During the third quarter of 2013 Embraer delivered 19 jets to the commercial aviation market and 25 to the executive aviation market, for a total of 44 aircraft.
During a recent visit with a cousin in Greensboro, N.C., the subject of Honda Aircraft came up. He mentioned how important the planemaker was to the community as a source of jobs, tax revenue and pride. Their jets are apparently very popular, he said. To which I responded, “quite possibly.” A comment he found curious. “Well, they haven't actually delivered any yet,” I explained. “None?!” He was surprised, almost flabbergasted.
Meanwhile, at Timco Aviation Services, located next door to Honda, a group of 20 new graduates from Guilford Technical Community College just completed initial training at the heavy jet MRO outfit. Timco regularly hires from the nearby tech college. And with good reason. Pete Laszca, general manager for the MRO operations, cites the high demand for qualified aircraft techs. That situation is getting a lot of industry attention.
Cessna and Embraer business jets should soon begin rolling out of Chinese factories, but how many of them will Chinese buyers want? (Sovereign photo: Cessna)
With the emergence of a new generation of large-cabin, long-range business aircraft, the industry could be witnessing a sea change in the traditional chicken-and-egg relationship between airframe and engine makers. Unlike previous generations, which use myriad bespoke engines derived from existing families, at least some of the new large business jets will be powered by purpose-designed powerplants, derived from the same all-new cores in development for the next generation of commercial airliners.
Beechcraft Hawker 400XPR Launched in November 2011, this factory upgrade reengines the Hawker 400XP/Beechcraft 400A light jet with 3,200-lb.-thrust Williams FJ44-4A-32s, adds winglets (and optional Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 cockpit), for a 450-kt. cruise and 1,655-nm range (four passengers). First flown in May 2012, deliveries are to begin by year-end. Bombardier Learjet 70/75
Five years after DayJet's ambitious adventure into per-seat, on-demand air taxi operations ended in financial failure, two key components are making a comeback—the Eclipse very light jet and the operations management and optimization software that was DayJet's secret weapon.
The story clearly seems too good to be true. A small, privately owned business jet operator places the biggest-ever order for large corporate jets and conquers the market with its not-so-unusual business model, while others complain about the continuing crisis in European business aviation.
The European Defense Agency (EDA) is preparing for a second series of manned test flights of a sense-and-avoid (S&A) system under development to allow unmanned aircraft to operate in unrestricted airspace. The system is being developed under the four-year Mid-air Collision Avoidance System (MidCAS) program, which ends in 2014, by a consortium of 13 companies from five European nations, including Saab, Alenia Aermacchi, EADS Cassidian, Indra, Selex and Thales.
Five years ago, the U.S. rotorcraft industry was stagnant, fat and happy. It was building the same old helicopters for customers who did not think they needed anything better. Today, the industry is vibrant and developing new designs, but running the same risk of focusing on a single, dominant customer with a shaky record of making and sticking to procurement decisions.
Duncan Aviation is expanding its service capabilities with the addition of a 10th Rapid Response engine location in Portland, Ore., and increased accessory shop space at its facility in Lincoln, Neb. Based at Portland International Airport, the new Rapid Response unit will provide mobile engine services such aircraft-on-ground emergency services, and many scheduled and unscheduled events, including engine changes. The Portland area formerly was served by Duncan Aviation’s response team in Seattle.
Airborne is re-entering the fixed-base operation business with a facility at Stewart International Airport in New York. Airborne created a new subsidiary, Airborne Aviation Services, to run the FBO. Jeff Madtes, who serves as president of Airborne’s charter and management subsidiary, Firstflight, will also serve as president of the FBO. The FBO initially will be housed in facilities at the intersection of Runway 9/27 and 16/34, with the company planning future development of a hangar.
A bill designed to boost the general aviation industry took a step closer to final adoption after the Senate recently approved the measure by unanimous consent.
Aviation industry leaders are trying to ratchet up the pressure to get FAA reopened, saying the continued shutdown is halting thousands of certification projects and holding up billions in aircraft deliveries. National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen sent letters urging President Barack Obama and congressional leaders to either end the shutdown or re-evaluate which services are shuttered, saying the current situation is having “grave repercussions” on all aspects of the general aviation industry.
Almost a year after Embraer flew its first midsize jet, the Legacy 500, the company is preparing to fly its smaller sibling, the Legacy 450. The two models, essentially the same aircraft sized for different markets, are part of the Brazilian airframer’s ambitious agenda to offer a product in every major business-jet category.
AGUSTAWESTLAND Model A119 and AW119 MKII helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0350; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-050-AD; Amendment 39-17583; AD 2013-19-01] – requires inspecting the pilot and co-pilot doors to ensure that the windows are properly bonded within the doors. If the windows are not properly bonded, the AD requires applying bonding to the windows, the seals, and the window frames of the pilot and co-pilot doors. This AD was prompted by the loss of a pilot-door window during a test flight.
Oct. 20–23—ATCA 58th Annual Conference and Exposition, Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, Washington, D.C., www.atca.org/58annual Oct. 22–24—National Business Aviation Association 2013 Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA2013), Las Vegas, Nev., (703) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org Nov. 6-8—SpeedNews 18th Annual Regional & Business Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference, Paradise Valley (Scottsdale), Ariz. www.speednews.com
SAMUEL ADCOCK was named vice president and general manager for American Eurocopter’s plant in Columbus, Miss. Adcock has served as senior vice president of strategy and business development for EADS North America. He has also been senior vice president of government affairs for EADS North America.
The Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) is partnering with the World Food Program (WFP) to launch a new “Fly and Feed” program. While details are still being hashed out, MEBAA will create a program to enable operator and passenger contributions to WFP, an organization that operates under the auspices of the United Nations. The program will be rolled out to MEBAA’s membership later this year.
