Despite a fourth-quarter that saw fewer aircraft deliveries year-over-year, Bombardier beat guidance for the year with revenues and earnings up 7 percent and 220 percent, respectively, as business jet shipments totaled 120, the company reported today. Further, the Montreal-based manufacturer is making plans to ramp up deliveries “a tiny bit” this year and by as much as 15 to 20 percent in 2023.
In the quarter, Bombardier delivered 38 business jets, down from 44 a year ago, with large aircraft deliveries sliding by 10 units, to 18. Meanwhile, Learjet deliveries were cut in half to two units as the company winds down its light jet programs. Bombardier president and CEO Eric Martel reiterated that the final three Learjets will be handed over this year.
For the year, business jet deliveries eclipsed 2020 totals by six. Global deliveries totaled 66, marking a seven-unit improvement; the flagship Global 7500 accounted for 39 of those deliveries. Challenger deliveries remained flat at 44, while Learjet deliveries were down one, to 10, in 2021.
Regarding jet production this year, Martel said delivery gains will come with the Challengers, noting that increases in production of Globals require more lead time. In planning its production increases, Bombardier weighed backlog, pricing, and supply chain. While maintaining that all three are equally important, Martel noted that the supply chain continues to present challenges necessitating a cautious approach to ramp up.
Airbus ACJ330-300 launch customer K5-Aviation of Germany has tapped Netherlands-based Fokker Techniek to perform the VIP completion on this aircraft, which was delivered in green form earlier this week. This will be Fokker’s first widebody bizliner completion, though the operator and MRO have “a rich history” of past projects, according to K5.
“We have been accustomed to their skills in previous projects and will need the same during the ACJ330 outfit,” said K5 managing director and pilot Erik Scheidt, calling the Dutch company “focused on delivering a great end result.”
Preparations are underway at Fokker for the induction, and the company is “excited to show the market that Fokker Techniek can handle widebody conversions,” said co-CEO Roland van Dijk. Redelivery to K5 is slated for 2024, Fokker’s Robert Koolen told AIN.
With a slightly longer fuselage than the in-service ACJ330-200—208 feet versus 193 feet—the -300 offers more than 2,600 sq ft of interior space that will be the canvas for what K5 calls a “modern, stylish design.” Available for charter after being completed, the twinjet’s 8,650-nm range can link Europe to Australia nonstop.
K5-Aviation’s ACJ fleet, Europe’s largest, includes four ACJ319s and one ACJ350-900.
Meanwhile, Fokker is expanding its staff to meet growing demand across its completion and conversion services, said van Dijk. “Our order book demands additional workforce and an increase of in-house activities."
Bell’s fleet of 360 Model 505 light single turbine helicopters has amassed 100,000 flight hours since initial deliveries in 2017. This latest milestone comes just 18 months after the then-260-strong Jet Ranger X fleet marked 50,000 flight hours.
“This significant achievement further demonstrates our customers’ admiration for the platform and its versatility as it enhances private, utility, training, and public safety flights,” said Lane Evans, the director of Bell 505 sales and support. Bell has delivered the 505 into more than 59 countries and marked its 60th delivery into Europe to the Montenegro Air Force.
The five-seat 505 cruises at 125 knots and has a 360-nm maximum range. It features a fully integrated Garmin G1000H NXi avionics suite and Safran Arrius 2R turboshaft engine. A variety of options can be added to the base Garmin system, including synthetic vision (HSVT), helicopter synthetic terrain avoidance warning system (HTAWS), the GTS 800 traffic advisory system, and the GRA 5500 radar altimeter. Other factory and third-party options include a VIP interior from Mecaer, medevac interior, 2,000-pound capacity external cargo hook, bear paws, Dart emergency floats, and HeliSAS stability augmentation autopilot system.
The British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA) is preparing for the return of in-person gatherings with its annual conference on March 10 in Luton. Themed “Hybrid,” this gathering will focus on “redefining our sector, from hybrid working to hybrid aircraft,” the organization said.
“As we enter 2022, however, with the subsiding of Omicron and with vaccination boosters, we are readying for industry gatherings once again,” said CEO Marc Bailey. In 2021, BBGA transferred the annual conference to an online format to continue member outreach during the pandemic.
This continued work online has been important as BBGA has worked with the UK CAA and other regulatory agencies, the association said. “BBGA has been instrumental in work before, during, and after Brexit to secure a level playing field across Europe for UK aviation businesses,” it noted.
