NetJets Pauses Jet Card Sales as Demand Outpaces Supply

NetJets has “temporarily paused” all jet card sales to “prioritize the exceptional experiences we promise to deliver,” NetJets president of sales, marketing, and service Patrick Gallagher said in a letter to employees earlier this week. This expands on the company’s move last month to similarly pause sales of fractional shares, leases, and jet cards for the Cessna Citation XLS and Embraer Phenom 300 due to “unprecedented demand within the private travel industry.”

Under this latest action, all requests for the NetJets Card Program will be placed on a waitlist, though Gallagher said current pricing will be secured for those joining the waitlist. “In other words, if the pause on cards extends into 2022, anyone on the waitlist will be grandfathered in at 2021 rates and terms by simply executing the agreement with no money down,” he explained.

With the industry seeing record-high flight demand, “It comes as no surprise that those looking to fly private want to fly with NetJets,” Gallagher said. “Despite taking previous actions to slow our sales process, we have continued to see the interest in NetJets accelerate. Having by far the most experience…gives us the knowledge and confidence to navigate times like these and protect the travel experience for the long term.”

Bristow Orders 50 eSTOLs To Launch Air Services in 2026

Helicopter operator Bristow today committed to buying up to 50 hybrid-electric STOL airplanes being developed by Electra Aero for air services starting in 2026, when the aircraft is set to enter service. Under a memorandum of understanding, Bristow will also support the startup in “development of the eSTOL aircraft’s operations, design, and safety features to meet customer, as well as FAA, EASA, and Transport Canada certification requirements.”

In addition, the two companies intend to jointly explore potential new applications for the hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing airplane, with a focus on middle-mile logistics needs for retailers.

The aircraft will feature Electra’s proprietary blown-lift design and eight electric motors, as well as an as-yet-unspecified turbogenerator to recharge batteries in flight. According to Virginia-based Electra, it will be able to carry between five and seven passengers or 1,800 pounds of cargo on trips of up to around 500 miles in all weather conditions. Currently unnamed, the eSTOL model is expected to need a surface of no more than 300 feet to take off and land, allowing it to operate many missions currently being performed by rotorcraft.

The move marks a significant departure for Bristow, which today operates a worldwide fleet of around 240 rotorcraft, mainly serving customers in the oil and gas sector, as well as providing services such as search-and-rescue for governments and civil organizations.

Want more? You can find a longer version of this article at FutureFlight.aero, a news and information resource developed by AIN to provide objective coverage and analysis of cutting-edge aviation technology.

WingX: Global Bizjet Activity Set To Pass 2019 Levels

Global business jet activity is now on pace to surpass 2019 levels, the previous high-water mark for the industry, according to WingX. In its latest Global Market Tracker report, WingX noted that business jets had flown just under 2.9 million sectors to date this year, marking a 3 percent increase over the same period in 2019 and a 70 percent jump from a year ago. However, activity has eased a bit during August, a trend WingX attributes to concerns surrounding the Covid-19 delta variant.

In Europe, business jet travel this month is up by 25 percent compared with August 2019. France, Germany, and Spain have been the top markets, WingX said, where they “have all seen records broken by more than 20 percent.” UK operations are 10 percent more than in August 2019 and Greece arrivals are up 28 percent.

Delta variant concerns have ebbed flight activity in North America, WingX added, but operations are still up 16 percent through August 24. While year-to-date business jet activity is 3 percent ahead of 2019, turboprop flying has been down 10 percent. That brought the trend for overall business aviation activity to a 1 percent improvement thus far over 2019.

Fifth Global Arrives at Saab for GlobalEye Conversion

Bombardier handed over a fifth Global business jet to Swedish defense supplier Saab for the GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning and Control program. Saab originally selected the Global 6000 for the Airborne Early Warning and Control program, and the initial aircraft converted to GlobalEye configuration completed its first flight in 2018. Since then, Saab has delivered three fully converted GlobalEyes to end customer United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defense. The UAE upped the firm order to five copies late last year.

The fifth aircraft first underwent interior completions work at Flying Colours in Peterborough, Ontario, before arriving at Saab’s facility in Linköping, Sweden, for the special mission conversion. Saab equips the Globals with its Erieye Extended Range radar, as well as an advanced suite of sensors and a multi-domain command and control system. The aircraft can be used for air, maritime, and ground surveillance with more than 11 hours of endurance and the ability to get in and out of 6,500-foot runways, Saab said.

“Bombardier Globals are ideally suited for conversion into specialized assets,” said Steve Patrick, v-p of specialized aircraft for Bombardier. “Our Global 6000 and increasingly its successor, our Global 6500, are known as the go-to platforms for high-altitude, long-endurance missions that require significant payload capability with ample available power, hosted on a reliable platform featuring advanced avionics and systems technology.”

