‘Pilatus Class’ that is unmatched in the Business Aviation industry.”
DASSAULT AVIATION UNVEILS FALCON 5X Dassault Aviation have unveiled its biggest and most advanced Falcon jet. The Falcon 5X is a new-generation business jet with new a flight control system, new aerodynamics and other advanced technologies, many pioneered in Dassault’s military programs. “The Falcon 5X is the new benchmark for the creative use of advanced technology in Business Aviation,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation. “Using design and manufacturing software and systems pioneered by Dassault, we have been able to build a larger, more comfortable and more capable aircraft that is also more environmentally friendly and much more economical to operate compared to other airplanes in its class.” “The Falcon 5X represents our biggest investment since the beginning of the Falcon programs,” said Trappier. “It demonstrates our commitment to maintaining the technology leadership that we have displayed in this market since our first business jet flew fifty years ago.”
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FIRST GLOBAL XPRESS SATELLITE BEGINS ITS JOURNEY TO THE LAUNCH SITE Inmarsat the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, announced that the first of its game-changing Global Xpress satellites – designated Inmarsat-5 F1 – has travelled from California to the launch site in Kazakhstan. The Global Xpress network will power GX Aviation, the world’s first global Ka-band high-speed satellite network specifically designed for mobile assets, with aircraft a target market. GX Aviation will offer a unique combination of global coverage from a single operator, consistent performance for aviation use of up to 49Mbps, and the network reliability for which Inmarsat is renowned. “The imminent launch of the first satellite brings the introduction of GX Aviation much closer,” said Miranda Mills, Inmarsat President, Aviation. “We have our network of Distribution Partners in place and we know from our conversations with airlines and VIP operators that there is strong demand for high bandwidth inflight connectivity.
GAMA LAUNCHES £3.8 MILLION FACILITY AT GLASGOW
JETEX LAUNCHES FBO AT DUBAI WORLD CENTRAL To capitalize on the growing demand for high-end executive travel, Jetex has launched a full-service FBO at Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central The FBO offers a VIP lounge, ground support, fueling, handling and security services, with Jetex’s team of dedicated professionals on hand to look after hotel accommodation, catering and limousine services. There is also complimentary Wi-Fi, heightening the ease of travel and convenience for clients. The FBO profits from the company’s vast range of expertise in accommodating heads-of-state and travelers requiring greater amenities than those offered by most typical FBOs.
Gama Aviation, the global aviation services company, inaugurated a brand new 2,480 m2 maintenance hangar, offices and executive aircraft handling facility in Glasgow, Scotland. The center, representing an investment of £3.8 million, creates a number of new flight crew, engineering, operations and customer service jobs. Not only does the new facility provide a modern and convenient aircraft charter base for Gama Aviation’s Scottish based customers, but the Gama Aviation Executive Terminal (FBO) will be operational in readiness for the prestigious golf tournament, the Ryder Cup and the Commonwealth Games, when the city expects to handle a large volume of business and VIP visitors. Gama Aviation will provide full base and line maintenance in the new hangar, to support the Beechcraft King Air 200s operating an essential service for the Scottish Air Ambulance. In addition Gama Aviation anticipates significant third party aircraft maintenance activity coming to Glasgow.
Air BP MARKS 20 YEARS IN ALBANIA
GULFSTREAM CELEBRATES G280 ENTRY INTO SERVICE Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. has recognized the one-year anniversary of the first customer delivery of the all-new super mid-sized Gulfstream G280. To date, approximately 20 G280s have entered service. “This is a significant milestone in the history of the G280 and of our company,” said Larry Flynn, president, Gulfstream. “The G280 is the only super mid-sized aircraft that can reliably fly between London and New York. Its range, in addition to its safety, reliability, handling, styling and cabin management, has made the G280 a winner for our customers since day one.” Gulfstream announced the G280 on Oct. 5, 2008. The aircraft rolled out under its own power on Oct. 6, 2009. Its first flight, on Dec. 11, 2009, lasted 3 hours and 21 minutes and saw the aircraft fly to 32,000 feet/9,754 meters. A total of three G280 aircraft participated in the flight-test program, flying more than 2,150 hours over 794 test flights.
International aviation fuel supplier Air BP has this month marked twenty years of business in Albania. Fuelling began with one 30,000 liters refueling vehicle and a fourtank facility with a total capacity of 120m3 serviced by six employees. Air BP's tanker drivers had a 750 kilometers (km) trip by road from Athens to supply the airport with aviation fuel. Today Air BP operates four 30,000 liters refueling vehicles along with three dedicated road tankers. In addition the business now has eight tanks with a capacity of 600m3 located at Tirana International Airport and an additional 3,300m3 in rented tanks at the coastal terminal at Vlore. The team which has almost doubled in size refuels around 5,000 aircraft annually for customers supporting over 1.6 million passengers and today Air BP remains a key service supplier at the airport. Unlike the early days when a phone and fax were a luxury the 24/7 operation now utilizes sophisticated communications to stay in touch with customers.
AIR CULINAIRE WORLDWIDE EXPANDING PRESENCE IN THE UK In-flight catering provider Air Culinaire Worldwide announced it has expanded its presence in the United Kingdom by adding an owned-and-operated kitchen at London Biggin Hill Airport (EGKB). Later this year, Air Culinaire Worldwide plans to open an additional kitchen in the London area, which would bring the total number of owned-and-operated kitchens in the Air Culinaire Worldwide network to 19, including three in the United Kingdom. “We recognize that our clients are managing their stakeholders’ expectations and that unforeseen events can impact the success of a trip; as the only in-flight caterer based on the airfield at London Biggin Hill Airport, we will now be able to respond faster and facilitate more short-notice requests, when plans change,” said Maithri Samaradivakara, UK-based Sales Manager, Air Culinaire Worldwide. “Our kitchen will be available 24/7 and offer free delivery, allowing us to keep up with our clients’ growing needs in the London area. “Whether an operator is flying a turboprop, very light jet or all the way up to a BBJ, our trained 5-star chefs will be able to help the crew overcome the in-flight catering challenges it faces in the final preparation phase for service on board the aircraft,” said Samaradivakara.
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TBM MyDocs ON IPAD DAHER-SOCATA announced the release “My TBM docs” application, which is available at no cost for Apple’s iPad. This 1.3.2 version, downloadable from Apple’s App Store, offers free access for registered operators and owners to full, constantly-updated technical documentation for all TBM 700 and TBM 850 very fast turboprop aircraft models – including the Internal Parts Catalog, Maintenance Manual and Pilot Information Manual. The available documents represent more than 40,000 pages of information in PDF format and are fully searchable, easing the use of documentation and providing more information to aircraft operators. The library also features a video section for educational pieces. A briefcase section enables the user to tag preferred documents for onground preparation of flight operations. This application was created internally by DAHER-SOCATA’s documentation team, with the assistance of DAHER Information Services at its parent company.
DUNCAN AVIATION EARNS CERTIFICATIONS FOR MEXICO AND BERMUDA Duncan Aviation’s location in Provo, Utah, recently announced that it has been approved by the Mexican Civil Aviation Authority as an approved aircraft maintenance organization. In addition, the company’s Battle Creek, Michigan, location recently received approval by Bermuda’s Civil Aviation Authority. “Duncan Aviation continually evaluates its certifications and is constantly communicating with customers and prospects around the world to secure new certifications when it makes sense to do so,” says Chris VanderWeide, Chief Inspector of International Airworthiness for Duncan Aviation. Besides the FAA, Duncan Aviation’s locations in Lincoln, Neb., Battle Creek and Provo hold certificates for 10 additional civil aviation authorities around the world. The Lincoln facility has certifications for Argentina, Bermuda, Brazil, Cayman Islands, China, EASA, The Gambia, Mexico, South Africa and Venezuela. The Battle Creek facility has authorizations for Argentina, Brazil, Cayman Islands, EASA, Mexico and South Africa. And the Provo facility has certificates for EASA and Brazil.
BIZJET INT L INDUCTS ITS ROLLS-ROYCE TAY 611-8C INTO PRODUCTION BizJet International, Lufthansa Technik’s hundred percent US subsidiary based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has inducted its first Rolls-Royce Tay Mk611-8C engines into facility for maintenance. “We are well underway in achieving a significant services role with the induction of our first two Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8C Midlife inspections and completing the first half of correlating our test cell for the -8C” says Criss Berry, Vice President Engine Services for BizJet. He added: “Our team not only executed flawless removals and introduction of our launch customer’s engines while satisfactorily completing our cell’s performance and diagnostic tests for correlation, we also maintained normal production targets regarding turn-time and client costs. This is a remarkable validation of our teams planning and operational effectiveness.”
PEOPLE Banyan Air Service based at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport has announced that Craig D. Huston will be the company’s new chief operating officer (COO).
Craig D. Huston Don Campion, President of Banyan shared, “The company is excited to add Craig to the leadership team as Banyan continues to grow and explore many opportunities. Craig will help take the company to the next level as he works with our talented mangers.” Huston has over 18 years of aviation experience ranging from line service at a small, private FBO, to various leadership positions at large, global OEMs. As COO, Huston will be responsible for overseeing all of Banyan’s operations, including FBO Services, Avionics, Maintenance, Parts Solutions and Banyan Pilot Shop. CRS Jet Spares has added Luis Tapia to the R.C. Group as a customer advocate in the role of Repair control Coordinator. “Mr. Tapia brings years of aviation experience to this position and we feel this move will provide our customers and CRS 24 - BART: DEC - JAN - 2013 - 2014
with a person who will be diligent in meeting customer needs” claims Armando Leighton CRS President. The CRS Repair Control Group not only is responsible for vendor and asset management but, also they are key in the role of interfacing with our customers on managing repairs and providing technical information whenever necessary. “It is a welcome addition to our group” stated Dave Prince R.C. Group Manager. Tapia is a licensed A&P and has been in the aviation industry for over twenty years in roles ranging from component repairman, manager of a repair station, sales regional manager to purchasing manager for a charter flight department. FlightSafety International has promoted Ron Ladnier to Vice President, FlightSafety Services Corporation. It also announced that David Judge has been promoted to Assistant Manager of the company’s Learning Center located at the London Farnborough airport in the United Kingdom.
Ron Ladnier “We are pleased to promote Dave to Assistant Manager,” said Paul Hewett, Manager, Farnborough Learning Center. “His experience, leadership abil-
ities, and dedication to provide outstanding service and the highest quality training are valued and appreciated by our Customers and Teammates.” FlightSafety International has also announced that Ralph Leach has joined the FlightSafety Academy in Vero Beach, Florida, as Managing Director, Marketing and Sales.
He is a commercially rated pilot and holds a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Transportation Commerce and an Associate of Applied Science from the Florida Institute of Technology, School of Aeronautics. Gulfstream has appointed Beth McClurg as director of real estate. She reports to Joseph Drake, vice president, Global Property and Security Services, Gulfstream.
Ralph Leach “We are pleased that Ralph has joined the FlightSafety Academy marketing and sales team and look forward to his many contributions,” said Steve Gross, Vice President, Sales, FlightSafety International. “He will serve the growing number of airlines around the world who rely on the Academy to provide the highest quality ab initio training programs designed to fully prepare graduates to fly their aircraft safely and efficiently.” Ralph has a wide base of aviation experience including senior positions at an aircraft manufacturer, airline training companies, both fixed wing and rotor wing aircraft operators, and transportation and management consulting firms. Prior to joining FlightSafety, Ralph was Vice President, Business Development for Jet Asia in China, and a Senior Consultant with CMR, London.
Beth McClurg As director of real estate, McClurg is responsible for Gulfstream’s worldwide real estate requirements, including development and construction projects, lease transactions and property acquisitions. She works closely with senior executives to develop and execute Gulfstream’s long-range strategic real estate plan. “We are thrilled to welcome Beth to Gulfstream,” Drake said. “She has significant leadership experience in corporate and commercial real estate, business development and strategic planning and will be an asset to the company.” Jet Aviation has announced the appointment of Alain Champonnois as the new vice president and general manager of the company’s FBO and line
Alain Champonnois maintenance operations in Jeddah, Riyadh and Medina, Saudi Arabia, effective January 1, 2014. As general manager for Jet Aviation in Saudi Arabia, Champonnois is responsible for overseeing the company’s three FBO and line maintenance operations and will report to Stefan Benz, vice president of MRO and FBO Operations in EMEA & Asia. He succeeds Hardy Bütschi, who was recently appointed vice president and general manager of Jet Aviation Dubai. Champonnois is a 20-year industry veteran. He joins the company from Skyservice Business Aviation, where he held a number of senior positions in ground operations and fuel supply management, most recently as vice president of sales and business development. Previously he served as chairman of the board of directors for the ExxonMobil Avitat Aviation Council. Champonnois holds a degree in business administration from Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia, Canada. He is fluent in English and French. Marshall Aviation Services, part of the Marshall Aerospace and Defense Group, has welcomed a bolstered aircraft sales
team hard on the heels of its acquisition of Hawker Beechcraft’s European MRO facility in Broughton, North Wales and its appointment as exclusive sales distributor for Beechcraft aircraft for UK, Ireland and Scandinavia. Reporting to Sales Director, Howard Povey, Craig Lammiman joins as Regional Sales Director (UK, Ireland and Channel Islands) from aircraft sales and acquisitions company, Freestream Aircraft Ltd, where he held the position of Vice President Aircraft Sales. Prior to that he headed up preowned sales for PremiAir Global where he steered the company from a rotary only business to a successful fixed wing sales organization, overseeing the sale of several preowned Beechcraft aircraft. In his new role, Craig will be responsible for new Beechcraft sales in the UK and Ireland, based in Broughton. West Star Aviation has named Debi Cunningham Vice President of Marketing and Interior Design. Debi started her career in Business Aviation in 1983 and has been with West Star since 2002. With nearly 30 years in the aviation industry, Debi has held numerous positions throughout her career
Debi Cunningham
Universal Avionics has announced that Paul DeHerrera has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer for the company. Mr. DeHerrera has transitioned into this new role as Mr. Joachim L. (Ted) Naimer remains as President and Chairman of the Board. “In his role of Chief Operating Officer (COO), Paul has closely managed the daily operations of the company while being integral to strategic decision making,” said President and Chairman of the Board, J.L. (Ted) Naimer. “Paul’s transition to CEO is a natural next step for Universal Avionics; one that will provide the company solid leadership helping to guide the future of the company.” Mr. DeHerrera began his career with Universal Avionics in 1994 in the position of Manager of OEM Marketing at the company headquarters located in Tucson, Arizona. He then transitioned into the position of Vice President of Marketing and Product Support before being promoted to his most recent position as COO in January 2008. With more than 40 years of aviation experience, Mr. DeHerrera is an FAA licensed pilot, holding an airframe and power plant license. He also holds a Bachelor of Science Electrical Engineering Technology from Metropolitan State University in Denver, Colorado and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Regis University in Denver, Colorado. Well respected in the industry, Mr. DeHerrera currently serves on the Board of Directors for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and has previously served as Senior Board of Director and past Chairman of the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA). Dedicating his career to aviation, he has also served on numerous industry committees including aviation tort reform.
within the sales, modification and interior design areas. She began her career at West Star as Modification Sales/ Interior Design Manager and quickly worked her way up to National Sales Manager. Debi was named Director of Marketing in 2008, remaining in that role until the recent promotion.
“Debi has proved to be a great asset for the West Star Aviation team and our clients in all her positions,” said Jim Swehla, CoFounder/Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing. “We are overly confident that Debi will have continued success as she takes on this new role at West Star.” BART: DEC - JAN - 2013 - 2014 - 25
EMBRAER RELEASES THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS Embraer delivered a total of 19 commercial and 25 executive aircraft (21 light jets and 4 large jets) in 3Q13, for a cumulative total of 58 commercial and 66 executive aircraft (52 light jets and 14 large jets) delivered over the first nine months of 2013 (9M13). This compares with a total of 83 commercial and 46 executive aircraft (40 light jets and 6 large jets) delivered in the first nine months of 2012 (9M12). Consequently, revenues in 3Q13 of US$ 1,288.2 million fell 8.1% from the prior year’s quarter and 9M13 revenues of US$ 3,931.0 million were down from the US$ 4,269.4 million in revenues reported in 9M12. The lower commercial aviation deliveries in 3Q13 compared to last year combined with a mix shift towards the smaller E-Jets E170 and E175 aircraft models led to the decline in revenues. The lower Revenues and product mix shift in the quarter were the principal drivers of a decline in gross margin to 19.2% in 3Q13 compared to the 25.2% reported in 3Q12. As a result, gross margin over the first nine months of 2013 was 21.6% compared to the 24% margin reached in 9M12. EBIT and EBIT margin in 3Q13 were US$ 75.8 million and 5.9%, respectively, representing a decline from 2Q13 and the prior year’s quarter. The decline in revenues discussed above resulted in lower operating leverage in the quarter, which coupled with the mix shift, resulted in the lower gross margin and EBIT margin. Further, it is important to mention that a portion of operating expenses, primarily labor in Brazil, are Real denominated and the 6.25% increase in wages at the end of 2012 impacted these expenses when compared to last year. Administrative expenses totaled US$ 51.3 million in 3Q13, which was a decline from the US$ 58.9 million reported in 3Q12, and showed the Company’s ongoing commitment to cost efficiency. Selling expenses of US$ 111.9 million increased slightly from last year, but declined US$ 9.5 million from 2Q13 due primarily to the lower top line result in 3Q13. Research expenses totaled US$ 9.2 million in 3Q13 and fell US$ 12.3 26 - BART: DEC - JAN - 2013 - 2014
CAE REPORTS SECOND QUARTER RESULTS
million compared to last year primarily as a result of the launch of the E-Jets E2 program, in which program expenses are now capitalized as Intangible Assets instead of as Research Expenses. The Company’s Research expenses for 9M13 reached US$ 60.8 million, which is on pace to come in below the Company’s outlook of US$ 100 million in expenses for 2013. Other operating income (expense), net in 3Q13 was income of US$ 1.1 million compared to an expense of US$ 62.3 million in 3Q12. The difference in Other operating income (expense), net comes primarily as a result of the Chautauqua restructuring process which negatively impacted this line item by US$ 41.9 million in 3Q12. The cumulative EBIT and EBIT margin for 9M13 were US$ 250.5 million and 6.4%, respectively. Net income (loss) attributable to Embraer and Earnings (loss) per basic ADS for 3Q13 were US$ 52.9 million and US$ 0.2905, respectively. The Net margin reached 4.1% in 3Q13 compared to 4.7% in 3Q12, due largely to the decline in operating income. The Company finished 3Q13 with a net debt position of US$ 19.6 million compared to a net cash position of US$ 58 million at the end of 2Q13. The US$ 77.6 million decline in the net cash position is largely a consequence of the Company’s investments and an increase in inventories, which grew US$ 257.5 million to US$ 2,780.4 million in anticipation of an increase in deliveries of commercial and executive jets in 4Q13, which is typically the quarter with the highest number of jet deliveries for the Company.
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CAE has reported financial results for the second quarter ended September 30, 2013. Net income attributable to equity holders was $38.3 million ($0.15 per share) this quarter, compared to $35.6 million ($0.14 per share) last year. Revenue for the quarter was $487.5 million, compared to $506.5 million in the second quarter last year. All financial information is in Canadian dollars. CAE’s Board of Directors today approved a one cent increase in CAE’s quarterly dividend to six cents per quarter. “We improved operating margins during the quarter in both Civil and Military, sustaining our confidence that performance will be stronger in the second half,” said Marc Parent, CAE’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our operational focus yielded strong free cash flow in the quarter of nearly $120 million, which enabled us to reduce net debt(5) below 40% of capital. We achieved a book-to-sales ratio of 1.47 on solid order intake and our backlog reached $3.9 billion. This includes a record $2.0 billion backlog in Civil, which is indicative of our sector leadership within a robust aerospace market. As a reflection of our confidence in CAE’s position and outlook, we are pleased to announce a 20 percent dividend increase.” Revenue for our combined Civil segments decreased 6% in the second quarter to $269.3 million compared to $285.3 million last year. Second quarter operating income was $39.0 million (14.5% of revenue) compared to $45.2 million (15.8% of revenue) last year. We received 13 FFS orders in the second quarter and have since sold another five, bringing us to 33 year to date. During the quarter we signed long-term contract renewals with Jazz Aviation and Execaire for training services and we commenced training at our new center in New Delhi, India with our joint venture partner, Interglobe, the parent of Indigo Airlines. We received $514.5 million in combined civil segment orders this quarter for a book-to-sales ratio of 1.91x. The ratio for the trailing 12 months was 1.37x. Second quarter Civil backlog was a record $1.997 billion.
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JETNET IQ PRESENTS STATE OF THE MARKET BRIEFING AT NBAA
Globally, 49% of owners and operators in the Q3 2013 Survey believe that the business aviation industry is past the low point in the current business cycle, down from 52% one year ago. Regionally, results are highest in North America (54%), and lowest in Latin America & Caribbean, and Rest of World (35%). New aircraft purchase intentions and flight utilization expectations over the next 12-24 months have slipped from prior surveys.
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JETNET RELEASES RESULTS FOR FIRST NINE MONTHS OF 2013 JETNET LLC, the leading provider of aviation information, has released September 2013 and the first nine months of 2013 results for the pre-owned business jet, business turboprop, helicopter and commercial airliner markets.
