Global business and general aviation fixed-wing aircraft shipments increased across all categories in 2022 with a combined improvement of 6.5 percent and a corresponding 5.8 percent rise in billings, GAMA reported this afternoon at its “State of the Industry” press conference. Similarly, rotorcraft shipments and billings were up 7.5 percent and 6.8 percent, respectively.
According to GAMA, 2,818 fixed-wing aircraft were handed over last year, compared with 2,648 in 2021. Billings last year were $22.9 billion, up $1.3 billion from 2021.
The difference in percentages reflected the mix of aircraft handed over, with the turboprop market inching into a double-digit increase of 10.4 percent, while business jet deliveries improved by only 0.3 percent. Business jet manufacturers shipped 712 aircraft in 2022, two more than a year earlier. Turboprop makers enjoyed a strong year, reporting 582 deliveries, up from 527 in 2021. The piston market improved by 8.2 percent, with 1,524 aircraft delivered last year.
As for the rotorcraft market, OEMs delivered 876 units worth $4 billion in 2022, up from 812 units worth $3.7 billion in 2021. Turbine helicopters led these increases, up 7.6 percent, with 682 deliveries. Piston helicopter shipments were up by 7.2 percent, with 194 deliveries in 2022.
“The general aviation manufacturing industry continues to show increasing strength despite workforce and supply-chain challenges across our industry,” said GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce.
This year’s Dassault Falcon Jet Maintenance & Operations (M&O) regional seminars begin April 5 in Paris and conclude May 17 in São Paulo. Miami and Chicago will also be included in this year’s M&O tour. The series will feature fewer stops than previous ones but will have an expanded, two-day format in the U.S. that is intended to make more information available to operators and increase opportunities for them to meet and exchange insights and experience.
“The modified format, prompted by input from operators and the Falcon Operator Advisory Board, will permit more in-depth discussion of some of the more challenging issues facing the Falcon community while setting aside time for networking,” said Jean Kayanakis, senior v-p worldwide, customer service and service center network at Dassault Aviation. Breakout sessions for pilots, cabin crew, and technicians will provide opportunities to speak with vendors, training providers, and other operators.
As at past events, this year’s tour will feature presentations on the latest Falcon programs, updates on products and services, and recent additions to the company’s MRO network, as well as on sustainability and the EASy IV cockpit, and the Falcon 6X, which is expected to enter service later this year.
The Bell 505 has become the first single-engine helicopter to fly with 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Bell collaborated with Safran Helicopter Engines, Neste, GKN Aerospace, and Virent to achieve this milestone. “Showcasing a single-engine aircraft’s flight capabilities with 100 percent SAF signals Bell’s commitment to alternative fuel usage and builds on its sustainability practices in its flight operations,” said Bell commercial business executive v-p Michael Thacker.
Safran Helicopter Engines' Arrius 2R powers the Bell 505. “Our engines are certified to operate on up to 50 percent SAF and our objective is to certify in the coming years the use of 100 percent SAF, which can potentially result in carbon lifecycle emissions reductions of up to 80 percent,” said Safran Helicopter Engines executive v-p of programs Valentin Safir.
GKN Aerospace supplied the fuel-system components while Neste and Virent, a Marathon Petroleum subsidiary, collaborated to blend, test, and deliver the SAF as a 100 percent drop-in fuel. Virent manufactures an aromatics component made from renewable plant sugars, which was added to Neste’s neat SAF, eliminating the need to blend SAF with petroleum fuel. Bell’s training fleet and demonstration aircraft currently use an SAF blend. The team continues to guide customer conversations around its implementation and monitors SAF testing in a dedicated Bell 505 with Safran Helicopter Engines.
Charter operator Thrive Aviation has opened a 17,000-sq-ft headquarters expansion in Henderson, Nevada, as the company continues to experience rapid growth. The expansion houses Thrive's operational control center, where flight support, maintenance planning, safety, and dispatch teams manage day-to-day fleet operations.
In addition, the facility includes a training and development lab, a reception area, conference rooms, and private offices to accommodate executive, commercial, and finance teams. Thrive said the expansion represents an investment in technology and amenities.
"I am proud to continue our growth journey with this new space, providing our employees a cutting-edge and comfortable place to call home,” said Thrive co-founder and CEO Curtis Edenfield. “It is also important to us that our clients and partners see this expansion as belonging to them as well. Meeting in person is a little sweeter in these post-Covid days, and we want to welcome every opportunity to do exactly that."
Thrive, which notes that it is among the top 20 charter operators in the U.S. by hours flown, said it anticipates making additional growth announcements in the coming months.
AIN Media Group is sad to report that senior editor Jerry Siebenmark, 56, passed away on Monday evening.
