Bringing together a slate of regulators, fuel producers, fuel dealers, aircraft operators, and OEMs, EBAA today hosted its first European Business Aviation Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Summit. The sessions explored business aviation’s commitment to the environment, detailing how among the several pillars aviation has identified as crucial to its sustainability, SAF is the most promising and most immediate tool available to embark on the industry’s path towards fulfilling its decarbonization goals.
Frank Moesta, senior v-p of strategy and future programs with Rolls-Royce Deutschland, noted that while electrification and hydrogen will have their place, for medium- and long-range business jets the gas turbine will not be displaced anytime soon. Thus, his company has been engaged in testing its engines at ratios of up to 100 percent SAF, he said.
Just as business aviation was an early adopter of air traffic management optimization technologies, many see the sector doing the same for sustainable fuel. “You have a role to play in this challenge to be a pioneer and to increase awareness about SAF,” said Marylin Bastin, Eurocontrol’s head of aviation sustainability. “If we want to reduce the cost related to SAF, if we want to increase the demand, and so on, we need to increase awareness and I think that like for ATM optimization, the business aviation sector can play the role of pioneer and lead by example.”
Sen. Lee Moves To Open Door for Flight Sharing
U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is continuing his push to facilitate flight sharing, introducing two new bills that, among other things, would create a “personal operator” category to enable pilots to fly eight or fewer passengers for compensation without operating as part of a common carrier. The bills, the Aviation Empowerment Act and the Flight Sharing Freedom Act, are designed to foster innovation and correct oversights surrounding limits on a private pilot's ability to coordinate flights via the Internet and receive compensation for the transport of persons or property, said Lee.
The Aviation Empowerment Act act specifies that the term compensation, for the purposes of common carriage, “does not include flights in which the pilot and passengers share aircraft operating expenses or the pilot receives any benefit.” It further defines “personal operator” as a “person providing air transportation of persons or property for compensation or hire in aircraft that have eight or fewer seats, provided that the person holds a private pilot certificate…A personal operator or a flight operated by a personal operator does not constitute a common carrier.” The bill directs the FAA to revise regulations to enable pilots to “communicate with the public, in any manner the person determines."
A companion to the Aviation Empowerment Act, the Flight Sharing Freedom Act contains the same stipulations but stops short of creating the personal operator.
Two environmental protection groups, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Rocky Mountain Initiative (RMI), today announced the launch of the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA). The new group’s mission—supported by founding members that include Boeing, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, Netflix, and Salesforce—is to accelerate the pace towards net-zero carbon emission aviation by supporting investment in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), catalyzing new production and technology innovation, and guiding member engagement in policy-making.
The group’s efforts will include helping members navigate the technical aspects of SAF, including the market and emissions accounting programs; assess SAF technologies and work with other groups to address production hurdles and cost reduction; and establish a transparent “SAF certificate” program that will enable aircraft operators to invest in high-quality SAF to meet their environmental stewardship goals.
Many of these concepts were developed by ICAO and the World Economic Forum’s Clean Skies for Tomorrow coalition. “SABA will build on the foundation of these global efforts and develop a system that enables SAF to grow at the same pace and scale that renewable electricity grew over the past decade,” said Ned Harvey, RMI’s managing director for climate intelligence. “The benefits of investing in SAF will go beyond the aviation sector, creating vast new clean energy jobs and new sustainable revenue sources for farmers and tech innovators.”
IADA Survey Shows Increasing Broker Optimism for Sales
A first-quarter 2021 survey of brokers by the International Association of Aircraft Dealers (IADA) released yesterday shows increasing optimism and improving expectations for sales in the preowned business aviation market over the next six months. While gains in transactions are expected in every category and size of business turboprops and jets in the next six months, the survey indicated they are expected to be strongest among light and midsize business jets.
