Analysis: Bombardier Dominates Russia, CIS Markets

Nearly a third of the more than 400 private aircraft owned in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States are large-cabin, long-range business jets, according to new market research from Dubai-based business aircraft broker ArcosJet. OEMs leading these markets are Bombardier, accounting for 30 percent of the fleet, followed by Gulfstream with 21 percent market share.

The most popular model in the region is Bombardier’s Global series, which numbers 70 aircraft and is likely to expand as deliveries of the 6500 and 7500 accelerate. “[There’s] no surprise here as we know Bombardier products hold a very strong position in the region with its wide Global long-range lineup and a very successful large and midsize Challenger family,” said ArcosJet CEO and founder Mikhail Alenkin.

ArcosJet said Gulfstream also holds a strong position in the region and expects the new G700 will be a “significant market driver” once the ultra-long-range twin enters service. Additionally, Dassault's Falcon 7X and 8X have “solid representation” in the region, accounting for 30 aircraft, the broker noted.

Despite the region's preference for larger aircraft, Alenkin expects demand for midsize and light jet fleets, which combined currently account for 20 percent of the region’s fleet, to continue to increase. “We see an increase in the midsize and light fleet segments and expect this trend to grow stronger in the future,” he said.

Commercial Helos Drive Bell’s Q2 Deliveries, Revenue

Commercial helicopter deliveries and revenue increased at Bell in the second quarter but profit slipped because of research and development costs associated with its offerings for the Army’s Future Vertical Lift programs, parent company Textron reported on Thursday. The Fort Worth, Texas-based OEM delivered 47 helicopters in the quarter, up from 27 in the same period last year, with “strong demand” and “solid order activity” from domestic and international corporate, private, utility, and EMS operators, said Textron president and CEO Scott Donnelly during an earnings call with analysts.

Revenue for the quarter was $891 million, a $69 million increase from the year-ago quarter. The gain was driven by higher commercial revenue of $99 million, which partially offset lower military revenue. Profit of $110 million was down $8 million during the same period, largely because of research and development costs for Bell’s 360 Invictus and V-280 Valor offerings for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) and Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) competitions, respectively. For the first half, Bell's profit was $251 million on revenue of $1.737 billion.

Donnelly noted that Bell has retired its V-280 demonstrator after completing 214 flight test hours over the past three years. Bell is about 45 percent of the way through the manufacture of an Invictus prototype, Donnelly added.

Dassault Selects GE for Falcon 10X Power Distribution

GE Aviation will provide the primary and solid-state secondary electrical power distribution and control system for the Dassault Falcon 10X, the companies said late last week. According to GE Aviation systems president Brad Mottier, the system for the 10X is a next-generation design that will offer “significant” weight savings compared with conventional architecture through a reduction of equipment.

The system also provides for increased flexibility that will allow Dassault to rapidly implement it for customer-specific configurations. It also features easier in-service modification and implementation, as well as improved maintainability, GE Aviation said. “We’re building on decades of experience producing electrical power systems on military and commercial applications and are working with Dassault to bring the latest technology to market for their customers,” said GE Aviation general manager of electrical power Joe Krisciunas.

All electrical power system certification testing will be done at GE’s Electric Power Integration Center in Cheltenham, UK, using dynamic software modeling, simulation, and analysis to predict the performance of the system and its individual components. That includes full system testing within a copper-bird test bench environment. “By using this state-of-the-art lab, GE will reduce development risk and program time scales prior to aircraft introduction,” said Krisciunas.

Gulfstream Record Flight Earns First Sustainable Honors

Gulfstream has become the first company to receive the National Aeronautic Association’s (NAA) “Sustainable Wings” certification. It earned this certification for its record-setting round trip from its Savannah, Georgia headquarters to San Francisco on July 24 using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The flight in a G500 flown by the airframer’s demonstration team reached San Francisco in four hours and 17 minutes at an average speed of 548.8 mph, while the return leg took a minute longer.

The certification recognizes records that are set using SAF, which is a drop-in replacement for standard jet-A and provides lifetime CO2 emissions reductions over fossil fuels. Operators of record-setting flights achieved using fuel that meets the ASTM international standards for SAF can apply under the Sustainable Wings program, and a special seal will be added to NAA’s certificate of record for the flight.

Gulfstream president Mark Burns noted that the recognition will not only increase the visibility of SAF but highlight its ease of use as the industry works to increase renewable fuel availability around the globe.

“Aviation must become more sustainable and is becoming more sustainable,” said NAA president Greg Principato, adding he believes this new certification will further advance that. “As the official recordkeeper of American aviation for more than a century, it is incumbent on NAA to recognize this and to encourage the use of sustainable fuels and practices.”

