The industry faces an “existential threat” with European leaders pushing for curbs on business and general aviation, industry leaders said this week during Aero Friedrichshafen. But those leaders agreed that this provides an opportunity to present a positive story and a mandate to push forward with new technologies.
Speaking during a panel hosted by GAMA on Wednesday, Nicolas Chabbert, senior v-p of Daher’s aircraft division, stressed that as the industry confronts threats. “We have to educate and evolve,” he said. “We are not a victim. We have to consider ourselves as an industry we are proud of.”
But this is also why new technologies are so important, said Jane Lefley, strategy associate with ZeroAvia, adding it's particularly important to educate governments and the public on the progress of advancements.
Rob Scholl, president and CEO of Textron eAviation, further agreed and said that while this is providing big challenges, it also is “kind of exciting. We're being pushed to do new challenging things that have not been done in decades in aviation.”
GAMA chair and Simcom CEO Eric Hinson opened the GAMA event by also emphasizing the importance of the industry and its global impact, another area where the industry needs to better communicate. “I would contend general aviation is every bit as important as other modes of transportation,” he said.
As an aviation recruiter, I’m often asked about compensation levels for pilots. A typical question is, “What do I have to pay for a mid-cabin pilot?” And I’ll respond with, “How long do you want this pilot to work for you?”
Traditionally, pilots have always been paid by the size of the aircraft—the heavier the iron, the more the compensation. And, conversely, the smaller the airplane, the smaller the pay.
But today, in our highly competitive world of experienced pilots, a mid-cabin pilot simply needs the training to fly that heavy iron. And as potential employees to those flying larger jets, they are extremely attractive.
So, I’ve been thinking for years: is it time to decouple the airplane size from compensation rates? To help me answer this question, I reached out to Chris Broyhill of AirComp Calculator. In addition to being an ATP and having a Ph.D., Broyhill is an expert in aviation compensation data.
His short answer was, “Yes,” agreeing with me that the status quo dictates “the bigger the jet, the bigger the paycheck.” However, he added, “When an operator pays less than the market rate typically dictates, the organization assumes a lot of risk.”
In honor of Earth Day tomorrow, Caribbean charter provider Bohlke International Aviation has launched a new voluntary carbon offset program for its customers. All this week, the St. Croix-based operator—which also runs the lone FBO at the island’s Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (TISX)—is offsetting 100 percent of the fuel used by its air charter division, a fleet that includes aircraft ranging from the Cessna Grand Caravan up to the Dassault Falcon 900EX.
Starting on Sunday, Bohlke’s charter customers can choose to voluntarily purchase carbon credits to offset their flights via a small fee applied to each gallon of jet fuel used. The company will subsidize half that extra cost to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability.
Bohlke will work with Avfuel, its branded fuel supplier, to purchase carbon credits that will be used to support certified environmental programs in segments such as forestry; wind, solar, and tidal power; and biomass around the world.
Based on accepted calculations, one carbon credit offsets the use of approximately 100 gallons (380 liters) of jet fuel. In honor of Earth Day last year, Bohlke purchased credits to offset the emissions for four of its flights. That resulted in the offset of 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and helped fund water purification programs in Cambodia.
Regional FBO chain GateOne will take over as the operator of the lone FBO at Northeast Wyoming Regional Airport (KGCC) starting on July 1. The location, which will mark the company’s fourth facility and its first in Wyoming, was awarded to GateOne after it was selected over five other competitors in an RFP process. It will set up shop as the inaugural FBO in KGCC’s newly-built $3.3 million general aviation terminal.
The 5,500-sq-ft contemporary building features a stacked stone exterior with natural wood, oversized windows, and vaulted ceilings. Among the amenities at the Avfuel-branded FBO are a passenger lounge, pilot lounge, snooze room, 12-seat conference room, and flight-planning area. The facility also has nearly 30,000 sq ft of hangar space capable of sheltering ultra-long-range jets.
“We plan to offer maintenance for aircraft from single engines to turboprops and possibly jets,” said GateOne CEO Thomas Mathew. “We’ll also look at the needs of the local and transient communities and see if we need to build more hangars to attract both customer segments.” Mathew further expects to add a flight school and a small aircraft charter division at the location.
GateOne operates additional facilities at Stinson Municipal Airport (KSSF) in San Antonio, Texas; Utah’s Cedar City Regional Airport (KCDC); and as Chandler Air Service at Chandler Municipal Airport (KCHD) in Arizona.
