Business & Commercial Aviation

Dassault Falcon Service has begun work on a new maintenance facility in Bordeaux-Merignac in order to expand its Falcon overhaul capability. The hangar will cover 7,200 sq. meters and will be able to accommodate up to six Falcon 7X, 8X or 5X aircraft. It will complement the company’s maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities at Le Bourget Airport near Paris. The new facility is expected to be operational in the third quarter of 2016, in time to handle the ramp-up in C checks on Falcon 7X aircraft.

The U.S. Transportation Department plans to finalize what will likely be an emergency rule by mid-December requiring owners past, present and future of recreational UAVs to register the devices with the FAA. The rule will be based in large part on the work of a new task force of government and industry participants that was to provide the FAA recommendations for procedures and policies for a national registration database by Nov. 20. The action comes in advance of the holiday season in which the FAA says there could be a million new UAVs given as gifts.

Talon Air has completed its new FBO complex at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, New York, on Long Island. The complex extends Talon Air’s existing services and adds additional amenities, including conference rooms, lounges, a flight planning center, helicopter transfer service and a FAA-approved Part 145 Maintenance Service Center. It features two 29,976 sq. ft. hangars, 35,3436 sq. ft. of guest and office space, maintenance facilities and more than 3 acres of ramp space. It also includes a 90,000-gal. fuel farm with two 30,000-gal.

Aerion has begun the search for a site for final assembly and testing of its $120 million AS2 supersonic jet. Last month, it hired a large site-selection firm to aid in finding a location. One place it will consider will be sites near the ocean or coastline. Since the jet will fly faster than the speed of sound, it will be advantageous to be near the ocean or coast for flight-testing, said Aerion Co-Chairman Brian Barents. Shipment of large assemblies will require a deep seaport, he said. Barents has said that it is looking to the U.S. to produce the jet.

Meridian Jet Center, has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization to repair and inspect the Gulfstream G200. The rating also includes the legacy manufacturer and model, formerly known as Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Galaxy. “The addition of this popular Gulfstream model allows us to better serve both new and existing customers. Our highly trained technicians now have the ability to support our customers with a wider range of offerings.

Setouchi Trading Asia Pacific named Sydney, Australia-based Utility Air as its exclusive Kodiak sales representative for Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and the South Pacific Islands. “I am proud that Utility Air has been selected to distribute the Kodiak in the Pacific,” said Stephen Pembro, Managing Director of Utility Air.

Air Charter Guide, the worldwide guide for on-demand charter services and part of the Aviation Week Network, has combined forces with FlyEasy, the technology-based platform for empty leg charter flights and jet charter data, to offer a streamlined feed for empty legs.

In October, BCA’s editors hosted a two-day gathering of sales engineers representing nearly a dozen makes of business aircraft in downtown Los Angeles to review procedures, definitions, and applicability when producing the specifications and performance figures for the listed, in-production aircraft presented in the magazine's annual Purchase Planning Handbook.

Teterboro Airport was the most searched business aviation airport around the world on acukwik.com in October 2015, according to an analysis of site traffic. Outside of North America, Paris Le Bourget Airport, Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, London Luton Airport and Jebel Ali Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai were popular.

Teterboro Airport was the most searched North American business aviation airport on acukwik.com in October 2015, according to an analysis of site traffic. And three Texas airports ranked among the top 10.

We flew the first flight test aircraft to evaluate the progress of the program, to gauge how well Dassault is meeting the trijet’s stated weight, performance and cabin comfort goals and to sample its handling qualities.

David Rimmer, President of JFI Jets, discusses the acquisition of ACP Jets in Florida.

The Falcon 8X flight deck features a growth version of the Falcon 7X’s EASy II system, powered by Honeywell Primus Epic avionics with four, 14-in., portrait configuration flat-panel displays.

The FAA will evaluate technology to detect unmanned aircraft near airports under a Pathfinder program with developer CACI International.

In the 12 months from Sept. 1, 2014, through Aug. 31, 2015, more business aviation flights departed from the Southeastern United States — the FAA's Southern region — than any other U.S. region, ARGUS International Inc. says. Comparing the regional, state and city data reveals a number of conclusions. For example, Teterboro Airport accounts for 71 percent of business aviation departures in the state of New Jersey.

The FAA’s new Compliance Philosophy does not contain the phrase “promote and foster aviation.” There are, of course, a few troubling aspects, particularly the accepted belief that “policy” has the force and effect of regulation. But if the FAA succeeds in implementing this philosophy, the sometimes-strained relationship between agency and operators will improve, and safety will continue to improve.

Tables show results of a price survey of U.S. fuel suppliers performed in October 2015 at over 200 fixed base operators located within the 48 contiguous United States.

As Wynand Meyer, director of UAS International Trip Support’s Africa division in Johannesburg puts it, “Africa is the next big development,” as it’s the last continent still fresh for modernization of its infrastructure — mainstream as well as aviation.

Rockwell Collins received an FAA supplemental type certificate for Future Airspace Navigation Systems (FANS) 1/A upgrade for Pro Line 4 avionics-equipped Bombardier Challenger 604 aircraft. With FANS 1/A, Challenger 604 aircraft operators will have access to preferred wind-efficient transatlantic routes to save both time and fuel.

The Falcon 8X’s engines are growth versions of the Falcon 7X’s 6,405-lb.-thrust PW307A powerplants, flat rated up to ISA+18.4C.

Wheels Up, a membership-based private aviation company, has completed a round of funding that will allow it to establish a base for operations in Europe and enhance the company's technology platform, the company said. With the funding, Wheels Up's valuation is now greater than $500 million.

The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) claims to represent more than 100,000 pilots among nearly 100 member associations and unions, 16 of which are based in Africa.

Business-aviation activity remains stagnant in Europe, as a few key markets show modest improvement while Italy and Turkey join already struggling Russia on the list of countries where departures are down.

Embraer is introducing the E2VS, short for Embraer Enhanced Vision System, a two-part package that includes Rockwell Collins’ HGS-3500 compact head-up guidance systems and its new triple-band EVS-3000 enhanced vision sensor. E2VS could be a breakthrough for business aviation.

The recent rebound in used-aircraft sales and generally positive flight-activity figures from major markets bodes well for business-jet aftermarket providers, according to the recently released Aviation Week Intelligence Network Business Aviation Fleet & MRO Forecast.