Continued strong demand for business aircraft and higher utilization of them provided lift for Textron Aviation’s deliveries, profit, aftermarket services, and backlog in the first quarter, parent company Textron reported today. Citation deliveries totaled 39—up from 28 in last year’s first quarter—while turboprops increased to 31 from 14.
The Wichita-based aircraft manufacturer’s revenue of $1 billion and $121 million profit was driven by higher jet and turboprop deliveries, in addition to aftermarket volume of $61 million. Backlog swelled by $1 billion, to $5.1 billion, at the end of the quarter.
Textron president and CEO Scott Donnelly noted on an earnings call with analysts that aircraft pricing continues to remain favorable and demand is robust for both Citations and turboprops. “It’s across the whole portfolio: jets, King Airs,” Donnelly said. “Momentum continues to be strong.”
Deliveries and orders are largely “U.S. centric,” accounting for about 80 percent of jets and 60 percent of turboprops going to customers. He added that the company continues to see “a fair number” of new business aircraft customers entering the market, “which is encouraging.” Production rates at Textron Aviation will increase throughout this year and may continue beyond that.
Also during the call, Donnelly noted type certification of the Cessna SkyCourier last month and explained that deliveries of the clean-sheet utility twin-turboprop would begin this quarter.
Embraer's business jet deliveries were off by a total of five units from the 13 delivered in first-quarter 2021, but book-to-bill ratio for its executive jets came in at an industry high of 2.5:1, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer said today. The company also reported continued growth in the light and midsize business jet segments.
Commercial deliveries were down from nine a year ago, but Embraer said this decrease was planned as the factory remained largely closed in the quarter as it reintegrated the commercial aviation division following the failed joint venture with Boeing. As a result, first-quarter revenues dropped to $600.9 million, compared with $807.3 million in the first three months of 2021.
However, Embraer officials said they are optimistic about sales growth, including a 12.3 percent gain in backlog for its executive jet business in the quarter, and are maintaining its guidance for the year. Embraer expects to deliver 100 to 110 business jets and 60 to 70 commercial aircraft this year, yielding net revenues of up to $5 billion.
Meanwhile, Embraer remains optimistic about its Eve eVTOL business, saying it is on track to close on its merger with Zanite Acquisition Corp. and subsequent IPO next month with anticipated investments of about $500 million, according to Embraer president and CEO Francisco Gomes Neto.
Diamond Aircraft, which announced plans to build an electric-powered DA40 composite airplane in October, has signed an agreement with Safran Electrical & Power to provide the electric motor system for the eDA40.
“We still have to do a lot of evaluation and development,” Diamond CEO Frank Zhang said yesterday at the Aero Friedrichshafen show in Germany. He anticipates first flight by year-end and basic EASA certification in late 2023 or early 2024.
Safran’s EngineUs electric motor will provide the eDA40 with 130 kW of takeoff power. The powerplant is equipped with an integrated motor controller system, while thermal management is via air cooling. Safran anticipates certification of the electric motor, which will be powered by an Electric Power Systems battery on the eDA40, in mid-2023. A DC fast-charging system will replenish the aircraft’s batteries in less than 20 minutes.
Compared to the existing DA40 piston model, Zhang said, “We expect operating costs for the eDA40 to be 40 percent lower,” Zhang said. Endurance will be about 90 minutes, and the eDA40 will be marketed as a flight trainer and be equipped with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics.
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To address its growing overnight noise concerns, Florida’s Naples Municipal Airport (KAPF) will implement a new policy beginning May 1 to stop aircraft fueling operations on the field between 9:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m.
According to the airport authority, traffic on the field has increased of late. Operations during the voluntary 10 p.m.-to-7 a.m. curfew period have risen by 40 percent, leading to a rash of noise complaints. By limiting fueling in the overnight hours, the authority hopes to discourage flights during the voluntary curfew period. Exempted from the measure are public service operations such as the county sheriff’s office and medevac flights.
To better promote awareness of the noise concerns, the airport has adopted other measures such as adding curfew language to leases and contracts, installing live flight tracking on its website, and publishing lists of the top-10 curfew violators year-to-date and for the current month.
“These steps further demonstrate our commitment to being responsive to community concerns,” explained Chris Rozansky, the authority’s executive director. “Although the airport must remain open 24 hours per day, we hope that more aircraft operators will help us to be good neighbors by observing the voluntary quiet hours.”
