Kansas-based fractional provider Airshare has selected Viasat’s Ka-band in-flight connectivity system for its new Bombardier Challenger 350s and future Challenger 3500 deliveries. The first installation on an Airshare Challenger 350 was completed in July, with others to follow over the remainder of the year.
Offering high-speed connectivity during all phases of flight—taxi, takeoff, and landing—Viasat’s service allows users to conduct video streaming and conferencing, as well as access corporate VPNs from multiple devices at the same time.
“Excellent connectivity is no longer simply a nice-to-have amenity while in-flight,” said Airshare president and CEO John Owen. “Airshare’s service demands a reliable connectivity solution that provides fast speeds and a consistent connection from takeoff to touchdown. Our owners want to stay productive, stream video, and otherwise stay in touch with what's happening on the ground. Choosing Viasat for our new deliveries was an important step as Airshare enters our next phase of growth."
Airshare's fleet mostly comprises Embraer Phenom 100s and 300s, but the company recently added super-midsize Challengers to expand its operations along the East Coast.
The FAA has granted technical standard order (TSO) certification of the 5G-tolerant FreeFlight Systems RA-5500 and RA-6500 Terrain-series radar altimeters. The RA-5500 is a single unit system, while the RA-6500 is for dual installations.
“We have a considerable backlog of orders from operators and OEMs, particularly the advanced air mobility segment,” said FreeFlight president Anthony Rios. “Now having the TSO certification, we are ready to begin product shipments. This is good timing considering the accelerating deployment of 5G networks across the country, which continues to challenge flight safety.”
Under development since 2019, the Terrain-series radar altimeters were designed to prevent interference from C-band 5G cellular telecommunications systems. The new radar altimeters are available for airline, business and general aviation, military, and uncrewed aircraft, as well as rotorcraft. The radar altimeters measure altitude to 2,500 feet and have a service ceiling of 55,000 feet.
According to FreeFlight, “The Terrain series demonstrated that 5G interference rejection enables users to operate aircraft safely, even in close proximity to 5G cellular towers.”
Available to replace existing radar altimeters, the Terrain series includes Ethernet connectivity, as well as an analog Arinc 552 interface, which allows for integration with existing flight deck indicators and components. The RA-5500 and RA-6500 can be installed using an aircraft's existing antenna, control heads, and cabling, but FreeFlight also offers the RAD45 standalone indicator.
With unprecedented funding and a focus on infrastructure, the U.S. aviation community has a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to make airports the best they can be, according to FAA Deputy Administrator Bradley Mims.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill passed last year set aside $25 billion for airport infrastructure, terminals, and air traffic facilities, Mims noted at the recent Virginia Aviation Conference. Forty-six airports in Virginia alone collectively received nearly $77 million for infrastructure upgrades and Dulles and Richmond received nearly $51 million under the terminals program. These projects are providing more capacity, energy efficiency, and accessibility, he said.
Beyond airport grants, the FAA official also outlined some key activities at the agency, including studies at the National Airport Pavement and Materials Research Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on the use of polymers. These materials can make runways and taxiways more resilient and longer lasting, he said.
Research is also under way on landing areas, approach and departure paths, lighting, parking, charging stations, and noise requirements to pave the way for advanced air mobility. “And they’re doing this work with urgency because the FAA is likely to certify several air taxis in the 2024 timeframe,” he said.
Other efforts include taking a holistic look at “smart airports” that use technology to manage and plan operations through a centralized digital environment.
A man with a history of criminal behavior has pleaded guilty in federal court to making numerous false statements on documents to the FAA, including a failed attempt to fraudulently register a stolen business jet. He was indicted in June 2021 following an investigation by the U.S. DOT Office of Inspector General.
Court documents show that in July 2019 Cole Allan Peacock made false statements on an application for an FAA student pilot certificate. Although Peacock was previously convicted of multiple criminal felony offenses, the application did not disclose these details as required. A month later, he forged an FAA flight instructor’s signature authorizing him to serve as pilot-in-command on multiple flights, including flights with passengers. In August 2020, Peacock submitted fraudulent records to the FAA to register a stolen Bombardier Learjet 55.
According to records obtained by AIN, between 2013 and 2019 Peacock was convicted of credit card fraud, grand theft, resisting arrest with violence, bomb threats, assaulting police officers, passing fake checks, felony impersonation of a public official, and misdemeanor reckless driving. He served jail time for some of these crimes.
DOT IG officials did not respond to AIN’s queries for further information.
Fractional HondaJet operator Volato has launched its own aircraft management division following the integration of its purchase of Houston-based aircraft management and charter provider Gulf Coast Aviation (GCA) earlier this year.
Volato Aircraft Management Services will specialize in HondaJets as well as select large cabins and Beechcraft King Airs, which were the previous focus of GCA’s managed fleet. It will provide owners with a full range of capabilities such as crew staffing, payroll, maintenance, hangarage, and reservations. Aircraft can also be entered into the company’s Part 135 charter operations to generate revenue and offset costs. Other benefits include the use of Volato’s concierge team, access to a range of aircraft for different missions, financial benefits from economies of scale, and streamlined reporting.
Atlanta-based Volato, which operates a fleet of 11 HondaJets around the U.S. with an additional 18 on order, has achieved IS-BAO Stage 2 and Argus Platinum safety ratings.