BBGA also outlined a number of other key issues that it continued to work on throughout the pandemic from illegal charter to Jet Zero carbon-neutral growth to consultation on night restrictions at London-area airports. Further efforts included working with the Talent Retention Scheme agency on workforce retention and advising the UK on fractional ownership.
Last year was also marked by a realignment of the board to better position members in areas of expertise, the addition of sustainability working groups to a number of BBGA's committees, and the naming of Lindsey Oliver as managing director.
Universal Aviation’s FBO at Singapore Seletar Airport has earned Stage 3 registration under the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH), a voluntary safety management system outlining best practices for business aviation ground handlers. The location received IS-BAH Stage 1 accreditation in 2018. With a minimum of two years before it could apply for the next level, the facility earned its Stage 2 status in January 2020.
“Although our flight levels dropped significantly as a result of the pandemic and local restrictions, we continued to prioritize recurrent and refresher training,” said Yvonne Chan, managing director of Jet Aviation Singapore. “To earn IS-BAH Stage 3 in the midst of the pandemic demonstrates our commitment to the highest levels of safety and standards.”
To date, 12 locations worldwide have achieved IS-BAH Stage 3 status, currently the highest rung in the International Business Aviation Council-sponsored program that was stood up in 2018.
“Despite the challenges of the past two years, the uptake and maintaining of IS-BAH among the FBOs has been stronger than I had expected,” Terry Yeomans, the director of the program, told AIN. “It’s a great sign that those that have adopted the voluntary industry standards remain fully committed to the ethos of making this industry sector safer.”
Blade Air Mobility CEO Rob Weisenthal anticipates a better political atmosphere for helicopter and eVTOL passenger service in the New York City area following the installation of Gotham’s new mayor, Eric Adams. Weisenthal told AIN that he had discussions with Adams and believes that the mayor “is pro-business, wants City 2.0 to be a reality, and understands the infrastructure that Blade has in the city is critical to the transition toward using electric vertical aircraft (EVA).”
According to Weisenthal, Adams “wants us to be that business and wants us to improve the attractiveness of Manhattan. He is enthusiastic about our transition to EVA and supportive of our business overall.”
He further noted that New York City’s infamous ground traffic snarl “is now above pre-pandemic levels,” so the need for increased passenger helicopter service is greater than ever. Weisenthal said Blade’s goal is to bring the cost of service in line with what Uber charges for ground transportation.
“Twenty-eight million people go between Manhattan and the [area] airports by car,” according to Weisenthal. “There is a huge market for flying people [instead], substituting a five-minute flight for $95 or $195 [per seat] for a two-hour drive, shattering the Uber Black price barrier and matching UberX during peak times. We see a tremendous amount of growth [potential] between where we are and the market size."
London-based aviation analytics firm Cirium and Aireon—a Virginia-headquartered company using satellites for global aircraft tracking—have entered a long-term agreement in which the companies will integrate their data sets. This will provide aerospace clients, such as airlines and aircraft manufacturers, with a new level of real-time flight data.
Under the agreement, Cirium will gain access to Aireon’s ADS-B air traffic surveillance data while Aireon will be able to use Cirium’s flight schedule and status information to enhance the AireonStream, AireonFlow, and AireonInsights product lines. According to Cirium CEO Jeremy Bowen, the combining of the data will allow the companies to provide clients with accurate calculations of departure and arrival times, as well as aircraft utilization and carbon emissions information.
“This collaboration, combining two best-in-class data providers, will allow Cirium and Aireon customers to achieve even greater awareness of the global airspace to allow better, safer, and more operationally efficient decisions,” said Aireon CEO Don Thoma.
Hahn Air named Kirsten Rehmann as CEO, taking sole responsibility for the management of the German company. She has worked alongside the air carrier’s owners and founders, Hans Nolte and Nico Gormsen, on the corporate management team since 2012. Nolte and Gormsen will remain closely connected to the carrier, which provides on-demand and scheduled service, as owners.
Rehmann will steer Hahn Air’s global business, all corporate affairs, and operational and strategic planning, the company said. Gormsen said Rehmann “has been an integral part of this company almost since its founding days and has been instrumental in its development and its global success. Nobody could be better suited to lead the company into the future.”
She joined the operation as a sales and marketing executive in 2003, just four years after its founding. Since then her responsibilities grew, serving as director of the airline’s business group and later as chief commercial officer.
“When I started at Hahn Air almost two decades ago, nobody could foresee the breathtaking development of the company from an ambitious startup to a market-leading distribution player,” Rehmann said. “I am looking forward to shaping the next chapters of Hahn Air together with my team and building future-orientated distribution solutions and ticketing services for our airline and travel agency partners.”
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