JETNET LLC, the world leader in aviation market intelligence, presented its annual view of the industry at its JETNET iQ State of the Market Briefing at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) 2013 convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. The briefing highlighted key trends and insights from JETNET iQ (Intelligence Quarterly), the company’s premium forecasting and advisory service for business aviation. JETNET iQ Briefing was hosted by Rollie Air Service Basel The provides spacious Vincent, JETNET iQ Creator/Director, and Paul Cardarelli, and secure hangar parking in JETNET Vice President of Sales. brandnew facilities at the Euroairport Key results from JETNET’s latest market intelligence, includBasel-Mulhouse - in an exclusively ing the just-completed JETNET iQ Q3 2013 Global Business discreet environment. 4500m² for any Aviation Survey, were presented. In Q3 2013, 507 respondents aircraft upto the sizecollectively of a Gulfstream from 46 countries operated 1,331 fixed-wing turG550 bine or Global Express. aircraft, according to JETNET records. Survey respondents’ locations and “aircraft in operation” closely mirror those of the world fleet, and results are considered representative with a margin of +/- 4%, 19 times out of 20.
Market Summary “Fleet For Sale” percentages for business jet and business turboprop market sectors were down in the September comparisons, but increased slightly in the turbine and piston helicopter markets. Business jets are showing a slow start in the first nine months of 2013 with a 3.2% decrease in pre-owned sale transactions, and are taking more time to sell (31 days) than last year. Also, of the business jets transacted to date this year, the average asking price is up 11.4% from 2012, suggesting a shift in this market to favor the purchase of newer pre-owned models. Business turboprops decreased 8.1% in sale transactions with a 10% increase in the average asking price, but are taking less time to sell (17 days) than last year. Both turbine and piston helicopters saw double-digit declines in sale transactions YTD at -11% and -17.9%, respectively. Turbine and piston helicopters recorded decreases in average asking price, at -6.3% and -2.2% in the YTD comparisons through September 2013.
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EUROPEAN UPDATE
TURKISH OFFICIALS SIGN DECLARATION GAMA HAILS EU-BRAZIL AVIATION TO ENCOURAGE BUSINESS AVIATION SAFETY AGREEMENT
During a recent regional hosted by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the General Directorate of State Airports Authority of the Republic of Turkey (DHMI) proclaimed that business aviation plays a crucial role in facilitating regional investment and subsequently has a direct economic impact on Turkey’s economy. To that end, the Director General co-signed a declaration together with EBAA that commits to working together on long-term actions that would help ensure the steady growth of the sector in the country. These include improving access of business aircraft to the infrastructure, and ensuring that the region’s legal framework and policies have a positive impact on daily air transport activities. “Understanding the distinct nature of business aviation as a tool for efficient, productive and secure business travel to and from the nearest airport to the passengers’ destination is absolutely essential. Catering for this distinction will enable Turkey to reap the benefits of a thriving sector and the subsequent rewards its activity will deliver to the economy,” said Fabio Gamba, CEO European Business Aviation Association. With a population of 75 million and an economic growth average of 4% in the last decade, Turkey has developed into a geostrategic base for international business. The forum was important in evidencing that Turkey has all the prerequisites to continue growing its business aviation industry and further establish itself as an important commercial hub connecting Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Identifying possible impediments to expanding Turkey’s business aircraft activity, with a view to tackling them together with local authorities, was the main purpose of this Regional Forum. This successful format will be repeated around Europe, where and when appropriate.
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The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) welcomes the recent entry into force of the Brazil European Union (EU) Aviation Safety Agreement. "The completion of this agreement is another positive step forward for our manufacturers and the broader aviation industry," said GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce. "Streamlining certification, continued airworthiness, and maintenance efforts between EU member states and Brazil will reduce redundant regulatory oversight. As such, both authorities and industry will benefit from greater efficiencies in delivering new aircraft, parts and maintenance services, while simultaneously strengthening international aviation safety cooperation." With the agreement in place, the signatories will also be able to negotiate future expansion of the text to cover other areas of safety not yet covered under this agreement. With this first major step completed, GAMA looks forward to the rapid implementation of the agreement, so that its benefits can be realised in a timely manner. GAMA also recently expanded its European office appointing Greg Bowles to a new position as Director of European Regulatory Affairs & Engineering. Bowles will join GAMA's Director of European and International Affairs Brian Davey in GAMA's Brussels office. Joining the association in 2005, Bowles has served as Director of Engineering & Manufacturing at the association's Washington headquarters. In his new role, he will strengthen GAMA's ability to work towards better and more efficient regulatory systems, as well as ensuring even stronger coordination between global aviation authorities and manufacturers. "The GAMA Board of Directors decided that this was a prudent time to complement our excellent government affairs presence in Europe with strong aviation technical expertise. Greg's move to Brussels marks another major increase of GAMA's worldwide presence at a time when general aviation is expanding on a global basis," GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce said. "Greg is well known at EASA, having worked closely with their regulators and other European authorities in representing general aviation manufacturers' interests for several years on many issues ranging from European equipment and aircraft certification to increased international cooperation between authorities." Bowles also served as the industry co-chair of the international regulator/industry working group that included representation from EASA, the FAA and aviation authorities from Canada, Brazil, China and New Zealand that developed a new global framework for the certification of light general aviation airplanes (CS 23/Part 23). He has focused in the areas of regulation and policy affecting avionics, aircraft systems and airframe design, as well as aerospace manufacturing and quality assurance.
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AIRPORT-COLLABORATIVE DECISION MAKING SPREADS THROUGHOUT EUROPE Faced with patchy air traffic growth in the short term and significant financing challenges for the entire aviation sector, the themes of efficiency and performance have become a key focus for Europe’s airports and air traffic managers. For them, as well as for the airline community, the EU’s Single European Sky is a higher priority than ever before - and these industry partners are working together to move things forward, with a particular focus on airport-related activities. In 2008, European airport trade body ACI EUROPE and (intergovernmental agency) EUROCONTROL launched a collaboration to increase operational efficiencies at European airports. This was also complimented by similar agreements between ACI EUROPE and airline trade body, IATA and CANSO, the global trade body for Air Traffic Management. At this year’s 8th Annual ACI AIRPORT EXCHANGE conference & exhibition² which took place in Doha earlier this week with the theme “Airports beyond 2020”, an update was released on the progress achieved to date. Over the past 6 years, airports, national air traffic managers and airlines have been implementing a process called AirportCollaborative Decision Making (A-CDM). A-CDM is a tool that allows for real time sharing of operational data and information between the stakeholders using an airport, thus creating “common situational awareness”. This in turn improves interaction between airport operators, air traffic control and airlines on the ground, allowing for a more optimised use of scarce airport capacity. A-CDM is also an important baseline for the deployment of SESAR¹. Airports where A-CDM has been fully implemented now include Munich, Brussels, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt, LondonHeathrow, Helsinki-Vantaa and most recently, Düsseldorf and Switzerland’s primary hub, Zurich. A-CDM deployment is being facilitated by the Network Manager, with a target of 20 major airports by the end of 2014. Collectively, these airports welcome over 250 million passengers a year and their efforts have yielded significant benefits for airlines and passengers. Benefits to Airlines & Passengers: ❍ Better punctuality: average 3 minute reduction in aircraft taxi-ing time ❍ Fuel savings: EUR20.8 million in fuel savings for airlines A further 25 airports across Europe are currently in the process of implementing A-CDM either locally or fully. Frank Brenner, Director General of EUROCONTROL said “ACDM is really all about improvements in performance through cultural change and proactive partnership. It emphasizes the network nature of ATM where an apparently local decision can have implications across Europe. Linking the airports to the network through A-CDM has a positive effect both in terms of capacity and predictability – with benefits for each player involved. This linkage can be done by the Network Manager and is one of the major benefits that this function will bring to European ATM as a whole.”
Olivier Jankovec, Director General ACI EUROPE commented “These initiatives reflect the European airport industry’s strong focus on performance and quality. By working in partnership with air traffic management and airlines, we are able to lower our airline partners’ operating cost base, make the passenger experience more punctual and reduce our environmental impact. This is win-win, as it also allows us to boost our competitive position and get the most out of our assets.” Further roll-out of these programs will continue with ACI EUROPE, EUROCONTROL and CANSO all actively encouraging new participants, through promotion of the benefits gained by current participants.
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EASA ALLOWS USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES ON BOARD
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published guidance which will extend to all phases of flight the possibility to use personal electronic devices (PED) such as tablets, smartphones, ereaders and mp3 players as long as the devices are in ‘Flight Mode’ or ‘Airplane Mode’. Current EASA guidance allows the use of PED on aircraft, except during taxiing, take-off and landing. Bulky PED such as laptop computers will need to be stowed during taxiing, take-off and landing. “This is a major step in the process of expanding the freedom to use personal electronic devices on-board aircraft without compromise in safety” said Patrick Ky, EASA Executive Director. The changes above will be applicable to aircraft operated by European airlines. With the new guidance an airline, following its own assessment, will be able to allow passengers to use their PED in ‘Flight Mode’ during all phases of flight. In the long term, the Agency is looking at new ways to certify the use of mobile phones on-board aircraft to make phone calls. EASA recognizes the wide proliferation of personal electronic devices and the wish of the travelling public to use them everywhere. The aim of the Agency is to ensure safe and harmonized use of PED on-board aircraft operated by European airlines. Safety is EASA’s priority; it is important that passengers continue to listen to the safety briefings conducted by the crew and follow their instructions.
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CEO S CORNER
STATE AID ABUSES MUST BE SANCTIONED .. .BUT IF IT AIN T BROKE, DON T TRY AND FIX IT!
airports, on various grounds. The most forceful grievances concerned the fact that State aids could not be seen in isolation, that they were the symptoms rather than the causes, of a wider problem, and that regional airports’ difficult business model shouldn’t be jeopardized; failing that, Europe of the regions, social cohesion and other good aspects of the European Union, would be questioned. EBAA followed a similar path. Below is the line of reasoning that was used by the undersigned. Let’s hope that the European Economic and Social Committee’s (EESC) conclusions will opine in the same way as the stakeholders, and that the Commission eventually accepts to get back to the drawing board. EBAA’s Intervention: ❍ EBAA has 520 members, mostly in ECAC, and is the official trade body representing Business Aviation in Europe; ❍ BizAv represents today around 7% of IFR traffic in Europe, with an average of 2,000 flights/day; ❍ There are around 800 operators, with in total 4,500 business aircraft (both jets and turboprops); Europe boasts the 2nd fleet in the world, after the U.S. (17,000 aircraft), but far above the other continents;
By Fabio Gamba
Fabio Gamba, Chief Executive Officer of the European Business Aviation Association.
The major air transport stakeholders and their trade body representatives were summoned in Brussels in early November to share their views on the appropriateness of keeping state aids to air transport. The hearing was divided into two distinct parts, a first one where airspace users (network carriers, low-cost carriers (LCCs), charter carriers, and Business Aviation) could freely bicker a propos the rationale of past, current and future State aids, and a second one during which airports of all sizes could express their views on the topic. Much to the surprise, and also chagrin, of the European Commission, most of the 10 trade bodies and companies criticised its narrow approach and condemned its proposal for a 3rd guideline on State aids at regional
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❍ It is mostly, if not entirely, based on non-scheduled operations, and is organised around a per-demand model; it encompasses commercial (taxi) and non-commercial (mostly corporate) operations; ❍ BizAv IS NOT, has never been, and will never be, a recipient of State aids; to a large degree, BizAv serves regional and secondary airports where it has invested from its own pocket. In some extreme cases, it has gone as far as acquiring an airport (Farnborough in London, UK for TAG, Egelsbach in Frankfurt, Germany, for NetJets); ❍ Access and flexibility are obviously key to BizAv. In fact, it serves more than 100,000 city-pairs, three times more than scheduled airlines; ❍ Relatively absent from the main hubs, it typically operates to/from secondary airports, in mixed mode with other scheduled and GA operations; ❍ The point is not to reopen the question about whether airports should be considered or not as an economic activity. This has already been answered in a few high-profile cases. I would have personally preferred that the Court outlines the public utility part of airports, but that’s the way it is. It is rather to question the prospects of Europe and its air transport if it is to cut, or severely limit, access to funding to a myriad of smaller and regional airports, especially when considering that: a. All our neighbors, from Turkey to Northern Africa, through to the Middle East, use massive State aid measures for the development of their hubs and secondary airports; this is well documented; Europe doesn’t build anymore, whilst all around Europe you will see cranes erected to construct new runways, terminals and airports; we’re so prone to look at internal competition, and we seem to forget that the most formidable competition, the one that we need to fear the most of, comes from outside… The international playing field is already not level, let’s not make it worse; b. State aids at regional airports don’t distort competition, as I maintain there is no real competition, despite their numbers, between them today (admittedly with a few exceptions). Airports are for the most part monopolies, and they are public. That’s certainly true from a BizAv point of view. Oxford, as an example, cannot be considered as a surrogate to, say, Biggin Hill. Now you can also look at it from another angle:
maintaining a wealthy number of airports is important, not for competition but, say, for choice, and State aids allows you to keep a healthy number of airports. c. As recognized by DG COMP, smaller airports cannot survive without public aid. I am not talking about investment for future expansion, but about day-today operations. That’s a fact. So: i. Do we let them close down? Please note I am personally not against it in principle. After all, the mere fact that they exist doesn’t suffice in making them important to the society; ii. But then, the threshold of 200’000 pax/year is way too low. How many struggling airports between 200’000 and 1’000’000 pax/year are there in Europe? For BizAv, that represents an important number [around 15 upon verification]; iii. We run the risk of weakening what is actually an important source of wealth for Europe. Other continents and countries would love to be in a similar situation. It is a chance to have a well-developed network, so let’s find ways to capitalize on it, and let’s drop any unnecessary interventionism for dogmatic reasons. d. How do we do this? Subsidiarity seems to have been forgotten. We hear it at every turn, so why not here? What the French call ‘Aménagement du territoire” (equivalent to “town-and-country planning”) can only be applied with a strong sense of subsidiarity. A topdown, centric approach is probably inapplicable and inappropriate; who better than the local community can determine whether a regional airport remains pertinent for its economy or not? Brussels? The capital? e. We need more Europe, there’s no denying it. But for which case? Is it to do purely with public entities and the way they are being managed? Or is it to do with something else, such as the dogfight amongst LLCs and network carriers? i. If it is the former, well, then I am afraid this is a totally new ballroom, and it has nothing to do with competition as it boils down to crafting rules for public bodies; ii. If it is the latter – and I believe it is – then are we sure this is the right instrument? BizAv and regional airlines shouldn’t be the collateral victims, or the hostage, of a fight between LCCs and network carriers; they shouldn’t, but they will be if the result of the pro-
posal is to close down dozens, if not hundreds of regional airports; and close they will if access to public funding for operational matters is denied; f. The EU needs to get its acts together, and vie for a minimum of consistency. Isn’t there an obvious contradiction when on the one hand the Commission proposes new slot measures aimed at getting rid of unscheduled and smaller, regional, operators from hubs (DG MOVE) whilst on the other hand it (DG COMP) proposes measures that can jeopardize hundreds of regional airports? Or maybe there is no contradiction. Maybe there is a concerted way to get rid of unscheduled and regional air transport in Europe… Well, if that’s not the case, then there IS a contradiction; g. That’s one, but there is another contradiction: we’ve been told for years that a formidable capacity crunch was looming ahead, and that in the absence of new runways it would spill over from the hubs where it would originate to other secondary airports. So isn’t that contradictory now to allow the closing down of hundreds of runways? 2. As a conclusion, I would like to make 3 points: ❍ Firstly, in order to address one issue – as legitimate as it may be – (i.e. LCCs vs. network carriers), regulatory authorities should be careful not to create new ones. By choosing to engage this via the means of airport public aids, my feeling is that they will NOT solve the original issue of competition between two business models, AND create an additional problem of runway shortage; ❍ Secondly, yes, State aids should be supervised and a European approach on how to use them, to avoid abuses, is called for. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that the system is not dysfunctional, it is only perfectible. So let’s be cautious in our approach, and pragmatic. That requires more flexibility in the way we view, and apply, State aids, not necessarily less. ❍ And as a third and final point, to the question whether aviation needs state aids, I’d respond as follows: there are already 2 sets of Guidelines on the topic. Have things changed in a way that they require a third one? Isn’t the problem the effective application of these Guidelines? I doubt a third one will change anything. Let’s start to apply the first two, and assess their appropriateness before we move on.
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FBO FEATURE
THE US CASE
THE EVOLUTION OF THE FBO
by LeRoy Cook
A
s a unique institution, the general aviation Fixed Base Operator (FBO) has become a homeaway-from-home for the Business Aviation traveler. Expectations for an FBO are now quite high; demanding passengers and crews expect standby or on-call service at early and late hours, access to ground transport and catering, prompt fueling and spotting, and the lowest possible price. In past times, it wasn’t so. Pilots and passengers were just grateful to find someplace to get in out of the weather.
HISTORY
The FBO concept originates from the early days of Business Aviation.
The U.S. concept of an FBO came about because of a growing abundance of private air travelers, crisscrossing the country on business and personal errands, potential visitors who might drop in unannounced at any time. Municipalities and airport managers wanted these guests to have a good experience when they visited their communities, so the idea of a welcoming lounge and friendly service arose, beginning about 50 years ago.
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Earlier, airport services may have been provided by flying clubs, volunteer responders to an airplane circling over town, and even a welcome by local law enforcement, if crime was at a low ebb. In the early days, I can recall visiting airports to find nothing other than a phone booth and a written list of numbers I could call. Obviously, the larger the community, and the greater the number of locallybased aircraft present, the more amenities that could be expected. As airplanes became more widely used in corporate support roles, ramps and waiting rooms expanded, first at larger fields and then at smaller airports. Business travelers began to go wherever the opportunities of commerce dictated; industrial diversification often meant plants were being built in outlying areas where abundant cheap labor could be had. The company plane brought in the home office management occasionally; wise local politicians and marketing officials knew a welcoming airport was vital, if their town was to attract industy.
Naturally, the hubs of corporate aviation activity began first on large airfields at the financial and manufacturing centers. Airline operations may have been conducted on one side of the airport, but a Business Aviation terminal often sprang up across the field. The company flight department might have maintained its own hangar, or leased space in a larger communal hangar, but an operator, often with mechanics employed to provide service and repairs, would be engaged to pump fuel and roll airplanes in and out. Burgeoning BizAv In 1957, a company named Southwest Airmotive opened one of the first true Business Aviation terminals at Dallas, Texas’ Love Field, built at a then-extravagant cost of $2 million. It was a bright, clean welcoming gateway for business travelers, and pilots learned that it was the place to stop if they wanted quick, courteous service. When the first-generation corporate jets came on the scene in the 1960s, their non-turbofan engines limited range to one or two thousand nautical miles, unless conditions were especially favorable. Accordingly, cross-country trips had to seek out refueling stops where speed and amenities could be relied upon; a 15-minute quick loading of Jet-A and getting back in the air was the order of the day, so Mr. Bigdome could be expedited to his appointment in San Francisco. Competition, as in any industry, fostered improvements in FBOs. During the late 1960s and 1970s, dueling “follow me” carts, often driven by comely maidens, would dangle inducement at the edge of the taxiway as an aircraft turned off after landing. A bit of rolledup red carpet would be unfurled at the aircraft door as the greeters sought after the visitor’s welfare. Fuel prices were displayed on large signs, and incentives, like free steaks, redeemable savings stamps and bottles of wine, brought pilots in for fill-ups. Beyond simply selling fuel, FBOs became full-service providers, with maintenance shops, dealerships for aircraft manufacturers, storage, rental cars, crew rest and flight planning rooms, conference rooms for dealmaking and catered items to replenish the aircraft’s galley.
Evolution And Growth Inevitably, change has come to the fixed-base operator business. As airplanes became more efficient, less fuel was taken on at stops, and offsetting charges for once-free parking and handling became more normal. Larger and larger facilities have been developed to accommodate bigger planes and supply all the accommodations travelers expect. Impressive architecture and fixtures now greet the sought-after persons arriving in a multi-million dollar jet. At the same time, savvy FBO owners always leave some space and service for smaller owner-flown aircraft, knowing that this individual may be showing up in a company plane next week, or have influence with present and future “big iron” customers. An affiliation with a major FBO chain, whether by being acquired or becoming a franchisee, is now an asset replacing the flashy come-hither stimuli of the booming ‘70s. As with restaurant and banking outlets, when a sign is displayed announcing alliance with an FBO chain, such as
Signature Flight Support, Landmark Aviation, Million Air, Atlantic Aviation or Jet Aviation, the visitor knows what he can expect and is assured of certain standards. An advance contract can be negotiated to obtain fuel discounts at any branded outlet, and loyal-customer rewards can be accumulated by stopping at an affiliated chain. Trip Planning As Business Aviation ventures further and further afield in search of opportunities for the firm, there’s a need for dedicated providers of trip support. This means taking care of obtaining permits for the countries visited, arranging customs clearance, securing fuel availability and price, and setting up a local handling agent to assure a smooth arrival. When you’re a stranger in a strange land, it’s easy to overlook some obscure requirement or newly-contrived procedure; using a trip planning service is vital. When refueling away from home, a fuel card is usually the preferred
method of payment, and this doesn’t always mean American Express or Visa. By using a card from UVair, AvFuel, WorldFuel or other prearranged credit access, the invoicing, VAT tax computation, environmental reporting and other paperwork is handled smoothly. Domestic flights may be possible on the strength of a company credit card, but if operating internationally, it’s practically mandatory to have vetted fuel access taken care of by a support firm. Does the future of the FBO seem to be secure? In difficult economic times, an airport may left with only one operator, there not being enough business to support the two or three of a more prosperous era. Where permitted, exclusive contracts, negotiated with the airport authority to prevent competition, carry the danger of fostering a “take it or leave” attitude toward customers, and they will also encourage predatory pricing. If other airports with a more welcoming disposition are in the area, that danger may not arise. But, covenant stipulations are not adequate to guarantee service; only free-market competition will do that, so long if the business is there to encourage it. It is well for business aircraft users to recognize the plight of struggling FBOs in recessionary times, who must continue to meet regulatory and contractual standards with less and less business to pay for it. One needs to buy fuel and services when visiting, because without the FBO the airplane is essentially worthless. As with airports, if there’s nowhere to land and park and refuel, the general aviation system won’t work.