In the four months since the closing of the acquisition, the company has increased its managed fleet by 40 percent, according to Clinton Holmes, former president of GCA, and now president of Volato AMS. “Our new owners have been attracted by the Volato model, our team’s deep expertise, and commitment to safety.”
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I) leaders are backing a bipartisan bill to ensure the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has the authority to investigate commercial space transportation accidents. House aviation subcommittee ranking member Garret Graves (R-Louisiana) introduced the Commercial Space Transportation Safety Act of 2022 (H.R. 8689), with co-sponsors including aviation subcommittee chair Rick Larsen (D-Washington), T&I chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon), and T&I ranking member Sam Graves (R-Missouri).
“As commercial space transportation technology advances, we must guarantee that safety progresses as well. This is the only way to ensure a robust industry and all the benefits of innovation,” Garret Graves said. “This legislation clarifies how commercial space transportation accidents will be handled and how lessons learned will be applied.”
The bill would clarify NTSB’s role in commercial space transportation accident investigations but focus the scope to ensure routine incidents or mishaps do not get caught in that mandate. It would direct the NTSB to update memoranda of understanding with other federal agencies to clarify the responsibilities of each party to reduce confusion and duplication.
“By protecting the NTSB’s independence and mandate to carry out unbiased investigations with safety recommendations, we will strengthen our nation’s transportation system for the modern era,” DeFazio added.
The lawmakers introduced a similar bill last year. Sam Graves said this bill can progress as Congress works on a fuller NTSB reauthorization bill.
Aircraft lighting, cabin management systems, and flight deck safety products manufacturer Heads Up Technologies has acquired STG Aerospace. Based in Cwmbran, UK, and Miami, STG also makes aircraft cabin lighting products, including the first photoluminescent emergency guidance systems. STG also pioneered the LED mood lighting system for aircraft.
“We are thrilled to welcome the STG Aerospace team to Heads Up Technologies to leverage our collective lighting solutions to meet critical OEM and operator needs across the entire aviation market,” said Heads Up Technologies president and CEO Robert Harshaw. “STG Aerospace’s concept-to-certification capability and extensive intellectual property are excellent complements to Heads Up Technologies’ portfolio of lighting innovations.”
This marks the first acquisition by Texas-based Heads Up Technologies since being purchased by JLL Partners in September 2019. Heads Up designs, engineers and manufactures complex cockpit, cabin, and aircraft electrical components and systems for the business and commercial aviation markets.
Charter broker and jet card provider Star Jets International booked $3.8 million in revenue in the second quarter, an all-time record for the company and a 59 percent increase from the same period last year.
For the first half of the year, the New York-based company booked more than $9.3 million in revenue, an 89 percent increase from the first six months of 2021.
Star Jets CEO Ricky Sitomer said he expects to see “skyrocketing” demand for private jet travel and for that “to grow for many years to come. Many travelers who have been sitting on the sidelines, who have now received the Covid vaccine, are looking to get away after being cooped up for so long. We are seeing tremendous demand in Europe this summer. We look forward to our continued success and our hard work to serve our clients with all their private travel needs and we look forward to building a company in the private aviation industry.”
People in Aviation
The Corporate Aircraft Association (CAA) named David Scobey president and CEO, while P.J. Clark, who has been CAA's acting president for the last six months, was promoted to COO. Scobey retired as president and CEO of AT&T Southeast and also served for six years as the chairman of the board of Lipscomb University, was the past chairman of the TBM Owners and Pilots Association, and served on the board of CAA for the last two years.
Million Air has hired Jason Sahl as its new director of safety for its network of 34 FBOs. Sahl previously held roles such as quality, safety, and training supervisor; line service manager; training officer; and operations manager at FBOs near Kansas City and in South Florida. Additionally, he was the former owner and operator of MaxQ, an aviation services company specializing in on-site fuel quality control training for FBOs, operational support, and advising services.
Eric Bollman has been promoted by West Star Aviation to avionics team lead at its East Alton, Illinois (KALN) facility. Bollman joined West Star in 2015 and has been promoted through the years, previously working as an operations manager. He will be responsible for all Falcon avionics projects at KALN.
Burrell Aviation hired John Carver to serve as CEO. Carver’s previous experience includes being deputy executive director of special projects at Los Angeles World Airports from 2016 to 2020 and leading the Land Optimization and Airport Resiliency Task Forces and serving as executive director of VICC USA. In his new role, he will head Burrell's efforts to expand its market position within the North American airport system.
CAE appointed Alan N. MacGibbon chair of the board, succeeding John Manley,who served as a director since 2008 and as chair since 2018. MacGibbon has been an independent director of CAE since 2015 and has served in roles including managing partner and CEO, as well as senior counsel of Deloitte LLP. Additionally, Elise Eberwein and Ayman Antoun were elected to CAE's board as independent directors. Eberwein has more than 35 years of commercial aviation experience, most recently serving as executive v-p of people, communications, and public affairs for American Airlines. Antoun has been general manager for IBM Americas since 2020.
Turbine Engine Specialists (TES) appointed Paul Goffredi v-p and general manager of TES operations and Dave Rassett v-p of sales. Goffredi joins TES after previously holding the role of president and COO at VSE Aviation, as well as several senior positions at the Killick Aerospace Group, Dallas Airmotive, Standard Aero, and Aviall. Rassett was promoted within the company, having previously managed TES operations over the past four years.
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