GAMA: Genav Industry Sees Across-the-board Jump in 2018
Business and general aviation fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter deliveries edged upward across the board last year, marking the first time since 2013 that all shipment categories showed improvement, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) reported today during its annual State of the Industry update.
Worldwide fixed-wing airplane shipments increased 4.7 percent overall, from 2,325 units in 2017 to 2,443 last year. Piston and turbine helicopter deliveries, meanwhile, combined for a 5.4 percent increase from 926 in 2017 to 976 in 2018. Since Leonardo Helicopters has not yet reported its full-year results, GAMA adjusted the yearly comparisons to reflect totals through three quarters for this manufacturer.
While shipments experienced modest increases uniformly, billing results were mixed last year, with those for fixed-wing inching up 1.5 percent, to $20.6 billion, while rotorcraft billings dipped by about $100 million, or 0.7 percent, to $3.6 billion.
Ramp-ups on the newest light-jet entrants provided a boost to the business jet sector, and it also was indicative of the smaller increase in billings overall. Business jet deliveries climbed by 3.8 percent from 677 in 2017 to 703 last year. The turboprop market experienced the largest overall jump, rising 5.2 percent, to 601 units delivered in 2018, including both pressurized and unpressurized models.
Worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales increased 17 percent year-over-year in 2018, reaching a record $2.7 billion, according to the Aircraft Electronics Association’s year-end Avionics Market Report released yesterday. This total, which was up from $2.3 billion in 2017, includes some $1.5 billion in retrofit sales and more than $1.1 billion in forward-fit sales (avionics equipment installed by airframe manufacturers during original production), the report said.
“With more than $2.7 billion in worldwide sales, [the] industry has recorded the largest dollar amount of year-end avionics sales since the reporting process began back in 2012,” said AEA president Paula Derks. “We have now seen eight straight quarters of positive year-over-year sales growth dating back to the end of 2016.”
For the AEA members that break out sales geographically, North America accounted for nearly 78 percent of 2018 sales, with other international markets accounting for the remainder. That compares with a breakdown of 74 percent North American sales and 26 percent international in 2017.
The reported dollar amounts are net sales price and cover all business and general aviation aircraft electronics sales, including all components and accessories in the cockpit and cabin, software upgrades, portables, and certified and noncertified aircraft electronics, as well as all hardware from tip to tail, batteries, and chargeable product upgrades. They do not include repairs and overhauls, extended warranty, or subscription services.
UK-based Pilatus Aircraft dealer and service provider Oriens Aviation has signed an agreement with the airframer to provide maintenance service for the PC-24, adding to its previous authorization for the PC-12 turboprop single. Oriens is preparing to add the twinjet to the Part 145 MRO approval at its London Biggin Hill Airport facility by the third quarter.
Today's announcement came on the first anniversary of the opening of Oriens’ authorized Pilatus service center at Biggin Hill. Oriens is ramping up its tooling and will send technicians to Pilatus’ Stans, Switzerland headquarters for maintenance training. Supervising that addition will be Stuart Locke, who joined the company as general manager of its MRO business from TAG Farnborough Maintenance Services.
“We are delighted to be widening our partnership with Pilatus with the new PC-24 and are looking forward to creating a sales center showcase at our Biggin Hill home,” said Oriens CEO Edwin Brenninkmeyer.
“Edwin and his team have proved to be a terrific partner supporting the PC-12 since the outset, and naturally we endorse their credentials as a valued Pilatus family ambassador,” noted Ignaz Gretener, the airframer’s vice president of general aviation.
Chinese Government Commits To Bizav in Greater Bay Area
An outline of a development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) released on Monday by the central committee of the Communist Party of China and the country’s State Council includes several provisions to expand and develop general and business aviation (GA/BA) in the region.
Notably, the government is backing the construction of a third runway at Hong Kong Airport and the reconstruction and expansion of Macau Airport, the latter of which it also supports being developed into a business aviation hub. The Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) welcomed this news, as Hong Kong International Airport continues to face slot restrictions and high parking fees, while Macau Airport is becoming more feasible as an alternative after the completion of the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge.
“We will deepen the reform of low-altitude airspace management, accelerate the development of general aviation, steadily develop cross-border helicopter services to and from Macau and Hong Kong, and build comprehensive demonstration zones for the general aviation industry in Shenzhen and Zhuhai,“ the committee said. In addition, the government will also study the feasibility and construction of a number of regional and general aviation airports in the GBA region.
AsBAA has been pushing for GA/BA development in the GBA region over the past three years. These efforts include lobbying governmental departments, white paper, and establishing a GBA think-tank group.
Embraer’s Sorocaba MRO Sees First Legacy 600 Refurb
Embraer Executive Jets’ service center in Sorocaba, Brazil, has undergone its first complete renovation of a Legacy 600. According to the company, the 2006-vintage aircraft was purchased by a South American customer who wished to customize the entire super-midsize jet with a new interior, systems upgrades, and paint scheme.
Included in the project were new seating, carpets, ceiling material, side panels, and varnish for all the furniture. The galley received new flooring, the divan was reupholstered, and the curtains replaced. In addition, the landing gear was overhauled, and ADS-B Out was installed along with a GPS upgrade.
The facility introduced an interior shop implementation project last year to expand the portfolio of services available for its customers.
“Since 2002, Embraer has developed [business] aircraft recognized for their robustness, advanced technology, reliability, and high utilization capability,” noted Everton Vicente de Lima, general manager of the Bertram Luiz Leupolz Airport-based facility, which holds certification from Brazil's ANAC, as well as the FAA, EASA, Chile (DGAC), Argentina (ANAC), and Aruba (DCAA). “Now customers also find complete solutions for renovation, modification, and modernization, in addition to customer support.”
