The U.S. State Department issued approval on December 15 for the foreign military sale of two Gulfstream 550s to the Italian government. The aircraft will be outfitted for the Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Electronic Warfare (AISREW) role, with L3 Harris at Greenville, Texas, acting as prime contractor and system installer.
Valued at $500 million, the potential sale includes a suite of mission systems, including the Rio communications intelligence system and MX-20HD electro-optical turret from L3 Harris, AISREW electronic warfare suite, and Leonardo Osprey 50 AESA radar. The aircraft will carry missile warning systems and ALE-47 countermeasures dispensers, and have secure embedded GPS/inertial navigation systems and identification friend or foe (IFF). Communications includes the Multifunctional Information Distribution System—Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS).
The aircraft are expected to resemble the Shavit ISR Gulfstreams operated by Israel. Australia also has ordered four of an L3 Harris-modified ISR version.
Italy’s Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI, Italian air force) already has two special-mission Gulfstream 550s in service, having bought the conformal airborne early warning (CAEW) version. In October Italy's annual defense budget mentioned the purchase of special-mission Gulfstreams, with €1.23 billion ($1.49bn) earmarked for the program. In early December the Italian defense ministry revealed plans to acquire up to eight Gulfstreams.
AINsight: Light at the End of ‘Proficiency’ Tunnel
This week, we watched the first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine depart via air from Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was amazing—and gratifying—to witness aviation play such a big role. Personally, I can barely wait for my turn in the vaccination line.
But we all have to be mindful that once we’re vaccinated, things will not immediately revert to the status quo. The idea of getting back to normal reminded me of a major ski accident I had years ago. While I recuperated with my leg in a cast for nine weeks, I expected to dance out of the doctor’s office once he took my cast off. Little did I know that I would spend months rebuilding atrophied joints and muscles.
Just as our muscles atrophy when they’re not in use, so do pilots’ skills when they’ve been out of their flying routine. That’s why flight crews need to focus on not just being current but being proficient. Sure, the FAA sets minimum standards for currency, but what about being proficient and competent?
Some “grounded” operators are taking advantage of the dozens of opportunities to transport passengers in need. A flight with such purpose far outstrips a hamburger run or three takeoffs and landings.
So, industry “atrophy” isn’t as much of a given as we might expect. And if we continue to exercise our hard-earned proficiencies, there’s some real light at the end of the tunnel.
Embraer Marks First Praetor 500 Conversion in Europe
Embraer has completed the first European conversion of a Legacy 450 to a Praetor 500 for an undisclosed customer at its service center at Le Bourget International Airport in Paris. That makes a total of 11 conversions to the Praetor 500 at Embraer’s company-owned service centers in Le Bourget; Windsor Locks, Connecticut; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Sorocaba, Brazil.
“These conversions are only made possible by the expertise of structures and avionics specialists, mechanics, logistics teams, and engineers from Embraer operations around the globe,” said Embraer Service & Support president and CEO Johann Bordais. “Per Embraer’s strategy for the future, we are consistently investing in and expanding our portfolio, focused on offering our customers the industry’s best services and support.”
The conversion process entails replacing the level-sensing wiring in the fuel tanks, moving the over-wing gravity fuel ports, relocating the fuel measurement system, and reinforcing the wing ribs to hold additional weight. Also included were the installation of winglets; updates to the Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion flight deck as well as E2VS, a head-up display that combines synthetic and enhanced vision; and new badging.
WingX: Lockdowns Take Toll on December Bizav Ops
Renewed lockdowns in North America and Europe led to a 20 percent year-over-year drop in business aviation flights in the first half of December, according to WingX’s latest Global Market Tracker. This remains well ahead of scheduled airline activity, which is less than half of what it was a year ago.
WingX tracked 147,353 business aviation flights in the first half of the month. A decline in the North American market, in particular, is weighing down the overall market with 24 percent fewer flights this month.
However, high-end leisure destinations have shown some resiliency. In the Caribbean, flights are down 14 percent in December (year-over-year), which WingX said marks a significantly stronger trend than the broader market.
Europe is showing a little more strength than in the U.S. with flights down 19 percent in the first half of the month. UK flights, however, have fallen by at least a third.
“Business aviation is navigating turbulent waters with the renewed lockdowns, and in what is already a fallow period of the year for leisure travel, the hollowed-out corporate travel market is offering little support,” said WingX managing director Richard Koe. “That said, trending activity hasn't drastically dropped from the post-spring highs in October, and the leisure market, especially to get-away sun and ski destinations, may be picking up as we approach Christmas.”
Icon Offers G3X Upgrade for A5 Amphibian
Icon Aircraft has developed a new avionics option for its A5 light sport aircraft (LSA) amphibious airplane, the seven-inch Garmin G3X touchscreen display and two-axis autopilot. The G3X Touch adds $15,500 to the A5’s $359,000 base price, while the G3X with autopilot costs $25,000. The new avionics are available with 2021 model year A5s and replace the Garmin aera 796 portable GPS navigator that comes with the base model. U.S. buyers who place an order by the end of February get 50 percent off the avionics upgrades.
“Our owners have put more than 20,000 total hours on their A5s, and one theme we’ve heard from them—in addition to the incredible fun they’re having—is the desire for an upgraded avionics and navigation package,” said Icon president Jason Huang. “The Garmin G3X Touch takes our commitment to product improvement to the next level, greatly enhancing the adventure flying experience while seamlessly fitting into our intuitively-designed cockpit.”
