G500 Fleet Approaches 2,000 Hours, G600 Nears TC

Gulfstream Aerospace’s G500 in-service fleet is already approaching 2,000 flight hours in a little more than six months since the ultra-long-range twinjet entered service. The company handed over the first G500 in late September and the initial 10 delivered have flown into and out of the U.S., Europe, Pacific Islands, Africa, Middle East, and Asia. The flight hours accrued demonstrate the aircraft’s maturity, the Savannah, Georgia-based aircraft manufacturer said.

“From the beginning of the G500 program, we worked to design and deliver a mature, proven performer,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. “As the in-service G500 fleet grows and flies around the world, our customers are proving the aircraft can do everything we promised.”

When combined with time amassed during flight test, the G500 fleet has topped 7,000 flight hours and 2,575 landings. The 5,200-nm, Mach 0.925 business jet is on pace to obtain its EASA nod shortly and has kicked off the Chinese validation process.

Meanwhile, its longer, 6,500-nm G600 sibling is finishing up final function and reliability testing and is anticipated to receive U.S. FAA type certification in the next few months, with deliveries starting later this year. “We're very near the end of flight test,” said Scott Neal, senior v-p, worldwide sales, noting that by early March the flight-test program had accrued close to 3,000 flight hours over more than 790 flights.

Embraer X, Airbus Lay Out eVTOL Design Considerations

Embraer X, the urban air mobility (UAM) subsidiary of Embraer, and Airbus each discussed design considerations for their respective electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) designs earlier this month at Rotorcraft Asia in Singapore.

According to business development director David Rottblatt, Embraer X began conversations with more than five Asia-Pacific regulators, starting with Singapore, late last year to better understand the UAM environment and expectations of the region. “We are here to find out what the communities and regulator expect, and what is the roadmap like for UAM and eVTOL,” he said. “We have engaged all sort of demographics from regulators, pilots, and the communities.”

Embraer X unveiled its first eVTOL concept in May 2018 in response to Uber’s call for the development for its uberAIR solution. “We are taking our time to make sure that our design drivers are right,” he said.

Meanwhile, Airbus head of Asia-Pacific UAM strategy Derek Cheng said the company is in the process of designing its next eVTOL platform, with final design review expected by year-end and first flight to follow within a year. Cheng said the current three design hurdles are the development of a battery pack for flight beyond 15 minutes, the maturity of autonomous systems, and noise levels.

Flightparts Sets Up Bizav Engine MRO in China

Flightparts has set up an engine MRO and testing facility focused on “supporting the business and general aviation industry in China/Asia” at its Gao Qi International Airport base in Xiamen, it said this week at ABACE 2019. Its initial capacity will focus on Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6- and PW100-series engines, partly to support Chinese Avic MA60/600 and 700 aircraft.

“By providing engine services in China, Flightparts can offer valuable engine test and overhaul capability closer to the more than 400 business and general aviation aircraft in the country,” said company director of sales and marketing Lim Chik Kheng.

“Flightparts has acquired invaluable expertise in engine maintenance from its recent acquisition of the TAP M&E Porto Allegre facility and team [in Brazil],” the company stated. “This will ensure world-class operations for repair and overhaul in the growing business and general aviation market in Asia by reducing lead times and costs.”

The company believes that having duplicate operations in China and Brazil is a strategy that will support its further growth “in expanding [our] MRO capability for the next decade.”

Bell’s Lower Quarterly Deliveries Won’t Last, CEO Says

Bell delivered fewer helicopters in the first three months of the year but managed to raise profit even with lower revenue, parent company Textron announced yesterday in its first-quarter 2019 earnings results. For the quarter, Bell delivered 30 commercial helicopters compared with 46 in the first quarter of 2018. Profit at the Fort Worth-based rotorcraft manufacturer was up by $17 million a year ago to $104 million, while revenue slipped 2 percent in the same period to $739 million.

Despite the lower deliveries and revenue, Textron CEO Scott Donnelly told analysts on yesterday's earnings call that he is upbeat about Bell’s prospects going forward. “We saw solid order activity in the quarter with multi-aircraft orders across all our commercial models,” he said. “And we expect to ramp commercial deliveries throughout the balance of the year.”

Donnelly noted during the quarter that Bell received Civil Aviation Administration of China certification for the Bell 407GXi, allowing first delivery of the light single to Shaanxi Helicopter, which has an order for 100 of the type to establish a helicopter EMS and public safety operation in the country.

Bell's backlog at the end of the quarter was $6.3 billion, a $459 million increase from the end of 2018.

Airport Access Continues as Key Asia-Pacific Issue

At a panel session held yesterday at ABACE, participants had some encouraging news for business aviation’s ability to gain access to airports in the Asia-Pacific region, but also some caveats. The session was moderated by Sarah Kalmeta, director of international business-south APAC at Universal Weather and Aviation; Carlos Schattenkirchner, UAS operations director China; Hiroshi Higashiyama, managing director Universal Aviation Japan; and HAI COO Ed Dicampli.