Hangar Developer Sky Harbour To Go Public

Private aircraft hangar developer Sky Harbour Group (SHG) will become a publicly traded company after it enters into a business combination agreement with Yellowstone Acquisition Company. Sky Harbour, which aims to address the shortage of private aviation hangars in many areas across the country, seeks to establish a network of turnkey upscale business aviation hangar complexes.

In fact, Sky Harbour recently opened its first location at Houston-area Sugar Land Regional Airport and has additional facilities under construction at Nashville International Airport and at Florida’s Miami Opa-Locka Executive Airport. Other projects are planned for Denver Centennial Airport and Phoenix Deer Valley Airport.

Public holding company Boston Omaha has agreed to provide $55 million in financing for the transaction, which is expected to close by year-end. At that time, the combined company will have an estimated post-transaction equity value of $777 million. Through the deal, SHG will receive at least $150 million investment in cash and securities.

“Sky Harbour is pleased to be entering into this partnership with Yellowstone and the Boston Omaha team to capitalize on the strategic progress the company has made in the past 12 months,” said SHG chairman and CEO Tal Keinan, who will continue to lead the business post-transaction.

Inhofe Pledges Continued Fight against Ligado Order

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) is continuing his campaign to overturn a decision by the U.S. FCC to grant access to Ligado to portions of the spectrum adjacent to those used by aviation and other GPS users, pledging to keep fighting the approval and touting reiterated opposition from the Department of Commerce. The FCC in April 2020 granted approval for Ligado—once known as LightSquared—to use portions of the L-band spectrum next to frequency bands used for GPS and satellite communications.

In a statement on the Senate floor last week, Inhofe highlighted a recent letter he received from commerce secretary Gina Raimondo saying, “There has been no change in the Department of Commerce’s or [National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s] opposition to the FCC’s Ligado order. NTIA will continue its efforts on behalf of the Executive Branch to oppose it.”

Inhofe noted 15 government agencies had petitioned the FCC for reconsideration after its decision. Because those petitions were pending as the administration turned over, he sought to reconfirm them. “This shows, once again, that there is bipartisan concern about the Ligado order,” he said of the Raimondo response. 

Inhofe in June introduced the Recognizing and Ensuring Taxpayer Access to Infrastructure Necessary for GPS and Satellite Communications Act of 2021 (RETAIN Act, S.2166) to ensure Ligado covers the cost of harm. A companion bill was introduced in the House in July.

Satcom Direct Completes MySky Data Integration

Satcom Direct has completed the first phase of integration of the MySky AI-powered spend management program into its flight operations platform. The integration, which comes a year after Satcom Direct announced the strategic partnership with MySky, enables subscribers to access and optimize their expense and operational data directly from the SD Pro dashboard. 

Under the partnership, SD Pro can be used as a single source of data through a centralized system. Graphics generated from MySky surrounding spend efficiency are displayed alongside operations data on the dashboard interface, and users can easily switch between the two as they make decisions surrounding efficiency, budgeting, and asset management, Satcom Direct said. Future integration plans include the recently launched MySky Budget program that provides predictive budgeting analysis.

“The integration of the MySky information into our open-architecture platform provides clear visibility into the complete flight operation ecosystem, from the SD PreFlight planning module through to SD PostFlight reporting, as well as purchasing and invoice management,” said Chris Moore, president of Satcom Direct Business Aviation. “This streamlines all the processes related to flight operations.”

“For jet owners, understanding the real operating costs of their aircraft can sometimes be difficult,” said MySky co-founder Chris Marich. “Together, MySky and SD are providing SD Pro users with clear visibility of operating costs, enabling users to maximize their budgets and make more informed business decisions.”

Brazil’s Azul Joins Carriers Planning eVTOL Service

Brazil's Azul today became the latest airline to announce plans for eVTOL aircraft operations, placing a provisional order for 220 of Lilium's seven-seat Lilium Jet. The deal is valued at $1 billion, implying a $4.5 million unit price for the all-electric Lilium Jet.

Azul and Lilium intend to co-brand scheduled services in a country that typically has around 100 million domestic airline passengers each year. The new operation is expected to begin in 2025. Brazil is a strong market for business jets and also for chartered helicopter flights, which are commonly used to avoid serious road gridlock in major cities such as Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

Under the terms of a commercial agreement that is still to be finalized, Azul is expected to operate and maintain the Lilium Jet fleet and also support the manufacturer’s efforts to secure the necessary type certification and operational approvals in Brazil. Lilium will provide an aircraft health monitoring platform, along with replacement batteries and other spare parts.

The Lilium Jet will be flown by a single pilot and carry up to six passengers on trips of up to 155 miles, cruising at 10,000 feet at speeds of 175 mph. It will be able to take off and land in urban vertiports, as well as at airports where it could provide connections to longer scheduled airline flights.

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