EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
key factor. Freeman reports that 25 per cent of US catered flights opt for meat-free dishes that are low in fat and high in fibre. One in every 15 orders catered for by the chefs at Bon Soirée are for gluten free products and for those with a lactose intolerance. Janus Kamradt of Hangar8 feels the same way, as the health-conscious passenger is increasing prevalent: “In-flight catering has changed in the last two years, and we are doing almost exclusively healthy foods, such as salad and seafood platters. Most passengers prefer to drink mineral water and green teas.” Comlux points out that its passengers are veering towards lighter options, with Cantonese and Szechuan cuisine fast becoming favourites: “Our vip charter passengers’ favourite dishes range from steamed sui mai with abalone and steamed crystal shrimp dumplings, through to the dessert of choice – a mango pudding with aloe vera.” Sascha Gassmann of DeliSky supports this: “Currently, healthy, organic and light food is very popular, European or Asian style. Especially sushi, even though from the hygiene point of view this is not suitable at all for in-flight catering. Nevertheless it is still very trendy and very often ordered, often for Russian passengers. Most caterers we are working with are also doing their best to provide halal and even kosher food. Some of them, at the major locations, have their own certified halal or kosher kitchen and chefs.
“There is a consistent trend towards healthy and fresh food” “On the other hand, Jewish and Arabic people flying around the world in business jets are obviously aware that they cannot get 100 per cent halal or kosher food at every location around the world so they seem to be used to it and are relaxed about it.” Allergies are of course honoured but Gassmann says there are never any guarantees: “Somebody with a strong nut allergy will be in high danger on a flight if the food contains even the smallest amount of nuts. One of our catering partners has stated to me that it is almost impossible to have a 100 per cent nutfree kitchen since traces of nuts can be found in any kind of food.” DeliSky clients are also demanding the freshest produce: “There is a consistent trend towards healthy light and fresh food, such as raw vegetables, fruit, freshly squeezed juices and also light, hot dishes such as Japanese.” Gassmann points out that in order to serve the highest quality dishes, the work can sometimes be outsourced: “For special cuisines, such as Japanese, the caterers usually purchase the dishes from top notch Japanese restaurants rather than cooking it themselves,” he says. Paul Schweitzer of Air Culinaire tells EBAN that its Selections of the Middle East menu is made with certified halal products in accordance with Middle East customs, and as with Gassmann’s firm this points to a passenger who is not just healthconscious, but may also have religious observances which must be upheld. The provision for Jewish and Muslim clients has broadened, with many caterers, including Craig Sharp of High Flying Food, choosing halal suppliers on this basis: “Halal meat is a regular request,” he says. “I am extremely proud of our ability to fulfil bespoke requests ‘off menu’ too. Our willingness to prepare specific
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AIRCRAFT NEWS... Teal Group foresees 16,126 helicopters in a decade
Hangar8’s Madagascan prawn salmon mousse is prepared with the utmost care.
requests results in excellent feedback and subsequent referrals for new business, and my team of chefs are recruited for their wide range of cuisine skills while also having a speciality such as pastry or sushi. “Sometimes we have requests such as both gluten and dairy free combined, which may be challenging – but we always find a solution, and we always choose our suppliers on that basis, allowing for flexibility.” Suppliers are fundamental to the quality of the end product, and as Jirina Kubova, chief flight attendant for ABS Jets of Prague, illustrates, sourcing high quality produce has not always been an easy task: “Catering for business jets in Prague is no problem nowadays, because there are now several specialised suppliers. A few years ago the situation was different. There was a limited choice of catering and it was pretty expensive. It was not at all easy to serve demanding charter customers. “Our flight attendants had to be very well organised and informed about restaurants in Prague to serve our customers the highest quality of food.” In-flight caterers are now having to choose these suppliers under a more stringent budget too, as a byproduct of the 2008 recession. This is easier said than done, as it is impossible to reduce some costs, according to Hubert at Corporate Catering: “You cannot save on the cooling chain, so price is what it is in the end, to guarantee safety.” Hubert asserts that to keep up with demand and competition, versatility is key: “In this global industry you need to be versatile and offer global food.”
