EBAA Calls Greenpeace Report a Distortion of Facts

EBAA is refuting a recent report from Greenpeace that claims “European private jet pollution doubled in one year.” Conducted by CE Delft, the Greenpeace-commissioned study states that the number of private flights increased by 64 percent in 2022 and 87 percent at Dutch airports. It further claims that CO2 emissions from private flights in the Netherlands more than doubled during the time—amounting to 53,000 tonnes—and called for the EU and national governments “to ban private jets as part of a plan to tackle the climate crisis in a more equitable way.”

According to EBAA, this data is incorrect and paints a distorted picture since it does not take into account pre-pandemic traffic data. “The number of European business flights is compared by Greenpeace to a historically low point during the Covid-19 crisis, instead of a regular year without travel restriction,” EBAA said. “This creates an image of explosive growth even if that did not actually take place.”

Pointing to Eurocontrol data comparing 2022 with 2019 activity, EBAA said business aviation activity has grown by 7 percent and has stagnated this year, adding that Greenpeace “systematically ignores the context of business aviation.”

EBAA reiterated the small contribution of business aviation to global CO2 emissions, noting that worldwide it represents just 0.04 percent of the total. It further maintained that the business aviation segment is driving sustainability in the broader aviation industry.

NTSB Questions Wind Report in Runway Excursion Accident

In its recently published findings into the Feb. 21, 2022, runway excursion of a Hawker 800XP, the NTSB raised a concern about the term “instantaneous wind.” The twinjet went off the end of the runway during an aborted tailwind takeoff from Colorado's Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (KASE) after the pilot was unable to rotate. The aircraft overran the runway into snow, substantially damaging the right wing and fuselage, but there were no injuries to the two pilots or four passengers.

When the airplane was cleared to depart, the ATIS-reported wind direction and speed exceeded the aircraft's maximum tailwind takeoff limitation. Aspen Tower also reported a so-called “instantaneous” wind velocity that was less than the takeoff limitation, and this is what the captain used to make his decision to depart. Nevertheless, the NTSB attributed the accident to the flight crew’s “improper decision to take off in tailwind conditions that exceeded the airplane’s performance capabilities, which resulted in a runway overrun following an aborted takeoff.”

The Safety Board noted in the final report that the “instantaneous wind” term used by Aspen is not defined in any FAA publication. “Because the ambiguous term is not defined in available resources, pilots that infrequently operate at that airport are likely not familiar with the definition and potential operational impact.” Despite this concern, the NTSB made no recommendation asking the FAA to clarify the term.

Atlantic Completes Integration of Hawaiian Locations

Atlantic Aviation has completed the rebranding and integration of six former Air Service Hawaii FBO locations into its network. The locally-owned chain was purchased last year by Ross Aviation, which later merged with Atlantic.

The newly-branded locations are at Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International (PHNL), Maui Kahului (PHOG), Kona Ellison Onizuka Kona International (PHKO), Lihue (PHLI), Hilo International (PHTO), and Lanai (PHNY) airports. Later this year, Atlantic will complete the construction of an FBO complex at PHKO that will consist of a 5,000-sq-ft terminal and a 38,000-sq-ft hangar—the first dedicated general aviation infrastructure on the field.

The facilities at Honolulu, Maui, Kona, and Hilo all have U.S. Customs services available. While the signage and staff uniforms at each location now conform to Atlantic’s style, the traditional Hawaiian hospitality will remain, including the presentation of leis to arriving passengers and crews.

“Whether as a destination or as a stopover for international flights, serving customers in the Western Pacific is very important to us,” said Steve Hirschfeld, Atlantic’s senior v-p of operations for the region. “And just as important is doing so in a way that preserves the personality, culture, and amazing environment of Hawaii. I’m proud to say we’ve accomplished just that and we look forward to continuing the rich aviation heritage of the islands.”

Wheels Up 2022 Losses Revised to $555 Million

Wheels Up's stock price continued its downward slide after the company released its tardy 10-K annual report late Friday showing 2022 losses widened by nearly 10 percent from earlier stated results. For the year, the company reported a $555 million loss on revenues of $1.58 billion.

Company shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) closed yesterday at 56 cents, down more than 49 percent over the last month—putting the company on the road to a delisting action by the exchange. This morning, the company announced plans for a reverse stock split to avoid delisting.

In the 10-K, Wheels Up also said it “identified material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting.” However, the filing also noted that the company had more than $500 million in cash at the end of calendar 2022, enough to fund continuing operations for at least 12 months at the current burn rate.

Meanwhile, Wheels Up is continuing to take remedial actions to alleviate service disruptions caused by supply-chain issues, rapidly onboarding a string of strategic acquisitions since becoming a publicly traded company, and aggressively expanding its membership during the Covid crisis by more than 25 percent. It said it expects to continue to post losses this year, albeit smaller ones.

