Cirrus Launches Vision Jet Owner Management Program

Cirrus Aircraft has rolled out the VisionAir program to provide participating Vision Jet owners with pilot, maintenance, and other aircraft management services. The program, unveiled as Cirrus last month handed over the 200th Vision Jet and as new travelers look to step into private aviation, is designed as a turnkey program to provide participants “everything needed to own, operate, and manage” the single-engine jet, the company said.

“Our mission is to make personal aviation more accessible,” said Cirrus Aircraft CEO Zean Nielsen. “Now, more than ever, people are looking for alternative ways to travel, with the added assurance of safety and privacy. We are excited to provide a direct pathway to complete ownership that allows our customers to enjoy all of the benefits of personal aviation while we take care of the details.”

VisionAir includes an on-demand professional pilot, concierge services, complete maintenance coverage, aircraft management oversight, and storage. In addition, participants can receive options for insurance coverage options and professional tax advice referrals.

Certified in 2016, the $2 million Vision Jet created a new category in aviation as a personal jet single, bringing new owners into the jet market. Cirrus last year began delivery of the updated G2 variant, which came with the Perspective Touch+ by Garmin flight deck, and announced the addition of Safe Return emergency autoland system.

StandardAero Launches Bizjet Engine Trading Division

StandardAero has launched a business unit to support business aviation operators with comprehensive engine trading solutions (ETS) that offer options to help extend lifecycles for legacy aircraft. Due to market interest in these services, the company is now providing OEM-aligned engine trading solutions for business aircraft on which the company already performs MRO services, as well as for other major engine platforms.

The new ETS offerings involve aircraft engine sales, lease, exchange, and consignment options for major engine models, with consignment services also including buy, sell, and lease options for third parties for all engine applications. Additionally, the company’s trading solutions include OEM engine parts, accessories, and used serviceable materials.

“We are listening to the marketplace and we look forward to more efficiently serving the unmet needs of today’s business aviation operators,” said Marc Drobny, president of StandardAero’s business aviation division. “StandardAero is taking the lead in this space to help our customers maximize and control aircraft cost of ownership.”

StandardAero is able to work on GE Aviation, Honeywell, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce business jet engines.

FAA Chief Stresses Collaboration at NBAA Town Hall

Yesterday, almost a year after he was sworn into a five-year term as FAA Administrator, Steve Dickson participated in a virtual town hall with NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. Dickson reflected on the extraordinary events confronting the agency in his first year, stressed the need for collaboration, and agreed that rulemakings such as the recent pilot records database (PRD) proposal should not cause unintended consequences. 

Noting that he has worked with NBAA and Bolen on a variety of issues, Dickson said, “That’s a relationship that I certainly value. And I think that it reinforces the importance of collaborating...I am always learning.”

He stressed this input when Bolen asked about the FAA’s approach to the electronic PRD proposal, which has drawn opposition for including corporate flight departments in the applicability. But Dickson told Bolen that “this may be an overbroad solution” and “I’m hopeful that as [we] work through all the comments that we'll end up with something that everyone could embrace.”

The administrator also noted the vast leaps in technology and potential new entrants into the airspace. “It really is an exciting time and we've got to keep our strategic focus,” Dickson said. “It’s really important that we come together and talk about these issues.”

Bluetail App Update Enhances Mx Records Management

Bluetail’s latest version of its business aircraft record digitization platform enhances aircraft records management functions, the general aviation software company announced this week. “With this next release, our goal was to connect aircraft records for our users in even more efficient and visual ways,” said Bluetail co-founder Roberto Guerrieri. “The newest version of Bluetail gives our customers the ability to do even more in just a few clicks, find records faster, and download entire logbooks in seconds."

New features include back-to-birth visual timeline filters that permit viewing of aircraft logbook entries, maintenance records, FAA forms/guidance, and supporting documents by date; ability to transition all records from previous to new aircraft owners; checklist and form creator that can generate aircraft logbook entries and lists, as well as allow e-signatures and upload/attach files to line items; and download and print any combination of logbooks or related records in seconds. In addition, Bluetail's customer support team can now upload documents to specific aircraft logbooks or categories via an internal upload feature.

“We continually listen to our customers and hope that, with these latest improvements, we will make keeping track of aircraft records much easier than before,” said Bluetail co-founder Stuart Illian, adding that these new features are intended to save customers time and alleviate frustration.

Triumph Transferring More G650 Work To Gulfstream

Triumph Group is shifting more G650 and G700 work to Gulfstream as it continues to divest itself of non-core operations. Under a definitive agreement, Triumph is selling program work that includes supply chain management, engineering services, and related tooling, inventory, facilities, personnel, and warranty obligations. This hand-off follows the transfer of Triumph’s G650 wing assembly lines in Nashville, Tennessee, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Gulfstream's Savannah, Georgia, facility.

