Jet Aviation Grows
Jet Aviation added 26 aircraft to its managed fleet in the U.S. since the beginning of 2021, including 11 aircraft that are also available for charter.
A subsidiary of General Dynamics, Jet Aviation manages around 300 aircraft globally, with more than 180 of them residing in North or South America. The company’s charter fleet totals around 70 aircraft, with access to thousands more, ranging from business liners to midsize cabins.
“As travel eases in parts of the world, we have seen a significant increase in demand for charter and aircraft flight and are pleased to confirm the addition of 11 aircraft to our charter fleet,” said Leslie Cheshier, Jet Aviation’s vice president of owner and charter services in the U.S.
Jet Aviation also announced plans to advance its Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) offering with customized documentation review. The company said it established a dedicated PPI documentation review team to enable faster turnaround times for customers.
PPIs are performed to assure an aircraft’s airworthiness prior to a transaction. They typically involve a thorough documentation review to judge the history and technical status of the aircraft, as well as a physical inspection to evaluate its general condition.
“With our own dedicated PPI documentation review team and certified engineers and technicians in all aircraft types, we are pleased to provide impartial and critical evaluations of aircraft to meet our customers’ needs within an agreed time,” said Stefan Verkaik, director of aftermarket services and Aircraft on Ground (AOG) at Jet Aviation’s maintenance center in Basel, Switzerland.
Banyan North Hangars Filling Up at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport
Banyan Air Service's new hangar space on the north side of Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport in Florida is quickly filling up, with occupancy rates reaching 85%, just 14 months after opening.
At approximately 180,000 ft.2, Banyan’s North Hangar H has reached capacity with recent additions of three flight departments and their Gulfstream IV, Falcon 900, Challenger 604 and Learjet 60 aircraft. Each flight department has also leased hangar office space from Banyan, in addition to the luxury hangar.
“One year ago, we were extremely concerned not knowing the future as airlines hit record lows, but little did we know that business aviation activity would take off in Florida,” said John Mason, Banyan’s director of FBO Sales and Client Relations.
Banyan’s MRO department has also expanded its capabilities into the Gulfstream market with one of the largest inspections that can be performed on a G550, a 192-month heavy inspection that examines the majority of the aircraft’s internal structure. Extensive inspection of all major aircraft systems and structures were performed during the examination.
Bombardier Prefers Collins
Bombardier has selected Collins Aerospace as its Preferred Service Provider (PSP) for fleetwide connectivity.
Moving forward, Collins will provide Bombardier’s customers with cockpit and cabin connectivity, offering a streamlined customer experience from sign-up to training, operations and troubleshooting.
As part of the new agreement, customers who subscribe to Collins’ ARINCDirect flight deck and cabin connectivity service can view and manage their connectivity subscriptions through ARINCDirect digital tools, which will be integrated into Bombardier’s digital platform. Customers will also benefit from year-round, on-site connectivity support from ARINCDirect representatives at Bombardier’s service centers.
“Having the ARINCDirect support team co-located at our Completion Center, Customer Response Center and at our service facilities will ensure customers get immediate assistance with their connectivity needs quickly and efficiently,” says Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Bombardier’s executive vice president for services, support and corporate strategy.
Blackhawk's Engine Upgrades
Blackhawk Aerospace reached a total of 1,000 XP Engine+ upgrades sold since the company’s beginnings in 1999.
Waco, Texas-based Blackhawk says its upgrades are designed to “increase the performance, speed, usability and reliability of high-performance turboprop aircraft for a lower cost than buying new.”
The upgrades have been delivered for Caravan, Cheyenne, Conquest and King Air aircraft, all featuring factory-new Pratt & Whitney Canada-made engines with extended time between overhauls (TBO).
Southeast-Garmin's Flight Instruments
Southeast Aerospace announced a new partnership with Garmin International to develop technology to replace instantaneous vertical speed indicators (IVSI) and electronic standby instrument (ESI) units in Part 25 aircraft.
The partnership will utilize Garmin’s GI 275 Electronic Flight Instrument to replace obsolete IVSI and ESI units on business jets including Learjets, Citations, Gulfstreams, Falcons, Hawkers and Challengers.
The lightweight and compact GI 275 is intended to take advantage of the common 3.125-in. flight instrument size, thereby reducing installation times while maintaining the existing aircraft panel. The GI 275 will be available in both an IVSI and ESI version.
Two separate supplemental type certificates (STC) are being pursued by Southeast for both versions of the GI 275. The IVSI STC is intended as an alternative or replacement for the estimated 6,000 Honeywell IVA-81A/D units currently installed in Part 25 aircraft, which are becoming obsolete, with high repair costs and lower reliability. The ESI STC is intended to replace higher-cost ESI and electromechanical standby instruments.
Southeast also announced a partnership with Universal Avionics for a new upgrade for Hawker 800 series aircraft. The agreement will provide an upgrade path for three of the four existing Hawker 800 flight deck variants—the Hawker800A, -800B and -800XP—with existing Collins EFIS 85/86, FCS-80 and APS-85 autopilots, as well as the Honeywell SPZ-800 avionics to be updated to the Universal InSight Integrated Flight Deck.
Constant's SMS High Grades
Constant Aviation has become the first independent MRO business to receive Safety Management System (SMS) Level 4 certification from Wyvern, a specialist in aviation safety risk management and training.
The rating is specific to MROs, and a Level 4 rating signifies a fully effective SMS.
Constant’s functional SMS was accepted by the FAA in April 2021, making it only the fourth MRO out of more than 4,500 in the country to receive that designation.
“The recognition by Wyvern of our SMS affirms our dedication to making the highest standards of safety part of our daily operations,” Constant CEO David Davies said. “This achievement is made possible by ensuring that all of our team members have the skills, training, resources and conditions they need to ensure their safety, the safety of the flight crews and the safety of the passengers who fly on the aircraft entrusted to us.”
Constant also announced it has added three new locations to its nationwide AOG mobile response network. Effective immediately, teams will deploy from Van Nuys, California; Bedford, Massachusetts; and Sugar Land, Texas, bringing the number of U.S. locations where Constant has AOG teams based to 27, marking 28% growth since 2020.
“Our Aircraft on Ground teams can travel from strategically located centers around the country to any airport within hours, if not minutes, to provide critical services that keep aircraft flying safely,” says Paul Witt, Constant’s vice president-AOG operations.
StandardAero Supports Globals' APUs
StandardAero is celebrating its third anniversary as the exclusive Certified Maintenance and Repair Center (CRMC) for the Safran-built auxiliary power units (APU) that power the Bombardier Global 7500 long-range business jet.
Since September 2018, StandardAero has used its 154,000-ft.2 turbine engine repair facility in Maryville, Tennessee, as a Safran Power Units Level III CMRC for Safran’s SPU300 APU. In addition to providing maintenance and repair support for SPU300 APUs, the company performs airframe service and maintenance for the Global 7500, ranging from minor repairs to major alterations, such as paint and interior completions.
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