While global business aviation flight activity remains strong, usage in November declined by 5.8 percent year-over-year according to the latest Argus Traqpak data.
For North America, activity in November was off by 6.5 percent compared to a year ago with all aircraft classes in the Part 135 and Part 91 segments reporting decreases. Overall, Part 135 operations were down by 7.5 percent and Part 91 was down by 7.3 percent, while fractional operations saw a nearly one percent dip. In the latter category, turboprops and mid-size jets were the only aircraft segments to show improvement from a year ago.
As well, U.S. business aircraft activity in November decreased by 6.2 percent from the previous month, led by the New England region which experienced a nearly 21 percent drop month-to-month.
The report noted that European flight activity was off by more than 20 percent from last November. Though large-cabin jets had previously been an area of strength for the region, year-over-year they saw a nearly 40 percent drop in usage from November 2021.
Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America helped offset some of the declines with a combined more than 55,000 business aviation flights last month, an increase of 11 percent over October totals and the third straight month of increase. Overall activity in those regions was up by nearly 20 percent compared to a year ago.
Gulfstream Aerospace is showcasing the five-cabin-zone G700, the U.S. company’s forthcoming ultra-long-range flagship, this week at MEBAA 2022 in the model’s debut appearance in Dubai. Boasting what Gulfstream claims would be the tallest (6 feet 3 inches; 1.90 meters) and widest (8 feet 2 inches; 2.49 meters) cabin in a purpose-built business jet, the 7,500-nm G700 is expected to enter service in mid-2023.
The G700 on display features a corporate-configured cabin along with what Gulfstream terms an “ultra-galley” with more than 10 feet of counter space; a grand suite with fixed bed and bright, spacious lavatory with shower; circadian lighting system; and new seat design. “It really shows the flexibility of the design that our team has created,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns.
The twinjet with its Mach 0.85 long-range cruise speed and Mach 0.90 high-speed cruise, arrived in Dubai during a world tour aimed at demonstrating the precocious maturity of the aircraft model, which has been in flight testing since early 2020. Gulfstream’s G700 tour began following the aircraft’s NBAA-BACE debut in Orlando, Florida, in October and includes some 20 cities on six continents, with visits to Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, for the Future Investment Initiative and Bahrain for the Bahrain International Airshow already in the logbook.
Canada-based aviation service provider Skyservice is continuing its expansion into the U.S. with plans to establish what will be the second FBO at California’s Napa County Airport (KAPC).
The company will begin operations there next month from a temporary modular facility but expects to break ground by mid-2023 on its permanent home.
The new Titan Fuels-branded complex will consist of a 20,000-sq-ft, two-story terminal featuring an upstairs restaurant with dining on an outdoor patio, a passenger lounge with refreshment bar, A/V-equipped conference rooms on both levels, a pilot lounge, quiet rooms, and shower facilities.
An adjoining 40,000-sq-ft hangar will be able to accommodate the latest ultra-long-range business jets.
“We are excited to develop a private jet facility that will serve as the pinnacle gateway to one of North America’s most renowned recreation hubs,” said company president and CEO Benjamin Murray. “Our expansion in Napa demonstrates our commitment to providing world-class private aviation services in North America, supporting local communities and their economies.”
The company also recently opened an FBO at Oregon’s Redmond Municipal Airport-Roberts Field (KRDM).
European maintenance and modification center Sabena technics delivered a Bombardier Global 7500 to an undisclosed VVIP customer following a complete modification system to add self-defense capabilities.
The project called for France-based Sabena to develop the first EASA supplemental type certificate for installation of the Leonardo Miysis directed infrared countermeasure system on an ultra-long-range business jet. The manufacture and integration of mechanical and electrical kits were also part of the project.
Sabena has performed self-protection system installations on a variety of VVIP aircraft including Airbus and Boeing jets and Lockheed C-130s. “This is a great new opportunity to demonstrate the strong know-how we have acquired on aircraft protection system integration,” said Sabena senior v-p of sales and business development Daniel Soltani. “Our growing portfolio of projects indicates our ability to successfully design, manufacture, install and certify any self-defense system on any aircraft type with any OEM.”
VistaJet’s total membership hours sold in the Middle East were up 60 percent year-over-year in the first half of 2022, well ahead of a 43 percent increase in this metric globally over the same period, said VistaJet chief commercial officer Ian Moore ahead of this week's MEBAA show.
“The Middle East customer base is now far more accepting of a shared model because of the efficiencies it brings, and because they’re expanding their businesses, not just in the Middle East, but in other locations around the world,” Moore told AIN. “They’re looking for a global proposition, and for a consistent service at the highest level. We feel very comfortable and very bullish actually about the region. In general, the Middle East is well placed with what’s going on in the world today, and we’re seeing continued strength in our business model in that region.”
VistaJet is owned by Dubai-based Vista Global Holding, which oversees the entire Vista fleet. Vista claims to have invested more than $4 billion in new aircraft in the past decade; it ordered 10 super-midsize Challenger 350s in April 2021, most for delivery this year. There are 16 Global 7500s in the VistaJet fleet, with two more to be added by year-end. Additionally, Vista acquired Germany’s Air Hamburg and U.S.-based Jet Edge earlier this year.
