Talking Points from NBAA-BACE

October 18, 2021

The HondaJet 2600 concept was revealed last week at NBAA. It is an all-new, long-range light jet with trans-continental capability. Where did its inspiration come from?

HondaJet designer and company founder Michimasa Fujino says the inspiration for the potential new family member emerged during work on the Elite–the enhanced HondaJet HA-420 variant. “We became aware of the need for a new kind of aircraft based upon a different market segment. The conditions in the business aviation industry have signaled the need for rapid cross-country travel and the ability to carry more passengers and payload. And the dire necessity of cutting carbon emissions.” Read the full story.

Blackhawk Aerospace has changed “dramatically” over the last two years, writes Aviation Week’s Molly McMillin. How?

It has moved from one company into four. It operates four divisions.

1. Focusing on engine and propeller upgrades, 

2. Technologies for avionics upgrades and 

3. Aircraft maintenance, composites, and 

4. Solutions, including military and special-mission use.  

Read the full story.

Car design firm Aston Martin provides engines for helicopters. Which corporate helicopter manufacturer cites this among one reason it has performed well despite the pandemic?

ACH launched the Aston Martin Edition of its single-engine ACH130 at the Heli-Expo conference in Anaheim, California, in January 2020. Since then, the manufacturer has logged 10 bookings, or orders, including two orders from operators in North America. Read the full story.

Gulfstream Aerospace has added new cabin and cockpit enhancements to the super-midsize G280 it builds with Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI). Do you know what the enhancements are?

The G280 can now be equipped with a plasma ionization system that emits positive and negative oxygen ions to neutralize airborne allergens and pathogens. 

Customers who choose a V3.6.1 avionics upgrade of the PlaneView 280 flight deck, which is based on the Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion system, will gain new features including SiriusXM graphical weather with real-time updates, dual electronic charts, and a surface management system that alerts pilots to unsafe ground and arrival operations and helps prevent runway incursions. Access is also provided to vertical weather and predictive wind-shear information.

In addition to the avionics enhancements, Gulfstream has increased the G280’s RVSM height-monitoring validation intervals to 96 months from 24 months. Read the full story. 

What impact will EVTOL have on business aviation?

There is growing evidence that eVTOLs and an emerging subset of electric and hybrid-electric powered vertical-takeoff business aircraft will not only interact with today’s business aviation sector but could augment it, and even develop into significant new market areas. Read the full story.

Which aircraft based at NBAA's static display in Henderson Field showcased an interior featuring a queen-sized bed?

Dassault Aviation debuted the interior of its Falcon 10X. The firm announced its new long-range aircraft in May and plans to enter it into service by the end of 2025. We created a gallery of interior images. Take a look.  

Can you remember which new aircraft Textron Aviation introduced to delegates at NBAA last week?

Textron Aviation introduced the Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 and Citation XLS Gen2, upgrades to the Citation M2 light jet and XLS+ midsize business jet, the day before the opening of NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas. Read the full story.

Who has Textron Aviation partnered with and what will they be doing?

Textron Aviation and Xwing signed agreement to accelerate integration of autoflight technologies into existing/future aircraft. Read the full story.
 

Why does Boeing have renewed product confidence?

In a double move that Boeing Business Jets says underpins renewed product confidence and market growth, the company has announced the service debut of the first 737 MAX-based BBJ 737-8 as well as the first new order for the corporate variant since the return of the MAX to commercial service in 2020.

“The MAX is very much back for the BBJ, as it is for our commercial partners,” says BBJ president James Detwiler. “We've seen a tremendous amount of resurgence of interest this year, especially over the last six to eight months.”

Read the full story.

Which firm said: “Basically, what the pandemic has also done has shown private business aviation customers the importance of why a helicopter can fit into their lifestyle, be it for private use or corporate use.”

Airbus Corporate Helicopters' marketing chief Nitin Sareen said it. He promised to announce the firm's official results next year for the end of 2021, "but it looks like a stellar year."

The reason? 

“Basically, what the pandemic has also done has shown private business aviation customers the importance of why a helicopter can fit into their lifestyle, be it for private use or corporate use.”

Read the full story. 

Behind the stories from the annual business aviation show in Las Vegas last week. Guess the target markets for the BBJ MAX and Falcon 10X and find out why industry experts believe the pandemic has in fact created more lucrative interest in the segment.