“Most business jets don’t have a fridge in the galley” To offer global food is a noble aim, but for many companies it is also about getting the costs right. Schweitzer comments: “We’re continuing to invest in internal systems that increase our efficiency, which we can then pass on to clients via savings. We also understand that our clients are feeling the effects, so we make sure to give them plenty of menu options that meet their budget requirements.” Indeed some operators think that this has gone too far, with CorporateJets Barcelona believing that for the product on offer, cost is far too high: “From a general point of view, prices are quite above the quality provided. Even though food presentation is nowadays excellent,
Teal Group is predicting that 16,126 rotorcraft worth $193.1 billion will be produced between 2013 and 2022, in its annual world rotorcraft overview. The forecast numbers include production of 10,308 for civil users, worth $60.3 billion, and 5,818 military machines. “These numbers represent respectable growth (41.1%) over the previous ten years, when production totaled 11,275 machines worth $136.9 billion,” says Richard Aboulafia, Teal Group vp analysis. The study finds Eurocopter is poised to remain the civil leader, with the broadest product portfolio and most aggressive market presence. AgustaWestland is in second place, thanks to the AW139 and the A109. Bell occupies third in the civil market.
from Jet Aviation late last year. It handles private aircraft visitors through its FBO lounge and crew rooms. The company is actively recruiting more engineers to complement its MRO activity at Bournemouth airport.
TAG on the line for Bombardier at Le Bourget TAG Engineering Le Bourget has been appointed as a line maintenance facility for Bombardier business jets. Eight Bombardier licensed technicians are based at the centre, which is able to provide line and base level maintenance services for Learjet 60 and 60XR, Challenger 300 and 605, Global Express, XRS and Global 5000, as well as Global 5000 and 6000 equipped with the Bombardier vision flight deck.
Dassault delivers 500th 2000 Dassault Aviation has delivered its 500th Falcon 2000 from the Little Rock completion centre. It will be operated by a UK customer. The Falcon 2000 fleet has accumulated nearly two million flight hours to date, having first flown in March 1993.
RUAG certified for MD helicopter upgrades
Linas Geguzis of Baltic Ground Services Poland believes caterers must become outsourcing experts to excel at the top level.
price and quality are not equal.” DeliSky’s Gassmann presents a different view, and is of the opinion that prices are as competitive as possible, with customers very welleducated nowadays as to the finances involved: “The economic downturn has resulted in much stronger focus on costs in the business aviation industry. Whereas in the past, business jet operators and private jet owners haven’t been aware of the catering expenses, nowadays many operators work with strict budgets per flight or even per person per flight.” Price must be as much a priority for operators as it is for customers. Another important consideration is the storage and preservation of the dishes prior to and even post-serving. Gassmann describes food hygiene as a “massive issue” in the business aviation trade, with not enough being done to monitor it: “Only a few catering providers are actually strictly working according to the well known HACCP standards,” he believes. “The food is usually delivered two to four hours before departure. Most business jets don’t have a fridge in the galley and only some FBOs and handlers have a fridge available to cool food. This is a particular issue during summer time. Good caterers provide cooling boxes with wet and dry ice so that the food can be kept cold for several hours. But the problem is that cooling boxes are rather expensive and are very often not returned to the caterer once the plane has left.” Dry ice can also pose problems: “It is often used but it is considered as dangerous goods on board an aircraft and the dangers of dry ice for aviation safety are often underestimated. It dissipates CO2 gas into the cabin,” he adds. Continued on next page
The Citation Latitude is just months away from its first flight.
Latitude fuselage takes wings
RUAG Aviation has been officially authorised to perform the full range of maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade services for the McDonnell Douglas MD 500, MD 600 and MD 900 helicopter series. The firm has previously integrated an advanced avionics suite in an MD 520N and installed TV broadcasting equipment on an MD 900.
Cessna has completed the wing mate on the Citation Latitude first test article. The Latitude is expected to take its first test flight in the first quarter of 2014. The aircraft is designed to fly two crew members and up to nine passengers to 43,000ft in just 23 minutes. It will have the widest cabin of any Citation jet, with a 6ft cabin height, and will be equipped with Cessna’s clarity cabin management system.
Dassault names JETS at Biggin Hill
Air Service Basel apponted for King Airs
JETS has become an authorised service centre for Dassault. The agreement endorses the company to undertake line maintenance on the Falcon 900 and 2000 at its expanding London Biggin Hill MRO facility. JETS is part of the 328 Group and acquired the MRO business
Beechcraft Corporation has appointed Air Service Basel in Switzerland as an authorised service centre for the King Air series. Air Service Basel is a full service FBO, as well as an EASA and FAA approved maintenance organisation and repair station at the Euroairport Basel-Mulhouse.
Rita Weber designed a collectable EC135 for Eurocopter, which was exhibited in Monaco.
Eurocopter displays collectable art helicopter At the Monaco Yacht Show Eurocopter exhibited a “collectable” art helicopter aboard the Quattroelle, an 86-metre yacht. The EC135’s cabin interior and exterior paint scheme were designed by German artist Rita Weber. “A helicopter doesn’t have to be just a technical accessory, it also can be a work of art,” Weber states. The EC135 features an exclusive interior: a silk carpet, bespoke leather in fuschia and cashmere covering the interior wall.