Citadel Completions was appointed as an Airbus Corporate Jets service center which will allow it to provide ACJ customers with maintenance, engineering, and modification services. Based at Chennault International Airport (KCWF) in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Citadel joins Comlux Completion in Indianapolis as Airbus Corporate Jets’s second service center in the U.S.
Citadel’s location includes a 10,000-ft runway and a skilled labor force for heavy maintenance, repair, and overhaul services. Its footprint at KCWF covers 260,000 sq ft with multiple hangars that can accommodate numerous aircraft projects simultaneously. Citadel can support aircraft registered worldwide and holds Part 145 repair station certification from the FAA.
Airbus Corporate Jets’s service center network includes locations in Dubai; Xiamen, China; Basel, Switzerland; and Bordeaux, France. In addition to maintenance, the service centers provide cabin refurbishing and cabin system upgrades. They support more than 210 ACJs in operation worldwide.
Business jet and regional aircraft MRO C&L Aviation Group has acquired ACLAS Technics, a UK-based structural component repair and overhaul specialist for commercial, regional, and defense aircraft. Those aircraft include the ATR 42 and 72; Boeing P-8 Poseidon, 737, 747, 757, and 777; and Airbus A320 and A330.
“This is another step in the strategy to provide support for multiple aircraft types and we are very excited by the acquisition of ACLAS,” said C&L Aviation CEO Chris Kilgour. “ACLAS has a great reputation globally and is known for their quality and dependability.” The acquisition furthers Bangor, Maine-based C&L Aviation’s goal to be a global provider of ATR parts, services, and component repair.
“Since conception, ACLAS Technics has established itself as a market leader in supporting its broad customer base, which includes the industry’s largest airlines, aftermarket, MRO, and OEMs,” said ACLAS founder Charles Henery, who will remain with the business. “Having recently expanded structural component capability support on the ATR, Airbus, Boeing, and Bombardier platforms, we are excited to work with an exceptional group such as C&L Aviation, which brings a global network and exemplary reputation. Together, we can expand our business and offer unrivaled service provision to our current and future customers.”
Business aviation provider Alpha Star Aviation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has signed on to a Honeywell maintenance service plan (MSP) for auxiliary power units, avionics, and mechanical components on its Gulfstream G450 fleet.
Alpha Star’s five G450s will be maintained by Honeywell over the next five years. The company utilizes Honeywell Forge to provide a continuous flow of cabin network, satcom equipment, and ground network data. Honeywell also has previously supported Alpha Star’s G450 fleet on a service plan that covered parts and labor.
“Honeywell’s maintenance service plan enables us to accurately allocate a budget and plan for aftermarket repair and maintenance—unplanned and scheduled maintenance—in advance,” said Alpha Star CEO Abdulnaser Alkheraif.
Nadya Krishko, senior director of business aviation for the EMEA region for Honeywell Aerospace, added that MSPs “help remove the financial uncertainty from future repairs and maintenance. We are proud to provide customers, like Alpha Star, with customizable maintenance options that keep aircraft operating efficiently while making it easy for our customers to control the unexpected.”
The digital flip-through issues of AIN’s award-winning MEBAA Convention News are now available online. It’s a great way to quickly scan the news from MEBAA 2022, whether you’re in Dubai attending the show or watching from afar.
Requires initial and repetitive visual inspections of certain low-pressure compressor (LPC) rotor fan disks and, depending on the results of the inspections, replacement of any LPC rotor fan disk with cracks detected. AD also allows modification of the engine in accordance with Rolls-Royce service information as a terminating action to these inspections. Prompted by reports of cracks on certain LPC rotor fan disks.
Model(s): BO-105A, BO-105/C/C2/CB2/CB4/CS2/CBS2, BO-105S, and BO-105LSA1
Published: December 2, 2022
Effective: January 6, 2023
Requires incorporating more restrictive airworthiness limitations into maintenance records requirements, as well as prohibits the installation of certain part-numbered tension-torsion straps.
Requires removing the plate of the collective lever secondary stop and replacing it with self-adhesive tape to cover the stop support and decrease the risk of resistance on the rotor flight controls. Prompted by a report of restricted movement of the collective lever caused by incidental contact of the secondary stop cover due to a loosened rivet.
Supersedes but retains some of the requirements of AD 2020-23-05, which required inspecting the control rod attachment yokes of certain main rotor rotating swashplates, establishing a life limit, performing a one-time inspection of stripped yokes, and any applicable corrective actions. Updated AD also requires compliance with a revised life limit; performing a repetitive visual inspection of the yokes on certain swashplates; and, depending on the inspection results, removing the affected swashplates from service, performing a dye penetrant inspection of the yoke, and additional corrective actions.
Requires replacing affected radio altimeter coaxial cables. Prompted by the investigation of erroneous radio altimeter data that was displayed on an in-service airplane. It was revealed that certain radio altimeter coaxial cables used by the radio altimeter systems were damaged in the aft fuselage equipment bay.
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