The Vref Midsize Jet Index -- a compilation of quarterly prices recorded for the Cessna Citation III, Citation VII, Astra SP, Learjet 60 and Hawker 800A over the past 10 years -- shows that the average value of these business turboprops slipped below the $5 million mark in the second quarter of this year and has remained below that benchmark. The dip halts a modest climb that began in this market segment in early 2004. The decline also reflects the relatively flat market for selected midsize jets this year.
The Air Transport Association (ATA), the U.S. airline trade association told the Aviation Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Nov.17., that the airlines are concerned over the impact of Very Light Jets (VLJs) on the safety of commercial airline operations when they are introduced in the near future.
The Vref Midsize Jet Index -- a compilation of quarterly prices recorded for the Cessna Citation III, Citation VII, Astra SP, Learjet 60 and Hawker 800A over the past 10 years -- shows that the average value of these business turboprops slipped below the $5 million mark in the second quarter of this year and has remained below that benchmark. The dip halts a modest climb that began in this market segment in early 2004. The decline also reflects the relatively flat market for selected midsize jets this year.
Pilot Report and Analysis: Raytheon Hawker 4000 Pharmaceutical Flight Support Business Aviation Services Guide Surprise! Spectrum 33 Debuts Russian FBP Evolution Preventing Overruns on Landing
Lufthansa Technik (LT) is preparing for the first VIP A380, even though airlines have booked all the production slots so far. Nevertheless, its completion center in Hamburg, Germany, will be ready, and when the first VIP A380 arrives, Lufthansa Technik will already have had extensive experience helping with parent Lufthansa's fleet of the giant aircraft. LT unveiled its concept of how a complete aircraft could look at NBAA following release of upper-deck concept renderings earlier this year.
Attendance at NBAA's 58th Annual Meeting and Convention in Orlando, Fla. totaled 28,796. The show attracted 1,142 exhibitors, who bought 4,815 10-foot by 10-foot exhibit spaces. Some 110 aircraft were on static display at Orlando Executive Airport. Attendance was down from the 31,259 attendees at the 57th annual event last year in Las Vegas, but the number of exhibitors topped NBAA's previous record of 1,084, set at that same event.
On Aug. 2, 2005, Air France Flight 358 from Paris touched down at Toronto Pearson International Airport, which had been experiencing thunderstorms that day. The Airbus 340 rolled to the end of the 9,000-foot long Runway 24L and continued on, rolling down into a gully where it finally came to a halt and was consumed by flames. All 309 passengers and crew miraculously escaped the fiery crash alive. Preliminary reports indicate the pilot landed long and fast on a contaminated runway and was unable to stop.
Sometimes there's an epiphany, one that presents a path of startling clarity. It can be a gift or a terrible burden, since the result of embrace or of rejection may be life changing for good or ill. As a youngster Frank Robinson had such a moment. He was paging through a newspaper when his eyes fell upon a photo of a machine unlike any other. It was flying but was fixed in place, motionless, by design.
Four Jet Aviation facilities (Bedford/Boston, Dallas, Palm Beach and Teterboro) have been awarded the 2004 FAA Diamond Award for their aircraft maintenance technicians and repair stations. Jet Aviation Teterboro has also received the Maintenance Department of the Year award for 2004 from the Teterboro PAMA chapter .
FlightSafety International has awarded Chad Twogood a scholarship to attend FlightSafety Academy's advanced airline training program. Twogood is the winner of the Top Pilot award of SAFECON 2005, an annual competition held among students from more than 70 colleges.
Walter Extra, veteran aerobatic championship pilot and founder of Extra Aircraft took first place in the four-minute freestyle competition during the 54th annual German Championships in Dinslaken, Germany. He flew in a newly modified, single-seat EA-300S, which is under development . with an experimental Lycoming AEIO 580-X engine and an innovative single-cooler oil system, the aircraft also features the same aerodynamically redesigned cowling as the new EA-300LP. Extra Aircraft is headquartered in Lancaster, Pa.
Larry Mattiello, president of Aero Insurance, Inc, Addision, Texas, has been named national Safety Officer of the Year by the Civil Air Patrol, an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. Mattiello, who holds the rank of major, is a search and rescue mission pilot.
Cessna's Encore is the latest model to come in for an update with new avionics and dual channel FADECs will create the Encore+. Powerplants will be a slightly upgraded ``B'' version of the current 3,400-pounds-thrust PW535A engines. The Encore+ features a Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 integrated avionics suite with many of the same features as on the CJ1+, CJ2+ and the CJ3, which are, according to Cessna, the most advanced available on this class of business jet.
CIT Aerospace, New York, N.Y., announced the appointment of Patrick Henry Dowling to managing director and general manager of the company's Aerospace and Defense Finance division.
Cirrus Design Corp. may build a single-engine personal jet. Alan and Dale Klapmeier, co-founders of the Duluth, Minn. aircraft manufacturing firm, told attendees at the recent AOPA Expo in Tampa, Fla., the new aircraft would cost under $1 million and would be equipped with a Cirrus Airframe Parachute System, similar to those found on its popular SR20 and SR22 piston-engine models. The Klapmeiers "believe this emerging class of personal jet is between high-performance single-engine flight and what is now the new market sector, known as very light jets.
Kansas City Aviation Center (Kansas City) -- Brad Chandler, a 16-year veteran of aircraft sales, has been hired to sell Pilatus PC-12s in Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Originally he wanted to become an Air Force pilot, but circumstances intervened and he ended up a uniformed meteorologist, doling out fronts and winds aloft for his silver-winged brothers of the wild blue. Although not his first choice of careers, the work suited him well. He was good at it.
Engenuity Technologies released the next generation of its VAPS software, the VAPS XT, which enables development of visualization and simulation products, including avionics displays. Engenuity developed VAPS XT in concert with Rockwell Collins, DaimlerChrysler and automotive electronics supplier Valeo. VAPS XT simplifies flight display development.
Cessna Aircraft (Wichita) -- Three new vice presidents have been named in the Citation sales organization. Mike Luethye has been designated vice president, national sales west. Gordon Vieth has been appointed vice president, national sales east. Trevor Esling now is the vice president, international sales. Each of the three men, who have held positions of increasing responsibility within Cessna, will continue to report to Mark Paolucci, vice president of Citation sales.
Nagoya Airport (RJNA) in Central Japan is being aggressively promoted as a haven for international business aviation now that most of the region's commercial traffic has been moved to the new Central Japan Airport (RJGG) south of the city. The airport is owned by Aichi Prefecture, whose governor was on hand at the ABACE show in Shanghai last August with members of his staff to represent Nagoya to the business aviation community.
