The Month In Business Aviation: Feb 2020 Roundup

Michael Bruno, Jens Flottau, Molly McMillin

To generations of aerospace workers and pilots, Bombardier was always known as a scrappy business aviation OEM, even though the Canadian industrial stalwart did more annual business in train-related manufacturing and its origin dates back 83 years as the first snowmobile-maker.

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Molly McMillin

With the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the charter flight industry has been responding to requests for charters related to travel disruptions brought on by the virus.

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Molly McMillin

Textron has reportedly been in talks for several weeks to buy Bombardier’s business jet unit, according to the Wall Street Journal, but a deal may never come to fruition. 

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William Garvey

Don’t let the snow and ice and freezing temperatures fool you; it’s that time of the year. Again. The performers and maintainers are making their way to their hangars with fresh oil and clean rags, touch-up paint and polish, ready for run-ups and radio checks. The curtain is about to rise on Air Show Season 2020.

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Molly McMillin

Gulfstream’s new, longest-range and roomiest business jet, the G700, made its first flight Feb. 14, departing Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia at 1:17 p.m. EST, according to flight tracking service FlightAware. It landed 2 hr. and 32 min. later.

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Citation M2, the third iteration CJ, has been in production since late 2013. More than 230 units (s.n. 685, plus s.n. 800, et seq) have been delivered. But demand is tapering off for light jets. Selling prices now range from $2.5 million for early 2013 models to $3.9 million, or more, for 2019 models. 

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Having placed a bet on the return of supersonic air travel by becoming a supplier on Aerion’s AS2 business jet, aerostructures specialist Spirit AeroSystems is putting down a marker on the emerging urban air mobility (UAM) industry.

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Shrinking electronics, and the size, power and performance of long-range, large-cabin business jets is fueling interest in versions that can cost-effectively perform specialized missions ranging from ground surveillance to maritime patrol.

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