UPGRADING
FBOs have come a long way from their early incarnations. Jet Aviation s Enterprise Jet Center at Hobby Airport Houston (top).
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FBO FEATURE ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTORS Avfuel provides comprehensive and customized aviation solutions for 600+ FBOs and thousands of other aviation customers worldwide. It offers domestic and international fuel, contract fuel, flight planning and trip support, pilot rewards, and aviation insurance. www.avfuel.com
EPIC is an aviation fuel supplier with primary operations throughout the U.S. and Canada, including the EPIC FBO Network and UVair FBO Network. EPIC’s supply system consists of nearly 300 North American supply points, selected to provide customers with reliable and secure fuel, serving over 4,000 diverse customers including airlines, cargo operators, business aviation flight departments, fixed base operators and resellers. www.epicaviationllc.com
BACKBONE
Trip planners and fuel suppliers support FBOs throughout the US.
World Fuel Services has a global team that delivers fuel solutions and logistics at more than 8,000 locations around the world, a single-source provider of fuel procurement, fuel
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THE US CASE
management, credit and financing, and price risk management. It also provides specialized segment capabilities such as aviation trip planning, bunkers quality control and technical support, and aviation and ground fuel bulk supply. World Fuel Services customers value single fuel supplier convenience - competitive fuel prices, trade credit availability, fuel price risk management, logistical support, fuel quality control and fuel management. www.wfscorp.com
Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. was founded in 1959 by former Air Force meteorologist and network weatherman Tom Evans, who had a vision to provide a service no one else in the world ever had before – customized weather forecasting for business aviation. As business aviation flourished and grew, new services and solutions were added to meet the users changing and evergrowing needs, regardless of their base of operations or whether a trip was 300 or 3,000 miles. Today, Universal Weather and Aviation has grown into a global business aviation trip management company, with 47 locations in 19 countries and over 1,700 employees worldwide. Universal Weather and Aviation states that a lot of components go into trip management – from utilizing knowledge gained in pre-trip training and education opportunities to managing logistics during the trip itself to having access to tools that provide flexibility and options. The perfect plan can always change, and change again. Perhaps a passenger’s visa has expired. Or the schedule changes en
route. Or there is a medical emergency, prior to or even during a trip. Or assistance is required with compliance or regulatory issues. As the company puts it, “Regardless of what happens or what you need, you must keep your guarantees.” www.univ-wea.com
Founded in 1999, Colt International says it’s become a global leader in the business aviation industry, with more than 7,000 flight departments and fuel suppliers trusting and depending on the company. Its Houston headquarters is a 20,000 square-foot facility housing more than 100 team members with all the latest resources and technology. Offices are also in Europe, Canada, and South America. Billed as the fastest growing trip support company in the world, it’s also constantly enhancing its fueling network to continue to provide customers with the largest contract fueling network in business aviation, servicing nearly 15,000 aircraft. www.coltinternational.com
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FBO FEATURE
EUROPE IN PROGRESS
A MUCH NEEDED MAKEOVER
Services in EMEA & Asia, added that the goal of her company was “to provide a positive customer experience by anticipating customer requirements and ensuring their utmost comfort.”
By Marc Grangier
Two centuries ago, wealthy travelers on a long journey across Europe would stop at coaching inns to rest and replace their tired horses. Even without services like TripAdvisor, rivalry between these staging posts was intense, with some inns having better reputations than others. Unfortunately, since the days of horse and buggy travel the situation hasn t evolved much.
A
RESTORATION
European FBOs are in renovation mode: Jet Aviation s Zurich FBO (top). Monica Beusch: General Manager Jet Aviation Zurich (center).
lthough the European FBO, the modern day equivalent of the old horse inns, aims to ensure a five star service for weary travelers, many of them come up short. Over the past decade a number of foreign operators and pilots, mainly Americans, have criticized some European FBOs for not meeting Business Aviation standards in terms of facilities and service. Maybe these pilots and operators, used to top VIP American standards, were disappointed when they weren’t greeted by a smiling face. Or maybe upon their arrival at a foggy European airport, they found the outdated facilities somewhat depressing. Although Europeans may have resigned themselves to accepting these ‘old-fashioned’ facilities, foreigners are not so forgiving – a fact that has historically hurt the European FBO industry.
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Thankfully, the industry seems to have woken up and have recently gone into renovation mode. In addition to external pressures, this trend is also being driven by new security measures that require longer transit times. Regardless of the why, the important thing is that Europe’s tired FBOs are finally being renovated. “We felt it was important to upgrade our facilities to meet the changing profile of our customers, many of whom required more amenities for both crew and passengers,” Jonathan Howells, Regional Vice President, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Universal Aviation, Inc, told BART. Monica Beusch, General Manager of Jet Aviation Zurich and head of FBO
A New Era for Europe In order to better meet the evolving needs of customers and crews, many of the Europe’s existing FBO facilities have been or are in the process of being remodeled. To accomplish this, new partnerships have been made and subsidiaries created. Looking around, one must admit that operators and pilots seem to have taken notice, particularly when these renovations include renegotiated fuel contracts with lower rates or industry partnerships offering increased synergy to customers. Though European Business Aviation traffic’s expansion has been curtailed by economic uncertainties, Europe’s fleet remains the world’s second largest. As a result, it therefore generates significant intra-continental traffic, indeed a positive factor for FBO activity. According to Honeywell estimates, Europe will enjoy a 5% annual fleet growth over the next five years. Hence, the growing interest from FBO owners to do what it takes to claim part of this future traffic. One company doing exactly this is Universal Weather and Aviation. “The renovation of our European FBOs is just the latest in the company’s ongoing commitment to Europe,” says
Universal Chairman Greg Evans. In September 2012, Universal Aviation UK, located at London Stansted Airport (EGSS), officially inaugurated its completely renovated, 10,712 square foot FBO. According to Howells, having an enhanced facility at London Stansted is fundamental to meeting the needs of the company’s customers in the region and globally. “It is not only home to our ground-support business, but also to our 24/7 European Operations Centre, which offers trip facilitation within Europe and globally,” he says. During the last two years, Universal added two FBOs, bringing its total to 11 units. Needless to say, the increase in the number of FBOs located at the same airport, such as Paris Le Bourget and London Farnborough, means fierce competition, tending to benefit the customer as the FBOs compete with the addition of premium services. However, many experts predict that, once the industry fully emerges from the recession, this competition will transition into a fierce merger and acquisition market. As a result, we expect that the days of small independent operations are limited as competition drives a more commoditized market demand Over the course of last year, Jet Aviation has done a lot of work to renovate its FBOs. It is now relocating its Zurich FBO to a new building built alongside the existing General Aviation Center. The facility has been
completely rebranded with the new corporate look and feel, which was unveiled earlier this year at its Geneva FBO. In Basel, Jet Aviation recently completed the refurbishment of its Maintenance customer lounge. In Germany, Jet Aviation has extended its facilities at Tegel (Berlin) to better meet customer demand for full ground handling services. “As the closest airport to Berlin’s center, Tegel International is proving to be a very attractive destination for business, charter, V.I.P. and state flights,” says Frank Kusserow, Director of FBO Services, Jet Aviation Germany. Tag Aviation’s focus on FBOs continues to grow with the Swiss-based company now operating facilities in Geneva, London and Madrid as well as a recently added facility in Sion, Switzerland. The new Sion FBO features a passenger terminal with three VIP salons, a dedicated pilot lounge, 3,200 squaremeters of hangar space and 12,000 square meters of aircraft parking. At the moment TAG Aviation Maintenance operates maintenance services for aircraft including the Dassault Falcon, Bombardier Challenger and Bombardier Learjet as well as offering line maintenance services for a range of other aircraft. It also specializes in avionics modifications, such as the Dassault Falcon EASY II upgrade, and wider modification programs. Meanwhile TAG’s flagship location at Farnborough Airport continues adding to and upgrading its facilities, with new office space and a customer-dedicated second entrance to the airport on the horizon for 2014. Last year TAG Farnborough spent more than £100 million on growing its infrastructure and worked with Border Force during the 2012 Olympics to become one of the first airports to introduce a ‘drive-through’ passport control service, which continues to be offered following its success in reducing potential waiting times for customers during busy periods. Last year, ExecuJet and Ruag entered a new FBO partnership and revealed a completely remodeled Geneva FBO. Both partners benefit from the partnership, with ExecuJet gaining a presence in Geneva, one of Europe’s dominant business airports, and RUAG gaining access to ExecuJet’s well-established FBO network. “Teaming up with ExecuJet, a well-established player in
DEDICATED
Universal Weather and Aviation is committed to Europe; Universal Aviation Paris Le Bourget (top). Greg Evans: Chairman, Universal Weather and Aviation (center). Jonathan Howells: Regional Vice President Europe, Middle East and Africa (bottom).
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FBO FEATURE
EUROPE IN PROGRESS
the FBO world, made a lot of sense for us,” says Michael Sattler, Vice President Business Aviation, RUAG Aviation. One of the longest established FBOs in Switzerland, RUAG’s facility handles more than 6,000 movements per year, with a capacity to handle peaks of up to 80 movements per day. As part of an ongoing effort to expand assistance services to Falcon operators in Russia, in September Dassault Falcon Service (DFS) established a subsidiary at Vnukovo Airport. This perfect customer-focused services including ground transport arrangements, crew transport, fuel support and customs clearance. The FBO is centrally located at the tri-national border between Switzerland, France and Germany enables passengers to reach downtown Basel within no more than just a few minutes drive after their arrival at Air Service Basel's FBO. Two months ago, Quintessentially Aviation announced it had opened a new FBO at Shannon airport. Given the strong links Shannon airport has with the American market, Custom Clearance Shannon is the only location in the world outside of the Americas
RESOURCES
Tag Farnborough (top) continues upgrading their facilities. Universal Aviation Stansted (center). Line maintenance at Dassault Falcon Service (bottom).
investment was done in partnership with Vostok Technical Service, a long established maintenance provider in Russia. Close to Moscow, Vnukovo is a major hub for Business Aviation in Russia and CIS countries. DFS has run a satellite service center there since 2005, which holds both EASA and FAA approvals. In 2012, it moved into new premises at the Vnukovo-3 executive aviation terminal. Also earlier this year, DFS announced that, in partnership with Harrods Aviation Ltd, it has strengthened its presence in the United Kingdom via Dassault Falcon Service UK at London’s Luton Airport. As France’s third leading Business Aviation airport in France, Lyon Bron wants to identify itself as an entry door to Europe for American operators. Last year, Aéroports de Lyon built two new hangars, with one dedicated to large business aircraft like the Boeing BBJ and the other devoted to maintenance. A new Executive FBO facility has also been set up, and the company wants to reinforce its executive handling offer. It
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remains one of the very few airports offering a two-minute transit between the car park and the plane and viceversa. Air Service Basel's FBO at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse offers a discreet and secure environment, incorporating a private VIP passenger lounge, pilot's briefing room and private hangar parking, together with
offering US pre-clearance for Business Aviation. Turnaround times can be as little as 45 minutes. Luxembourg based Luxaviation announced in June its integration with Belgian operator Abelag. As a result, Abelag will have access to the company’s international network, thus developing Abelag’s FBO activities at Brussels’ Zaventem airport.
FBO FEATURE
REFUEL
UVair, the fueling division of Universal Aviation, at Dublin Airport, Ireland.
Last year, Universal Spain relocated its Madrid headquarters from Torrejon International Airport (LETO) to Madrid-Barajas International Airport (LEMD). The relocation was made based on the decision from Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea (Aena) to close Torrejon Airport to general aviation aircraft. Universal Aviation Spain is now located in the remodeled General Aviation Terminal building (the former State Pavilion) at Barajas. The new GAT has its own parking and VIP facilities, including lounges and meeting rooms. Barajas provides the same benefits as Torrejon, and in some ways is better as it has fewer diversions, which were frequent at Torrejon. Furthermore, it is open 24/7 and is approximately 20 minutes away from downtown Madrid. The FBO concept is also gaining ground in Eastern Europe, where Euro Jet Intercontinental recently unveiled its newly renovated FBO facility at Prague’s Vaclav Havel Airport. The new complimentary crew lounges are located on the land and airside in Terminal 3 allowing crews to choose the most convenient option prior to proceeding through security. The lounges feature a relaxation area that comfortably seats six with the option of enjoying complimentary snacks and beverages, watching cable television or working at one of their computer stations that include Wi-Fi, printer, scanner, and fax capabilities.
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EUROPE IN PROGRESS
Euro Jet has contracted fuel pricing for general aviation at Prague Airport and is offering significant discounts on volume. Moreover crews and passengers enjoy a VIP service equivalent to what can be expected at FBOs based at major western airports like discounted rates at Prague’s top hotels and ramp transportation on board the company’s limo. In addition to the crew lounges, Euro Jet has its own heated hangar that can accommodate aircraft as large as a GV. Concerning FBO customer services, Jetex and Honeywell signed a partnership agreement at EBACE that boosts their respective flight planning, aircraft datalink, flight following and international trip support offerings to make it easier for business jet operators to plan and manage flights around the world. Jetex now re-sells Honeywell’s Global Data Center (GDC) Flight Support Services, including a specialized offering for Honeywell’s Flight Sentinel dispatching and data link capabilities, to European, Middle East and Asia-Pacific customers. The Importance of Fueling More than ever, fuel price conditions are critical to business aircraft owners, especially when they operate ‘big irons’ like the Gulfstream G650 or Boeing BBJ, which have fuel tanks containing up to 6,500 and 10,700 gallons respectively. An aviation-consulting group, which recently conducted an informal survey of business aircraft operators, found that 98% of them cited fuel costs as a concern, and were taking measures to minimize con-
sumption. Among those surveyed, 76% reported switching FBOs in order to find lower-priced fuel. For Stefan Benz, vice-president Jet Aviation for MRO and FBO, EMEA and Asia, these numbers reinforce how vital it is to offer customers the best fuel price in the area. UVair, the fueling division of Universal Weather and Aviation, is also doing its best to keep its customers informed about fuel price. In this respect, it reached an agreement with FlightAware to integrate customer-specific UVair jet fuel pricing into its website. World Fuel Services, which offers a single-source set of solutions for FBOs and flight departments, is also offering competitively priced, prearranged fuel globally through its AVCARD card, its World Fuel Services network and its Ascente and Phillips 66 programs. During NBAA, the company announced its new Alliance Card which, according to the company, is “paving the way for the future of contract fuel transactions worldwide”. Cardholders will have access to over 3,000 contract fuel providers in 200 countries without the need to ever prearrange uplifts in advance. Suppliers will be provided with a fully automated solution for authorization and payments to replace the current paper intensive manual procedures. For the time being, the Alliance Card is accepted only in the US, but it will be expanded internationally in a very near future.
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FBO FEATURE
RUSSIA AND THE CIS
UNDERSTANDING FBOs IN RUSSIA AND THE CIS
The major players in Russia’s capital are Avcom-D, headquartered in Domodedovo (DME), Avia Group (currently undergoing rebranding) with Finnish partner Airfix Aviation in Sheremetyevo (SVO), as well as a subsidiary of Gazprom in Ostafyevo (OSF). The most popular FBO in Russia and the CIS as of today is Vipport at Vnukovo-3 (VKO). The FBO is located near Moscow and served by two major motorways, and sits right next to the government airport terminal (which sometimes results in takeoff and landing delays while the airport is shut down). The modern main
The FBO is still a new concept in Russia and the CIS, where Business Aviation services are mostly concentrated around several big cities and are elsewhere confined to getting the passenger aboard the plane via a so-called VIP lounge, which used to be reserved for the leaders of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. As business grows and the industry matures, the situation is changing. By Anna Nazarova and Ivan Veretennikov Less than 10 years ago, comprehensive all-inclusive ground service for Business Aviation passengers and aircraft was a one-off product in Russia and the former Soviet republics. With more and more business jets entering this growing market, however, supply followed demand. Apart from Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Business Aviation clusters and maintenance centers are beginning to emerge in other parts of Russia. The Baltic States are also after Russian customers, creating convenient FBOs and luring them with attractive prices. Ukraine and Kazakhstan are developing fast, as business in these countries grows and the need for private and corporate travel increases. It is too early, however, to say that ground services are evenly developing in the region, or that there is a universal understanding of what an FBO should be.
As of today, there are two forms in which ground services are provided to Business Aviation: a proper FBO as a place where both passengers and the aircraft with crew get full service, and a business terminal offering luxurious amenities to just the passengers, but sending the aircraft and crew to fulfil all their needs via a handling agent at the airport proper. The Bright Lights of the Capital Moscow remains the most advanced city in terms of Business Aviation services in the whole region. It is one of the biggest bizav hubs in Europe, and Vnukovo-3 (VKO) routinely wins the first spot in Avinode demand surveys. It would have been high up in the Eurocontrol reports, too, if only Eurocontrol considered Moscow (or any city in Russia, for that matter), a European city.
building can process up to 50 VIPs per hour and has all necessary services such as customs and passport control, as well as a cafĂŠ, a duty-free shop (where one can find Faberge eg g s for over 50,000 eu ro), an d meeting rooms. There is a spacious parking area and heated hangars for business jets. The FBO also offers fuel and cleaning services. Its biggest advantage, however, is in the choice of the strategic partner that offers technical support: Jet Aviation Moscow. Thanks to this international tandem, owners can perform line maintenance for almost all Gulfstream, Bombardier, and Hawker models, as well as the local bestseller Embraer Legacy 600/650. Vipport customers have been heard to complain about high prices, but competition may lead the company to offer more for less.
MRO
Avcom-D, Domodedovo (top) offers interior repair and overhaul services. Vipport at Vnukovo -3 gives technical support through Jet Aviation Moscow (center).
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FBO FEATURE
The most aggressive competitor today is the Avia Group FBO in Sheremetyevo, a Business Aviation service center that has cost its parent company around 90 million euro and counting. Over the past two years Avia Group built and opened a stylish twostorey Business Aviation terminal that can process up to 35 departing and as many arriving passengers per hour, two hangars with a combined area of 15,000 sq m, and an MRO center. Airfix Aviation, headquartered in Finland and said to have the same beneficiary as Avia Group, is providing line maintenance for Dassault, Bombardier, and Gulfstream aircraft. Another first for the region is a helipad, certified for anything up to a Mil Mi-8 and a welcome solution for passengers who can afford to fly above the eternal traffic jam on the way to the airport. A third hangar is being constructed, and an interior design and refurbishing service in the works.
UPWARD
Sheremetyevo (left) is well on its way to becoming a Business Aviation hub. JetPort s FBO at Pulkovo-3 (right).
The oldest FBO in Russia is AvcomD in DME. Although the main building is not as big as competing terminals, and the airport is the least accessible from Moscow, the company compensates with unique propositions. For example, in 2012 Avcom-D and Aviaprestige jointly offered business jet interior repair and overhaul services. The company is also the only service center for Hawker/BAe-125 aircraft in the CIS, certified even for major repairs, while others only offer line maintenance. The MRO also services Beechcraft King Airs, some models of the Cessna Citation range, and has been authorised for installations and upgrades of Rockwell Collins avionics.