Siebenmark grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho, before joining the U.S. Air Force and serving at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita. After his honorable discharge, he graduated from Wichita State University and spent 25 years as a journalist covering aviation and business beats, first for the Wichita Business Journal and then the Wichita Eagle.
Siebenmark joined AIN in 2018, covering mainly business aviation news with a concentration on maintenance/MRO and charter/fractional topics from his office in Wichita. Despite struggling with cancer for more than three years, he remained a prolific writer at AIN.
“Jerry was a devoted husband, father, and friend and truly loved his work covering business aviation,” said AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber. “We will miss his crafty sense of humor and willingness to jump in feet first to help get the job done.”
Siebenmark is survived by his wife, Carri, and two adult children—son Cal and daughter Carli. Services will be held at College Hill United Methodist Church in Wichita on Saturday at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to College Hill United Methodist Church in his memory.
SmartSky Networks has amended its federal infringement lawsuit against in-flight connectivity company Gogo, adding two new patents and increasing the number of patents at issue in the case to six. The suit, filed in February 2022, alleges that Gogo was illegally selling technology and operating its 5G system.
An attempt by SmartSky to obtain a preliminary injunction—which would have immediately halted Gogo from making, offering for sale, or selling its 5G network—was denied in September. SmartSky is appealing that decision. At the time, Gogo said the injunction denial “supports our frequently stated position that Gogo is not infringing any valid SmartSky patent,” said Gogo chairman and CEO Oakleigh Thorne. “We will continue to vigorously defend Gogo against SmartSky’s meritless patent infringement claims."
The amended complaint alleges that Gogo has been illegally selling and offering to sell its 5G air-to-ground (ATG) connectivity product in violation of SmartSky’s patented inventions. SmartSky said it is confident Gogo infringes on each of the six patents SmartSky is asserting, while the added patents negate several of Gogo’s noninfringement arguments.
The two patents added to the suit cover SmartSky technology dealing with the handoff of a data communications link between an aircraft and a network of ground base stations and how those base stations are arrayed in broadband ATG wireless communications systems.
Textron Aviation, in cooperation with Northland Aviation Services, has established a parts stockroom in Fairbanks, Alaska, in support of Beechcraft and Cessna models, including the new Cessna SkyCourier. The company said it will continue to monitor parts ordered and shipped from this stockroom and increase inventory as needed.
Adding this stockroom “will offer customers in the area even faster delivery on critical parts they need to get back in the air,” said Kriya Shortt, Textron Aviation senior v-p of global parts and distribution.
Northland was established in 1986 as a repair station for single-engine aircraft, including those employed by Part 135 operators and various government agencies. It became a Cessna single-engine service station in 2001, allowing it to access factory training and provide Cessna parts in Alaska. It became a Cessna Caravan service station in 2010 and an authorized sales representative for all Cessna propeller aircraft in 2012.
Completion specialist AeroBrigham has delivered a customized Bell 407 to the Orange County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office (OCSO). The law enforcement equipment and avionics integration were performed at AeroBrigham’s main facilities at Texas Municipal Airport in Decatur, which is just north of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex.
Among components of the installation are a Genesys HeliSas autopilot; Garmin avionics, including helicopter TAWS; VisLink HDX 1100 downlink system; L3 Harris MX10 thermal imaging camera; TrakkaBeam A800 searchlight; Spidertracks X aircraft tracking and flight data monitoring system; and Shotover ARS-700C moving map system. An extended instrument panel was installed to accommodate the law enforcement and tactical equipment configuration. AeroBrigham also provided custom interior and exterior paint.
AeroBrigham provides MRO, completion, and reconfiguration services for helicopters and airplanes. The company is expanding into a 45,000-sq-ft hangar in Decatur solely dedicated to helicopter support, including paint. The current facility will be dedicated to fixed-wing support.
The OCSO’s jurisdiction includes the greater Orlando area. Its aviation section began flight operations in the 1950s and it operates a fleet of four helicopters—three Bell 407s and one Bell 206L4. It also flies a Cessna T206H Stationair.
Requires repetitively inspecting certain tail rotor duplex bearings (TRDB) and, depending on the results, replacing the TRDB or tail rotor actuator, or, as an option, replacing the sliding control assembly. Also requires replacing an affected TRDB with a serviceable TRDB at a specified threshold and prohibits the installation of certain TRDBs or sliding control assemblies on any helicopter. Prompted by a report of a damaged tail rotor duplex bearing.
Requires a one-time inspection of the wing anti-ice system and any necessary repairs. Prompted by reports of wing anti-icing leaks in the leading edge due to incorrect installation of Wiggins coupling on the wing anti-icing system or—on Falcon 2000/2000EXs—detachment of the pressure switch line from the wing anti-icing pipe.
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