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Universal Aviation Acquires Spanish Ground Handler

Universal Aviation has acquired Andalucia Aviation and its seven locations in Spain. The two companies have had close ties since 2019, when Universal took a minority stake in Andalucia Aviation. Since then, Universal has steadily increased its stake in the company until it became the sole shareholder earlier this year.

Andalucia established ground handling offices at seven airports in Spain: Almería (LEAM), Ciudad Real (LERL), Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaén (LEGR), Jerez (LEJR), Seville (LEZL), Málaga-Costa del Sol (LEMG), and Menorca (LEMH). Gonzalo Barona Jr., general manager of Universal’s Spain unit, said the transition of these to Universal branding will be seamless, with the staff retained at each office. These locations join Universal Spain's existing facilities in Madrid (LEMD), Barcelona (LEBL), and Girona (LEGE).

“Universal Aviation Spain has had a long and tremendous relationship working with Andalucia Aviation,” said Barona. “Over the last year, we’ve upped standards at the seven cobranded partner locations and are now pleased to complete the transition of those locations to fully-branded Universal Aviation locations.

“We began the acquisition of Andalucia Aviation during the pandemic because we forecasted the rebound in leisure travel to Southern Spain,” he added. “We’re thrilled to complete the branding transition in time for another summer of record-setting traffic volumes we anticipate.”

Sparrow Exec Jets Joins Effort To Combat Human Trafficking

Charter broker Sparrow Executive Jets has joined the Blue Lightning Initiative to combat human trafficking. Launched by the Departments of Homeland Security and Transportation, the Blue Lightning Initiative (BLI) is an effort to train aviation industry organizations to identify and report suspected human trafficking activity.

More than 120 organizations—from air carriers to airports and aviation businesses—have teamed up on the effort and more than 350,000 personnel have been trained as a result. The addition of Sparrow expands these efforts on the charter brokerage front.

"This partnership will strengthen our efforts to fight human trafficking in the private aviation sector. It is vital that all general aviation employees are educated on the common warning signs and how to appropriately report potential cases,” said DHS Blue Campaign senior advisor Michael Camal.

Sparrow Executive Jets said it is following the training and reporting protocols outlined by the initiative. “As a BLI partner, we now have the tools to educate our charter team and community members on how to effectively identify and report trafficking," said founder and president Jacquie Dalton. The company added that charter brokerages are well positioned to help fight human trafficking on the private aviation front given their role in vetting all parties involved in charter transactions. “We believe the first line of defense in flight operations is the sale,” Dalton said.

Nav Canada Adding Aviation Weather Information Resource

Nav Canada is leading the creation of a free online resource called the Nav Canada Aviation Meteorology Reference (AvMet). The resource is designed to provide a universal understanding of weather terms significant to the aviation industry. AvMet aims to merge operational and meteorological information. AvMet is scheduled to launch on Nav Canada’s website this summer.

“We will explain the science behind the weather, tie it to real-world events through forecast products and resultant observations, and discuss potential impacts,” said Sophie Splawinski, AvMet project manager, co-leader, and shift manager at Nav Canada. “The way the weather can impact commercial and general aviation pilots, dispatchers, airports, and air navigation services can vary greatly. So, when making decisions that impact a broad range of groups, it’s imperative to have a common understanding of meteorological terminology in real-time.”

Erin Pierce, AvMet co-leader and dispatcher at airline Jazz Aviation, said this tool was born out of a need identified through conversations with pilots, dispatchers, and air navigation service professionals. “We realized there isn’t a great deal of industry cross-training happening between weather forecasters and the people who are making decisions based on those forecasts. Our project aims to bridge that gap by connecting subject matter experts from a variety of fields to elevate everyone’s knowledge,” Pierce said.

Instant Insurance Quotes Now Available for Aircraft Owners

After launching the SkyWatch renter’s insurance program last year, the company is now making its online insurance available to aircraft owners. SkyWatch is supported by underwriter Global Aerospace and enables renters and owners to obtain insurance directly, with no middleman involvement.

Insurance quotes are also available from SkyWatch for aircraft buyers who need to find out how much coverage will cost, according to marketing manager Elad Shalev. “With the tail number, airport code, and proper hours/certifications/ratings to fly the make and model, you will receive an immediate quote even without owning the aircraft,” he told AIN.

SkyWatch also offers drone insurance and is part of a family of products “powered by Voom,” an insurance technology company that insures motorcycles and soon cars on a per-mile basis. SkyWatch is licensed as an insurance broker in the 50 U.S. states and in Canada.

“We believe it is time for the next generation of aviation insurance—faster, easier, and more customized to the needs of pilots,” said SkyWatch co-founder and CEO Tomer Kashi. “Our innovative approach is built on a foundation of data-driven technology and a deep understanding of the unique needs of pilots.”