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RUSSIA AND THE CIS
The least well known Moscow FBO is Ostafyevo. As a subsidiary of Gazprom it mainly takes care of parent company traffic. There is one terminal building and another one is in the works with a capacity of 100 pax per hour. Since the mid-90s the FBO is home for a Falcon 900 maintenance facility, and according to a source close to the FBO management it is now discussing an update of its maintenance certificate with Dassault and the creation of an MRO for all Falcon models. Business is good in Saint Petersburg, too. Pulkovo airport, recently home to just a very mediocre VIP lounge, now has not one but two separate FBOs, Pulkovo-2 and Pulkovo-3, created by the two competitors Avia Group and JetPort (subsidiary of Vipport), respectively. Both have their own terminal buildings, hangars, parking spaces, and offer ground handling and flight support services. Pulkovo-2 will concentrate on official delegations and government flights, while Pulkovo-3 will focus on private and corporate flights. Both facilities are fully functional, and Pulkovo-3 has serviced, among others, 20 delegations during the G20 summit. Gloomy Provinces Far away from capital cities of Russia and the former Soviet republics, the infrastructure for Business Aviation is underdeveloped to say the least. Where business is thriving, however, things are gradually improving. The world-famous Sochi, site of the XXII Olympic Winter Games, now has its own FBO, opened by Basel Aero this year. Separate road access, two lounges (one for business passengers, the other for official delegations), as
well as parking spots for 12 aircraft and luxury Mercedes sedans to deliver people to and from aircraft are among the highlights. Very unusually for construction in Russia and CIS, access for people with disabilities and reduced mobility was taken into account, making the terminal one of the few buildings of any kind where this was given a thought. JetPort South, another subsidiary of Vipport, offers ground handling and flight support services in Sochi, Anapa, Kransodar, and Gelendzhik. A proper FBO also exists in Samara (KUF) where, apart from a separate building serving passengers, flight support services are also offered for aircraft and crews. Kazan, as one of strongest provinces in terms of economy, is another center for bizav activity. One of Russia’s biggest maintenance, interior design and completions center, Tulpar Technik, is headquartered at the city’s airport. A separate terminal building is dedicated to business passengers, official delegations, and so-called VIPs, who get the whole 2nd floor to themselves. This is one of those non-FBOs that nevertheless keep business travelers happy while their crew and ops department interact with the local handling service to get everything they need from the airport proper (which, in some cases, takes time). A similar arrangement exists in Rostov-on-Don, where the business lounge is located in a separate building, and BMW 7 Series sedans take passengers to and from aircraft. The key city in the Urals, Yekaterinburg, now also has its own luxurious business terminal at Koltsovo (SVX) after the old airport
building was restored for that purpose. Such terminals also exist in Krasnodar, Minvody, Murmansk, Vladivostok, and Irkutsk. In the latter, Avcom-D, the operator of the namesake FBO in DME, is running a maintenance facility for Hawker aircraft that serves the whole of the Russian Far East. Shining Areas of CIS Companies in all three Baltic States are evidently interested in attracting customers from Russia (more to the point, Moscow). There are three companies, FBO Riga in Latvia, Avia Solutions Group in Lithuania, and Panaviatic in Estonia that either have a facility already or plan to have one running soon. The proximity to Moscow, availability of hangar space and maintenance facilities, and – importantly – Russian-speaking staff give them an advantage over companies in other Eastern European states. Panaviatic is set to have 5 hangars with a total area of 5200 sq m housing up to 10 large-cabin jets and one ACJ/BBJ liner by April 2014, according to company president Alexei Kulakovskiy. Expected investments are around 5 million euro, most of which will be financed by Tallin airport. Apart from storage, Panaviatic wants to provide maintenance and repair services, and it already has an EASA Part 145 certified subsidiary for the purpose. FBO Riga is up and running, with a 1200 sq m main building offering everything necessary to the business passenger, including a bar, duty free shop, and meeting rooms. In a major undertaking, parent company Flight
Consulting Group plans to build a hangar capable of holding up to 9 Global Express-sized jets, as well as a multifunctional office building by the apron to house Business Aviation companies. Investments in the new complex are estimated at 5 million euro, and the new buildings should be ready by autumn 2014. FBO Riga is supporting 85% of Business Aviation flights to and from Riga and already has signed contracts with five biggest bizav operators. Besides, an EASA Part 145 Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services (LBAS) line maintenance station is located at the site and servicing all Bombardier business jets. Ukraine is yet another major Business Aviation center, where the Borispyl airport (KBP) processes 20— 40 business flights a day. A new VIP lounge opened in August 2012, 5 times bigger than its predecessor, but the airport still lacks a separate specialised building for business passengers. What it boasts, however, is a Maybach 57 that can be ordered instead of the standard minivan – luxury sedans are rather popular at airports in this part of the world. Zhulyany, another airport near Kiev (and, according to its own data taking care of 7000 business flights in 2012), unveiled plans to construct a separate FBO in March 2012, with a tentative opening date in September-October 2013. No ribbon-cutting has been announced since, and in the current economic situation such ambitious plans may take time to materialize. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are two more rapidly developing economies and the centers of growing Business
Aviation infrastructure. Silk Way Business Aviation, a subsidiary of Azerbaijan-based Silk Way Airlines, not only operates a fleet of business jets and helicopters and owns a beautifully designed office block at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, but also runs a separate terminal building and offers ground handling and flight support services. In Almaty and Astana, Kazakhstan, the services offered to Business Aviation are also shifting from just making the passenger happy to taking care of everything, from the crew and aircraft to flight plans, permits, fuel, catering, and transportation. Where FBOs in the CIS do exist, they team up with the best local restaurants, take customers to their planes in first class cars, sell outrageously expensive products in their duty free shops, and ultimately provide a truly luxurious experience. It is certainly over the top, and no false modesty is involved. There are not so many FBOs in the region, but the ones that do exist can easily compete with world class facilities. In conclusion it is worth coming back to the underdeveloped infrastructure. The reason is simple: airports, FBOs, and even Business Aviation itself grows only where business grows, in cities that trade a lot with others. In the former Soviet Union, where the distribution of wealth is rather uneven, major cities enjoy disproportionate wealth. More FBOs will appear as they are needed, and perhaps one day the region will even see its first dedicated Business Aviation airport that would be open for all.
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GAMES
Olympic site Sochi boasts its own FBO (left). Silk Way Business Aviation in Azerbaijan runs a terminal building at Heydar Aliyev Intl Airport.
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MAINTENANCE MATTERS By Bernard Fitzsimons
L
ine maintenance does not usually require a hangar, but it does demand tools, spares and manuals. The most important element, though, is competent, qualified staff: the complex web of national, international, OEM and operator-specific standards, procedures and regulation means personnel carrying out line maintenance need to be highly trained and extremely versatile. Alongside its newly refurbished FBO at Geneva International, Jet Aviation has a 4000 sq m hangar and 250 sq m of workshops. As well as offering complete line service, the facility specializes in base maintenance for Gulfstream aircraft from the 200 up, the Bombardier Global series and the Boeing BBJ. It is also authorized to carry out base maintenance on the Dassault Falcon 50, 900 and 2000 EX Easy and Hawker series, along with various smaller jets.
INCLUSIVE
Jet Aviation offers services from engine maintenance all the way down to aircraft cleaning.
Managing director Cyril Martiniere says the most common line maintenance services requested by users of the FBO are small jobs such as toilet servicing, potable water, light cleaning and deicing, oxygen and nitrogen servicing, hydraulic fluid, engine oil and aircraft wash and cleaning. Aircraft washing is a particular requirement for customers arriving from the Middle East, “an area where
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FBOs READY TO SERVE
you have a sand issue,” he says. “We also have some hangar requests, especially in the winter time to protect customers’ aircraft from icing.” The Geneva base also provides all defect rectification as well as scheduled maintenance: “Any time a customer has a defect on his aircraft – whether it is a cabin issue, a maintenance system issue or whatever — we are usually able to support it.”
The operation is used to responding to last-minute requests for services from both FBO customers and transient aircraft stopping briefly in Geneva. “The traffic in Geneva is very high so we have a lot of lastminute requests from our customers,” says Martiniere. “One of our assets is that we have the capacity to react very quickly to demand.” That is in line with customer expectations: “In Geneva to be reactive is a must, because aircraft are usually here for a very short time, so it’s important to do maintenance very quickly.” Line maintenance has no specific requirement for hangar space. “We can do the maintenance work outside the hangar as long as it stays within the frame of the EASA and FAA regulations,” he says. One exception is tyre changes, when a hangar will probably be needed, particularly if more than one needs changing: “Then we have to jack the aircraft and this cannot be done outside a hangar.” Equipment for line maintenance is adapted for the operation so that it can be moved quickly to the aircraft to be serviced. Carts for oxygen and nitrogen are readily accessible, and a fully
equipped car and truck carry all the tools required. “The idea is that as soon as we have a request we are ready to jump in the car and run to the aircraft for a debrief with the crew,” says Martiniere.
There is another truck fully equipped to perform high quality interior and exterior cleaning: “We can do the cleaning on the ramp without the aircraft having to be moved into the hangar.” A full aircraft wash using a lot of water would be done in the hangar, however, along with bright work and polishing. “It’s very important for aircraft owners,” he comments. “They like their aircraft to be shiny and bright, so it’s a service we really focus on and take a lot of pride in.” Handling such a diverse array of aircraft demands highly trained personnel. Jet Aviation’s staff are fully trained in accordance with OEM standards, Martiniere says, and have both EASA and FAA licenses: “Without these licenses they would not have authorization to released the aircraft to service after we’ve done line maintenance or base maintenance work.” The facility also has regulatory approval to work on aircraft registered in many jurisdictions, including EASA, FAA, Aruba, Bermuda, Cayman, Isle of Man, Mauritius, and the UAE GCAA and Saudi Arabia GACA. Line maintenance is “crucial for our customers,” says Martiniere. “Geneva is a very important hub for business aircraft in the European region, the
traffic is very high and there is always a need for line maintenance services to protect the customer’s operation, to ensure that the flight plans are not interrupted and that the aircraft is not grounded.” There is also a require-
tenance covers a quite a big range of maintenance tasks.” And availability is just as important as adaptability, so support is offered all day every day, with a team on standby to provide support at nights and weekends.
ment for both simple and complex defect rectification. Even when the fault is not a no-go item, customers flying to regions where support is harder to find “are really glad to find that we are able to fix their problem before departure.” Another important consideration for owners and customers is the repair and rectification of cabin items: “It can be a cosmetic item like woodwork or leather, it can be cleaning or touchups, but also it can be satcom issues or printers — anything that directly affects the owner.” Along with regular customers Jet Aviation Geneva has a lot of ad hoc customers looking for maintenance support. “We always follow the operator’s procedure,” says Martiniere. “It may vary according to their own procedures and authorities, so we have to be adaptable. That is why we hold such a large number of specific approvals, to be able to cover as much as much as possible.” Depending on the work package, some scheduled maintenance can be performed as line maintenance work. Being approved for both line and base maintenance means Jet Aviation Geneva can offer either, Maritiniere adds: “For business aviation line main-
Middle East Variations At Dubai International (DXB), where its FBO adjoins a 4,200 sq m hangar, Jet Aviation provides both line and base maintenance for the BBJ, the full Gulfstream family and the Dassault Falcon family apart from the 20 and 50. Dassault support includes a fleet of six Falcon 7X, three of them based in Dubai and another three in Oman. The company can also provide interior refurbishment in partnership with Abu Dhabi firm First Emirates Aviation Group. “We see ourselves as the front end for Gulfstream, Dassault and Boeing in the Middle East,” says senior VP and general manager Michael Ruecker. Capabilities include Gulfstream heavy checks up to 72month inspections, and earlier this year the facility carried out a C4 check on a BBJ with a 10-week ground time. “We took it completely to pieces and rebuilt it,” he says. Since January the DXB base has also provided line maintenance services at the new Al Maktoum International (DWC) airport that forms the centrepiece of the nascent Dubai World Central aerotropolis. There are no hangars there yet, so staff are despatched from Dubai International as and when maintenance is needed. “It’s just an hour in the van,” Ruecker says. Demand at the two airports comes from transient aircraft as well as defects referred by the FBO. One recurring requirement is washing, particularly at the relatively undeveloped DWC, where the combination of wind and sand means aircraft are ready for a wash pretty much as soon as they arrive. It may not be a maintenance task in the strict sense of the word, “but the demand is always there.” When it comes to maintenance proper, “we have no limitations,” Ruecker says. “We have certification for whatever is needed.” The wide range of aircraft handled means the 30-strong hangar floor staff must be well trained and qualified. In fact, around 85 per cent of them are certifying staff.
MIDDLE EAST
Jet Aviation services BBJs, Dassault and Gulfstream aircraft at Dubai International Airport.
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MAINTENANCE MATTERS
FBOs READY TO SERVE
Training is the main requirement to become an authorized service centre, he adds: “You need a minimum number of people then you need the minimum tooling equipment and of course spare parts and manuals. But training is the most important thing, and the most expensive.” He believes the investment is worthwhile, though. “We have only one G650 operating in the Middle East but we all know it will be an important model for the region. So even if it takes five or six years until you see the return, it is part of the role as a customer front end. If we want to be that front end for Gulfstream then we need to be ready for the 650.” Jet is due to start providing on-site maintenance at Al Maktoum in 2018. Beyond that, Ruecker says, Jet’s future at DXB remains to be decided. Local airlines Emirates and fly-
MIDDLE EAST
Execujet s FBO s at Dubai International and Maktoum International offers line maintenance on a range of models.
dubai are taking delivery of three new aircraft between them every month, he points out. “That means there is one new aircraft in the air, one at the destination and one in Dubai. So for every three deliveries they need one more stand. Within two years Dubai international will completely run out of spaces for customers. Then we may need to move to DWC, which will be the new base anyway.”
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Execujet Angle In Dubai, ExecuJet’s FBOs at Dubai International and Maktoum International both offer full line maintenance support activities. “Dubai International already has a fullyfledged MRO which supports any FBO drop-in requirement,” says ExecuJet Middle East maintenance director Nick Weber. “The FBO also supports the MRO customers on arrival and departure services.”
Maktoum International has a line station mirroring the DXB MRO capabilities up to minor scheduled inspections, while any heavy maintenance requirement is supported out of the Dubai location. “Maktoum is equipped with basic ground support equipment and supported further by the Dubai MRO for any specialised services,” he says. Engineering staff are scheduled out of the Dubai MRO The line maintenance provision is extremely important, Weber says: “It further incentivizes operators to frequent our Dubai FBOs.” The Dubai International MRO currently maintains 18 different national aviation authority approvals, including EASA and the UAE GCAA, Kingdom of Saudi GACA and Indian DGCA. Minor scheduled tasks can be performed as part of line maintenance, Weber adds: “Generally they are aligned with A checks. This is all dependent on what the line stations have applied for and then been assessed and approved to offer.” Any inspection that requires excess panel removal along with gear swings would be classified base maintenance and require the appropriate facilities.
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TRIP PLANNING
A CONSTANT PROGRESSION
BIGGER IS BETTER
Universal Weather and Aviation Founded in 1959, Universal Weather and Aviation has built upon its initial mission of providing innovative, customized weather forecasting for Business Aviation. As the industry evolved, so too did the service offering of Universal. Today the company has almost household name recognition for its global trip planning services. But even with over 47 locations spread across 19 countries, Universal has stayed true to its roots of providing personalized service. When it comes to trip planning and support, it’s hard to beat Universal’s experience. Within the over 50 years they have been supporting the Business Aviation sector, they have provided support to over 2.5 million trip legs. The secret behind their success is their winning trip ownership
By Nick Klenske
The flight planning sector has evolved at lightning speed. Not so long ago there were a couple big names on the market such as Universal Weather and Aviation and dozens of small, mom-andpop shops and medium sized operations. Today, however, the big companies seem to be getting bigger through mergers and acquisitions leaving the smaller companies struggling to keep up. Of course this is business.
T HI-TECH
Universal Weather and Aviation s SMS solution (top). Rockwell Collin s Ascend Flight Management App (center).
he Business Aviation sector continues to become more and more global and thus demands international solutions. As a result, the trend is for flight planning companies to acquire other services, evolving into one-stop-shops. More so, the big names have the advantage of being able to offer a seamless service from continent to continent – meaning customers know exactly what they can expect regardless of where in the world they happen to be.
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But by no means is this to say that there is no room for the smaller companies. In fact the small companies tend to have the advantage of being more nimble and thus innovative – driving the sector forward with new technologies and business models. And chances are, if they play their cards right, they too could quickly find themselves ‘getting bigger’ via mergers and acquisitions of their own. Here we present a snapshot of the current state of play of the flight planning sector.
formula. Accordingly, every trip gets a dedicated, specialized team with 9 – 10 years of experience. On top of this, all trip support teams include quality control specialists, backed by the tried and tested 36-key quality control checklist. However, perhaps the real competitive advantage that Universal has is its accumulated knowledge and information. In the trip planning business, having access to both historic and up-to-date information is essential to providing a seamless service. Universal’s databases boasts
information from over 20,000 airports, not to mention information on thousands of FBOs, hotels, and caterers. This essential information is updated around the clock via the automated Trip Management System and made readily available via the UVtriplink Trip Status tool, available online. “In flight planning, accuracy and timeliness count all the time,” says a Universal representative. “Flight plans and weather data are both essential to your next trip and Universal ensures that they are available 24/7 and backed by the experience of Universal specialist and our flight planning knowledge base.” For European operators, or those flying into Europe, Universal’s Europeanbased European Operations Center (EOC) can prove invaluable. The EOC serves as a regional partner, ensuring that you have access the full-support of the Universal brand on both sides of the Atlantic.
With this strong foundation and world-class service, it would be easy for Universal to simply continue doing what it’s doing. But this has never been the Universal way. Instead, they constantly strive to provide cuttingedge service, which in today’s business world means utilizing the latest technology in order to provide even more information. A stellar example of this commitment to innovation is the Universal Mobile application available for Apple iPads. At NBAA in October the company announced that it had enhanced the free app by integrating it into the UVTripPlanner reference tool – which provides easy access to information on worldwide airports, FBOs, ground handlers, in-flight caterers, ground transport providers, hotels and more. This means users can gain access to the same data used Universal from an iPad, including: ❍ Fuel pricing and uplift requests through the UVair Fuel Program
ment in how people in our industry now work, it only made sense to make it available for the iPad through our Universal Mobile app. Instead of charging users for it, we made the decision to make it open-access so that everyone can benefit from utilizing UVTripPlanner data.”
According to the company, as it is completely dedicated to operators in the region, the EOC is the preferred partner for Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Russia. It allows you to save time via a dedicated team of specialists in your time zone, and gain access to aviation resources for your region – everything from flight planning to airways coordination and parking to permits.” The EOC, based in London Stansted Airport, provides 24/7 support and is backed by more than 10 years of experience with Eurocontrol requirements.
❍ Online flight planning through UVflightplanner.com ❍ Status review of trips arranged through Universal Trip Support Services ❍ Operational briefing packages for trips through UVflightplanner.com and Universal Trip Support Services ❍ Flight Scheduling Software “It is critical that Business Aviation professionals have accurate, worldwide airport-related information they can rely on to successfully plan their trips,” says Randy Stephens, Division Vice President, Product Management, Universal. “With the continued evolve-
seamless connectivity between operations, maintenance, cabin and the aircraft – increasing predictability of operation, enhancing flight department efficiency and reducing cost. One of the services particular strong points is its international trip support. “Business aircraft let you travel where you need to go, when you need to go there,” says Greg Irmen, vice president and general manager, Flight Information Solutions for Rockwell Collins. “But with this convenience comes the complexity of international operations and the multitude of tasks that
Rockwell Collins Ascend and ARINC Direct Ascend bills itself as a one stop source for flight information solutions, brought to you under the Rockwell Collins brand. From pre-flight to inflight, on-ground and post-trip, Ascend was built to provide the user with all the tools, services and support needed for a streamlined, efficient flight, cabin and maintenance operations. In order to provide this seamless service, Ascend relies on Rockwell Collins’s robust foundation in innovative technology. As a result, it serves as an integrated, fully customizable set of tools that facilitate transparency and
ACQUISITION
Recently acquired by Rockwell Collins, ARINC is a market leader in flight planning technology.
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TRIP PLANNING
A CONSTANT PROGRESSION
must be managed to ensure your mission goes as planned and mitigate the risk that some unplanned event will arise that could impact your operations.” To provide this support, Ascend provides the experience, backed by the trusted Rockwell Collins brand, to deliver the highest level of service for international flight operations. Ascend’s dedicated operations team and global agent network ensure that all aircraft, crews and passengers have the highest level of service and attention needed to complete their missions safely and efficiently. With a parent company steeped in technology, it is no surprise that Ascend, like Universal, also offers a
PARTNER
Jetex partners with Honeywell for enhanced flight support services; meanwhile Aurora Aviation (center) is a dynamic new entrant.
state-of-the-art mobile app. At NBAA the company announced new enhancements to its Ascend Flight Manager app for the Apple iPad. The enhancements enable performance-based flight planning and dynamic flight tracking for Regional Trip Support subscribers. “Mobile devices are a critical efficiency tool for flight department of all sizes,” said Irmen. “The addition of flight planning and flight tracking to the Flight Manager app strengthens our complete end-to-end offering to handle the operating needs of any flight department.” All this sounds great, but perhaps Ascend’s most advantageous capabilities are to be found in what is yet to come. In August, Rockwell Collins
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announced an agreement to acquire ARINC, a leader in communications and information processing solutions, for $1.39 billion. The deal is billed as bringing together two leading players in the field of aviation information management, combining ARINC’s trusted networks and services with the innovative avionics and cabin technologies developed by Rockwell Collins. “Strategically, this acquisition is a natural fit for Rockwell Collins,” says Kelly Ortberg, Rockwell Collins Chief Executive Officer and President. “It accelerates our strategy to develop comprehensive information management solutions by building on our existing information-enabled products and systems and ARINC’s
ground–based networks and services to further expand our opportunities beyond the aircraft.” ARINC’s services cover all aspects of aviation, including pilots, operators, maintenance, passengers, controllers, regulators, security, and airport operations. This includes ARINC Direct, a leading Flight Services solution geared towards the Business Aviation sector. In October the company released version 3.0 of its iPad app, which provides a host of document management functions that simplify flight planning needs by putting important information at a pilot’s fingertips. “ARINC Direct strives to provide innovative flight support solutions for the Business Aviation market,” says Bob Richard, Vice President of ARINC Direct. “This latest version of our iPad application is another example of how we respond to our customer requirements for a cost-effective, simple and seamless user experience.” “ARINC is working to minimize paper and improve access to information on the flight deck for pilots,” continues Richard. “Version 3.0 is a major step forward in getting our customers there.” Needless to say, it can be expected that services like ARINC Direct will be integrated into Ascend, allowing the company to set the standard for seamless, fully-integrated aircraft management and trip support services. “ARINC’s strong customer base, high customer retention rates and subscription business model will help the
company achieve accelerated growth and benefit from greater earnings consistency throughout the commercial aviation business cycle,” adds Ortberg. Jetex Not to be outdone, trip support provider Jetex has also taken steps to bolster its flight support services. At EBACE last May Jetex and Honeywell announced a global trip support partnership. The agreement aims at boosting both companies’ flight planning, aircraft datalink, flight following and international trip support offerings, making it easier for business jet operators to plan and manage flights around the world. Under the terms of the agreement Jetex will re-sell Honeywell’s Global Data Center (GDC) Flight Support Services, including a specialized offering for Honeywell’s Flight Sentinel dispatching and datalink capabilities, to European, Middle East and Asia-Pacific customers. Honeywell customers, on the other hand, will benefit from Jetex’s international trip planning services across multiple geographies, and get local 24-hour expert support for flight logistics and after-trip concierge care. “As a result of this partnership, operators around the world will have access to an end-to-end combined international flight services offering for dependable, high-end flight-support solutions at competitive prices from both Jetex and Honeywell GDC,” says Adel Mardini, President and CEO of Jetex. Jetex customers around the world will benefit from Honeywell’s Global
Data Center (GDC) and Flight Sentinel offerings that make up a full suite of flight support services with 24-hour access to flight planning experts. Using state-of-the-art techniques, Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) tools and extensive experience, Honeywell’s Flight Sentinel team monitors airspace and ATC initiatives to ensure on-time departure – benefits of Flight Sentinel’s unique approach of having specialized personnel dedicated to live flight tracking. GDC also incorporates EUROCONTROL validated routing to ensure successful route filing in Europe. Competitive advantages of this partnership are already being seen. For example, in collaboration with Honeywell, Jetex Flight Support launched MyJETEX, an app for Apple platforms created to provide operators with dependable flight support solutions. The app interface combines the expertise of both companies with sophisticated software. Operators can now enjoy the convenience of planning and managing their worldwide trips via the app with flight planning, aircraft datalink, flight following and international trip support services. The app is one of a suite of tools being utilized jointly by Jetex and Honeywell to expand the GDC’s Flight Sentinel services worldwide. The enhanced Flight Sentinel services allow clients easy 24 hour access to flight dispatching and trip support experts in three locations worldwide.
