Wall Street brokers and business jet lenders told a recent JetNet iQ conference on business jets that they expect business aircraft demand to remain soft in the near-term, with no clear indication of when recovery will occur. But manufacturers were more optimistic.
The so-called “Wal-Marting” of FBOs won’t threaten the viability of small chains and healthy independent FBOs, believes the Aviation Business Strategies Group, which tracks the sector.
One hot topic at last year’s NBAA Convention was the transition from the fuel sale-dependent FBO business model to a European version, where fees for service are commonplace. This year, FBOs are talking about adopting best practices from both business models.
Delta Private Jets helped bail out its airline parent this past August when a systems failure in Atlanta forced the cancellation of hundreds of commercial flights and stranded thousands of passengers.
By William Garvey, Fred George, Molly McMillin, Rupa Haria
Ahead of NBAA next week, our editors discuss the state of the business aviation industry, the factors that could help revive it and how retrofitting used aircraft is the next big thing.
The NTSB believes installing a crash-resistant fuel system into existing helicopters would help mitigate the safety risk of post-crash fires in survivable accidents. However, the board is concerned that owners and operators of FAR Part 27 and Part 29 helicopters may be unaware of retrofit kits to do just that.
Introduced to the market in 2012, Pratt & Whitney Canada's PT6A-140 turboprop series has achieved broad acceptance in utility and agricultural markets for both forward-fit and retrofit application on a variety of aircraft.
While it may be wrong thinking, passengers often equate the interior condition of an aircraft with the overall condition of the machine and its systems along with those who operate, manage and maintain them. Worn or stained carpeting, tarnished plating and the usual wear and tear that you might find acceptable may be viewed quite differently by your primary customer.
Germany’s Hahn Air is taking delivery this week of a new Cessna Citation Sovereign twinjet, supplementing two CJ4s approved by IATA for scheduled airline service earlier this year.
Function and reliability testing with FAA pilots aboard is slated to be complete by Nov. 21, 2015, paving the way for type certification by December, with initial entry into service coming shortly thereafter.
Atlanta-based Ascension Air is launching a new personally flown jet timeshare program featuring the new six passenger Eclipse 550 twinjet from ONE Aviation.