Nearly 100 organizations across multiple industries are renewing calls for the Federal Communications Commission to set aside its order that would enable Ligado to access a part of the spectrum in the L-band adjacent to frequencies used for GPS and satellite communications. Marking the two-year anniversary of the Ligado order, the organizations—including many major aviation groups—sent letters this month to congressional leaders and President Biden, urging them to work with the FCC to ensure the order is halted.
Citing “unprecedented opposition across the vast federal and commercial user base of GPS, satellite communications, and weather forecasting services,” the organizations noted that eight petitions for reconsideration of the order are still pending. In addition, Congress has mandated technical reviews to assess the potential for harmful interference that could be caused by the proposed Ligado network, as well as for Defense Department briefings on the issue, they said.
But the groups expressed concern about Ligado's recent announcement that it would deploy its network as soon as September 30, seemingly well before the FCC might address the petitions. “The record convincingly demonstrates that the order is legally and factually deficient, and the potential for harm grows closer on a daily basis, but the FCC may not have the additional information regarding the full extent of harmful interference in advance of Ligado's planned launch,” according to the letters.
Flight Design unveiled plans yesterday at the Aero Friedrichshafen show to begin test flying a hydrogen-powered version of one of its light sport airplanes, dubbed HyFly, next year. A proof-of-concept Flight Design prototype powered by a battery-electric propulsion system has already flown, but CEO Daniel Guenther believes any electric aircraft must have an endurance of at least two hours.
On display next to the Hyfly mockup is a ball-shaped, carbon-fiber tank measuring 700 mm in diameter that can hold seven kilograms of pressurized gaseous hydrogen. According to business development and new products head Mattias Betsch, the HyFly's propulsion system would include a 70-kW electric motor powered by a fuel cell supplied by hydrogen at the rate of about 1.25 kg/hour. Thus a single ball tank could keep the airplane aloft for five or so hours.
A “baffle” battery would provide additional power to the motor during times when the fuel cell can’t react quickly enough. Total weight of the propulsion system, not including the motor, is about 110 pounds. If this were to become a product, the target would be to sell the propulsion system with the motor for about €50,000.
An unusual feature on the Hyfly mockup airframe is a large air scoop on the belly to provide cooling air to the fuel cell and electrical components.
The FAA is accepting applications for its next round of aviation workforce development grants that are awarded to programs that develop a diverse pool of pilots, aviation maintenance technicians, and other professionals. In January, the agency announced the initial grant awards totaling $10 million to 30 schools and organizations.
“The FAA is investing in the future aviation workforce,” the agency said “We are providing grants to academia and the aviation community to help prepare a more inclusive talent pool of pilots and aviation maintenance technicians, to inspire and recruit the next generation of aviation professionals.”
Its grants program was established through the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, providing up to $25 million a year through the Fiscal Year 2023. In the next tranche of awards, the FAA has $10 million available for grants ranging from $25,000 to $500,000 each.
Two notices of funding opportunities have been released for the aviation workforce development awards: one offering a total of $5 million for programs focused on the development of pilots, aerospace engineers, or unmanned aircraft systems operators, and another offering $5 million for aviation maintenance technician programs. Deadline for applications is 11:59 p.m. June 10.
Midwest aviation services chain Carver Aero has added a sixth location to its growing FBO network after it was selected to take over the facility at Illinois’s Schaumburg Regional Airport (K06C). Carver Aero was given an initial five-year lease with an option to renew. Northwest Flyers, which continues to operate its aircraft charter/management business, decided to end its run operating the lone FBO at the airport after doing so since the village of Schaumburg acquired the dedicated general aviation airfield in 1994.
Located 25 miles from downtown Chicago, K06C has a 3,800-foot runway. “Schaumburg is the closest northern airport to the city of Chicago and its three million people,” said Carver CEO Guy Lieser. “We see tremendous opportunity to serve both the local community and Chicago’s business center.”
The FBO is based in the 26,000-sq-ft, two-story terminal that also houses a full-service restaurant upstairs, airport offices, and several other aviation businesses, in addition to a customer lounge and a 20-seat conference room. Open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. April-through-November and closing at 7 p.m. the remainder of the year, the facility has a 6,400-sq-ft hangar that can shelter aircraft up to a midsize business jet. As the newest location to join the Avfuel-branded dealer network, it offers full-serve jet-A and avgas, as well as self-serve avgas.
Carver also operates FBOs in Muscatine, Davenport, and Council Bluffs, Iowa; Janesville, Wisconsin; and Aurora, Illinois.
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