ATP, Flightdocs Plan Further Growth with New Investment

A little more than a year after acquiring Flightdocs, aviation software and information service provider ATP said it has received a “significant growth investment” from private equity firm Accel-KKR (AKKR), hastening ATP’s growth including through mergers and acquisitions. Accel-KKR partnered with ATP owner and investor ParkerGale on the Flightdocs acquisition last June.

“Since AKKR’s initial investment in the company, we have seen up-close the sizable opportunities for ATP together with Flightdocs, and for the aviation software industry at large,” said AKKR managing director Dean Jacobson. “Our new investment today represents a strong continued vote of confidence in ATP, and in the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for the aviation software industry at large.”

ATP completed the integration of its products with Flightdocs’s maintenance-tracking platform last fall, enabling Flightdocs users to link to the ATP Aviation Hub that comprises more than 1,700 technical publications from 90 original equipment manufacturers, as well as FAA and EASA regulatory documents.  

“In our 50 years, we have a singular mission to make aviation safer and more reliable through innovative maintenance and diagnostic solutions,” said ATP CEO Rick Noble. “Now with the additional investment and resources from Accel-KKR, along with the continued support from ParkerGale, the company is ready to write its next chapter, which is to harness its product leadership for accelerated growth.”

FAA Alerts Operators on Visual Approach Risks

The FAA is advising operators to remain aware of risks associated with visual approaches, noting that assessments have found such procedures a common contributing factor in incorrect airport surface approaches and landings as well as other excursion events.

In a recent Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO 21005), the FAA noted that air traffic control may clear pilots for visual approaches to expedite traffic but said, “This expediency must be balanced with safety. It is the pilot’s responsibility…to advise ATC as soon as possible if a visual approach is not desired.” An FAA assessment found “the risk of experiencing a Class B airspace excursion and/or a wrong surface event was greatly increased where visual approach clearances were accepted.”

The FAA advised operators to use visual approaches judiciously and consider requesting instrument approaches to reduce the likelihood of lining up on the wrong runway or on a taxiway. If a visual approach is used, the FAA said operators must strictly adhere to their standard operating procedures, use navigational aids associated with the assigned runway, and maintain a stabilized approach. Further, operators should ensure that training programs include scenario-based modules that emphasize risk-mitigation strategies and best practices.

NBAA, highlighting the SAFO, noted the importance that pilots remain well-versed in visual approaches given the far higher number of business aircraft operations at non-towered airports.

Air Charter Expo Confirms Aircraft Static Display List

The Air Charter Association (ACA) today announced some of the business aircraft models that have been confirmed to be on static display next month at Air Charter Expo (ACE) 2021, which will be held on September 14 at London Biggin Hill Airport. Aircraft slated to be on static display at the event include a Leonardo A109; Beechcraft King Air 200; Boeing BBJ; Bombardier Challenger 605 and Global 5000 and 7500; Cessna Citation XLS; Dassault Falcon 8X and 2000S; Gulfstream G450; HondaJet; Piaggio Avanti; and Pilatus PC-12 and PC-24.

In addition, ACE 2021 will showcase more than 50 booth exhibits from aviation companies across the industry spectrum. The conference program consists of an ACA-hosted morning session that will address the state of the charter industry and other key topics such as EU operations and illegal charter, followed by an afternoon session dedicated to sustainable aviation, including electric/hybrid aircraft technology.

“With just three weeks to go, our one-day event will be a fantastic opportunity for the global business aviation community, operators, brokers, and suppliers to reconnect in person,” said ACA CEO Glenn Hogben. “We have everything on one site, and the ability to step onboard aircraft and reestablish relationships is a prospect we are very excited about.”

Hangar Developer Sky Harbour Receives $166M in Bond Sale

Sky Harbour, a developer of business aviation hangar campuses, has secured $166.34 million in financing through the sale of bonds from its subsidiary, Sky Harbour Capital. Bond proceeds and a $68 million equity investment will be used to refinance debt and fund eight existing hangars and 74 new hangars in various stages of development at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, Sugar Land Regional Airport in Texas, Nashville International Airport, Centennial Airport in Denver, and Phoenix Deer Valley Airport.

Concurrent with the closing of the bond transaction, Boston Omaha will invest $55 million in Sky Harbour’s merger with special purpose acquisition company Yellowstone Acquisition Co. The business combination will allow Sky Harbour to become a publicly-traded company.

The sale of Series 2021 private activity tax-exempt bonds through Public Finance Authority has received “significant investor interest,” according to Sky Harbour, with nearly $1 billion in orders from more than 30 institutional investors. Goldman Sachs is the lead book-runner and Barclays Capital is the co-managing underwriter in the bond sale.

Sky Harbour said the bond issuance comprises unrated senior fixed-rate tax-exempt bonds with three term maturities—in 2036, 2041, and 2054, with principal amortization from 2032 through 2054. The term bonds were priced to yield 3.80 percent in 2036, 4 percent in 2041, and 4.25 percent in 2054. The bonds are expected to be issued in mid-September.