Brokers were asked to rate their expectations for overall conditions on a floating scale from “worst ever” to “best ever” for sales, finance, and leasing in the next six months. For sales, expectations stayed at “better than normal” between the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of this year. Brokers are feeling better about the aircraft finance market, raising their expectations from “normal” to “better than normal,” while projections for the aircraft leasing market remained largely unchanged at “normal” during the same period.
In conjunction with the survey, IADA also reported first-quarter results from its members, including the closing of 211 aircraft transactions and the execution of 119 acquisition agreements. Also during the period, IADA members had 246 aircraft under contract.
Aircraft charter and management firm Jet Edge has agreed to install Gogo’s Avance L5 in its entire fleet of super-midsize and large-cabin business jets under a long-term partnership. In the deal announced yesterday, Los Angeles-based Jet Edge expects to complete the conversion to Avance L5 by the end of the third quarter.
So far, more than 20 of the super-mid Bombardier Challenger and large-cabin Gulfstream jets in its fleet have been equipped with Avance L5, which allows Jet Edge to tap into Gogo’s 4G connectivity and, eventually, its 5G service. “The Avance L5 system is truly a game-changer for connectivity in the air,” said Jet Edge CEO Bill Papariella. “Providing in-flight streaming and overall faster speed is yet another way we are enhancing and evolving our fleet to deliver an exceptional private aviation experience for our clients.”
Jet Edge’s fleet comprises more than 75 business jets spanning size categories from light jets to bizliners and types including Boeing BBJs, Bombardier Learjets, and Dassault Falcons.
AOPA’s FBO Fee Transparency Crusade Grows
AOPA’s Know Before You Go initiative, aimed at promoting transparency in FBO ramp fee pricing, continues to gain steam two years after it was launched. With hundreds of general aviation organizations—ranging from major alphabet groups such as NBAA, NATA, GAMA, HAI, and EAA, to local flying clubs—signing on, the measure now has the backing of thousands of pilots.
Among the FBO chains, AOPA said only three—ACI Jet, Cutter Aviation, and Wilson Air, comprising 12 locations—have fully complied with the initiative's voluntary pricing transparency guidelines. Signature Flight Support posts its ramp fees for piston aircraft, AOPA pointed out, but not for larger business aircraft such as jets or turboprops, while Atlantic does not post any of its fees or pricing online. Combined, these two large FBO chains represent more than 200 locations across the U.S.
AOPA president Mark Baker estimates that only one-quarter of the more than 3,300 FBOs in the U.S. have thus far adopted the transparency policy of publishing their fees online. “There is a lot of support for fee and ramp transparency at our public-use airports and by working together, I know we can, and must, do better than this,” he said. “Imagine flying on an airline and not being able to find out how much you’ll pay until you land. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Following Launch, Aero Looks To Expand Destinations
Targeting “premium” leisure travelers, California-based startup and public charter provider Aero has added a second destination since launching its first route from Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) to Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (KASE) in Colorado in early February. Started by Uber co-founder Garrett Camp, Aero’s newest destination is Napa County Airport (KAPC) in the Napa Valley wine country. Aero’s wholly-owned subsidiary, USAC Airways 695, serves as the direct carrier while Aero is the indirect air carrier.
Using Embraer ERJ-135s in black livery, Aero aims to provide the “discerning” leisure traveler an experience opposite of what they would get on a commercial flight but at less cost than a traditional private jet charter. One-way fares from KVNY are $1,250 to Aspen and $1,000 to Napa. “There’s nothing really magical about the [commercial airline] experience,” Aero CEO Uma Subramanian told AIN. “The journey is something you have to suffer through to get to your fabulous final destination.”
Subramanian said the February launch of seasonal service to Aspen was successful and, as a result, it is planning additional route expansion for later this spring. “We’re focusing on building out a routing map in the U.S. and Europe,” Subramanian said. “I believe that late 2021 and early 2022 could be an insane rebirth in leisure travel. The demand is super strong and the market is ready.”