“Our collaboration with Honeywell will enhance our service offering and bring us even closer to our clients” says Mardini. “We are very proud of this achievement and will have more news for our US clients in the near future” “The reality of a fully connected aircraft means our customers are telling us that they are using portable electronic devices before, during and after flights, for both personal and mission critical activities,” says Michael Edmonds, Vice President of Aerospace Services at Honeywell Aerospace. “Honeywell and Jetex are responding to this trend by bringing critical flight support and international trip services to the iPad, ensuring that customers have easy access to the trip support they need, whenever and wherever they need it.” Aurora Aviation Even in this competitive sector seemingly dominated by big companies who are only getting bigger, there’s still room for the ‘little guy’ take off. Take for example the Swiss-based Aurora Aviation, a ‘young, dynamic, highly professional company providing quality innovative flight management services to clients globally’. Launched with a focus on delivering fuel uplifts at a competitive price, the company quickly evolved into a onestop-shop offering air traffic rights, flight planning, ground handling, weather and NOTAMs, and travel and aircraft chartering. “An accurate flight plan can save an aircraft operator a significant amount of fuel and time during a flight,” says
ADVANCE
Flight planning has evolved dramatically from pen and paper methods.
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A CONSTANT PROGRESSION
Ammar Kutait, CEO, Aurora Aviation, touching on why the company saw the expansion from fuel to flight support as a natural progression. “Our highly experienced and dedicated team of dispatchers are equipped with the most advanced flight planning software and are aware at all times of any restrictions or disturbances to your flight and are ready with possible solutions.” Colt International Another flight planning company quickly moving up the ranks is Colt International. With the launch of OFP, its next generation of online flight
TAILORED
Euro Jet offers personalized service (top), Colt International is fast becoming a main player in online flight planning.
planning and trip support technology, the company looks set to move into the market dominated by the big name companies. “We developed OFP to deliver a product of greater value to our loyal customer base,” says Malcolm Hawkins, Colt’s co-founder and president. “Without exception, our customers testing this product have said OFP is seamless and intuitive.” Since its founding in 1999, Colt has earned a reputation as a global leader in international trip support and aviation fuel services. It has evolved over the past 14 years to add value to its services through the development of key technologies such as eFuel, Trip View and now OFP. This technology puts the control back in the hands of pilots, dispatchers and schedulers with unparalleled access to powerful trip planning tools, key data and graphical information. Harnessing the power of Google Maps
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and Google Earth, OFP renders flight details, such as route, altitude and weather in 3D rather than text. This is displayed side-by-side with key data, such as regulatory requirements, fuel quote/set-up and airport information. Euro Jet Intercontinental Euro Jet Intercontinental has fast become one of the leading players on the handling agent and trip support market as it celebrates a milestone with its five year anniversary. The company boasts several hundred agents that span over 200 airports in a region that covers Central Europe, the Balkans, Baltics, Turkey, Russia, and the CIS. The company utilizes a staff of top aviation professionals who work tirelessly to ensure all customers are given the highest level of service in a region of the world that lacks the abundance of FBOs that dominate Western Europe and the United States.
"The past five years have seen an incredible growth of business throughout our core region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia which has resulted in a surge of flights." says Charlie Bodnar, CEO of Euro Jet. Bodnar continues, "As the business grows, so does Euro Jet as we work to guarantee the highest level of service and facilities to all our passengers." Euro Jet kicked off its 5th Year Anniversary by completing a large overall of their Prague facility, where they are the only FBO to boast two complimentary VIP crew lounges and a 1,500 square meter hangar. They also opened up a brand new VIP crew lounge at Tivat Airport, the Adriatic sea jewel of a city located in Montenegro. Euro Jet also launched a new smartphone application that gives ramp agents the ability to instantly inform clients of real time activity. As Euro Jet completes its 5th year and enters its 6th there will be continued announcements of new staff, lounges, and technology. The Future As the Business Aviation sector moves out of recession mode, keep your eye out for an increase in mergers and acquisitions like the ones happening at Rockwell and with JetEx. The industry continues to demand integrated, global flight planning services – and sometimes the best way to offer this is for one-time-rivals to simply join forces to offer a bigger, better customer experience.
✈
APRIL 15, 16, 17, 2014
BUSINESS AVIATION ON FULL DISPLAY IN SHANGHAI — MAKE PLANS TO BE THERE
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SPECIAL REPORT
FROM OUR SPECIAL ENVOY IN WICHITA
STICKING TO WHAT THEY RE GOOD AT
Throughout their rich histories, Cessna and Beechcraft have endured many ups and downs in the market. In 2008, when another economic storm hit, both companies did what they always did: they knuckled down and focused on making reliable yet innovative aircraft for business minded professionals.
F
INSTITUTION
Cessna played a foundational role in Wichita s rich aviation heritage.
or Beechcraft this eventually meant jettisoning their loss-making jet division in order to better focus on their ever-robust turboprop segment. For Cessna, it meant streamlining their production process to allow for the launch of a host of new products. The result of both companies’ strategies was to position themselves for long-term success once the market cycled back towards growth. As the market hasn’t quite returned, when BART paid a visit to Wichita, we saw both companies’ ‘market storm’ protocol in full swing. Visiting the companies’ headquarters, we saw two Business Aviation stalwarts busy finding efficiencies and adjusting product lines while still managing to invest heavily in research and development – all with the aim of squeezing the most out of a tight market place.
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Cessna Our first stop was Cessna, where it was all hands on deck as the Citation Sovereign prepares to enter into service yet this year, the Citation Ten next year and the Citation Latitude in 2015. Brad Thress, Cessna’s Senior Vice President for Business Jets agrees that, these aircraft are all entering similar segments of the market, yet each appeals to customers in their own unique way. “The Citation X, for instance, is its own performance aircraft, it’s the fastest civilian aircraft and
puts a lot of time into people’s days,” he says. “And at Mach.935, it’s the fastest civilian aircraft in the world.” Cessna recently concluded all highspeed certification flights with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the Citation X, marking the completion of all testing requirements needed to validate the aircraft’s maximum operating speed. The responses from the high-speed certification testing were well within the expected performance envelope.
The high-speed testing regimen includes handling qualities, stability and control in addition to maneuverability conditions at high speeds. The Citation X high-speed validation was accomplished as a result of collabora-
tion with FAA pilots and Cessna’s Engineering Flight Test Team during the past weeks and now the Citation X has become the obvious choice for buyers looking for speed. “But if you’re looking for cabin size and you’re mostly flying 2,500 missions, than you’ll probably go for the Sovereign,” says Thress. “And if you’re looking for a bit more range and speed, it’s probably best to go with the Latitude, which boasts a range of 3000nm.” Citation Latitude For those interested in the Latitude, it’s worth noting that the program is on schedule, with the first flight expected in the first quarter of 2014. The wing mate for the Citation Latitude first test article has already being completed. “It is very rewarding to see an aircraft take shape that, until now, you’ve only seen on paper, and the Latitude team is enthusiastically looking forward to the prototype’s first flight in a few months,” says Terry Shriner, Cessna business leader for the Latitude. “This is an exciting project for customers as well, as its design is driven in part by customer input on performance and cabin amenities. Cessna has always been known for our dedication to the customer, and the Latitude is a perfect example of this commitment.” The wingspan on the Latitude will be 72 ft 4 in (22.05 m), while the aircraft
will measure 20 ft 11 in (6.38 m) in height. The Latitude is designed to fly two crewmembers and up to nine passengers to 43,000 ft (13,106 m) in just 23 minutes. The aircraft will have the widest cabin of any Citation jet, not to
mention a 6 ft (1.83 m) cabin height, and will be equipped with Cessna’s Clairity™ cabin management system. To make things easier for pilots, the aircraft also includes auto-throttles, reducing their workload. That means
that the Garmin G5000 avionics keep the most important flight information available to the pilot while the autothrottle simultaneously controls engine power and adheres to flight parameters using the system’s auto-pilot feature. Michael Thacker, Cessna senior vice president of Engineering, says: “The Latitude began as an exciting concept, and it just keeps getting better. We have increased the aircraft’s range by
500 miles, boosted the cabin entertainment capabilities, improved cabin volume, and now we are bringing autothrottles to the mid-size category. You cannot find an aircraft in this category that tops the Latitude in terms of operational ease, cabin comfort and performance.” But as technicians are busy preparing for the Latitude’s first flight, Cessna’s marketing and sales teams
LEADER
The Citation Sovereign (top left and right) is the segment leader in hot and high performance says Brad Thress (center), Cessna s Senior Vice President for business jets
IMPROVED
Cessna recently increased the Latitude s (left) range by 500 miles says Michael Thacker, Cessna s Senior Vice President for Engineering.
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FROM OUR SPECIAL ENVOY IN WICHITA
are busy promoting the Sovereign. “The aircraft has always been very well known for its runway performance and it’s hot and high performance, but with this new version we’ve gone one better by adjusting the angles of the engines so we can reduce VMCG (Ground Minimum Control Speed), which greatly improves runway performance,” says Thress. “Now in some cases the airplane’s Vref’s are below 100 – it really is amazing.” The Sovereign’s new GARMIN G5000 avionics also brings a lot of improvements to the aircraft, including a more intuitive interface and an integrated auto-throttle.
POPULAR
Jet Suite is one of the many Cessna operators in the US, Jetsuite CJ 3 (top). The M2 is Cessna s latest addition to the light jet segment (center).
All of these qualities are sought after all over the world. For example, in Brazil, where buyers tend to be rational and sophisticated, spending time analyzing an aircraft based on their specific mission needs, the Sovereign is getting a lot of attention. “These buyers want to know if it’s economical to operate and if it’s reliable,” notes Thress. “We’re even seeing buyers in China and Russia becoming more rational in their purchases, meaning both markets are becoming more mature – although I think this will take some time as it involves an evolution in mind set.” This is an important component to Cessna’s post-recovery strategy, where it looks to be well-positioned in these developing markets. “There’s a choice you have to make today, do you jump in and try to become part of that market as it matures, or do you wait until it is mature and then go knocking on the door?,” asks Thress. Clearly, Cessna has puts its money on the first option.
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And in the US, it seems that Cessna will always be a stalwart performer. For instance, US fractional operations continue to choose Citation business jets more often than any other brand of jet. Stated another way, there are more Citations in the installed fleet of fractional operations than any other business jet. NetJets has the largest private jet fleet in the world and announced the largest private aviation order in history in August of 2012. As part of that recordsetting $9.6 billion agreement, NetJets ordered 25 new Latitude aircraft with options for 125 more, with deliveries expected to start in 2016. “We have a long-standing, successful relationship with Cessna and we are delighted to be working with them on the NetJets Signature Series Citation Latitudes,” said Adam Johnson, NetJets senior vice president of Global Sales, Marketing and Service. “The features of the Latitudes will help differentiate our fleet and provide our customers with the safety, service, reliability and effi-
ciency they require, as well as expand NetJets’ overall fleet capabilities.” In fact NetJets is the world’s largest Citation jet operator. The fractional company’s installed base of aircraft includes more than 50 Citation X aircraft, making NetJets the world’s largest operator of the Citation X. Cessna Citation jets outnumber the closest competing manufacturer in the NetJets fleet by a two-to-one margin. Meanwhile JetSuite, based out of Irvine, California, currently operates six JetSuite Edition CJ3 aircraft and intends to acquire two more refurbished Citation CJ3 aircraft by the end of this year. And Executive AirShare has seen a 20 percent increase in fractional ownership over the past year. The company has introduced three Citation CJ2+ aircraft to their fleet of business jets, offering jet service from hubs in the central U.S. and the Great Lakes region. “The Citation CJ2+ aircraft fit perfectly within our offerings, and meets our customers’ needs for range, seating and speed in an impressive fashion,” says Bob Taylor, Executive AirShare founder and chief executive. Light Jet Market In the light jet segment Cessna is still hard at work on the certification program for the M2, Cessna’s newest addition to the light jet segment. Once again, Cessna is entering a crowded market segment, although Thress is convinced that the M2 will hold its own against competition from the Phenom 100 and the soon-to-be-launched Honda Jet.
“For one thing, it’s faster than the Phenom 100, and I mean not just marginally faster but between 50 to 60 knots faster,” he says. “It also has better speed performance on what we call second segment climb capabilities, so at hot-and-high airports it outperforms its competitors.” Thress also points out that with the Garmin G3000, the M2 offers a new level of sophistication in the cockpit, along with a slick user interface. “And on top of this, there’s the overall reliability and the dedication to customer service that comes along with every Cessna aircraft,” says Thress. Despite Cessna’s well-deserved excitement about its new products, the company is quick to note that the market is very different then it was five years ago. “Our backlog on the Sovereign goes into 2014, whereas previous backlogs would have stretched much further into the future,” says Thress. “The difference is that today people are not committing resources as far out as they used to – people just aren’t bullish enough to hand over a big deposit for something that they won’t see for eighteen months. In other words, it’s more of a spot market, where people are behaving in a much more near-term way.” Thress also notes that traditional models for predicting a market’s return to growth simply no longer work: “Before 2008 we’d see a recovery in sales around eight quarters after corporate profitability returned, now it’s been 20 quarters and there’s still no recovery. But at a macro-economic level there are some explanations for this. One thing is that corporate profitability is driven by cost cutting rather than growth, which would suggest that people are being more careful about the spend side of their income statement.” He continues: “Also, the inventory of airplanes for sale in the pre-owned market is very high. That inventory grew significantly after the recession, and since then it’s been very flat. So the level of inventory you’re competing with is higher than it used to be. If you look to absolute numbers, it’s been flat for the past three years, but it’s worth pointing out that the pre-owned fleet that’s less than five years old has gone down dramatically. Typically, for example, once the number of pre-owned CJ2’s on the market runs out, your sales of the new ones will start to increase.”
Service Center Capacity Despite this reality, Cessna remains optimistic about the market’s return, and for proof of this optimism you have to look no further than Cessna’s investments in customer service facilities. When looking at these new facilities, it is instantly clear that they are built not for the existing Cessna fleet, but for a future, much larger fleet. Currently, Cessna has a global presence of 15 owned Citation Service Centers, 39 authorized Citation Service Facilities, and more than 300 Cessna-Authorized Propeller Service Facilities. On top of this footprint, the investments over the past two years have been significant. In September last year Cessna opened a 100,400square foot (9,328-square meter),
analysis by service technicians. The process reduces or eliminates the need for troubleshooting test flights, often enabling the reproduction of an event on the ground using information transmitted from the aircraft. “The data we receive from the AReS II systems allow technicians to diagnose an issue without having to rely on recreating a set of conditions in the maintenance bay,” adds Hepburn. “This system saves customers time and money, allows technicians to get right to the source of the issue, and gets the Citation jet back to the owner much more quickly.” Indeed, the system let’s technicians look at issues, not only on a case-bycase basis, but on a fleet-wide basis as Cessna’s entire fleet reports into the same central system.
state-of-the-art facility at Valencia Airport. Also last year, Cessna acquired Jet Aviation’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in Zurich, Switzerland, and Düsseldorf, Germany – further expanding its global footprint. As Joe Hepburn, Cessna’s Senior Vice President Customer Service points out, Cessna is investing in new service centers for the same reason they are investing in new products: because they believe the market is set to come back. “It’s not just investing in bricks and mortar facilities, we’re also developing some fairly sophisticated technology to ensure that the process of maintaining an aircraft is as efficient as possible,” says Hepburn. An example of this efficiency is the Aircraft Recording System II (AReS II) for Citation customers, which is capable of recording thousands of flight parameters each second and wirelessly downloading this flight data to Cessna’s internal network for
Aside from Aeries AReS II, there’s also the Cessna–designed CDMS (Cessna Diagnostic Maintenance System) approach to diagnostic maintenance, which integrates event-driven and full-time data recording to provide a full-featured, industry leading diagnostic solution. The CDMS is capable of providing maintenance needs on the pilot’s multi-function display and pushing that data to the aircraft’s service center. “The integrated diagnostic system is capable of alerting the customer, the pilot, and the Citation Service Center of maintenance needs, enabling remote support within minutes of notification regardless of whether the aircraft is on the ground or in the air,” says Hepburn. “The integrated diagnostics provide confidence that applied corrective action will resolve the issue at the first occurrence, resulting in quicker return-to-service for the customer and improved operational availability for the aircraft.”
PRESENCE
Cessna boasts a total of 15 owned Citation Service Centers worldwide.
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REPOSITION
Beechcraft is rebuilding itself as a dedicated turboprop manufacturer. Rob Gunnarson, Beechcraft s Senior Director for Marketing Communications
Beechcraft So what about Beechcraft? In the course of just over a year, they’ve had to overhaul their entire operations, dropping their jet business and focusing on turboprops. Following this overhaul, the question on everyone’s mind is how can the company rebuild itself as a trusted and reliable manufacturer of turboprops? We asked Ron Gunnarson, Beechcraft’s Senior Director for Marketing Communications and Tactical Marketing, this very question. Gunnarson points out that investing in new products is the ‘life-blood’ of the industry, and the key to doing it successfully is to utilize the right technology. “Post-restructuring, Beechcraft can now invest a lot more in the Beechcraft product line,” he says. “At the moment we’re analyzing what the market is looking for and defining an aircraft that will fit that need, so when the time is right, we will have a product that offers the right performance and price.” Getting into specifics, Gunnarson notes that 2014 will see the first new Beechcraft model brought to market. But before then, the Beechcraft manufacturing teams have plenty to keep them busy with the orders they already have to build for. This year Beechcraft announced an order for a total of 105 King Air aircraft valued at $788 million.
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FROM OUR SPECIAL ENVOY IN WICHITA
The first 35 Beechcraft King Airs will be delivered to Wheels Up, a membership-based private aviation program, between now and mid-2015, with the first nine deliveries happening yet this year. The Wheels Up deal includes options for 70 additional aircraft over the next two to three years. “It’s an affirmation of the flexibility and value of the King Air and its derivative products,” says Gunnarson. “The sales proposition for the aircraft hasn’t changed and it’s not going to change – it has and always will be about allowing people to go places efficiently,” he says. “As long as that need is there, the value and sales proposition of the King Air family is going to remain intact.”
