Business & Commercial Aviation

Government and public disdain for those using business jets is nothing new. There’s been evidence of that aplenty in recent years. But maybe Oprah, Warren Buffett and Jay Z can help set the record straight.

Lessons that have come to light during the ongoing investigation of the May 31, 2014, crash of a Gulfstream IV departing Laurence G. Hanscom Field (BED), Bedford, Mass., center on the importance of checklists, completing all checklist items according to manufacturer guidance and understanding that safety systems can fail, silently leaving the crew unprotected from casual neglect.

Checking It Twice Your “Checklists and Callouts” (March 2015, page 40) is the best-written summary of operational best practices I’ve ever read. I’m printing it and giving it to my pilots. It explains the philosophy I’ve advocated during my entire career in corporate aviation, a segment of our industry that often has many opposing and far-flung ideas of how to do things right. As your article so clearly articulates, we do things right by doing the right things. K. L. Gregory, AvManager, RWBP Inc.

The Pilatus PC-24 took off on its maiden flight on May 11 from Buochs Airport. Just under 1,800 Pilatus staff, all of whom are directly or indirectly involved in the PC-24 project, were there to applaud the business jet as it taxied for takeoff. Prototype P01, (HB-VXA), flew across central Switzerland for a total of 55 min. The twin-engine business jet took off from Runway 7 in just under 600 meters and climbed to 10,000 ft. (approximately 3000 meters) in about 3 min. where the two pilots completed a series of planned tests.

Embraer plans to move all Phenom light jet assembly to its Melbourne, Florida, facility from its plant in Brazil over the next year, the company said. The ramp up of Melbourne production will occur gradually throughout 2015 and will be completed in 2016. About 300 employees now work at Embraer’s customer center, production and customer support at the site. The move is needed as Embraer begins assembly of the prototypes of its new commercial jets, the E2 airliners.

Jet-A and Avgas Per Gallon Fuel Prices May 2015

Editor’s Note: While our regular readers might think they’re seeing double, that’s not the case. The business jet specification and performance tables that follow may at first appear to be a repeat of those published last month in our May Purchase Planning Handbook, but they are not. We received quite a few changes, additions, revisions and corrections within the category after the publication deadline. Naturally, we determined to update the digital tables immediately.

Embraer delivered 32 aircraft, including 12 business aircraft and 20 commercial jets, during the first three months of 2015, the Brazilian-based company reports. Embraer delivered 10 light business jets and two large business jets during the first quarter of 2015, compared to 20 business jets in the first quarter of 2014. Embraer said it delivered 20 E-jets during the quarter, compared to 14 during the same time in 2014. All 20 E-jets delivered so far this year are E175s.

General aviation deliveries in all categories fell during the first three months of 2015 compared to the same period of 2014, according to a new report by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. “The first-quarter numbers show that, while our industry has been gaining traction over the past few years, we face some renewed headwinds in several regions of the world, including Asia, parts of Europe, and Latin America,” said GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce. The general aviation industry is focused on regaining its momentum, Bunce said.

​The first production-conforming aircraft, dubbed P1, is coming together at Cirrus’ facilities in Duluth, Minnesota, where the pressure vessel built at the company’s Grand Forks, North Dakota, facility and shipped to Duluth is being bonded to the tail and other components. Meanwhile, three conforming prototypes — C0, C1 and C2 — are taking part in the FAA certification program and have accumulated more than 400 hr. flight time. A fourth aircraft, a proof-of-concept model called V1, is also flyable.

​The first production-conforming aircraft, dubbed P1, is coming together at Cirrus’ facilities in Duluth, Minnesota, where the pressure vessel built at the company’s Grand Forks, North Dakota, facility and shipped to Duluth is being bonded to the tail and other components. Meanwhile, three conforming prototypes — C0, C1 and C2 — are taking part in the FAA certification program and have accumulated more than 400 hr. flight time. A fourth aircraft, a proof-of-concept model called V1, is also flyable.

​The first production-conforming aircraft, dubbed P1, is coming together at Cirrus’ facilities in Duluth, Minnesota, where the pressure vessel built at the company’s Grand Forks, North Dakota, facility and shipped to Duluth is being bonded to the tail and other components. Meanwhile, three conforming prototypes — C0, C1 and C2 — are taking part in the FAA certification program and have accumulated more than 400 hr. flight time. A fourth aircraft, a proof-of-concept model called V1, is also flyable.

Cirrus Aircraft is expanding its “Vision Center” in Knoxville, Tennessee, after a site search that included 15 states and 30 airport locations, the company said.