Jet Aviation Completes San Juan FBO Purchase
Jet Aviation has completed its purchase of the former Pazos FBO at Puerto Rico’s Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport. It had been operating the location under a management agreement since March 2017, when it was rebranded as Jet Aviation San Juan. It features a 12,500-sq-ft terminal, with an in-house U.S. Customs facility, passenger lobby, pilot lounge, flight-planning area, showers, two conference rooms, and large catering preparation and storage kitchen.
A hangar offering 20,000 sq ft of aircraft storage and 2,500 sq ft of office space will open in the first quarter to replace the small, older hangar destroyed by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
“Bringing the San Juan FBO completely under Jet Aviation management reinforces our commitment to our customers, our employees, and the region,” said David Paddock, the company’s senior vice president and general manager for U.S. regional operations. “San Juan is a high-performing FBO with excellent long-term growth prospects, and we are delighted to fully bring it into our fold.”
RUAG Australia Gets EASA Part 145 Nod
RUAG Australia has gained EASA Part 145 approval, allowing the Bayswater, Victoria-based MRO to perform component MRO and line support for European-registered aircraft.
This certification, which builds on RUAG’s Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority Part 145 designation, applies to aircraft components in systems such as air conditioning and pressurization, engine/APU, fuel, pneumatic and vacuum, and ice/rain/fire protection. It also allows it to perform non-destructive testing, to include fluorescent penetrant inspection and magnetic particle inspection.
“RUAG excels in the areas of optimized component services, aircraft availability, and reduced life-cycle costs,” said RUAG Australia general manager Terry Miles. “We are now able to apply this considerable experience to benefit operators of private and commercial aircraft that are registered in Europe and flying in Australia, both domestically as well as regionally.”
“These EASA and CASA Part 145 approvals combine with our Defence-issued DASA 145 approval to instill RUAG Australia with an exceptional depth…to all operators, both commercial and defense,” added RUAG MRO international senior v-p of aviation Stephan Jezler.
NASA To Test UAS Traffic Management over Urban Areas
NASA has selected the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems in Las Vegas and the Lone Star UAS Center for Excellence & Innovation in Corpus Christi, Texas, to demonstrate NASA’s unmanned aircraft systems traffic management (UTM) system in an urban area. The drone flights will take place in and around downtown Reno, Nevada, between March and June, and Corpus Christi during July and August.
Key technologies to be demonstrated include airspace regulator Flight Information Management System, the UAS Service Supplier interface for multiple independent UAS traffic management service providers and their interface with vehicle integrated detect and avoid capabilities; vehicle-to-vehicle communication and collision avoidance; and automated safe landing technologies.
NASA and its partners, including the FAA, aim to help the drone industry understand challenges posed by flying in an urban environment. Results of the flight demonstrations will also be used to formulate future rules, policies, and traffic-management procedures for operating drones safely over populated areas. The flights constitute the final phase of NASA’s four-year series of increasingly complicated technical demonstrations with drones.
AIN Webinar: Safe and Efficient Single-pilot Operation
Technology and a shortage of pilots to fill the flight decks of tomorrow’s business jets and airliners are creating pressure to facilitate more single-pilot operations. Avionics manufacturers are developing technology for safe single-pilot operations, but pilots have been flying alone safely in light aircraft through Part 23 jets for many years. Learn about factors that are causing the flying landscape to shift toward more single-pilot operations, what kind of automation avionics manufacturers are developing for single-pilot operations and what we can learn from experienced pilots flying in single-pilot operations.
Join AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber on April 24 at 1:30 p.m. EDT as he moderates the discussion with Tal Golan, manager, rotorcraft business development for Universal Avionics, and Charlie Precourt, former NASA astronaut, safety expert, and Citation owner. Sponsored by Universal Avionics. Register for the free webinar.
Requires re-identification of certain serial-numbered tail rotor blades (TRB) having P/N 341A335130.04, as well as implementation of lower service life limits to all TRBs having P/N 341A335101.01, P/N 341A335130.05, and P/N 341A335130.06. It also requires investigation of rework, repair, and/or modifications accomplished on the affected parts and, depending on findings, corrective action(s).
Requires replacement of spring pack assemblies having P/N 532.34.12.101 with serviceable parts and prohibits reinstallation or installation of these affected parts. Prompted by an occurrence of an unlocked main landing gear during landing. A subsequent investigation identified that the airplane was equipped with an affected part, which had completely seized. Serviceable parts have a special surface treatment on the inner and outer tube that would have prevented the seizure.
Requires removal of an affected main gearbox (MGB) and a one-time replacement of the bearing lock-nut installed on these MGBs. Prompted by an event where, during non-destructive testing accomplished as a part of MGB overhaul activity, a cracked MGB bearing lock-nut was found. The lock-nut helps to keeps the planetary gears in position.
Requires modification of the engine combustion chamber D1 drain assembly P/N that include a new drain route confined to the engine bay only. Prompted by a maintenance inspection that found evidence of head damage to several fairleads that support the engine combustion chamber D1 drain hose. While the heat damage does not impair the structural strength of the fairleads or D1 drain pipe, the drain pipe could transfer so much heat to the nearby fuel system vent pipe that its internal surface temperature would exceed the auto-ignition temperature for fuel. This condition could thus lead to undetected fire ignition in the fuel tank bay, EASA said.
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