The A5 is an amphibious LSA with a spin-resistant airframe design, Icon whole-airplane parachute system, and unique panel-mounted angle-of-attack indicator. Powered by a 100-hp Rotax 912 engine, the two-seat A5 has a useful load of 430 pounds and a maximum cruise speed of 95 knots. The new autopilot includes Garmin’s LVL button for recovery to straight-and-level flight as well as the GMC 507 control panel.
Turtle Fliers Save a Large Load of Stranded Turtles
Charitable organization Turtles Fly Too arranged one of its largest turtle-rescue flights on December 7, carrying 120 cold-stunned sea turtles from Massachusetts to Texas aquariums. The flight was in a Saab 340BF donated by Castle Aviation, the aircraft’s operator and lessee, and Saab Aircraft leasing company Jetstream Aviation Capital.
The flight started at Hanscom Field near Boston, where the turtles were loaded at the Signature Flight Support ramp. Most of the turtles were Kemp’s ridley, and they were rescued from New England beaches and brought to the New England Aquarium and National Marine Life Center.
Turtles shouldn’t be that far north in the winter, and in the cold water, they lose the ability to move and eat and eventually die if not rescued. The cold-stun turtle season normally runs from November through December or January, according to Turtles Fly Too founder Leslie Weinstein. As of early December, the charity had rescued more than 500 turtles, and he expects this season to be fairly high, although probably not as many as the 1,200 turtles collected in 2014.
Pilots Michael Looby and William Gisler flew the Castle Aviation Saab 340 on the December 7 trip and after departing from Hanscom, flew to Akron-Canton Regional Airport in Ohio to refuel, then on to Galveston, Port Isabel, Corpus Christi, and Dallas to drop off the turtles.
Avflight has expanded its FBO chain with the addition of Falcon Executive Aviation, the lone full-service provider at Mesa, Arizona’s Falcon Field Airport.
While Falcon Executive Aviation will retain its maintenance, charter, and flight school operations, Avflight will take over the facility, which includes the 2,000-sq-ft terminal, a 15,000-sq-ft hangar and office building, a recently-built 12,000-sq-ft hangar, and a fuel farm that just completed a new storage tank replacement project. The location, branded by sister company Avfuel, offers 24-hour fueling, as well as Avtrip rewards.
Situated on the southern side of the field, the FBO will expand to a separate facility on the northern side, part of a larger aviation development project underway, which is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2021.
That facility will feature a 5,000-sq-ft terminal with pilot and passenger lounges, snooze rooms, showers, kitchen, flight planning area, and conference room, rampside vehicle access, and an additional 11,000-sq-ft hangar with the potential for another 50,000 sq ft of hangar space, as needed.
“The addition of Avflight Mesa provides a strong presence for the Avflight network in a thriving southwestern U.S. market,” noted Garrett Hain, the company’s v-p of finance. “This strategic acquisition will connect Avflight’s loyal customer base to major businesses, entertainment, and tourism in the greater Phoenix region.”
Textron Aviation Expands Citation FDM Service Options
New flight data monitoring (FDM) options will be available for Cessna Citations equipped with Aircraft Recording System II (AReS II), Textron Aviation announced this week. Starting with the CJ4 and through the Wichita airframer’s proprietary LinxUs data reporting ecosystem, operators of those AReS II-equipped twinjets are now able to wirelessly transfer their flight data to one of two flight operational quality assurance (FOQA) providers, L3Harris Technologies’s Flight Data Connect service or Safran Electronics & Defense’s Cassiopée Flight Data Monitoring solution.
In addition to identifying potential maintenance issues, FDM provides feedback to pilots for improving decision making and enhancing training. “At Textron Aviation, we are always looking for ways to enhance the aircraft ownership experience,” said senior-vp of customer support Brian Rohloff. “Our innovative LinxUs FDM program enables customers to improve their operational efficiency, training, and reliability by transferring their flight data to one of two customer-selected data management providers.”
Textron Aviation expects to expand the program to include other Cessna aircraft equipped with AReS II. In addition, the company is working on other aftermarket FDM solutions that it anticipates will roll-out in 2021.
LifeFlight Opens Singapore Base
Australia's LifeFlight air ambulance service is opening a base in Singapore to better facilitate the repatriation of patients throughout the South Pacific and Asia. Queensland-based LifeFlight currently operates a fleet of Bombardier Challenger 604s and Learjet 45s. Three more jets joined the fleet earlier this year.
The base expansion was facilitated after the company received a contract award to provide aeromedical services for a large multi-national corporation, said LifeFlight CEO Ashley van de Velde.
Two of the Challenger 604s will be permanently based overseas and be crewed by a team of up to five, including two pilots, a third flight crewmember for longer flights, a critical care doctor, and a flight nurse. LifeFlight began operations in 2004. The company previously operated a base in Singapore from 2017 to 2018 but shuttered it to better address demand within Australia.
Photo of the Week
Fjord Flying: Pilatus Aircraft’s Theddy Spichtig snapped this expansive view from a PC-12 at FL300 over fjords in Eastern Greenland near Kulusuk Airport before sunrise. The turboprop single was on a transatlantic ferry from Stans, Switzerland to Broomfield, Colorado. Thanks for sharing Theddy!
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