Business & Commercial Aviation

Mubadala Development Company, an investment vehicle wholly owned by the government of Abu Dhabi, has purchased the minority (1.95%) share in Piaggio Aerospace formerly held by Piero Ferrari. T he Italian planemaker is now its 100% controlled by Mubadala. Carlo Logli, Piaggio’s CEO, said, move “represents a tangible sign of Mubadala’s steadfast commitment in our company and trust in our new technologies, programs and products.” Mubadala has been a shareholder in Piaggio Aero since 2006.

John Tucker, a founder of Midcoast Aviation and one-time president of Butler Aviation, died Aug. 30. He was 82. A former U.S. Marine Corps aviator and St. Louis native, Tucker helped launch Midcoast in 1971 and served as its president and CEO for the next 20 years. Under his direction, the FBO and airport terminal service provider grew from 17 employees to 1700. He also served on the board of the National Air Transportation Association and received numerous awards from the aviation community. He was also a leader within the St. Louis business community.

JetFuelX has launched a free jet fuel price management tool for aircraft owners and corporate flight departments.

The National Business Aviation Association says it is ready to follow up on a recommendation by the National Transportation Safety Board following a fatal runway overrun accident last year.

OneJet, the start-up carrier that services small and medium-size markets using Hawker Beechcraft 400A business jets, has added Nashville, Tennessee as a new destination.

Sales of Jet A fuel have mostly increased or remained flat during the first half of this year, a new Mid-Year Fuel Sales Survey shows. Respondents were asked to compare sales of Jet A fuel for the first six months of 2015 to the same period in 2014.

Textron Aviation’s eastern U.S. service facilities have received FAA certifications to expand their capabilities to provide service and support for Beechcraft King Air, Cessna Citation and Hawker customers. Under the certifications, centers in Newburgh, New York, and Greensboro, North Carolina, are authorized to service King Air 90-, 200- and 300-series aircraft and Hawker 125-series jets.

RIGA Business Aviation Center opened its new fixed base operation at Riga International Airport in Latvia Sept. 8, it said, which allows the FBO to handle 35% more aircraft. The company provides ground handling services for business aircraft, passengers and crews, with plans to expand its services and add maintenance, repair and overhaul services for business jets. That will contribute to the growth of the number of aircraft it handles. Its hangar is able to hold 12 to 14 business aircraft of all types, it said.

Teterboro Airport returned to the No. 1 positions on the lists of most popular departure and arrival airports for charter travel in August 2015, according to an investigation into Air Charter Guide Worldwide Trip Builder search queries submitted during the month.

Bombardier’s Wichita Learjet facility is seeking to take on outside work from third parties to diversify its business. It has also expanded its Wichita service center capabilities.

Night flying is very different from day flying and demands more attention of the pilot.

The business jet market is expected to reach nearly $21.07 billion this year, according to London-based Visiongain. Demand for business jets is growing because of a strengthening global economy and a rise in high net worth individuals. Several major business jet manufacturers offer a diverse portfolio of aircraft types with a broad range of performance and flight mission capabilities, Visiongain said.

Cessna Aircraft, the oldest member of the Textron Aviation family, is rebounding as a result of streamlined manufacturing processes, supply chain cost controls and expedited development of new products.

Cirrus Aircraft officials say the Vision SF50 personal jet is on track for certification by the end of this year. In the meantime, the company is adding a finishing and detail center in Duluth, Minnesota, and a new “Vision Center” in Knoxville, Tennessee, which will focus on training, deliveries, service, sales and marketing. In addition, the company is phasing in a new manufacturing system for the SF50 to take advantage of the benefits of robotics, which it calls the “Electronic Manufacturing Execution System.”

The Breitling Jet Team is performing aerobatic exhibitions using seven L-39 C Albatros jets made by AERO Vodochody Aerospace, a Czech Republic aerospace company. The team is on a U.S. and Canada tour visiting more than 20 cities. Watchmaker Breitling has worked with the Czech jets for almost a decade in showcases and display tours throughout Europe, Asia and Africa.

Michael Thacker, Textron Aviation senior vice president for engineering, says a team has been created to bring a turboprop to market a range of more than 1,500 nm, and cruise speed of over 280 kt.

​Those who regard the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA) annual AirVenture, held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, as America’s national air show, need only point to the tallies of this year’s gathering, held July 19-26, as proof:

Gulfstream Aerospace reports the market for its business jets has been boosted by demand from major corporations companies seeking to replace their fleets. General Dynamics Chairman and CEO Phebe Novakovic says the sales pipeline for Gulfstream jets remains steady across all aircraft models. And the return of S&P 500 companies seeking to replenish aging fleets is especially encouraging.

Redesign of the wing is the major driver behind a two-year delay in entry into service of the Bombardier Global 7000 long-range, large-cabin business aircraft, to the second half of 2018, says CEO Alain Bellemare.

According to the Office of Inspector General, Jeffrey Krantz was charged and pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court, Hartford, Connecticut, to wire fraud for his role in the sale of counterfeit aircraft parts. Among other things, Krantz allegedly bought and sold obsolete electronic parts for use by commercial buyers and the U.S. military.

FL Technics has formed a cooperation with B&H Worldwide. FL Technics provides aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services. The partnership will cut delivery time in half, the company said. FL Technics’s main warehouse, based in Lithuania, manages aircraft spare-part stock in the U.K., Malaysia, Poland, Russia and the U.S. The agreement with B&H gives the company more warehousing capacity, inventory inspection and customs-clearance support. The extended London-based stock will include up to 1,500 part numbers.

Van Nuys Airport (VNY) and Signature Flight Support hosted an open house celebrating the grand opening of the new 1,528-sq.-ft. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility. Since its opening on May 21, 2015, more than 75 international flights have been successfully cleared, providing direct benefits for business travelers, the local economy, and reducing airspace congestion in Southern California.

Commercial aviation’s first touch screen primary flight displays have received FAA certification as standard equipment on Beechcraft King Airs. Textron Aviation now will begin deliveries of the King Air 250 turboprop equipped with Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics.

Aviation Partners has received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification for retrofitting its Split-Scimitar Winglet on BBJ aircraft. The approval was granted to Aviation Partners Boeing (APB), a joint venture between API and Boeing. The STC follows FAA approvals issued earlier this year. The Split-Scimitar Winglet is now standard equipment on new 737NG BBJ aircraft.

Vertis Aviation, based in Switzerland, has added a Doha, Qatar-based Bombardier Challenger 604 to its managed fleet of aircraft. The Challenger 604 is a new model for the company and complements the larger Boeing Business Jet managed by Vertis out of Dubai, the company said.