HK Bellawings Firms Up Order for Four Global 7500s

HK Bellawings Jet has firmed up an order for four Bombardier Global 7500s, exercising its purchase rights from a deal signed in September. At the time, HK Bellawings ordered four Global 6500s and two Global 7500s. The total value of the deal, including options for 12 more Globals, was worth around $1.14 billion at list prices. This latest order is worth $291 million.

Five-year-old HK Bellawings currently has a fleet of 25 aircraft, including five Gulfstream G550s and two Boeing BBJs. Last year, it added two G450s, two G650s, and a Bombardier Global 6000. It is also looking to further expand its capabilities and services after seeing a 24 percent year-on-year rise in revenue last year, the Hong Kong-based operator said.

Despite its primary focus on aircraft management, company president Y.J. Zhang believes there are opportunities to delve deeper in the area of maintenance and services. “We have achieved HKAR-145 approval by the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (HKCAD) and could provide more professional and comprehensive maintenance services, as well as undertake third-party aircraft maintenance services within the scope of authorization,” he said. “An aircraft maintenance facility is part of a bigger picture. We are open to appropriate opportunities in investing in MRO facilities and other business jet-related projects.”

ABACE 2019 Brings APAC Business Aviation Into Focus

The opening of ABACE 2019 tomorrow will bring together leaders in government and industry to discuss how business aviation and general aviation can create jobs and economic development in the Asia-Pacific region, NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen said in the lead-up to the show.

Among the keynote speakers kicking off the event tomorrow morning are Jiang Chunshui, party secretary of the East China Regional Administration for the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC); Cai Jun, inspector of the Shanghai Traffic Commission; Yun Qin, chairman of Shanghai Airport Authority; Xin Feng, president of the Shanghai Airport Authority; U.S. consul general Sean Stein; and Weldon Epp, consul general of Canada.

For the first time in ABACE history, the keynote session features a panel discussion between aircraft manufacturers operating in China, moderated by Asia Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) chairperson Jenny Lau. The opening day of the show also features a symposium held by the CAAC that includes leaders with expertise in airports and airspace to discuss ways to improve and enhance infrastructure in China and Asia.

On Wednesday, an educational session on electric aircraft and urban air mobility will be held for the first time at ABACE, and the last day of the show will be the customary student “discovery” day, led by AsBAA.

JetSolution Launches Charter Service with Legacy 600

Hong Kong-based consultant JetSolution Aviation Group is embarking on charter operations as it sees increased demand for such services in the Asia-Pacific region. The company will start operations later this week with an Embraer Legacy 600, which will be on display this week at ABACE 2019.

“We are seeing a lot of aircraft disposal in Mainland China, especially North China, due to poor economic sentiments but also the crackdown on corruption,” said JetSolution Aviation president Jackie Wu. “People are going low-key on owning or flying their own jets. As a result, more people are opting for charter flights.” 

Wu said the company is expecting 60 hours of flight time monthly. JetSolution hopes to add a second aircraft by the end of 2019 and a third by 2020 and is open to considering aircraft from any of the business jet manufacturers. The Legacy 600, N888JK, bears an  N-registration because the company wants to meet what it perceives as the higher standards of the FAA's Part 135 charter regulations.

China allows only six legs flown within the country for foreign-registered aircraft, but Wu said about 70 percent of charter queries are for overseas trips, while domestic flights are usually shuttle services between two cities. Hence, she added, there will be almost no impact to N888JK’s operations from that rule.

Million Air/CJet JV Looks Ahead to Daxing FBO

With Beijing’s new Daxing International Airport (ZBAD) due to debut in September, Million Air Beijing—the joint venture between the U.S.-based FBO chain and Capital Jet (CJet)—is currently at work on what will become its flagship facility. It expects to open in summer 2020 as a second general aviation (GA) access point to Beijing.

Million Air/CJet opened its first facility at Beijing Capital Airport (ZBAA) in January 2016 and serves as the lone FBO there. The location averages about 47 arrivals a day, according to John Bridi, Million Air’s v-p of international operations. Given the facility has 50 GA parking stands, that translates to near capacity every day.

The under-construction FBO at Daxing will have more than 90 parking stands, all consolidated on the dedicated general aviation ramp adjacent to the private aviation terminal. The new airport will also have eight stands that can accommodate narrowbody bizliners, compared with just two at Beijing Capital. In addition, the FBO at Daxing will have two stands to handle widebody bizliners, which the FBO at ZBAA cannot accommodate.

The private aviation terminal at ZBAA is approximately 20,000 sq ft, with in-house China inspection and Quarantine (CIQ) facilities, three private VIP lounges, and concierge services. According to Bridi, the Daxing terminal will be four times larger.

AsBAA Helps to Broaden Bizav Vision Across Region

The Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) has been making organizational changes so it can be more effective in promoting business aviation throughout the Asia-Pacific region, while ramping up efforts to educate politicians and regulators about the value of the freedom to fly from anywhere to anywhere. Speaking to AsBAA on the eve of ABACE 2019, AIN sought to learn the latest on these changes from Jenny Lau, AsBAA chairperson; Gary Moran of insurance underwriter Aon and AsBAA vice chairman; and Phil Balmer of TAG Aviation, whi also is an AsBAA vice chairman (David Dixon of Jetcraft is the third vice chairman).

One of the areas that was addressed recently led to further refining the association’s membership structure, by adjusting categories and tiers first unveiled in 2017 will work better to fit the membership.

In addition, the association set out to incorporate more chapters to reach out beyond Hong Kong to Singapore, China, and the Philippines. Farther afield, AsBAA has also made inroads into Indonesia and Thailand, for example. While the former is now on the back burner, Moran said the current thinking is to have a Mekong chapter to cover Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar.