California-based private aviation services provider Clay Lacy Aviation has become the first company certified under NATA’s recently launched Sustainability Standard for Aviation Businesses program. The free, voluntary program encourages aviation businesses and airports to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, increase the use of more environmentally friendly energy sources, and reduce waste operation-wide, with a self-certification process that is flexible in terms of its implementation and certification methods.
“NATA provides members of the business aviation community with practical tools to operate safely, improve service, and foster organization-wide sustainable practices,” explained NATA president and CEO Tim Obitts. “Clay Lacy Aviation’s innovative sustainability initiatives are a great example for the industry, and we congratulate them for being the first business aviation company to qualify for certification.”
“A lot of time and energy has been invested by NATA staff and their environmental committee to develop this standard and the tools that will help aviation businesses incorporate more sustainable practices,” added Scott Cutshall, Clay Lacy’s senior v-p of development and sustainability. “This certification is an important next step in our journey toward sustainable operations.”
A little more than six months after acquiring maintenance tracking provider SierraTrax, Jet Support Services Inc. (JSSI) has taken on an even bigger purchase: Montreal-based Traxxall, a provider of aircraft maintenance tracking, parts inventory management, and cloud-based MRO workflow software services. “This business combination presents an exciting opportunity to deliver huge value to our customers and dramatically accelerate the growth trajectory for both companies,” said JSSI CEO Neil Book.
Traxxall staff will join JSSI’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) division, which includes SierraTrax and reports to JSSI COO Ash Reddy.
Traxall president Mark Steinbeck said the acquisition allows Traxxall to further develop and enhance its products and capture a larger segment of the business aviation industry. “With direct access to JSSI’s data and capabilities, we will rapidly grow the maintenance tracking business alongside the SierraTrax brand and deliver advanced maintenance tracking solutions to a wider cross-section of the business aviation community,” he added.
The SaaS division builds upon JSSI’s other businesses, including JSSI Parts & Leasing, which provides aircraft parts, engines, and APUs to hundreds of business jet operators, and Conklin & de Decker, a provider of performance and comparison data for benchmarking and comparing aircraft ownership options.
Avfuel Corp. owner, president, and CEO Craig Sincock will be among those honored at the 19th annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards, which will be held next month in Los Angeles. The gala ceremony will be held on January 21 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.
Sincock, who acquired global fuel provider Avfuel nearly four decades ago, will receive the Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award for his vision to disrupt and reinvent the aviation fuel supply chain. Under his stewardship, the company grew from a regional fuel distributor to a leading global supplier of aviation fuel and services. It now conducts business in 149 countries with more than 3,000 global fueling locations, including some 650 Avfuel-branded FBOs.
During the event, Sincock, an ATP-rated pilot who frequently flies the company’s aircraft, will be inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation. He will thus join the ranks of some 100 people making up a prestigious group of aerospace standouts that include entrepreneurs, innovators, industry leaders, astronauts, record breakers, celebrity pilots, and pilot celebrities.
Even though StandardAero closed on its $230 million acquisition of Signature Aviation’s engine repair and overhaul (ERO) business in July, integration of the two businesses is expected to continue through 2022, StandardAero Business Aviation president Tony Brancato told AIN. Signature’s ERO comprises engine overhaul facilities in Dallas (Dallas Airmotive) and Portsmouth, England, 10 regional turbine centers, one component MRO site, and two parts/distribution facilities. Combined, the ERO employs 1,100 people and generated $500 million in revenue in 2020.
“We’re continuing to work and integrate our operations together, the engine models, the customer databases that we have," Brancato said. “Our sales teams have come together and are fully integrated. Our field service team is now 75 plus strong in the U.S. and that team has been brought under a single leader so we have a single front to our customers early on when they call for any type of AOG services or anything requiring something away from our facilities.”
He estimated the integration could take as many as 18 months to complete. The ERO acquisition adds service capabilities on several different engine models for StandardAero. Two of them are the Rolls-Royce Spey and Tay engines found on the Gulfstream II/III and G450, respectively. It also brings StandardAero new engine service opportunities in Dallas on the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306 variants and PW500 series.
Technology, Relationships Set Flightsafety Maintenance Training Apart
For decades FlightSafety International has been the go-to name in aviation training, preparing pilots for anything in the cockpit, and mastering their aircraft. But its name doesn’t stop with just the people who fly the aircraft. It resonates as the best maintenance training available – just as important to the safety and smooth operation of aviation as a whole.
Linda Peters, who has managed exhibitor activities for NBAA’s conventions and other events, is retiring on January 12 after spending nearly the past 28 years with the association. As v-p of exhibits, Peters has been responsible for sales, placement, development, and on-site support for BACE, as well as for the Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition and the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition.
She has also steered exhibitor relations for NBAA's Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, Maintenance Conference, and regional forums. Most recently, she oversaw the return of the in-person BACE show after last year’s Covid-induced hiatus and helped organize a nearly sold-out exhibit space in the newly opened West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
“Throughout her career with NBAA, Linda’s invaluable counsel has ensured that our exhibitors get the highest value from their investment in our shows,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “As Linda begins this next chapter in her life, we thank her, and we wish her nothing but the best.”
Peters joined NBAA in 1994 after serving with the Helicopter Association International.
“What I am most proud of during my time at NBAA is the spirit of teamwork that characterizes the organization’s successful events in the U.S. and around the world,” said Peters. “I will miss my friends at NBAA, but I know our events are in good hands.”
Austin, Texas-based Redbird Flight Simulations is expanding its footprint with a new 50,000-sq-ft facility in Kyle, which is an Austin suburb south of the city-center. The flight simulator manufacturer is investing $2.2 million into the new facility and plans to bring 71 full-time jobs to the region.
“The Texas Innovation Corridor was the clear choice for our next expansion,” said Redbird CEO Todd Willinger. “We sought a location with a robust workforce, pro-business attitude, and a strong track record of supporting innovation and found that in the city of Kyle and Hays County.”
Construction has already started on Redbird’s new building, with completion set for mid-2022. According to the company, the new facility will include 30,000 sq ft of manufacturing space, 3,000 sq ft of production-associated space, and 17,000 sq ft of office space.
Redbird is currently planning to fill 59 initial positions, ranging from senior management to production team members.
Looking to expand its reach in the business and commercial aviation data market, JetNet named Greg Fell to lead the company in a newly created CEO position. Ownership of JetNet is remaining with the Esposito family, and Tony Esposito, who is president, owner, and majority shareholder, will work with Fell as the company moves forward on a strategic plan to increase its research capabilities, information technology use, and business intelligence platform development, JetNet said.
Fell brings a 30-year background of senior management, including strategic development and IT infrastructure growth, across a number of industries to his new role. His background spans business aviation, automotive, software/technology, and social media, according to JetNet. This includes serving as CEO for the social media company Display Social, COO of Gama Aviation, and positions with Ford Motor Co. and Terex.
“Greg is the right leader for JetNet, at the right time,” said Esposito. “This was an essential and momentous decision for us and Greg’s extensive experience, values, and ethics helped us realize that he was the appropriate person to bring into the fold.”
A certified Six Sigma Champion, Fells serves on numerous boards and advisory councils in the telecommunications, aviation, and oil and gas sectors, and also is an industrial mentor for Columbia University.
Global Component Asia (GCA), an MRO provider of starter-generators and lighting equipment for helicopters and regional turboprops, will market Laminaar Aviation Infotech’s ARMS enterprise software to business, commercial, and military operators under a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two companies. The MoU calls for GCA to market the software in Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia.
Singapore-based Laminaar’s Arms proprietary application software is designed to assist airline, government, and military operators with prioritizing operational tasks to meet strategic objectives across different fleets, equipment, systems, and environments. For business aviation and other civil aviation operators, the software aids in the execution of tasks such as flight operations, planning, and dispatch, as well as crew management and safety and quality management.
“This partnership represents a further expansion that complements our existing product portfolios and I trust this will benefit both parties by leveraging our respective strengths in market segments and capabilities,” said GCA chief executive Syahrul Azmir Zaki. “I am confident our partnership will bring much success to both our companies.” Based in Kuala Lumpur, GCA is the former Ruag Aviation Malaysia.
Jet It Wins Top Flight Award for Charter/Frax Innovation
North Carolina-based fractional-ownership and aircraft management company Jet It is the AIN 2021 Top Flight Awards winner in the Charter, Fractional, or Jet Card Innovation category. Jet It flies a fleet of 15 HondaJets and last week added two Gulfstream G150s to its fleet. It recently expanded to Europe with a sister brand called Jet Club and recorded 400 percent year-over-year growth in the U.S. Jet It uses a hybrid-fractional-ownership model based on days, not hours.
People in Aviation
The United States Helicopter Safety Team named Karen Gattis, who is FAA Flight Standards acting deputy director for general aviation safety assurance, as the government co-chair. Gattis, a former colonel in the Army National Guard who served as the director joint chief of staff and Aviation Brigade commander, has served with the FAA for 17 years and previously was a division manager with oversight for 10 General Aviation offices with an emphasis on helicopter operations and air-tour operations.
Air Charter Service appointed John Castellano as v-p of commercial sales. Castellano has 18 years of private aviation experience, previously working at Jet Aviation, Private Jet Services, NetJets, and Marquis Jet.
JSSI named David Caporali v-p of business development for Latin America. Caporali, who has 15 years of industry experience, previously was director of aircraft sales for Viking Air Limited and also has served with Lider Aviação, where he specialized in regional sales and distribution of Hawker Beechcraft products in Brazil and North America.
Alastair Kiernan is joining 2Excel Charter as head of large aircraft sales for the company’s charter division. Kiernan has almost three decades of aviation experience, formerly serving as business development director for Titan Airways.
West Star Aviation promoted John Sonsoucie to project manager at its East Alton, Illinois facility. A U.S. Navy veteran, Sonsoucie joined West Star in 2014 as an avionics supervisor.
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