The key point mentioned by all panelists is that business aircraft operators must be patient and willing to put up with roadblocks in the region. “Business aviation is a fast track to the art of letting go,” said Kalmeta, adding that many of the factors involved are “out of your control.” In most Asian countries, business aircraft come at the bottom of the list, after airlines and cargo carriers. Rules and procedures are constantly changing, and it is imperative to use a qualified handling company, especially one that has good relationships with the applicable government authorities, she said.

Panelists also covered upcoming events in Asia and pointed out that different requirements come with each depending on whether it is political or has broader appeal such as the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Japan. “There are different levels of high-traffic events,” said Schattenkirchner. At some events, business aircraft aren’t welcomed, while at other events authorities will roll out the red carpet.

Jet Edge Lays Plans for Giant Step in Aircraft Sales

A few months after Jet Edge raised $60 million in debt and equity, the Van Nuys, California-based charter and management firm is poised to acquire an aircraft dealer as it moves to significantly build on the business of buying and selling aircraft. The company expects to announce the acquisition shortly, and Jet Edge CEO Bill Papariella said, “that will be a big play for us.” It has set aside a separate $50 million to use for its expansion in the dealer business, which it believes will then help feed its management business.

Jet Edge plans to leverage the expertise of the firm it is in the final stages of acquiring, as well as its own aircraft sales history to serve as a dealer. Papariella outlined plans for a full-service shop that works with a network of brokers to sell aircraft.

He said the company would work with aircraft sellers and OEMs to acquire aircraft, provide services related to making an aircraft saleable, and then use the network of brokers to list the aircraft. The brokers would use their own “storefronts” to sell Jet Edge aircraft. In turn, brokers would be able to make referrals for Jet Edge management services. “We believe buying, selling, and dealing airplanes, and partnering with the greater broker-dealer network worldwide is a great way to grow your fleet organically,” Papariella said.

Asia Business Jet Fleet Growth Slows

Poor market sentiment in China amid uncertain economic prospects has dampened the growth for the business aviation fleet in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the Asian Sky Group 2018 Fleet Report. Though the total fleet in Asia-Pacific grew by 17 aircraft, or 1.4 percent year-over-year, to 1,201 jets, the biggest driver for the region’s growth—Mainland China—experienced a decline. In fact, Mainland China saw a reduction of six aircraft last year, or -2 percent, reversing the more robust 10 percent year-on-year growth in 2017, and that in Greater China—which includes Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau—shrunk by 0.2 percent, ASG said.

Last year, Greater China saw 33 new business jet deliveries, 13 preowned additions, and 47 deductions, with long-range jets from Bombardier and Gulfstream continuing to see the biggest movements.

“The slump at the moment is due to poor domestic growth and poor business confidence," said ASG managing director Jeffrey Lowe. “This has caused some marginal owners in China to dispose of their aircraft.” However, he predicts that the “slump” will be short, noting, “I expect sentiment to improve as the year progresses.”

ASG's Asia-Pacific business jet market forecast for the next 12 months predicts fleet growth will rebound to 2 percent, expanding the total fleet from 1,201 to 1,225 jets by year-end.

Aviation Groups Object to FAA’s Pilot Drug Study

Nine aviation groups representing general aviation and airline pilots have expressed their “strong opposition” to a proposed FAA study aimed at assessing the use of medications and other drugs among pilots by anonymously collecting and testing their urine during physical exams. The study replies to an NTSB recommendation to assess the prevalence of drug use among pilots not involved in accidents and then compare that with findings from pilots who have died from aviation accidents. The FAA told the NTSB it was currently finalizing the details for aviation medical examiners (AME) and briefing pilot groups.

In a recent letter to the FAA, the groups call on the NTSB to rescind that recommendation, which was put forward after post-accident autopsy reports suggested an increase in traces of medications and other drugs found in pilots, even though the causes of the accidents were not medically related. Further, the groups contend the study “is fundamentally flawed; will not accomplish its stated goals; does not comply with applicable legal requirements; represents a waste of valuable time, money, and limited resources; and will further erode trust between the pilot community and the [FAA] Office of Aerospace Medicine.”

The groups also raised privacy issues about the study. Besides AOPA, letter signatories included EAA, HAI, NATA, NBAA, three airline pilot associations, and the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots.

Count on AIN for Full Coverage of EBACE

As ever, you can count on AIN for full coverage of EBACE 2019. Our team will publish three of our award-winning daily EBACE Convention News editions at the show on May 21, 22. And 23. We will also have comprehensive real-time reporting of all the top news at AINonline.com and in our daily e-newsletters. If you are an exhibiting company that wants to share news or propose pre-show interviews and briefings please contact show editor Chad Trautvetter.