Business Aviation

XOJet is placing into service this month the first seven of 12 Hawker 800XPR aircraft the company ordered last fall. The introduction of the aircraft comes as the San Francisco-based operator’s flight hours jumped 30% in 2011 – exceeding the industry average of 5%. “XOJet’s continued growth has been limited by fleet size as demand has consistently exceeded capacity,” the company says, adding it is “aggressively investing in the expansion of its fleet.”

The Southern California Aviation Association has scheduled a Safety Seminar on March 5 the Airtel Plaza Hotel in Van Nuys, Calif. National Transportation Safety Board Member Mark Rosekind is a featured speaker at the event.

Rockwell Collins added a “Briefcase” feature to its Ascend Flight Manager Mobile application for the iPad. The Briefcase module makes trip documents accessible to business jet operators electronically. The company also improved its Flight Operating System (FOS) Mobile application, which provides access to scheduling and dispatch information.

None of four foreign manufacturers has yet dropped out of talks with Chinese fighter builder Avic Aviation Techniques (AAT) aimed at joint development and manufacturing of business jets. It is unclear, however, whether all of the bidders are keen to participate in the whole program proposed by AAT — transfer of a current business jet production line to the company’s Chengdu works and joint development of a large new aircraft, with considerable technological transfer.

Even with the business aviation market mired in recession, development of new turbine engines continues. Rolls-Royce's new 16,100-lb.-thrust BR725 powers Gulfstream's G650, which received its provisional certification in November. Gulfstream plans to begin deliveries of the $64 million flagship in the second quarter of 2012.

The worldwide demand for special-mission aircraft for everything from drug interdiction to medevac is leading to a corresponding need for visual enhancement systems. The increase in drug-trafficking activity in many parts of the world has stimulated growth in the market for smaller special-purpose aircraft engaged in surveillance and targeting of illegal activity. To help meet this demand, nearly all manufacturers of regional/commuter business jets and corporate turboprops now offer variants that can serve in multiple roles.

“We're going to shrink to win.” Scott Donnelly, the chairman, president and CEO of Textron, is referring to his strategy of cutting the company's cost structure while simultaneously investing in new products and chasing new business. The question is whether he will ultimately be forced to execute that strategy on a larger scale. Textron, a 32,000-employee conglomerate and parent company of Cessna, Bell Helicopter, Textron Systems and Lycoming, has come under varying degrees of shareholder pressure for more than three years to sell off underperforming operations.

Combat Aircraft: Growing demand for stealth technology gives Lockheed Martin's F-35 a dominant position in the global fighter market, even if the U.S. cuts the number it buys. And where the F-35 leads, new trainers will follow. See pp. 49 and 54. Commercial Transports: They face new challengers this time around, but Airbus and Boeing rake in orders in a high-stakes struggle for the narrowbody market. Their airline customers warn of higher costs and lower profits in 2012. See pp. 76, 80, 86 and 88.

General aviation aircraft manufacturers are expected to deliver 18,000 piston-engine models and 6,000 turboprops valued at $8 billion and $20.5 billion, respectively, between 2011 and 2020. That is encouraging, considering the protracted slump in output. However, the near and midterm outlook is no cause for celebration.

The civil rotorcraft market is in a recovery mode after dealing with the effects of a global economic slowdown.

Few times in aerospace history can have been as difficult for forecasters as recent months. Things are changing, that is certain, but there are so many conflicting signs that the direction of the industry is almost impossible to project. Debt crises, oil prices, climate change, competition for resources and many other factors inject unprecedented unpredictability into the equation.

With crude oil beginning the year above $110 a barrel, and little prospect of aviation fuel prices coming down anytime soon, the imperative to find alternative sources to ensure price competition and supply security remains strong. But as 2012 progresses, industry is looking to governments to capitalize on the rapid technical progress made in approving bio-derived jet fuels by providing the funding support necessary to scale production up to commercial quantities and bring prices down to competitive levels.

As the business jet market begins to recover from the global recession, the development of new engines proceeds. General aviation continues to be a dynamic segment in terms of turboprop use and product availability. Single- and twin-engine designs are abundant, with more on the way in the next few years.

Slightly recovering is a good description of the business aviation market. In some sectors, stagnant might be a better description. Amid economic uncertainty, the market continues to limp along. Nevertheless, a certain amount of market optimism is justified. The collapse of the general economy and the world's financial markets in the fourth quarter of 2008 presaged an end to what had been a boom for business jet aircraft. New orders became scarce, customers began deferring deliveries, and order cancellations started taking a serious toll on sales backlogs.

Air France

Engine upgrades are a key element of product-line revamps underway at helicopter manufacturers as they work to stimulate a recovery in a commercial market where new-centerline powerplants for rotorcraft are rare events.

Confronted by economic uncertainty and a vexing glut of good used aircraft, the market for new business jets remains largely stalled.

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. only delivered one-third of the number of Superjet 100 aircraft it had planned for last year, yet the ones it did deliver to Armavia and Aeroflot are logging high daily utilization numbers. As it prepares to receive European type certification early this year, the company is increasing delivery volumes and expanding training facilities to ensure smooth operations for new customers.

From 2011 through 2020, general aviation aircraft manufacturers are expected to deliver 18,000 piston-engine models and 6,000 turboprops valued at $8 billion and $20.5 billion, respectively, which is encouraging considering the ongoing slump in output. However, the near- and mid-term outlook won't produce any cheers.

Al Bateen Executive Airport, operated and managed by Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), today reported a 11% increase in overall commercial aviation movements when compared to 2010 and more than 50% increase in visiting business aviation traffic.

Gulfstream Aerospace is showing a G450 here at the static park. The aircraft has proved a popular choice with private aviation users in the region because of its range and cabin size.

Sharjah Airport is set to announce a new deal with private aviation specialist Gama Aviation to increase the business and aviation activities at the emriate's main airport.

The latest part 135 charter operator in Saudi Arabia – Aviation Horizons – earned its Aircraft Operator's Certificate (AOC) just a month ago, and already has grand plans to develop the country's executive aviation market.

As the latest edition of the Bahrain Airshow got underway, one man is feeling positive about prospects for business aviation in the region.

Aviation in independent Bahrain began with a small helicopter unit that formed part of Bahrain Public Security (the former Bahrain State Police), from which today's Police Aviation is directly descended.