London-area Farnborough Airport, ranked as the best FBO outside of the Americas by AIN’s readers for more than a decade, has announced the opening of a new food establishment. Operated by in-flight catering provider On Air Dining, the On Air Café located in the FBO terminal offers premium takeaway meals to airport staff, tenants, aircraft crews, and visitors using high-quality ingredients that, in step with the airport’s sustainability goals, are innovative and environmentally accountable.
From items such as poached salmon salad, roast beef sandwiches with horseradish on sourdough baguettes, and chicken poke bowls with sticky rice and rainbow slaw to freshly-baked cakes and pastries and custom-blended Alchemy coffee, all menus feature locally-sourced produce from the UK. In addition, the cafe is making every effort to ensure the food packaging is 100 percent compostable or recyclable. In its “farm-to-flight” concept, the company even encourages crews to visit its kitchen and meet the suppliers to learn about the food they are serving.
“Working with a brand that aligns with our values and ensuring our customers receive the highest level of excellence has always been our utmost priority,” said Farnborough FBO director Dominic Osborne. “We hope the On Air Café will go on to be the beating heart of Farnborough Airport and are confident that customers will be impressed by their masterful menus and premium service.”
BJT Webinar: Air Charter 101
If you've taken only a few private charter flights—or are thinking about taking your first—you likely have lots of questions. That’s understandable, given how many options and providers exist and how widely costs vary. AIN sister publication Business Jet Traveler is here to help, with a free Webinar on May 4th that will walk you through every step of the process, helping you to know what questions to ask to get the most out of your charter experience.
Business Jet Traveler’s editorial director, Jennifer Leach English, will moderate an expert panel of speakers including AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber and veteran business aviation journalist Charles Alcock as well as Per Marthinsson, EVP Americas and cofounder, Avinode Group, and Michael Ryan, owner, AirPSG LLC, and frequent charter customer.
People in Aviation
Flight Data Systems appointed Anthony Rios as president. He succeeds Darren Privitera, who will remain with the organization to collaborate on developing long-term strategies. Rios has two decades of experience with aviation technology companies, most recently serving as CEO of Avionica.
RTCA appointed Vipul Gupta, v-p and general manager of Honeywell Aerospace Avionics, to its board of directors. Gupta succeeds Michael Ingram, who recently left Honeywell.
SmartSky Networks named David Claassen chief technology officer. Claassen, who holds multiple patents in mobile communications technology areas including modem development and satellite and air-to-ground communications, previously held senior roles with Telepad, WFI, and Nextel Communications.
The Air Charter Association appointed Patrick Lucy as chair of its Next Generation group formed to promote greater awareness of the air charter industry, particularly among emerging professionals. Lucy is the area sales manager for Avinode.
Rolls-Royce appointed Megha Bhatia v-p of sales and marketing for business aviation at its North America headquarters in Washington, D.C. Bhatia has spent 10 years with Rolls-Royce, holding customer business roles within its civil aerospace and marine units and most recently as customer services manager for business aviation.
The Mojave Air & Space Port appointed Todd Lindner CEO. Lindner has more than 30 years of aerospace and aviation experience, most recently as director of Cecil Spaceport for the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.
Blackhawk Aerospace named Steve Cook senior v-p of engineering. Cook previously spent 28 years with L3, primarily in the flight-test department as a flight test engineer and test director and led the company’s weight control board that advised on meeting interior weight requirements.
Bluetail hired Roy Gioconda to serve as v-p of customer success. Gioconda brings 35 years of experience to the role, including leadership positions with Camp Systems, Traxxall, IBM, American Airlines, and Flight Options.
Duncan Aviation named Dustin Johnson component shop supervisor, leading teams in Lincoln, Nebraska, as well as at its locations in Battle Creek, Michigan, and Provo, Utah. Johnson joined Duncan in 2003, initially as a bench tech assistant while he was still in school and since has had positions of increasing responsibility, holding team leader roles since 2010.
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