Triumph had taken on the G650 wing program from Spirit AeroSystems in 2015 but subsequently decided to exit non-core-structures manufacturing. Triumph said the lines in Nashville and Tulsa were transferred sequentially to avoid disruption to the G650 lines.

At the same time, Triumph has negotiated price adjustments for critical G600 composite parts work that Triumph Aerospace Structures has retained at its Red Oak, Texas plant. Triumph did not disclose terms of the transaction with Gulfstream but said the agreement should be finalized in the next few weeks.

"Triumph continues to optimize its program and operating company portfolio in partnership with our OEM customers and strategic partners to reach our future state focused on defense programs, critical systems components, and aftermarket services,” said Triumph president and CEO Daniel Crowley. “We are proud to have supported Gulfstream on the G650 since 2015 and look forward to supplying critical composite parts more suited to our long-term strategy."

Aviation Groups Ask Treasury for Loan Flexibility

Four aviation groups are appealing to the U.S. Treasury Department to provide more flexibility in the eligibility of a direct loan program established for air carriers, saying major segments of the industry are facing challenges accessing the program. Section 4003 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act set aside $25 billion in loans and loan guarantees for air carriers, including Part 135 operators, as well as associated Part 145 repair stations and other support entities.

NBAA, HAI, NATA, and the Regional Airlines Association expressed concerns in a letter to the Treasury Department that most of their members “have not been granted access to the loan program. In contrast, all of the major airlines have received loan term sheets from the Treasury Department.” The groups added that after devoting significant time and resources to apply for the program, “our members have been told to apply using the Main Street lending program.”

A key issue revolves around loan terms require certain access to liquidity. “With many regional airlines and general aviation commercial operators having limited liquidity and few assets to collateralize, we respectfully request additional flexibility to allow these operators access to the Section 4003 loan program,” the groups asked, suggesting the department offer loans for smaller air carriers up to a limited lending amount.

Duncan Offers Free Year of Extra Gogo Services

Owners and operators who arrange for Duncan Aviation to install a Gogo Business Aviation Avance L5 Wi-Fi system can add free Text & Talk and Gogo Vision services for a year. Duncan Aviation holds seven supplemental type certificates (STCs) for L5 installations, and these cover a variety of business jet models such as the Cessna Citation 680; Bombardier Challengers and Globals; Gulfstream G300 and GIV through G450; and Dassault Falcon 900 and 2000.

The incentive is available for a limited time, according to Duncan Aviation, and installations can be done at the company’s main facilities in Lincoln, Nebraska; Battle Creek, Michigan; and Provo, Utah, or at one of Duncan’s 28 satellite and workaway locations. 

Avance L5 delivers 4G connectivity, which allows video streaming, and Gogo recently added the capability to use its network at lower altitudes, down to 3,000 feet in many locations. With Text & Talk, passengers and crew can make voice calls and send and receive text messages on their smartphones/devices. Passengers using Gogo Vision can view the latest movies and TV shows, as well as read digital magazines and access moving maps.  

Duncan Aviation has installed more than 1,000 Gogo systems and the company is also the exclusive AOG service provider for Gogo Business Aviation. Already, more than 180 L5 installations have been done using Duncan’s STCs.

Guimbal Cabri Helicopters Remotely Serviced by Precision

Precision Support Services announced today the completion of multiple remote annual inspections on Guimbal Cabri light helicopters. Oregon-based Precision operates a Part 145 facility in McMinnville and is the exclusive North American distributor for Guimbal Cabri G2 helicopter components and the sole distributor for new aircraft in the U.S.

The group completed the remote maintenance on two Cabri G2s in Texas and California. The Texas client, Kapa Air, required 100-hour and annual inspections while Los Angeles-based Anthelion Helicopters needed an annual and 500-hour inspection, the most comprehensive required on the G2. In addition to the required inspections, several upgrades were installed.

“Despite the inherent challenges of remote maintenance, especially during Covid-19, both projects were completed on time,” said Precision general manager Grayson Barrows. “With no mobilization for the aircraft and minimal downtime, both operators were able to get the aircraft back into service very quickly.”

In addition to selling and servicing Cabris, Precision operates Bell and Airbus model helicopters for the U.S. Forest Service and offers charter, utility, external lift, and tour operations. The company also operates unmanned programs for commercial interests, wildlife and environmental preservation bodies, humanitarian and disaster relief/emergency response organizations, USG national defense, intelligence, and Homeland Security entities.