“We were obviously very happy about the order, especially given that Wheels Up is defining a new paradigm in the segment,” continues Gunnarson. “They are experts at finding a market place and exploding it, and they do that by finding the right aircraft – and in this case they found it with the King Air.” Beechcraft have also been hired to keep these aircraft supported and they’re busy making arrangements, having signed a long-term engine service agreement with Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) to support the PT6A60A engines powering Wheels Up’s King Air 350is. “We are very proud to conclude this service agreement with Beechcraft in support of Wheels Up’s King Air 350i fleet,” said Denis Parisien, P&WC vice president, General Aviation. “Thanks to its complete range of maintenance coverage, our ESP Program will provide Wheels Up peace of mind and predictability.” Coverage provided under the Gold ESP Program includes parts and shop labor for scheduled engine overhaul and hot section inspection, unscheduled engine and line replaceable unit (LRU) maintenance, rental engine support, trouble shooting and mobile repair team (MRT) support for unscheduled aircraft on ground (AOG) situations and required product support improvements at shop visits.
bines versatility, flexibility, ease of getting the aircraft repaired and a high dispatch rate.” And Beechcraft are also keen to keep improving the products that they have. For instance at NBAA they announced that they are now installing a range of wireless in-flight connectivity equipment to fit low- and high-occupancy aircraft. ATG 2000, a new Aircell equipment package that provides Gogo Biz inflight Internet and voice service, is available today with certified Wi-Fi as an upgrade through Hawker Beechcraft Services (HBS) for most Beechcraft and Hawker aircraft. For instance the ATG 2000 provides Internet and voice services aboard aircraft with fewer users and/or lighter passenger loads. Users can connect up to three personal devices to the system, including smartphones, tablets and laptops, The agreement also includes an airframe-mounted Aircraft Data Acquisition System (ADAS) and Data Transmission Unit (DTU) and associated services for automated engine health management and trend monitoring. “The benefits of our engine health management system and Gold ESP Program include cost optimization, increased aircraft availability, reduced pilot workload and higher aircraft resale value,” noted Parisien. Getting back to Beechcraft it’s clear that even aside from the Wheels Up announcement, they’re performing very well in the marketplace. The company’s year to date is up 111% on the previous year. “The fact people took a wait-and-see approach during our restructuring phase had something to do with this,” explains Gunnarson. “But it wasn’t only that, a lot of it had to do with the enduring appeal of the King Air.” “It’s definitely a good time to be in the turboprop business as in many ways the market is maturing,” says Gunnarson. “Most Business Aviation flights are between one and a half and two hours – which is the perfect segment for a turboprop aircraft.” Perhaps one of the enduring qualities that have kept Beechcraft King Airs strong during the recession is their robustness. With Beechcraft, what you see is what you get. It’s aluminum construction requires a very labor intensive production process – a
fact made clear as BART toured the assembly plant and saw no robotic arms and very few atomized processes. Aside from this, the airplanes have proven themselves. With aircraft being operated in 105 countries worldwide, clearly Beechcraft has a very strong market based knowledge of how the airplane is put together and what servicing is required. “The comfort level with King Airs is higher than with most other aircraft,” concludes Gunnarson. “You can go to more places to get them serviced, they are easy to maintain, parts inventories are high, rotoable pools are high and this all helps with the sales proposition, which com-
for general web browsing and e-mail using Aircell’s air-to-ground network. The optional voice service gives passengers the capability to call and text in flight using their own smartphone and mobile number. ATG 2000 allows up to two simultaneous voice calls and as many as two devices for text messaging. Installation is affordable, while data and voice plans are much less expensive than any previous in-flight connectivity systems. Because the ATG 2000 doesn’t enable streaming video/audio services and the system supports a limited number of user devices, data consumption is naturally controlled – helping manage monthly service costs.
PRODUCTION
King Air assembly line Wichita Kansas. King Air 350i (bottom).
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ENHANCED
Hawker Beechcraft Services' (bottom left) Hawker XPR (top) upgrade adds winglets, Williams engines and avionics options (right) including the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 or Garmin G5000.
For aircraft that require more advanced features or the ability to connect a higher number of user devices, Beechcraft has certified the installation of Aircell’s ATG 4000 and ATG 5000 systems in new King Air 250 and 350i aircraft, and HBS offers upgrades on fielded King Air and Hawker aircraft. Hawker 400XPR We should also mention the Hawker 400XPR upgrade program and the recent announcement that operators can now choose the Garmin G5000 flight deck as an option in this program. 60 - BART: DEC - JAN - 2013 - 2014
So what’s the upgrade package all about? First of all Beechcraft takes a Hawker/Beechjet 400 and adds several airframe modifications : superior aerodynamics of genuine Hawker winglets, the increased power of the Williams International FJ44-4A-32 engines along with optional Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 or Garmin G5000 avionics and a number of system enhancements. “From the launch of this program, customers have booked all of the available slots for a factory upgrade that gives them more range, better performance and upgraded technology,” says Brian Howell, Beechcraft vice
president, Aftermarket Sales and Business Development. “We’re seeing that interest grow even more as we add the G5000 option and as the program surpasses performance estimates in our ongoing flight testing. We’re beating the competition at cruise performance and our time to climb is a huge differentiator for the 400XPR.” The Williams International FJ44-4A engines enable the Hawker 400XPR to climb directly to FL450 in only 19 minutes at max takeoff weight, whereas others require some 70 minutes at lower altitudes before it can step climb to realize the greater efficiencies without sacrificing speed. Based on preliminary performance data, the 400XPR can fly 1,706 nautical miles with four passengers departing a 5,000-foot airport at 30°C. The Garmin G5000 flight deck for the Hawker/Beechjet 400 will feature
three high-resolution 12-inch flight displays, along with two touch screen display/controllers that serve as the primary crew interface for the system. The landscape-oriented flight displays have multi-pane capability that allows multiple pages to be viewed side-byside on any of the screens. The G5000 system also features Garmin’s advanced autopilot, PBN/RNP 0.3 with LPV/APV approach capability, doppler weather radar and options for Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT), ADS-B, as well as Garmin TAS or TCAS I/II traffic solutions, offering pilots the finest in situational aware-
ness and simplicity. The new Hawker/Beechjet 400 flight deck is estimated to provide a weight savings of 200 pounds. Each component of the 400XPR upgrade program is undergoing separate certification. Certifications for the winglet component and the Williams International FJ44-4A-32 engine are pending. The Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics system upgrade is certified and installations have begun. Certification on the Garmin G5000 modification is expected in 2015. Finally in another example of Beechcraft’s commitment to customer service they also announced that Beechcraft Corporation has become the first airframe manufacturer to provide MedAire’s complete suite of medical and travel safety services on all new aircraft delivered to business and general aviation customers.
MedAire’s Travel Risk Management suite includes travel safety and security assistance in addition to the medical safety program already available to new Beechcraft owners. The enhanced services include access to aviation travel security briefs, information and advice to mitigate risk at destination and access to the MedAire global network of security experts, local providers and logistics personnel. Beechcraft owners also receive access to the MedAire Portal, an online resource that provides travel safety and medical risk assessments and advice, and Trip Ready, the MedAire app for iPad. Trip Ready provides the information pilots and passengers need to assess and mitigate travel and safety risks for their itineraries, as well as valuable traveler tools like conversion calculators and the ability to search for nearby lodging and dining establishments. The MedAire app also provides
a quick reference checklist to aid users with responding to in-flight medical events. It’s just another example of what Beechcraft, and indeed Cessna are doing to beat the recession: improving and adding to the products that they have, developing new products, all the while streamlining and fine-tuning the production process. It might sound easy but assuredly it's not, although it seems that when the market eventually returns, Beechcraft and Cessna will be leaner, more efficient and more innovative than ever.
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UPGRADES
Beechcraft s customer service division offers enhancements including MedAire s Travel Risk Management Suite.
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THE DOCKET
EMISSIONS TRADING SCHEME
THE EU VERSUS THE WORLD
CONFLICT
Aviation stakeholders are fiercely opposed to the EU-ETS says Ed Bolen, NBAA s President and CEO.
SINCE ITS INCEPTION, the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) has been criticized on many grounds and from many fronts. From industry associations to individual political leaders, a chorus has gathered stating that the EU-ETS, although ambitious and dedicated to a worthy goal, is simply unrealistic and completely unfair. Under the ETS regulations, airlines must purchase credits for the emissions of any flight landing or taking off from an EU airport. The entire flight must be accounted for, even the parts that do not take place over European airspace. Needless to say, many countries see this as constituting an illegal tax. “NBAA and its members have always been strongly opposed to the EU-ETS, and other onerous and unnecessary fees, taxes and regulations that severely harm the industry and limit the economic benefits it provides,” says NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “That’s why NBAA and other aviation industry stakeholders have fiercely opposed the EU-ETS.”
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A Global Debate As the deadline for the regulation’s implementation approached in November 2012, the criticism grew louder, leading to Connie Hedegaard, the European Commissioner for Climate Action, to freeze the application of the ETS rules for flights outside European airspace for a period of one year.
By Nick Klenske
Regardless, some countries were not impressed. Just several days after Commissioner Hedegaard’s announcement, the US House of Representatives passed an anti-ETS bill that was signed by President Obama on 27 November 2012. The bill specifically barred all US airlines from participating in the EU-ETS. Soon after China, Russia and India passed similar measures. In reaction, Hedegaard expressed her disappointment with Obama, stating that “So far, the reelected President Obama’s climate policies look exactly as those of his first term – I wonder when we will see the promised change?” Following the signing of the bill, the Obama administration stressed that it remained committed to finding a global deal and expressed its confidence that the 2013 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) talks would lead to such a deal. In an officially released statement, the administration said that it “welcomes the recent progress on a raft of measures that
cient operational procedures. It was concluded that committing to action in these areas provides the most promise for achieving long-term carbon emissions reductions in aviation. The measure specifically calls for the development and deployment of sustainable alternative fuels. Another area where the ICAO measures pivot from the EU-ETS is in the area of using market-based mechanisms (MBMs) to provide incentives could be adopted at the next ICAO meeting, in autumn 2013”. In response, the EU stated that if no deal was reached at the ICAO meeting, the EU would end its freeze and begin to enforce its rules. Of course a lot of this was merely political posturing. In practicality, the US law did not actually go into immediate effect, but simply gave the US Secretary of Transportation the authority to impose the ban. Thus, US airlines were still technically obliged to follow the ETS rules until the European Parliament and European Council approved the proposed freeze. However, at the time Hedegaard said she has been given assurances by member states that they will not penalize foreign airlines for failing to comply with the rules until the freeze was in place. European airlines, however, were still required to comply with the rules for flights within Europe – thus creating claims of unfair competition and further emphasizing the need for a global regulation. One Year Later One year later, in October 2013, the highly anticipated ICAO meeting happened, concluding with its issuing of its own international aviation emissions policy that significantly differs, and in some cases opposes, the EU ETS. “The approach to international emissions-policy development approved this week by ICAO breaks decidedly from the EU-ETS,” said NBAA’s Ed Bolen. “Although far from perfect and certainly not everything the Business Aviation community has worked for, it promotes an international dialogue that is focused on simple, more workable measures for addressing aircraft emissions – measures that can be built around various types and sizes of operators.”
The ICAO measure, which was accepted by 185 member states, was proposed, debated and accepted at the organization’s 38th Triennial Assembly, held in Montreal, Canada. The approved measure includes such key points as calling on all governments around the world to focus on accelerating technological development, infrastructure modernization and more effi-
for emissions reduction. In particular, ICAO will look to develop an MBM for international aviation over the course of the next three years, taking into account the views of industry and providing harmonization for operators. This concept of harmonization is in line with the ICAO measures’ commitment to administrative simplicity. One key criticism of the EU-ETS is the administrative burden placed on small operators. The ICAO measures look to incorporate potential exemptions for small operators within emissions policies. In conclusion, ICAO member governments agreed on the need for administrative simplicity in emissions policies generally, as well as the potential for exemptions for small operators. As the main goal of the ICAO meeting was to create an internationally accepted and applicable scheme, its measures give particular attention to discouraging the unilateral application of regional emissions reduction schemes, such as the EU-ETS. “We have already witnessed the folly of imposing market-based measures on a strictly regional basis, as the EU-
PROPOSAL
The ICAO (top) proposes a global deal on flight emissions that will replace EU-ETS. Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action (center).
UNWORKABLE
The EU-ETS is not viable says Fabio Gamba, EBAA CEO
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THE DOCKET
GREEN
Business Aviation boasts an impressive record in low emissions levels.
ETS has had its share of criticism from stakeholders worldwide,” explains Fabio Gamba, CEO of EBAA. “A truly viable MBM must aim to minimize competitive distortion and administrative complexity, and the current EUETS has failed to do either.” According to an official ICAO statement: “Emissions schemes such as the EU-ETS attempt to advance a unilateral, regional dictate that does not promote harmonization, but instead sets a dangerous precedent for the creation of a patchwork of separate, distinct and potentially conflicting regulations.” The ICAO measure further points out that, unlike the new EU-ETS, the ICAO framework applies the organization’s proven, 70-year tradition of utilizing consultations and negotiations between governments. A final important point from the ICAO meeting is its commitment to seeking equitable treatment for all aviation industry segments. The measure notes that carbon-trading schemes such as the EU-ETS have singled out Business Aviation for particularly onerous requirements, citing such examples as how airlines with limited flights to Europe qualify for exemptions from the scheme, yet Business Aviation is ineligible for such treatment. The framework forwarded by ICAO, unlike the EU-ETS, does not single out a particular aviation segment for punitive treatment. “The Business Aviation community understands that environmental stewardship is an imperative, and we have a decades-long record of impressive and continuing emissions reductions,” says Bolen. “This success has been the result of industry investment, commitment and innovation — not an EU ETS style approach to emissions.” “The emissions-policy framework adopted at ICAO in October takes the debate on emissions in a more reasonable direction than the EU-ETS,” adds Bolen. “As the details of the framework are ironed out over the next several years, NBAA will continue to forcefully represent the industry’s concerns.” The ICAO principles will now be the subject of working groups whose work product will be proposed for adoption
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EMISSIONS TRADING SCHEME
in 2016, during ICAO’s next triennial meeting. If adopted at that meeting, the resulting document will be implemented in 2020. The EU Reaction Immediately following the ICAO meeting, on 16 October the European Commission announced that it would propose to amend the EU ETS in a way that international emissions are covered for the segments of flights that take place within the European airspace. Interestingly, the proposal seems to ignore completely the ICAO measures and its proposed restrictions on national and regional market-based measures in terms of geographic scope and mutual recognition. The announced proposal from the EU also proposes exemptions for small operators emitting less than 25,000 tons of CO2 per year, including the possibility for those who use the Eurocontrol ETS Support Facility to have their reports considered as verified. In addition, for non-commercial operators, those emitting less than 1,000 tons CO2 per year will be exempted from any ETS obligations and those above 1,000 tons and below 25,000 tons can benefit from simplified procedures, although this is left to the discretion of Members States.
The Commission announcement also foresees changes to the Monitoring, Reporting, Verification (MRV) requirements. Specifically, there will be an extraordinary two-year compliance cycle with regard to emissions from 2013 and 2014. These emissions only need to be reported by 30 March 2015 (two emission reports) and allowances to be surrendered by 30 April 2015. The annual compliance cycle will resume the following year. These minimal amendments seem to emphasize the EU’s unwillingness to become a global player in favor of regulatory regionalization – which, as the US anti-ETS regulation states, is simply not practical in a globalized world. As it stands now, this ‘new EU ETS’ should become effective starting 1 January 2014, with a de minimis threshold to exempt developing countries’ airspace users with 1% or less of worldwide CO2 emissions. Looking for the silver lining, EBAA’s Fabio Gamba says: “From a regional point of view, these are encouraging signals, and throughout the whole codecision timeline, EBAA will ensure MEPs and Member States are kept informed of the Business Aviation positions so that the positive elements are maintained, while those more noxious are eliminated or defused.”
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201 014
BUSINESS AVIATION: Making a Difference in Europe. 500 Exhibits 60 Aircraft 12,000 Attendees
www.ebace.aero
FROM THE COCKPIT
CRISIS MANAGEMENT
DEALING WITH EMERGENCIES
by LeRoy Cook
REALITY
Emergencies in training should be based on real-life accidents and events.
TO MOST PROFESSIONAL flight crews, it seems as if training for emergencies occupies the majority of their recurrency-school simulator drills. Nothing ever seems to run smoothly, as engine fires, hydraulic failures and electrical glitches fall from the fingers of fiendish instructors. And yet, we have to wonder if these sweat sessions can give every answer to aviation’s perplexing dilemmas? The logic seems to be that if a pilot can handle unanticipated faults in rapid sequence, he or she will be able to fly the airplane through normal flights with ease. Loading up the training scenario, with such things as a pitch trim runway, environmental overheat, and low or rough weather, makes sure the pilot has the “right stuff”. Certainly, knowledge of the aircraft systems, training experience and resource management go a long way toward survival in an emergency.
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Hopefully, emergencies in training will be based on actual failures and event sequences gleaned from real-life accidents or incidents. No better source can be found than the input from CVR tapes or surviving crew members, and it would be well to work with those reconstructed events. At the same time, we shouldn’t think we’ve seen it all, just because we’re plowing the same ground as was indicated by past history. As I was writing these words, a line outage interrupted the power feed to my computer, and I lost the first draft of deathless prose I had carefully constructed. Obviously, in a properly-built system, an uninteruptable power source would have preserved the data. But, I didn’t anticipate the consequences of a power failure, and no backup was installed. Thus is illustrated the need for advance planning; as in flight training, emergencies are best handled by foreseeing what might happen, training to cope with contin-
gencies and playing “what if” during routine flights. Waiting until the failure actually arrives isn’t a wise method of developing cures. So, I’ve reverted to the tried-and-true method of frequent saving of data and using multiple, off-site storage. The more critical the information, the more need for recovery from added sources. In aviation, where life and limb are in peril, we take care to designate two qualified crew members, install redundant systems and prepare options in our flight planning. A power outage, even a blink, gets one’s attention. drag condition, with deteriorating airspeed, all without proper action being taken to preserve stable flight. As with the Asiana Airline 777 crash in San Francisco last year, none of the crew members acted timely. In the C-5’s case, altitude became insufficient, the power being used couldn’t maintain level flight, and an embarrassing solidland ditching resulted, thankfully without loss of life.
Not All The Same Emergencies are not always massive failures, nor do they always crop up at a critical juncture. Intermittent, oncein-a-while breakdowns that go away by themselves are some of the worst to deal with; at what point does one shut off a source or return for an inconvenient landing? By the same token, a small emergency must not be allowed to grow into a major one. Class I emergencies might be those requiring action, but not diversion, while a Class II represents a work-around restriction and possible re-routing of the flight. A Class III emergency would be something necessitating rapid response to prevent loss of the aircraft or occupants, including emergency descent and/or a landing at the first available airport. If you haven’t practiced for it, using the standby instruments constitutes a Class II emergency, if not Class III, depending on the flight conditions. A loss of instrumentation, when one has
grown dependent on having everything available at a glance, can easily lead to loss of control. Keep life as simple as possible in this situation, by turning slowly, opting for a new destination with the best weather possible, and letting the copilot handle the details. The timing of the event can make all the difference in its classification; losing engine power at liftoff means more than a rollback of thrust at cruise, when weight and altitude are more favorable to engine-out operation. Navigation capability over a familiar landscape in clear weather is more easily sacrificed than doing without it on an oceanic crossing. Sometimes, ignoring what began as a minor inconvenience allows a Class I emergency to jump to Class II or III. A huge U.S. Air Force C-5B Galaxy was flown into the ground some years ago, because one engine had been secured, followed by an early deployment of full flaps for the landing. This left the heavy airplane in a low-power, high-
Set Priorities In any emergency, it’s important to do the most important things first. As it’s been said, you have to “AFTA”—the acronym means “Always Fly The Airplane”, keeping to a safe course, maintaining clearance from terrain and avoiding the stall. Basic airmanship having been accomplished, one can then work on extraction from the dilemma. Never allow the distraction to become a disaster. One crew member needs to stay fully attentive to control of the aircraft, while the other concentrates on resolution. This is not to say two heads can’t be applied to the solution, but the PF mustn’t lose sight of his priority. Should the emergency develop close to the ground, first priority should be to gain altitude, removing the aircraft from danger, followed by turning away from hazards. Request a re-route from air traffic control, and if it’s not forthcoming, use emergency authority to keep the aircraft from harm. I’ve had to say “unable” twice this week, not to be obstinate but to alert ATC to my limitations at the moment. In an unanticipated icing encounter, for instance, take charge of the situation by throwing on all ice protection—pitot, engine induction, wing and windshield—even if you’ve already activated some of it. Request
LAXITY
In an unanticipated icing encounter, throw on all ice protection. In last year s Asiana 777 crash, pilots failed to react in a timely manner.
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FROM THE COCKPIT
CRISIS MANAGEMENT What If It Doesn t Fit?
and execute a change in altitude immediately, because a sudden buildup of ice is indicative of convective air movement. The priorities are to protect the aircraft, then remove it from the hazard.
In the real world, troubleshooting a problem doesn’t always line up with the checklist options. This is where knowledge and experience come into play; when an indication comes and goes, the pilot-in-command must decide if it’s a true failure, a false indication, or something in between, like a fault just developing. The best solution might be to follow each emergency checklist applicable to the suspected system, watch for
Follow The Checklist Don’t try to invent a solution at first; use the emergency checklist that was written by people who knew your airplane intimately, because they built it. There’s a reason why pulling the circuit breaker is in the sequence, and why load shedding might restore the most capability. As I used to say to trainees, “before you try it your way, please, please, try it my way.” Checklists are written for a reason. This becomes the province of crew resource management; one pilot retrieves, selects and reads the proper emergency items, and the other completes the action, if not already accomplished from memory, verified by the second crew member. Work through the list in the correct sequence; it might be important to do things in a certain order, so a reset can happen. If it’s not successful, you’ve eliminated that possibility and can proceed on.
ACTION
Before trying to invent a solution, go straight to the emergency checklist.
Use All Your Resources When faced with an anomaly in the aircraft, don’t go it alone. Use your training and knowledge to identify the problem, then apply all available resources to deal with it. If using an autopilot at the time, make sure it’s in the correct mode and heading the right way. If the autopilot isn’t on,
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engage it and then monitor it, just in case the problem is related to its functioning. Involve ATC early on, using any assistance the controller can give, such as suggesting alternative airports and vectors. Pull up the checklist and flight manual, reviewing actions and possibilities. Just don’t forget to Always Fly The Airplane.
changes, and develop a plan outside the checklist. If you fall back to following hunches and time-worn solutions, keep track of what you’ve done. Maintenance and engineering will want to know exactly how the fault developed and how your actions made a difference, in what order. Your focus, of course, is on survival first, followed by completing the flight as normally as possible, and then taking care of legal issues later on. If you think you might have lost a tire during takeoff, for instance, you’ll request a change to a longer landing runway, with standby fire rescue, and land in as soft and undemanding a manner as possible. Emergencies aren’t survived in a vacuum of piloting. Each one is different. But, if the crew’s training, knowledge and skills are methodically applied, chances of survival are markedly improved. No solution is beyond reach, as long as one keeps trying.