SmartSky Networks anticipates that at least seven more aircraft models will be approved for installation of its air-to-ground inflight connectivity equipment under supplemental type certificates (STC) slated for completion this quarter. Once an STC is granted, customers of those models can request installation through the SmartSky dealer network, which includes about 20 MROs and OEMs.
SmartSky has secured dozens of STCs already, it said. A Dassault Falcon 2000 had a SmartSky Flagship system installed and was returned to service this month. This installation complements the STC obtained for the Falcon 900 earlier this year. In addition, installation of the SmartSky Lite system, designed for smaller aircraft, is nearing completion on a Bombardier Learjet 60.
Other installations in the works are for the Gulfstream 200/280 and Cessna Citation Excel/XLS (Flagship systems), as well as for the Cessna Citation M2 and CJs, Pilatus PC-12, and Embraer Phenom 100 (Lite systems).
“We’re pursuing an aggressive strategy to get the majority of business aircraft certified for SmartSky as soon as possible because the demand signals we are getting from the marketplace are significant,” said SmartSky Networks CEO David Helfgott. “We are hosting numerous demonstration flights across the country for prospective customers.”
SmartSky added that it expects more than two-thirds of all business aircraft types will be approved for its products by year-end.
This Sunday, Florida’s Naples Airport (KAPF) will embark on a long-term drainage project that will involve temporary overnight closures of Runway 5/23 and portions of Taxiway A.
The project will replace existing open drainage swales alongside the runway with a piped underground stormwater retention system. According to the airport authority, this improvement will eliminate standing water in the aftermath of storms and provide increased aircraft safety while reducing bird activity near the runway.
At a length of 6,600 feet, Runway 5/23 is KAPF’s primary runway and handles the bulk of takeoffs and landings. During construction, it, along with parts of Taxiway A, will be closed between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights until October. During that period, 5,000-foot Runway 14/32 will remain open.
To minimize the impact on customers, the airport authority noted the project was scheduled to encompass the summer months when the pace of aircraft operations is typically lower. The busy season for Southwest Florida is usually October through mid-April.
Austro Engine, a joint venture between Diamond Aircraft Industries and the Austrian Research Promotion Agency, this week launched a program to develop a hydrogen-powered piston engine for general aviation aircraft. The agency, which is known by its German acronym FFG, is jointly owned by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Mobility, Innovation, and Technology; the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs and the Vienna University of Technology.
The partners, who also include Bosch General Aviation Technology, said they intend to develop a bivalent engine that could run on either sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) or liquid hydrogen. The research phase of the project is scheduled to be completed in 2024.
According to Austro Engine, it favors using an ignition jet to initiate the direct combustion of hydrogen in a piston engine on the basis that this will be more suitable for general aviation applications than using a spark plug. The company said this is more pragmatic in that until an assured supply of hydrogen is available, the new engine could run on 100-percent SAF to deliver early reductions in carbon dioxide emissions.
Diamond Aircraft and Austro Engine are already collaborating with Lufthansa Aviation Training to use SAF with existing piston engines. Initial work on the hydrogen engine concept will be done on a test bench as the partners determine the best approach for a possible production powertrain.
The Masters Tournament is one of the most popular events on the PGA tour, and to better serve its customers heading to Augusta, Georgia, earlier this month for this year’s edition, private lift solutions provider Flexjet established a pop-up terminal at Augusta Regional Airport (KAGS).
With Augusta a three-hour drive from the nearest major commercial airline hub, private jets are an efficient way for players and patrons alike to travel there. During the week of the tournament, the temporary Flexjet Exclusive Private Terminal, with its own dedicated ramp space just outside the facility, saw more than 200 owner and positioning flights.
Those customers were given access to an executive lounge where they could relax while awaiting their aircraft, with concierge service and exclusive refreshments replicating the four existing Flexjet terminals established at major business aviation airports across the country such as Teterboro (KTEB), Westchester County (KHPN), Dallas Love Field (KDAL), and Los Angeles-area Van Nuys (KVNY). The company also will soon introduce private terminals at Miami-Opa locka Executive (KOPF), Bozeman Yellowstone International (KBZN), and Arizona’s Scottsdale (KSDL) airports.
Photo of the Week
Touchdown. Reader Dave Sheehy captured this Dassault Falcon 2000 landing at its home base at Plymouth Regional Airport (KPYM) in Massachusetts back in April 2020. Dave said he used a Nikon D7100 camera for this shot and we’re quite honestly impressed with his photography skills. Thanks for sharing, Dave!
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