The two areas of expenses shown here are based on national average annual costs reported by flight departments compiled and analyzed by ARG/US. The figures shown in each cost area are broken down by the six aircraft categories and will be the same for all aircraft of a particular category.
International Communications Group (ICG) developed an interface between its NxtMail Server and Cobham’s SDU-7300 Swift 65 and SDU-320 Swift Broadband Satcom systems, which will enable up to eight on-board Wi-Fi devices to simultaneously access on-board services provided by the Inmarsat high-speed data channel. ICG said the integration of its NxtMail Service with the Cobham SDUs expands the platforms for ICG products, since NxtMail now can be configured to connect to both Inmarsat and Iridium systems.
New Zealand-based aircraft tracking company spidertracks has launched spiderwatch, a flight following component that actively watches over every flight. The company is positioning the system as an alternative to ELTs. Spiderwatch is automatically turned on when the aircraft accelerates through 40 knots. This tells the system to “actively monitor the flight. If the spider tracking device loses power, the system loses contact with the spider, triggering text and e-mail alerts to be automatically sent to recipients designated by the user.
Honeywell’s Avionics Protection Plan offers the following: full coverage exchange and/or repair service for Honeywell-installed equipment that fails to perform under normal use and service. Customers can receive an exchange through the Exchange/ Rental Program or repair of any product by Honeywell or an authorized dealer. No-charge loaners are available while a unit is under repair at one of Honeywell’s Worldwide Support Centers. Normal air freight shipping costs both ways within North America or internationally, within the country of origin, are covered.
Used business jet inventories continue to show signs of stabilization, according to the latest reports from two analysts. Inventories tracked by UBS dropped 2 percent in June after sequential increases in each of the prior 18 months; meanwhile, J.P. Morgan found inventory relatively flat. But both analysts continue to point to troubling indicators. “Despite the decline this time, available inventories are still 48 percent higher from the prior year and represent 17 percent of the installed base,” UBS said. J.P.
Rockwell Collins’ Corporate Aircraft Service Program (CASP) offers corporate aircraft operators maintenance for their avionics and cabin entertainment equipment. Rentals, exchanges, component repairs, comprehensive reliability upgrades, equipment removal and refit coverage are included. CASP also offers one consolidated annual invoice based on a forecast of annual operating hours received at the start of the annual program and covers each aircraft for an entire year.
Manchester, N.H.’s OneSky Jets has bought the assets of Quincy, Mass.-based Jets.com. The sale includes Jets.com’s technology platform, LegFind charter industry portal software and domain, and rights to the Jets.com customer list. Jets.com’s Titanium membership program will be incorporated into OneSky Jets’ Latitude Membership program. OneSky will combine Jets.com technology with its own Cloud 9 platform.
There’s not another current production business aircraft that can beat the Learjet 60 in a time-to-climb contest. With a weight-to-thrust ratio of 2.55:1, you can soar from sea level to FL 410 in less than 18 minutes. It’s also fuel efficient. After level off, its Pratt & Whitney Canada PW305A engines enable the Learjet 60 to cruise at 440 KTAS with an average fuel burn of 1,300 pph.
The “Single-Pilot Question” sidebar to “The Why and When Behind Loss of Control” says “Five of the 59 fatal Loss of Control (LOC) business jet accidents between 1991 and 2007 involved single-pilot operations” (May, page 61). It then goes on to quote a Citation study that says the single-pilot accident rate is 2.7 times greater than that of two-pilot Citations. And fatal rates are 3.7 times greater.
There has been a great deal of talk about the damage that has been done to business aviation by politicians, the news media and ignorant senior executives. I don’t see it that way. Much of the “damage” was the predictable result of companies that leaned too strongly into unsustainable economic winds. When those economic winds stopped, they fell on their faces. Their companies, and their travel resources, have gone through the normal Darwinian process of the survival of the fittest.
Boeing, a member of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group, announced last month that the group has admitted five new airline members, including Alaska, its first U.S. airline member, and said the group will launch a “sustainability assessment” of halophytes, a class of plants that thrives in saltwater habitats. The group, which previously announced research projects on algae and jatropha curcus, said the initial halophyte effort will assess its lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions and socio-economic impacts.
The following abbreviations are used throughout the tables: “NA” means not available; “—”indicates the performance is not applicable; “NP” signifies that the specific performance is not possible.