The FAA has proposed a $150,000 civil penalty against Ameriflight, based in Burbank, California, for allegedly operating a Beech BE-99 when it was not in compliance with FAA regulations. The FAA alleges that the pilot noted in the aircraft’s maintenance log on Jan. 8, 2010, that water was leaking through a gap in the windshield above the copilot’s visor. The same day, a mechanic “patch sealed” the windshield by applying sealant over the gap , and the company returned the aircraft to service.

Com panies involved in newsgathering, agriculture and rail transport have partnered with the FAA in the hope of extending operations of small unmanned aircraft beyond the limits outlined in proposed rules unveiled in January. CNN, PrecisionHawk and BNSF Railway have committed significant resources to the FAA’s Pathfinder program, Administrator Michael Huerta announced in Atlanta on May 6 at the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International’s Unmanned Systems 2015 convention.

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. has selected GKN Aerospace to produce the wing skins for its G500 and G600 ultra-long-range business jets. In a long-term contract, GKN Aerospace will produce the upper and lower wing skins for development and production aircraft at its Wellington, Kansas, advanced machines structures facility. The skins will be constructed in a single piece, which eliminates the fasteners and joints, and lowers weight and required maintenance, GKN said.

​The FAA has proposed a $1.54 million civil penalty against Air Methods Corp., an emergency medical transport company, for allegedly operating Eurocopter EC-130 helicopters that were not in compliance with FAA regulations. The FAA alleges that Air Methods operated two helicopters on 70 flights carrying passengers for compensation or hire. The flights were over water and beyond power-off gliding distance from the shore and lacked the required flotation devices and flotation gear for each passenger.

VistaJet, based in London, added 10 new aircraft to its fleet during the first three months of 2015 to keep up with strong global demand, the company said. It also plans to add up to 10 new Bombardier Challenger 350 business jets for use in the U.S. over the next two years, the company said.

​ Diamond Aircraft has received European Aviation Safety Agency type certification for its DA62 twin-engine composite aircraft, the company said. It is the largest aircraft in its lineup to date. The DA62 is powered by two 180 hp AE330 Jet-A piston engines from Austro Engine. It is available in two versions, one that will accommodate five people and one that will carry seven passengers. The aircraft has a maximum speed of 201 kt. and a maximum range of 1,314 nm. The order book officially opened at the AERO Friedrichshafen show in April.

Landmark Aviation has begun operations at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport through an equity purchase of Era FBO, a subsidiary of Era Group. The former Million Air facility has been rebranded to “Landmark Aviation.” The 26,400-sq.-ft. facility has the largest heated hangar at the airport as well as pilot and passenger lounges, an executive conference room and 7,000 sq. ft. of office space for rent.

Honeywell, Inmarsat and satcoms technology specialist Kymeta are developing a Ka-band antenna for business and commercial aviation that should offer better broadband service and suit installation in smaller aircraft. It will be the first truly flat-panel antenna for aviation, says Leo Mondale, president of the aviation business at Inmarsat. “The smaller and more compact design will allow the antenna to be installed on a wider variety of aircraft, including smaller business aviation aircraft,” Honeywell says.

Airbus Helicopters has been awarded European Aviation Safety Agency certification for the utility version of its EC145 twin-engine light helicopter. The EC145, previously known as the EC145e, is essentially a civil version of the UH‑72 Lakota Light Utility Helicopter being delivered to the U.S. Army, but equipped for single-pilot day and night operations.

The Pilatus PC-24 took off on its maiden flight on May 11 from Buochs Airport. Just under 1,800 Pilatus staff, all of whom are directly or indirectly involved in the PC-24 project, were there to applaud the business jet as it taxied for takeoff. Prototype P01, (HB-VXA), flew across central Switzerland for a total of 55 min. The twin-engine business jet took off from Runway 7 in just under 600 meters and climbed to 10,000 ft. (approximately 3000 meters) in about 3 min. where the two pilots completed a series of planned tests.

Mooney International revealed its new M10 design to the U.S. market with a full-scale mockup at Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, Florida. The M10 J and T model aircraft were unveiled in November at the Zhuhai Airshow. Mooney is in its final construction phase of a proof-of-concept flight-test aircraft scheduled to fly later this year. This follows the preliminary type certification board meeting between Mooney and the Los Angeles FAA-ACO in February.

Shell Aviation has expanded its refueling network in Germany and is now the exclusive supplier at Saarbrucken Airport in Germany. Shell will provide Jet A1 and Avgas 100LL, and implement its Aviation Center of Excellence program, which focuses on efficient operations and high safety standards, using state-of-the-art equipment and marketing support through the Shell brand. Customers will have access to electronic invoicing and dedicated account managers.