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D E D I C AT E D T O H E L P I N G B U S I N E S S A C H I E V E I T S H I G H E S T G O A L S .
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SAFETY SENSE
WING-CONTAMINATION
DE-ICING By Michael R. Grüninger and Capt. Carl C. Norgren of Great Circle Services AG (GCS)
O
VITAL
Neglecting diicing an aircraft s surface can be seriously compromised.
n January 4th, 2002, N90AG, a Bombardier CL600-2B16 Series 604 started its take-off roll at Birmingham International Airport, UK. Immediately after takeoff from Runway 15 the aircraft began a rapid left roll, which continued despite the prompt application of full opposite aileron and rudder. The left winglet contacted the runway shoulder, the outboard part of the left wing detached and the aircraft struck the ground inverted, structurally separating the forward fuselage. Fuel released from ruptured tanks ignited and all 5 occupants of the aircraft perished. Frost deposits had formed on the aircraft while parked overnight in temperatures below the freezing point. The pilots did not request aircraft deicing and the aircraft was not de-iced before takeoff. Frost contamination of aircraft lifting surfaces was present when the aircraft took-off. As the aircraft lifted off, the left wing stalled at an abnormally low angle of attack, causing the aircraft to roll rapidly to the left. The roll could not be stopped despite immediate and full application of corrective aileron and rudder controls. The small degree of wing surface roughness caused a major reduction in the wing stall angle of attack. Wing surface roughness associated with frost contamination caused sufficient flow disturbance to result in a wing stall at an abnormally low angle of attack. The stall protection system was ineffective in this situation the AAIB noted in the accident report.
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And again Two years later, on November 28th, 2004, a Canadair CL-600- 2A12 collided with the ground during takeoff at Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ), Montrose, Colorado. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and snow was falling. Of the six occupants on board, the captain, the flight attendant, and one passenger were killed, and the first officer and two passengers were seriously injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire. Immediately after liftoff the airplane rolled to the left despite full-rightaileron and right-rudder application by the flight crew. Within 3.5 seconds after liftoff, the bank angle aural warning and the stick shaker activated, and the airplane struck the ground about 5.5 seconds after liftoff at a bank angle of 111º left-wing down and a pitch angle of 13º airplane-nose down. The roll had resulted from the left wing stalling at an abnormally low angle of attack due to flow disturbance resulting from frost contamination of the wing. A relatively small degree of wing surface roughness had a major adverse effect on the wing stall characteristics. The stall protection system was ineffective in this situation. To prevent the airplane from entering a natural aerodynamic stall, the CL-600-2A12 airplane is equipped with a stall protection system that uses AOA sensor vanes that activate the system at an AOA lower than that at which a natural aerodynamic stall occurs. In the event that the airplane
achieves an AOA sufficient to activate the system, the system responds with a series of progressive reactions. For example, as the AOA increases, the system first responds by activating the engine auto ignition, then it activates the artificial stall identification (stick shaker), and, lastly, it engages the stick pusher (concurrent with the stick pusher horn) to decrease the airplane’s AOA and prevent the onset of stall. Because the stick pusher is designed to activate before a stall condition can develop, it is described as a pre-stall pusher. Lessons learned? Isn’t it scary to observe how, despite all theories about learning from other’s errors, humans tend not to learn from them? Contaminated aircraft surfaces affect the aerodynamic considerably. Often crews get away with it, nothing happens. Eventually the trap snaps and the aircraft loses its ability to fly. The crews in our sample accidents were aware of the hazard posed by contaminated wings and actually discussed the issue. The CVR recorded that, before engine start, the captain asked the first officer, “how do you see the wings?” The first officer stated, “good,” and the captain replied, “looks clear to me.” Even though the crew discussed the contamination, they obviously did not correctly perceive the hazard posed by the contamination and the level of risk associated. In fact, according to the NTSB even “almost visually impercep-
tible amounts” of upper wing surface contamination pose significant hazards. The Safety Board concludes that, had the flight crewmembers conducted a visual and tactile examination of the wings, they likely would have detected accumulated contamination. Contamination-sensitive aircraft designs In both these accidents the flight crews lost control of their aircraft shortly after lift-off due to contamination on the wing. The substantially lower lift and increased drag of the contaminated wing caused a stall without any stall warning and subsequent impact with the ground. How could experienced pilots take off with contaminated wings from airports with the required de-icing capabilities? Modern jet aircraft with swept wings are optimized for flight at high speeds and high altitudes. Such wing profiles do not tolerate any contamination for take-off. ICAO early on published guidance on de-icing and defined the ‘clean aircraft concept’. According to the ICAO Manual of Aircraft Ground De-icing/Anti-icing Operations (Doc 9640) ‘During conditions conductive to aeroplane icing during ground operations, take-off shall not be attempted when ice, snow, slush or frost is present or adhering to the wings, propellers, control surfaces, engine inlets or other critical surfaces.’ Aircraft certification is performed with a clean aeroplane flying in a clean
environment. When ice formations other than those considered in the certification process are present, the airworthiness of the airplane may be invalid and no attempt should be made to fly the airplane until it has been restored to the clean configuration. The clean aircraft concept is repeated in most Aircraft Flight Manuals (AFM) and is also mandated by most national aviation legislations. EASA has adopted this concept in CAT.OP.MPA.250 ‘Ice and other contaminants — ground procedures’ which state that ‘The commander shall only commence take-off if the aircraft is clear of any deposit that might adversely affect the performance or controllability of the aircraft.’ Exemptions to this rule shall be specifically included in the procedures to be followed when ground de-icing and anti-icing and related inspections of the aircraft are necessary to allow the safe operation of the aircraft and in accordance with the AFM.
Trust your fingers Trusting solely visual perception and neglecting tactile perceptions is a dangerous business when it comes to detecting aircraft surface contamination. As you learned to feel your aircraft by the seat of the pants, learn to sense surface contamination by the tip of your finger.
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Michael R. Grüninger is Managing Director and Capt. Carl C. Norgren is Head of Business Development of Great Circle Services (GCS) Safety Solutions. GCS assists in the whole range of planning and management issues, offering customized solutions to strengthen the position of a business in the aviation market. Its services include training and auditing (IS-BAO, IOSA), consultancy, manual development and process engineering. GCS can be reached at www.gcs-safety.com and +41-41 460 46 60. The column Safety Sense appears regularly in BART International.
PERCEPTION
Assessing an aircraft s surface requires both sight and touch.
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SHOW RECAP
NBAA LAS VEGAS 2013
FAITH IN THE FUTURE
By Marc Grangier
NBAA 2013, held in Las Vegas October October 22 - 24, featured nearly 1,100 exhibitors and welcomed over 25,400 attendees coming from 90 countries. In addition to these sound numbers, the show was filled with a number of newsmaking announcements, including the 50th anniversary of the Lear 23, the Dassault Mystere (Falcon) 20 and the PT6 engine.
L
UNVEILING
The new Falcon 5X was among the many major announcements at NBAA 2013.
ooking back, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen summarized the show best when saying: “Any way you look at it, this year’s show was a resounding success.” Although most shared his enthusiasm about the show, many were not as enthusiastic about the state of the industry. “There is no doubt that the industry continues to be challenging,” says Scott Ernest, CEO Cessna. “That being said, however, I am confident the market will come back, it is just a matter of when.” Bill Boisture, CEO Beechcraft, was more positive: “Beechcraft’s strong third quarter continues the positive momentum we have experienced throughout the year, and we expect to finish the year in a strong position.” And Gulfstream’s Scott Neal, senior
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vice-president, sales and marketing, was probably the most optimistic, likely due his company’s current backlog of US$ 14.7 billion and operating revenues of US$ 699 million – up 32% up from first half of 2012. Despite the market uncertainty that remains in the global economy, several new aircraft programs made their debut in Vegas. At the same time, a number of other developments are in full swing, showing that OEMs continue to have faith in the future of Business Aviation. The Aircraft Undoubtedly, one of the highlights coming out of Las Vegas was the unveiling of the new Dassault Falcon 5X. Announced several years ago, what was supposed to be a Super MidSize aircraft ended up emerging as a large aircraft boasting the largest cross section in Business Aviation. John Rosanvallon, Dassault Falcon CEO, told BART they had started designing a smaller aircraft before the recession, but scrapped it in favor of a larger jet that was better positioned to meet companies’ post-recession demand for roomier planes capable of flying further. With eight passengers, the Falcon 5X will have a range of 5,200 nm at M.80. It is expected to have a balanced field length of about 5,250 feet/1600 meters (MTOW, ISA, SL), an approach speed of around 105 kts at
typical landing weight, and capable of landing at 95% of its Max Take Off Weight. The jet will also feature the newest generation of Dassault’s EASy flight deck. “When designing the Falcon 5X, we interacted extensively with our customers to determine their cabin needs,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation. The result of these conversations is the tallest cabin in the industry, measuring at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) high and 8 ft 6 in (2.58 m) wide. It will be nearly 39 feet (11.80 m) long (excluding the cockpit and baggage compartment) and will accommodate up to 16 passengers within three distinct lounges. The Falcon 5X will be powered by two Snecma Silvercrest high-bypass engines. Delivering 11,450 lbs (5,095 daN) of thrust each and featuring a best-in-class bypass ratio (6), these engines will permit a significant reduction in fuel consumption, maintenance cost, NOx emissions and community noise. A change from previous models, the new Falcon will be equipped with an all-new ultra-efficient wing featuring a 33° swept angle and a unique curved trailing edge that increases buffet margin by 15% without impacting weight or flexibility. According to Trappier, this will provide the highest lift/drag ratio of any Falcon airfoil, meaning the aircraft can operate at approaches up to six degrees and thus serving such challenging airports as London City Airport. Of particular interest is that the Falcon 5X will be the first business aircraft to use flaperons - active highspeed deflection control surfaces that can act both as flaps or ailerons. The Falcon 5X, which will be equipped with the third generation of Dassault’s EASy interactive cockpit, will also include a new-generation Elbit Systems HUD that provides wider views and capable of showing combined EVS and SVS data. Production of the first structural components began earlier this year and assembly of the first aircraft fuselage section has already started. First flight is expected in the first quarter of 2015 with EASA and FAA certifications before the end of 2016. The unit price for the first batch of 30 aircraft is US$ 45 million.
Other big news came from Gulfstream, who proudly announced that its new G650 recently completed the fastest westbound, around-theworld flight for a non-supersonic aircraft. The ultra-long-range, ultra-large-
jet was on schedule for its first prototype flight in the first quarter of 2014. “We are nearly finished with the wing, and the fuselage is almost complete,” noted Terry Shriner, Cessna business leader for the Latitude. “The Garmin
were originally purchased last September as part of a historic order for up to 245 Bombardier aircraft. Additionally, Flexjet, LLC is procuring incremental options for 20 Learjet 85. The Learjet 85 program is mak-
cabin company flagship circled the globe in 41 hours, 7 minutes, establishing a world record in the C-1.l aircraft class. The G650 recorded an average speed of 568.5 miles per hour (915 kilometers per hour) on the journey, claiming 22 city-pair speed records in the process. The G650 now has a total of 38 records. With a range of 7,000 nm (12,964 km) at 0.85 Mach and maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925, the jet clearly offers the longest range, fastest speed, largest cabin and most advanced cockpit in the Gulfstream fleet. Embraer introduced the electronic fly-by-wire equipped Lineage 1000E, its largest executive jet capable of carrying up to 19 passengers in five cabin zones. The range of the Lineage 1000E, with eight passengers aboard, was extended from 4,400 nm to 4,600 nm, which means a higher payload capacity for the same range and greater fuel efficiency for the same mission and payload. Its Steep Approach capability enables the Lineage 1000E to operate out of London City and reach such destinations as Kuwait. The new Embraer aircraft offers the optional Autoland, which conducts approach, touch down, and a five-second rollout when the autopilot is engaged. News coming from Cessna focused on its numerous projects currently in development. The company indicated its Citation Latitude mid-size business
G5000 avionics are clearly a big step ahead in convenience and ease of operation for business jet operators in the mid-size category, but we are also delivering a high-powered cooling system, a stand-up flat floor cabin and in a first for a Cessna Citation, and an electronically-operated door.” First deliveries of the Latitude, priced at US$ 16.25 million, should start during ther second half of 2015. Flexjet, LLC, a newly created company funded by a group under the leadership of Directional Aviation Capital, announced its plans to double its recent order of 30 Learjet 85s by converting 30 options into firm orders. This brings the deal up to a total of 60 jets for an approximate value of $1.2 billion. The options
ing headway towards its first flight, which is expected to take place before the end of the year. Honda Aircraft announded that the HondaJet’s flight test program is nearing its final phase, with president and CEO Michimasa Fujino stating: “We anticipate receiving FAA Type Inspection Authorization before the end of 2014.” The company successfully completed ‘wet runway’ water ingestion and cold weather tests. It also commenced interior and cabin systems tests on the fifth FAA-conforming aircraft, which joined the flight test program last May, and which will also be used for future function and reliability (F&R) testing. It is the first test aircraft to have a production interior.
NEWS
Cessna s Citation Latitude (top left) will make first flight next year, Embraer introduced the fly-by-wire equipped Lineage 1000E (top right), while Gulfstream s G650 (center) completed a round-the-world flight.
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SHOW RECAP
EXHIBITS
The PC-24 (top left) mock-up, the Beechcraft King Air 350i (top right), the Cessna Grand Caravan and the Honda Jet were on display at the NBAA.
The HondaJet is currently undergoing FAA full-scale fatigue testing. HondaJet production continues with six production HondaJets on the assembly line, initially set to produce approximtely 80 aircraft per year. Fujino declined to mention how many aircraft were on order, only stating that the price was still US$ 4.5 million. Resilient Beechcraft used the NBAA stage to announce that it has secured an order for up to a total of 105 King Air 350i aircraft, valued at US$ 788 million, from fractional ownership program Wheels Up – the largest general avia-
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tion propeller driven aircraft order in history. The company named Beechcraft as its aircraft and comprehensive maintenance provider in North America and Western Europe, with the entire value of the deal totaling up to $1.4 billion. The first 35 King Airs will be delivered by mid-2015, with the first nine deliveries to be made in 2013. As Wheels Up will initially focus on the Northeastern United States, the deal includes options for 70 additional aircraft as the company expands nationally over the coming years. Following its unveiling at EBACE last May, Pilatus exhibited the mockup of its Super Versatile Jet PC-24 at NBAA. Ignaz Gretener, Vice-president, Business Aviation Unit, told BART that the first prototype is currently under construction at the company’s headquarters in Stans, Switzerland and that first flight should occur by the end of 2014. A total of three aircraft will be used in the flight test program, with certification and first customer deliveries commencing in 2017. Orders will start to be taken at EBACE 2014 at a list price (price basis 2017) of approximatley US$ 8.9 million. Blackhawk Modifications promoted its upgrade programs for the King Air C90B, Cessna Caravan 208A and Grand Caravan 208B. Concerning the King Air C90B, Blackhawk’s XP135 upgrade replaces the 550-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-21 with two factory-new 750-shp PT6-135A. No airframe modifications are required for the upgrade, which has received STC approvals from the FAA, EASA and the Brazilian ANAC. To date, Blackhawk has completed more than 340 upgrades on King Air 90- and 200series.
The company was also promoting its Grand Caravan upgrade, where it is replacing the 675-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-114A with a new PT6A42A. With a continuous power rating of 850 shp, the upgrade enables customers to double their aircraft’s rate of climb with less fuel, achieving a 4% increase in take-off weight and a 15% improvement in cruise speed. Bell Helicopter unveiled its Bell 429WLG, an upgrade to the Bell 429, which features wheeled landing gear in place of traditional skids. The new helicopter can land in a larger number of environments and conditions, providing additional flexibility to operators of all mission profiles. The upgrade also reduces drag, thanks to the loss of skids and an increased cruise speed.The first unit was purchased by the Argentinean company Rio Iruya and will be used for corporate and VIP transport. The aircraft is expected to be delivered in the first half of next year. Eurocopter announced it has signed two orders for its EC175 VIP, only six months after the twin-engine, mediumclass helicopter was introduced. Both helicopters are to be delivered in 2016. To date, Eurocopter has received total bookings for 48 EC175s. Certification of the helicopter is targeted for early 2014, with the first customer deliveries following in the second half of 2014. The Avionics In addition to the OEMs announcements, NBAA 2013 was filled by news coming from the many non-OEM companies that drive Business Aviation forward. On the avionics front, Garmin announced expanded capabilities and new features for the GTN
series. With the latest software, operators have access to optional Class A TAWS, ADS-B out compatibility with select third-party transponders, and scheduled message alerting. “The GTN provides owners and operators a savvy solution with a number of benefits like the ability to access more airports with WAAS LPV approach capability, display of weather radar information, and much more while providing a solution for TAWS-A requirements around the world,” said Carl Wolf, Garmin’s vice president of marketing and sales. Rockwell Collins unveiled the EVS3000, its new high-fidelity enhanced
Colt International unveiled OFP, the next generation in online flight planning and trip support technology. OFP pulls together features never before aggregated and offers them holistically in a convenient and rich data format that ensures customers know more before they go. Using this system, customers have the power and access to file domestic flight plans for free, click, drag and drop to build graphical routes, easily build itineraries, secure regulatory requirements, ensure trip quality with visual display of trip tasks and requirements through an easily navigable Dashboard, and take advantage of such integrated
vision system (EVS). Available on both head-up and head-down displays, it includes a proprietary multi-spectral EVS sensor that significantly improves detection of outside terrain, hazards and obstacles in such low-visibility conditions as fog. An industry first, the EVS-3000 has the ability to fully detect LED lighting, which is increasingly utilized by airports as a runway lighting solution. Furthermore, it does not require a traditional built-in cooling system, which significantly reduces weight, lowers aircraft power consumption and improves system performance longevity. Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. has enhanced its free Apple iPad app, Universal Mobile. The enhancement adds the popular trip reference tool UVTripPlanners and thus information on worldwide airports, FBOs, ground handlers, in-flight caterers, ground transport providers, hotels, and more. Through Universal Mobile, Universal clients receiving online weather services will now also have access to such expanded weather capabilities as radar, satellite, TAFs and METARs.
ancillary tools as Aircraft Performance Group’s weight and balance and runway analysis and Satcom Direct’s datalink communications. In collaboration with Honeywell, Jetex Flight Support has launched MyJETEX, an app for Apple platforms intended to provide operators with dependable flight support solutions. The launch of MyJETEX coincides with a growing trend towards the ‘consumerization of the cockpit’, where pilots, passengers and ground crews are increasing their adoption of personal devices across all aspects of flight. Operators can now enjoy the convenience of planning and managing their worldwide trips via the app with flight planning, aircraft datalink, flight following and international trip support services. The Engines Snecma announced the latest development updates on its new Silvercrest turbofan engine, selected for the Falcon 5X and the Cessna Longitude. The first series of ground tests have logged excellent results. Since the start of testing on the first complete
engine in October 2012, Snecma has reached – and even exceeded – maximum takeoff thrust. In line with the development program, four engines are now undergoing ground tests. The flying testbed (a Gulfstream II) is currently being prepared, with the aim of starting engine flight tests at the end of the year. An additional four other engines are at various stages of assembly, which will bring the total number of engines being used for testing to eight. These engines will have logged nearly 4,000 hours of tests by the certification of
SOFTWARE
Exhibitors dazzled with their technology: Colt International s OFP (top right), Garmin s G5000 (center left), Rockwell Collins EVS 3000 (center), Universal Weather and Aviation s Ops Brief 2.0 (center right), MYJETEX (bottom right).
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SHOW RECAP
ENGINES
Ground tests are complete on Snecma s Silvercrest (top right), Pratt and Whitney Canada is supporting engines on the Wheels Up s newly ordered King Air aircraft. GE H80 (bottom left).