Aircraft-specific training expenses are shown per-pilot and maintenance technician. The figures are average costs based on quotes from aircraft training suppliers. Pilot Initial: This is a per-pilot estimate for initial aircraft-specific training cost, includes a type rating where appropriate and includes crew resource management training. Maintenance Initial: This estimated cost is per-technician and includes initial maintenance training on an aircraft model.
You awake in the hotel room, turn on The Weather Channel and see red- and orange-colored warning areas promising thunderstorms on your return flight. A last check of the WSI weather screen when leaving the FBO shows the line of CBs growing in size and intensity, directly on your route home. Throughout the flight you keep adjusting the weather radar to pick your way around the cells.
Aircraft are grouped into six categories reflecting similarity of aircraft size, mission and operations. In general, Category 1 aircraft are turboprops and very light jets, 10,000 pounds or less; Category 2 are light jets less than 20,000 pounds max gross weight; Categories 3 and 4 are jets over 20,000 pounds max gross weight; Category 5 are heavy jets; and Category 6 are ultra-long-range jets.
Dassault Falcon Jet celebrated a major milestone with the July delivery of its 2000th Falcon, a 2000LX, at the Bordeaux-Merignac facility. Since the first delivery of the Falcon Mystere 20 in 1965, the Falcon fleet has logged more than 14 million flight hours, and 17 different versions of the Falcon aircraft have been designed, produced and delivered in 67 countries. The 2000th was delivered to Koc Holding. Based in Istanbul, the company is Turkey’s largest and a leader in both domestic and international markets and ranks among the top 50 companies in Europe.
Rolls-Royce has received European certification for the BR700-725A1-12 turbofan that will power the Gulfstream G650 business jet. The European Aviation Safety Agency granted approval on June 23. First flight of the G650 is planned for later this year. The 16,100-pound-thrust engine features a 50-inch fan and 24 titanium blades.
These are expenses that are directly related to operation of the aircraft and are reported as an hourly cost figure. Included are Fuel Expense, Maintenance Labor Expense, Parts Expense and Miscellaneous Trip Expense. The basis for the figure reported is actual operator experience compiled by ARG/US if the aircraft is out-of-production. In the instance of an in-production aircraft with warranty remaining, the figure is based on manufacturer estimates with warranty effect included unless noted otherwise.
At the recent NBAA Maintenance Management Conference in New Orleans, 22 Maintenance Technical Reward and Career Scholarships (TRACS) were awarded to technicians who competed for the valuable training awards. TRACS are open to current and future A&P holders and other individuals interested in developing their technical and professional career paths in business aviation maintenance. Award recipients are able to attend model-specific courses at aircraft, engine and avionics training centers.
Sherwin-Williams Aerospace has expanded its global presence to meet increasing demand in Asia and the Pacific Rim by adding new authorized distributors in China and Australia. The new distributors include Shen Zhen Lubair Aerospace Co., Ltd., with two locations in Shen Zhen, China, and Pacific Dynamics in Artarmon, New South Wales, Australia. They will offer Sherwin-Williams’ entire range of aerospace products including Jet Glo, Acry Glo, Jet Glo Express and Jet Flex. The company’s new product, Fill Bond aerospace putty, also will be offered. Price: Varies
U.S. and European researchers believe an environmentally acceptable small supersonic aircraft is technically feasible, but say regulatory hurdles remain the major barrier to the return of supersonic travel. At a Paris conference in late June to present results from the European High Speed Aircraft program, researchers said small business jets could meet stringent noise, emission and sonic boom constraints and pave the way for a next-generation larger supersonic transport (SST).
Opa-Locka Flightline, the Miami, Fla. FBO that lays claim to being the only such operation in the nation owned and operated by African-Americans, has received a new eviction order from AA Acquisitions demanding the company vacate in 120 days just a week after a stay of eviction issued against a previous eviction order.
The NTSB determined that a Bellanca 8KCAB-180 Citabria piloted by Steve Fossett struck mountainous terrain near Mammoth Lakes, Calif., following an inadvertent encounter with downdrafts that exceeded the climb capability of the airplane. Contributing to the accident were the downdrafts, high density altitude and mountainous terrain. On Sept. 3, 2007, Fossett, the only person aboard, departed Flying M Ranch, a private airport near Yerington, Nev., on a local, personal flight and failed to return.
