Universal Aviation U.K., located at Stansted Airport (EGSS), has completely renovated its 10,712-sq.-ft. FBO. The updates include all-new crew and passenger lounges, a state-of-the-art business center and video conferencing facility, two client meeting rooms, private screening facilities and ultra-modern showers and changing rooms. The facility is home to Universal's ground-support business and its 24/7 European Operations Center, which offers trip facilitation within Europe and globally.
Honda has broken ground for a 90,000-sq.-ft. factory MRO facility on a 54-acre extension of the company's headquarters and manufacturing site at the Piedmont Triad International Airport.
DART Helicopter Services has expanded its office in Hawkesbury, Ontario, consolidating all Canadian divisions under one roof. Before the construction of the new office, the sales, marketing, customer support, engineering, accounting and manufacturing teams were not co-located. The 9,500-sq.-ft. office expansion allows the functions to come under one roof next to the manufacturing facility.
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker says the state-owned carrier will be receiving a demonstration of the Gulfstream G650 and that the carrier is interested in the new aircraft for its executive jet division. Earlier this year, Qatar signed an agreement with Bombardier’s fractional jet provider, Flexjet, to provide access to more than 5,000 destinations that can be reached by private jet.
Business jet sales are expected to reach $250 billion over the next 10 years as a growing number of customers gravitate toward long-range, large-cabin models. But 2013 is shaping up as another flat year as lingering market sluggishness continues to hold down deliveries of small and mid-sized business jets, says Honeywell Aerospace.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is challenging a new report that recommends diverting funds from general aviation airports to commercial airports. The Brookings Institution’s analysis of international commercial aviation in U.S. metropolitan areas is pushing for an overhaul of federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants that takes changes in travel flow and type into consideration.
Cessna Aircraft next year hopes to bring to market a new Citation Sovereign that incorporates many of the same upgrades found on the Citation Ten, now called the X, along with improved range and performance.
Honeywell, named the exclusive wireless airtime reseller for Inmarsat’s Global Xpress Ka-band for business aviation, is partnering with Arinc Direct and OnAir to distribute the connectivity services to the market.
AMAC Aerospace has delivered the first BBJ 777-200LR ever to be completed for a private customer in the Middle East. The aircraft was brought to AMAC by Aviation link, Saudi Arabia, who took delivery of the completed aircraft from AMAC's facility in Basel, Switzerland following the conclusion of 19 months' completion work, involving more than a combined 500000 man-hours.
Gulfstream is a few weeks away from delivering the first completed G650 and G280, awaiting only the supplemental type certification approvals on the interior installations before handing over the first aircraft, company executives say. The company obtained full type certification for its G650 in early September, one week after receiving similar approval for the G280. “We’re marching along smartly . . . We’ll be delivering aircraft here within weeks,” says Jay Johnson, chairman of Gulfstream parent General Dynamics.
Responding to strong interest from customers, Boeing Business Jets is launching a VIP version of the 737-8 from its new MAX range. The BBJ MAX 8 will have the fuel-efficient CFM International Leap-1B engines and Boeing advanced technology winglets, coupling the BBJ2-sized cabin of the 737-8 with a more than 14% improvement in range.
Evergreen Apple Nigeria (EAN) Ltd - which opened the first fully fledged FBO and MRO for business jets in Nigeria in July 2011 - announced today at NBAA an innovative partnershipto work closely with Banyan Air Service, Florida's leading and award winning FBO operator.
The anticipated upswing in domestic use of unmanned aircraft poses a potential threat to U.S. Constitutional privacy rights that federal agencies have been slow to address, according to experts at an Oct. 25 policy forum. The expected increase in UAV flights is being bolstered by national security and environmental interests, local law enforcement, industrial surveillance as well as private owners. Legislation passed in February requires the FAA to integrate drones into the federal airspace by December 2015.
TAC Air added Bob Schick as director-safety and risk management, Tristiene Pickett as director-administrative services and Joel Miller as director-properties.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT Model C90GTi (King Air) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0830; Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-026-AD; Amendment 39-17222; AD 2012-21-06] – requires replacing incorrect gauge wires in certain electrical power wiring bundles, inspecting associated wiring bundles and components for heat damage, and taking all necessary corrective actions. This AD was prompted by reports of incorrect gauge wires used in certain wiring bundles for the cockpit electrical power for backlighting and instrument panel components.
RICHARD GARDNER was appointed regional manager for Duncan Aviation in Australia and New Zealand. Gardner will build and maintain relationships with aircraft operators, management organizations and other service providers in the region, along with closely following regional regulatory issues. Gardner has served as an international representative in New Zealand for Duncan Aviation since 2007. Before that, he served with Air New Zealand and Pacific Turbine. He initially became affiliated with Duncan through his own company, SinglePoint Assist.
Hawker Beechcraft has accumulated 45 flight-test hours on three aircraft for its Hawker 400XPR program and expects to receive the remaining certifications and begin delivery of the first fully upgraded aircraft by the end of first quarter 2013.
Rep. Henry Waxman, the California Democrat who has long sought curbs on operations at Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO), is pushing FAA to speed up efforts to eliminate leaded aviation gasoline (avgas), saying the “devastating health effects” of lead are well documented.