Silvercrest, slated for 2015. An additional 20 engines will also be delivered to Dassault and Cessna for their own flight tests. “We’re on schedule to deliver the first engines to Dassault next year,” said Laurence Finet, director of the Silvercrest program at Snecma. Pratt & Whitney Canada and Beechcraft signed a long-term engine service agreement to support the PT6A-60A engines that power the recently ordered Wheels Up King Air 350i aircrafts. Under this renewable agreement, the Wheels Up King Air 350i fleet will be enrolled in P&WC’s world-class Gold Eagle Service Plan/ESP Program. The agreement also includes an airframe-mounted Aircraft Data Acquisition System (ADAS), Data Transmission Unit (DTU) and associated services for automated engine health management and trend monitoring. Nextant Aerospace selected General Electric’s improved H80 engine to power its first G90XT turboprop aircraft, built upon enhancing and remanufacturing the King Air C90. According to Brad Mottier, vice president and general manager of the Business & General Aviation organization at GE Aviation: “The enhanced H80 engine for the G90XT will include
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an integrated electronic engine control for single-lever power control, full auto-start capability and direct interface with the aircraft avionics system to further ease pilot work load.” Nextant also announced a deal with Travel Management Company Ltd for the conversion of its entire Hawker 400XP fleet. The agreement is for 400XTi conversions on up to 50 aircraft, a deal valued at US$ 202.5 million. General Electric also provided an update on the development of its Passport engine for the Bombardier Global 7000 and 8000. Certification testing on the engine continues, with the second engine on the test stand at GE Aviation’s Peebles Testing Operation in Ohio (USA). This follows the first engine to test that occurred on June 24, where the engine reached a maximum thrust of 19,200 pounds. Since then, the engine has accumulated more than 130 hours and 220 cycles of ground testing and will rack up 4,000 hours and 8,000 cycles before entry-into-service. The certification program will involve testing of eight engines and two cores. Engine certification is anticipated in 2015. Though Rolls-Royce was not selected to power the Dassault Falcon 5X, the British motorist was happy to mention that its BR710 engine continues to power several ultra-long-range business aircraft, including the Bombardier Global 6000 (more than 500 aircraft have been delivered to date), Global 5000, Global Express and Global Express XRS, as well as Gulfstream G500 and G550. Currently there are more than 1,750 BR710 engines in service that have accumulated over 6 million flight hours.
The MROs Jet Aviation used NBAA to announce that it is getting ready for Boeing 787 VIP interior completions. The company is currently designing solutions unique to the complex 787 airframe and completing training of licensed technicians to maintain and support the aircraft at its Basel facility. The company has sent a team of Part 145 licensed engineers from its completions center to receive EASA Part 66 B1/B2 type training on the B787 at Boeing’s facilities in Seattle. Jet Aviation will now apply for approval from the authorities to add the B787 to its capability list. “The all-composite structures of the Boeing 787 present a unique set of requirements for interior completions,” said Neil Boyle, Jet Aviation Basel’s vice president and general manager of the Completions center. Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI), has introduced its program coverage, Tip-to-Tail, for the new Gulfstream G650 business jet. JSSI started this maintenance program in 1999 by adding Airframe and APU coverage to its legacy Engine Programs. JSSI has worked with Gulfstream operators for nearly 25 years, supporting the entire line of aircraft with hourly maintenance coverage. In addition to the G650, JSSI offers Tip-to-Tail coverage for 165 different models, including recently added Tip-to-Tail programs for the new Bombardier Global 5000 and 6000, Embraer Legacy 650, Phenom 100 and 300. 2013 has been a banner year for StandardAero’s avionics business, surpassing 2012’s sales benchmarks with year-over-year growth of more than 40 percent. The company’s
growth extends past just sales and included such milestones as the completion of the first F2000EX EASy/DX/LX Dassault EASy II upgrade by an ASC, Dassault EASy II upgrades on all applicable platforms F900EX EASy/DX/LX, F2000EX EASy/DX/LX and F7X, StandardAero’s first Bombardier Global Express Batch 3 upgrade. It has also posted a record year in certification services, completing worldwide certification programs. “During last year’s NBAA, we shared the highlights of our growth strategy, of which our avionics plan was a key success measure,” said Marc McGowan, Senior Vice President, Business Aviation, StandardAero. Universal Avionics and Duncan Aviation carried out their first EFI890R cockpit retrofit upgrade. The aircraft, a Falcon 900B, was on static display at the show. The avionics suite has five high-resolution Universal EFI-890R 8.9” Advanced Flight Displays, including Engine Interface Units (EIU) that replace analog gauges. Dual Universal UNS-1Fw Flight Management Systems (FMS) provide Wide Area Augmentation System/Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (WAAS/LPV) capabilities and Automatic Dependent SurveillanceBroadcast (ADS-B) capability. Dual Vision-1 computers provide Synthetic Vision and dual Application Server Units (ASUs) support procedural checklists, electronic documents (Edocs), and Present Position (depiction) on approach plate overlays. While many Business Aviation companies aim to penetrate the Chinese market, the contrary is also true. Deer
Jet, the largest private jet charter provider in Beijing, China, announced at NBAA that it signed a partnership agreement with Starbase Jet, a fast growing US private aviation company based in Dallas, to expand its reach into North America. Deer Jet will provide Starbase Jet with several of its Gulfstreams to charter and manage in the US. “We’ve had requests from our Chinese customers in China to open a partnership with an American company to improve the service we can offer in the US,” says Deer Jet chairman Xie Xin. “For our Chinese clients willing to make a flight in the US, it will cost much less with this alliance.” Prospects If Cessna CEO Scott Ernest was not sure when the market will come back, perhaps Honeywell’s latest annual survey will provide some insight. The survey expects that 2014 industry deliveries should be up modestly compared to 2013 (600 to 625 new business jets should have been delivered this year), reflecting recovery in supply-side constraints and some gains linked to the projected pace of the global economic recovery. As to long-term prospects, Rob Wilson, president, Honeywell Business and General Aviation, is forecasting up to 9,250 new business jet deliveries worth over $250 billion from 2013 to 2022 – an approximate three to four percent increase in projected delivery value over the 2012 forecast.
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ROUND-UP
JSSI covers the G650 (top left), Universal Avionics and Duncan Aviation partner on cockpit retrofits (top right). Jet Aviation prepares Boeing 787 completions (center ). Deer Jet plots US expansion. (bottom)
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UNVEILING
FALCON 5X
THE DASSAULT BOMBSHELL
By Paul Walsh
S
ix years after the 7X’s entry into service, people had little idea what Dassault had in store with their new so-called SMS (super-midsized) aircraft. Some people were mystified; Dassault already had a worthy supermid-sized jet in the form of the Falcon 2000S, so why did they need another? Turns out that the SMS was just a codename, a smokescreen, and what we have now is much larger than anticipated. It’s called the 5X, and boasts the largest cabin cross-section in a dedicated business jet, contributing to a net cabin volume of 1,770 cu. ft.
RANGE
Dassault s Falcon 5X will fly 5,200 nm at M.80 with eight passengers.
Advances Up-front in the cockpit the technological advances don’t disappoint. There’s a new digital flight control system that integrates all moving control surfaces including Business Aviation’s first ‘flaperon’. As Dassault’s engineers point out, the flaperon will always operate in active mode, enhancing roll authority.
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However its benefits are most apparent on approach—especially those with a steep descent profile, where it acts much like a traditional flap, increasing drag while maintaining a high lift coefficient. “A pilot will be able to fly a steep approach angle without increasing the approach speed. Even on normal approaches, flaperons will help maintain optimum control while providing good forward visibility,” says Dassault’s Chief Pilot, Phillippe Deleume. Engineers have also integrated nosewheel steering into their control system, allowing for better controllability on the ground and improved transitions during takeoff and landing, not to mention safer runway handling in strong crosswind conditions and on wet or slick runways. “With the advanced Digital Flight Control System on the Falcon 5X, the traditional functionality of each flight control surface has been totally rethought,” adds Deleume. “For example, an aileron on the Falcon 5X can function as an aileron but also as an airbrake, depending on the situation.”
Pilots also get a duel head-up display - this time provided by Elbit Systems that combines enhanced vision and synthetic vision ensuring that pilots will know exactly where they are in total darkness, fog or dense haze. It’s what Dassault calls a: “high fidelity view of the outside world even when actual visibility is zero.” Like previous Falcons, the 5X boasts the EASy interactive cockpit, but this time there’s a new FMS and two Electronic Flight Bags integrated into the front instrument panel. Thanks to new Honeywell RDR 4000 radar, pilots will be able to see hazardous weather and the vertical definition of thunderstorms at distances of up to 320 miles. And while this aircraft’s creature comforts are reserved mainly for passengers, Dassault does give its pilots more space and more storage room, equipping the cockpit with larger crew seats, offering greater legroom as well as a recline angle of up to 130 degrees. Pilots even get extra visibility and are able to see each wingtip from their seats. Overall their windshields offer a 30% increase in window area.
Performance In terms of performance the 5X can fly 5,200 nm at M.80 with eight passengers, it’s expected to have a balanced field length of about 5,250 feet/1600 meters (MTOW, ISA, SL) and an approach speed of about 105 kts at typical landing weight. It can land at 95% of its Max Take-Off Weight, which means you’ll be able to make a short hop from, say, Lyon to Paris, before making a long flight to the US. Achieving these benefits meant developing a new wing, and optimizing it through computational fluid dynamics and wind tunnel testing. The end result features a 33° swept angle and a curved trailing edge and will increases buffet margin by 15% without impacting weight or flexibility. It also has the highest lift/drag ratio of any Falcon airfoil. What it means is that the 5X will be capable of operating at approaches up to 6 degrees, allowing it to serve challenging airports like London City Airport that are normally inaccessible to large cabin business jets. Naturally the two Snecma Silvercrest engines which power the 5X, also contribute significant performance benefits. The engines reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 15% when
compared to today’s powerplants. And they’re quiet: meeting the upcoming Chapter 14 standard, and cutting the 5X’s noise footprint in half. All in all the Silvercrest delivers 11,450 lbs (5,095 daN) of thrust and a bypass ratio of six. To make sure all maintenance issues are smoothly dealt with, the Silvercrest integrates ForeVision, a real-time monitoring system that continuously monitors engine readings in flight. If it detects an anomaly, it immediately sends this information to
Snecma’s data center, where it is analyzed by a team of experts who can then inform the operator and recommend the required actions. Speaking of maintenance technology, it’s worth noting that maintenance experts were involved in the Falcon 5X design process from the beginning. Strategies to enhance reliability and lengthen maintenance intervals were design priorities, with new technologies being integrated into the aircraft to achieve a high level of diagnostic capability.
For example FalconBroadcast provides real-time notification of in-flight events and maintenance status via satellite, making it possible to begin troubleshooting while the aircraft is still in the air. It also features an onboard real-time self diagnosis system dubbed FalconScan that connects to all onboard computers and monitor more than 10,000 parameters. The system analyzes data and detects faulty equipment, meaning that operators, even in remote locations, will be able to autonomously troubleshoot the aircraft, identify needed parts, if any, and find the right solution. Dassault has managed to extend maintenance intervals on the 5X so that it’s guaranteed for 800 hours or 12 months between inspections – intervals that are 30% longer than previous-generation aircraft. Maintenance programs will also be customized to operators’ profiles. The aircraft has profited from new endurance testing methods such as Highly Accelerated Life Tests (HALT) and Highly Accelerated Stress Screening (HASS), where equipment and systems are exposed to extremes of vibration, humidity, temperature, pressure changes and other in-flight phenomena to verify their reliability over time. There’s also an additional 200 hours of inflight endurance testing before certification. Taking all of this together, it’s clear that the 5X is an aircraft that engineers and maintenance professionals will get excited about. But it’s not about technology for technology’s sake, rather it’s about making the aircraft as efficient and as comfortable as possible. And here some low-tech improvements can make big differences.
DEVELOPMENT
Dassault s design studio during 5X development program (top). Falcon 5X Program Director Bernard Dimoyat (center). Fuselage assembly at Dassault s facilities (bottom).
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UNVEILING
FALCON 5X
Cabin Comfort For one thing the 5X’s windows are an inch taller than those used on the Falcon 7X. More unusually, as you walk onto the aircraft and into the vestibule, you’ll find that a large skylight brings even more natural light into the cabin. All in all it’s fair to say that the 5X’s entire cabin has been restyled, with cabin design being considered from the earliest stages of the development program. What you get inside are flowing, uninterrupted lines giving a feeling of space. There are also hidden compartments for electronic devices and electrical chargers as well as LED signs which are invisible when not illuminated. And all of this helps to declutter the cabin.
SPACE
The 5X boasts the largest cabin cross-section in a dedicated business jet (top right). Dassault s Chief Pilot Philippe Deleume enjoys a roomier cockpit.
Then there’s FalconCabinHD+ , which uses the latest fiber optic network to distribute high-definition audio and video content throughout the cabin. Sound levels will be as low as in the Falcon 7X –and the cabin pressurization level is low too, clocking in at 3,900 ft (1,188 m) from 41,000 ft (12,497 m). Dassault did a very good job of keeping all of these developments under wraps throughout the initial stages of the development program. And now production well under way: manufacturing of the 5X’s first structural com-
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ponents began earlier this year and assembly of the first aircraft fuselage section has already started at Dassault’s Argenteuil facility, and final assembly will take place next year at Dassault’s Bordeaux-Merignac facility, with first flight expected in 2015. But already, even though a finished aircraft doesn’t exist yet, Dassault have announced that its virtual flight has taken place on the Falcon Simulation Bench. This is a cockpit mock-up coupled to a real-time simulator and a panoramic external visualization system depicting the artificial
flight environment. Here pilots get to test all phases of flight, from take-off to landing, and to fine-tune and validate control laws before the maiden flight of the aircraft. “I was impressed by the simulated behavior of the aircraft, which was extremely sound and responsive,” said Deleume. “We anticipate that it will exhibit exceptional handling qualities in the grand tradition of Dassault aircraft.” In conclusion, while the 5X offers little in terms of “top-billing” figures, being neither the fastest nor the farthest reaching aircraft on the market, it does reveal its benefits once you look beyond the headlines. With its duel head-ups display and digital flyby-wire control systems, this is definitely a pilot’s aircraft, but with its spacious and bright cabin, it’s sure to meet passenger expectations. And thanks to its overall efficiency, at $45,000,000 it might be a sensible purchase, indeed Dassault say that the 5X’s operating costs could be up to 35% less than its competitors. Finally, for those of you out there yearning for a faster and father reaching Falcon, you might not have to wait too long. Dassault have made it clear 5X is just the beginning of a new family of Falcons and other announcements are in the pipeline. Let’s just say that 2014 could be an interesting year.
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PROFILE
AVIONICS UPGRADES
DUNCAN AND UNIVERSAL AVIONICS UNITE ON FALCON 900B UPGRADE Careful Consideration
By Steve Nichols
D
uncan Aviation and Universal Avionics have joined forces to supply a retrofit cockpit upgrade for the Dassault Falcon 900B. The system was designed from the outset to offer extensive inputs and outputs and support a host of integration possibilities, either as an installation as a stand-alone primary flight display (PFD) or fully-integrated system. The avionics suite has five high-resolution Universal EFI-890R 8.9” Advanced Flight Displays, including Engine Interface Units (EIU) that replace analog gauges. The EFI-890R upgrade replaces 25 older instruments and improves their reliability and improves situational awareness for the flight crew. The dedicated engine display replaces the existing individual electromechanical instruments with a single screen, with dual-channel redundancy. The displays also feature an LED backlight system with reduced power requirements to produce a lower unit operating temperature for reliability. The LED backlight also produces brighter, clearer displays with improved colors.
The upgrade also includes dual Universal UNS-1Fw Flight Management Systems (FMS) providing Wide Area Augmentation System/Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (WAAS/LPV) capabilities and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) capability. Dual Vision-1 computers provide Synthetic Vision and dual Application Server Units (ASUs) support procedural checklists, electronic documents (Edocs), Present Position (depiction) on the approach plate overlays and external video capability. The Navigation Display (ND) presents map and HSI views, as well as a host of interfacing components including the Vision-1 Synthetic Vision System, electronic charts and broadcast weather. A navigation progress data block, in the upper portion of the screen, is provided for most ND modes. This progress bar provides information pertinent to the intended path of flight such as time and distance to the “TO” waypoint, next waypoint and destination along with fuel and weight data, and time.
Bruce Bunevich, Universal Avionics’ Great Lakes Regional Sales Manager, said that the Falcon 900B was chosen after careful consideration and two years of research. The upgrade has also been driven by the increasing demands imposed by FANS, CPDLC and other mandates. “There are 178 Falcon 900Bs globally with about 100 of them registered in the US. It is an excellent aircraft with a great track record and a range of 4000 nautical miles or 4300 when fitted with winglets,” Bunevich said. “This means that it can fly New York to Paris or Munich non-stop. Pilots also like the that fact it has a third engine. At any one time there are around 20-25 on the used market and they retail from around $5.5 - $10m. “So by spending around $1.3bn on the avionics upgrade operators can extend the life of the aircraft by ten or more years and it is far cheaper than buying a $40m bizjet that may have lesser capabilities.” The Duncan Aviation/Universal Avionics cockpit upgrade presents a simple concept – replace only the most critical components to maximize upgrade efficiency. This straightforward solution provides significant weight and power savings, increases reliability and reduces maintenance costs. The operator is said to be able to realize less downtime and experience maintenance cost savings, while receiving the benefits of the latest advancements in avionics technology comparable to current production OEM aircraft. Turnaround Time Gary Harpster, Duncan Aviation’s Senior Avionics Sales Representative, said: “This is an exciting upgrade that offers the capabilities that operators have been asking for, as well as enhanced safety, and reduced operational costs.
TEAMWORK
Duncan Aviation and Universal Avionics have joined forces on a Falcon 900B retrofit upgrade.
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PROFILE
POTENTIAL
Equipped with the UniLink system (center) the upgrade helps operators complying with upcoming data link mandates.
“When combined with the Universal Flight Management System, the 800 series Unilink (Communications Management Unit) system assists operators in complying with upcoming data link mandates such as FANS 1/A+ or Link 2000+. “Universal Avionics and Duncan Aviation have a long-standing relationship and a history of providing excellent upgrades to aircraft operators. We are excited to provide this solution for the Falcon 900B.” Through its Organization Delegated Authority (ODA), Duncan Aviation have completed a new Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the EFI890R upgrade. “The first upgrade we did took a little longer than expected, but we now have aircraft number two on the floor and we think we can bring the upgrade time for that model down to about 16-18 weeks,” said Harpster. “Aircraft number three will be joining us in the new year and numbers four, five and six are in negotiation. Ultimately, I think we can get the upgrade time down to about 12-14 weeks.” The EFI-890R upgraded aircraft was on the static display during the Convention and Exhibition of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) at Henderson Executive Airport in Las Vegas. This aircraft also showcased a newlydesigned interior, new paint and new cabin/management/entertainment system.
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AVIONICS UPGRADES
Combined Options In addition to the cockpit upgrade, Duncan Aviation also completed several interior upgrades, including complete soft good refurbishment, new cabinet veneer, new Duncan Design Collection PSU overlay panels, new EMTEQ and LED lighting. New winglets were also installed prior to the aircraft getting repainted with paint provided by Akzo Nobel. Duncan Aviation also installed Rockwell Collins’ Venue hi-definition cabin management system. The Venue CMS system includes the new Skybox, which provides an easy and convenient solution to watch the latest Hollywood movies and TV shows on demand on their Apple devices or new hi-definition cabin monitors.
Duncan Aviation is an aircraft service provider supporting the aviation needs of government and business operators and other service providers. Services include major and minor airframe inspections, engine maintenance, major retrofits for cabin and cockpit systems, full paint and interior services and preowned aircraft sales and acquisitions. Its complete service facilities are located in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Battle Creek, Michigan. Additional Duncan locations include a maintenance facility in Provo, Utah, more than 20 satellite avionics facilities and eight engine Rapid Response Team launch offices strategically located throughout the United States. The Falcon 900B upgrades are being undertaken in Lincoln, which is a three-four drive from Universals’ facility in Wichita, Kansas. “This has been very convenient for our service engineers,” said Bunevich. “There is a great synergy between Duncan and Universal and all the groundwork being laid down now is setting a great foundation for future upgrades on other types.” Bunevich said that there are no immediate plans for full avionics upgrade packages, like the Falcon 900B’s, for other aircraft types, but it was a logical next step.
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148 Dec 2013 - Jan 2014 OUR 26TH YEAR
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Safety
Continues with ongoing investment and innovation • Reinforced in 1 million+ training hours each year Builds when you train as you fly, fly as you train • Backed up by the industry’s best Customer Care Benefits Customers from 167 countries • Advanced with superior simulation technology • Supported by factory-authorized training Practiced with a high-technology, integrated training system • Expands with a global network of Learning Centers Focus of 3,500 expertly designed courses • Taught by 1,800 professional instructors • Designed into a fleet of 300+ flight simulators
At FlightSafety International, we center everything we do on helping our Customers operate their aircraft to the highest level of safety while providing the outstanding service they expect and deserve. Safety Starts With the Best Training Our outstanding instructors provide the highest quality, most comprehensive professional training available. We offer courses developed by our training experts with one overriding goal – to enhance safety. Each course leverages today’s most advanced and innovative training systems for instruction that’s effective, relevant and clearly presented.
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Safety Drives Our Training Technology We design and build simulators and other advanced training devices specifically to complement, support and reinforce safety in our training. They exactly replicate the flying characteristics of the aircraft represented and are qualified to the highest standards by aviation authorities worldwide.
Imagine routine frequency changes and pre-departures clearances free from blocked frequencies and muffled voices – it’s a reality with CPDLC. The next generation UniLink® airborne data link system, UL-800/801 Communications Management Unit, with VHF Data Link (VDL) Mode 2 offers superior control and operation of air/ground digital communications in the Link 2000+ and FANS ATN environment.
Safety Extends to More Aircraft at More Locations We deliver unsurpassed training for the majority of business aircraft flying today on the world’s largest fleet of simulators located throughout our global network of Learning Centers. We continually invest in new programs and locations to meet current and future Customers’ requirements. FlightSafety. Our name is our mission.
Contact a Universal Avionics Authorized Dealer or visit www.uasc.com to learn more.
Please contact Scott Fera, Senior Vice President, Marketing • 718.565.4774 sales@flightsafety.com • flightsafety.com • A Berkshire Hathaway company
UNS-1Ew / UniLink UL-801
www.uasc.com sales@uasc.com (800) 321-5253 (520) 295-2300