Business & Commercial Aviation

AMAC Aerospace has been awarded heavy base maintenance contacts for two Boeing Business Jets. A BBJ3 and a BBJ, both privately owned, will be entering the Basel, Switzerland, facility in early 2016. Last year, AMAC was selected for work on a head-of-state Airbus ACJ340-300.

EHang, a Chinese manufacturer, unveiled a drone on Jan. 6 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that it claims can fly a human passenger short-to-medium distances at low altitudes. The company’s EHang 184, which it describes as an autonomous aerial vehicle, includes four arms and eight propellers and takes off and lands vertically. It is built from composite materials, operates on electric power, and can be charged in 2-4 hr., according to EHang.

Etihad Airways has formed a partnership with Victor, an on-demand operator, by which passengers can charter a Victor business jet to connect with their international Airbus A380 flights. Victor, which operates bases in California, New York and London, says it provides real-time availability, discloses transaction fees and specific operator and aircraft details without upfront commitments.

Mitsui & Co. LTD, a large Japanese conglomerate involved in energy, machinery, chemicals, food, textile, logistics, finance, and other industries, has acquired an equity stake in Quest Aircraft Co., maker of the Kodiak single turboprop utility aircraft. Quest became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Setouchi Holdings, Inc., another Japanese conglomerate, in February 2015. The agreement between Setouchi and Mitsui was finalized on January 13.

Carter Aviation Technologies, plans to have its experimental CarterCopter at the Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-in and Expo at Florida’s Lakeland-Linder Airport April 5-10. The Wichita Falls, Texas, company says it is conducting demonstrations for potential joint venture partners. It hopes to create three separate joint ventures to develop three categories of aircraft from less than 2,000 lb. to 7,000 lb. gross weight. The company says it is discussing larger aircraft with major aerospace companies.

TAG Farnborough Airport has added more space for passengers and crew at its terminal to meet growing demand. Air traffic grew 2% last year. That includes a 6% jump in the number of airliner-size business jets, which represents the highest growth in the category for the year, it said. Many of the airport carriers operate to and from the U.S., the Middle East and Asia. A new lounge accommodates up to 80 passengers. Crew facilities include a quiet lounge, a “snooze” room with flat beds, a zero gravity ergonomic chair and a complimentary gym and showers.

News of promotions, appointments and honors involving professionals within the business aviation community

Crystal Cruises in Los Angeles plans to expand Crystal Luxury Air’s fleet with the addition of two Airbus ACJ319 jets and a Bombardier Global Express XRS. Crystal’s aircraft includes a Boeing 777-200LR and Boeing 787. The new aircraft will serve private charters and transport guests to Crystal destinations. Crystal private charter jet service begins in March.

“The Citation M2 and CJ3+ have fantastic mission capability and have proven to be a great fit for our customers in this space,” Textron Aviation spokeswoman Sarah Estes said. But the CJ2+ (Model 525A) is part of a “mixed model line,” Estes said. “We could build it if required for a customer mission.” The aircraft is no longer listed in the company’s product lineup on its website. The six-passenger CJ2, a derivative of the CitationJet, entered service in 2000, followed by the upgraded CJ2+, which entered service in 2005.

​GrandView Aviation, an executive helicopter and jet service in Baltimore, has added a 2015 Embraer 300 super light jet to its fleet. The aircraft carries up to nine passengers, reaches cruise speeds of 500 mph and has a range of up to 2,000 mi. Grandview plans to continue to grow its fleet with new aircraft.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office in Ft. Myers, Florida, has added a new Airbus H125 AStar helicopter, which increases its AStar fleet from two to three helicopters.

Associated Air Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, has obtained an FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the installation of a Controller Pilot Data Link Communication System on a Boeing Business Jet VIP model. The system is part of the requirements for the Future Air Navigation System, or FANS. The STC was completed at Associated Air’s Dallas Love Field repair station.

West Star Aviation in Grand Junction, Colorado, has been approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), putting it in compliance with the China Civil Aviation Regulation, CCAR, Part 145 Maintenance Organization. West Star’s approval includes overhauling and repairing landing gear for business aircraft and services and ultrasonic, eddy current X-Ray, liquid penetrate and magnetic particle inspections.

ExcelAire, based in Ronkonkoma, New York, has begun private jet charter service to Cuba. The charter firm has begun direct flights from 19 cities in the U.S. It completed its first trip to Cuba from John F. Kennedy International Airport on Dec. 21. U.S. citizens traveling to Cuba must comply with U.S. restrictions that require each visitor to obtain a visa/license, the company said.

Embraer has delivered its first Legacy 450 mid-light business jet to Smart Air SA, in Europe. Smart Air, an aviation and advisory company, will manage the first European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)-registered Legacy 450. The aircraft will be available for charter flights from Brussels. It will be operated by ASL, a business jet operator. The delivery took place in late December. It was scheduled to arrive in Belgium on Jan. 6, after departing from Embraer’s headquarters in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil.

Russian Helicopters has received type certification for the medium multirole Mi-38 transport helicopter. The aircraft was designed by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant. The certification means the design complies with Russian and international aviation requirements, the company said. The Mi-38 will enter serial production and the Russian market in 2016. The helicopter’s two Klimov TV7-117V turboshaft engines were certified last year.

Textron Aviation has signed an agreement to buy Able Engineering and Component Services and Able Aerospace for an undisclosed purchase price. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2016. “Textron is working closely with Able to ensure a seamless transition with customers and stakeholders over the coming weeks,” a Textron Aviation spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. “More information will be provided when the acquisition is completed.”

Blue Sky Innovations has formed a general-aviation consulting service to help general aviation business owners and investors expand into foreign markets. Early projects will focus on growth opportunities among the U.S., China and Brazil. Tim Archer serves as president and CEO. Clients include fixed base operators, manufacturers, maintenance, repair and overhaul firms, flight schools, airports, charter operators and others.

Terrafugia, the Boston-based outfit developing a flying car, has been named a member of one of the four teams selected by the FAA to receive system engineering, research and mission analysis contracts. The team, which is being led by Mosaic ATM, also includes Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Virgin America, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, and several other aerospace institutions and companies. It has been tasked with advising federal regulators on the future of air traffic management and aviation infrastructure.

Questions for Richard D. Hanson, Representative, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Academy of Model Aeronautics Muncie, Indiana.

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Embraer Executive Jets has begun deliveries of its mid-light Legacy 450 business jet. The first aircraft was delivered to Orlando-based LMG, which produces support corporate meetings, trade shows and other events.

Jeffrey Krantz, CEO of Harry Krantz of New York, was sentenced in U.S. District Court of Hartford, Connecticut, to three years of probation and a $100,000 fine and ordered not to be involved an buying or selling electronic parts for two years related to his role in the sale of unapproved aircraft parts. In July, Krantz pleaded guilty to wire fraud for supplying customers with falsely remarked microprocessor chips. Many of them were used in U.S. military and commercial helicopters.

Air charter operators Judy Tull of Texas and Kay Ellison of Kentucky were indicted in December in U.S. District Court, Newark, New Jersey, on charges of conspiracy, bank fraud and wire fraud for their roles in an alleged multi-million dollar fraud scheme. The two were co-owners of Southern Air & Tours, doing business as Myrtle Beach Direct Air & Tours, or Direct Air, a charter flight operation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Fifty-four percent of U.S. FBOs say their fuel sales increased in 2015 compared to 2014, according to the 2016 Annual FBO Fuel Sales Survey results released by Aviation Business Strategies Group at the 2016 NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference in Tampa, Fla.