Boeing Partners with Aerion, Bets Big on Supersonics
Boeing today announced a partnership with Aerion Corp. and further made a “significant,” but undisclosed, investment in the Reno, Nevada-based supersonic business jet (SSBJ) developer that aims to “accelerate technology development and aircraft design, and unlock supersonic air travel for new markets.” This apparently replaces Lockheed Martin as Aerion’s aircraft manufacturing partner—a development that, when announced in December 2017, displaced Airbus from this central position. Under the new agreement, Boeing will provide engineering, manufacturing, and flight-test resources, as well as strategic vertical content, for Aerion’s AS2 SSBJ.
The move also resulted in a major shake-up of Aerion’s board of directors, with Boeing now holding two seats and the departure of billionaire backer, and now former chairman, Robert Bass. Boeing’s contingent on the board consists of Boeing Commercial Airplanes v-p of product strategy and future airplane development Mike Sinnett and Boeing Global Services v-p of supply chain Ken Shaw. Meanwhile, Tom Vice, who was elevated at Aerion to president and CEO, as well as a board member, in August, has added the title of chairman, effective today.
Notably, the change in manufacturing partners does not affect the timeline for the Mach 1.4 AS2, with first flight still slated for 2023, nor Aerion’s decision to use the GE Aviation Affinity engine to power the aircraft.
NTSB Sharpens Focus on Part 135 with Most Wanted List
The NTSB is putting a spotlight on Part 135 operations in its newest Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements. Improving the safety of Part 135 aircraft flight operations was one of 10 issues included in the 2019/2020 Most Wanted List that NTSB released yesterday and was the only one that solely addressed aviation concerns. General aviation safety and/or loss-of-control, which had been included in a number of the lists over the past decade, was dropped from this latest list.
While Part 135 safety improvements were the sole direct aviation issue in the Most Wanted list, many of the issues have cross-modal safety implications that included aviation. These were: eliminate distractions, end alcohol and other drug impairment, reduce fatigue-related accidents, and strengthen occupant protection.
As for Part 135 safety, the NTSB said, “Air tour, air medical service, air-taxi, charter, and on-demand flights are not required to meet the same safety requirements as commercial airlines, leaving them susceptible to disaster.”
The Safety Board expressed the belief that Part 135 must implement safety management systems (SMS) with a flight data monitoring (FDM) program and should have controlled-flight-into-terrain avoidance (CFIT) training programs. Most Part 135 operators do not have these programs, the NTSB said.
Lynx FBO Network has expanded its network with the purchase of World Jet, one of four service providers at Florida business aviation hub Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE). The acquisition gives the two-year-old, Sterling Group-backed company its seventh location overall in the U.S. and its second FBO in the state.
Its facility at FXE offers a passenger lounge, pilot lounge and snooze room, on-site car rental and crew cars, and more than 350,000 sq ft of hangar space to accommodate the latest large-cabin business jets. But Lynx plans significant investments in the location, including a refresh of the facility’s grounds, and the design and construction of a new FBO terminal, which will double the size of the existing building, according to company president and partner Chad Farishon.
“We see this expansion into the Florida market, and in particular South Florida, as an integral part of our growing network of FBOs,” Farishon said. “Lynx looks forward to working with the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, the city of Fort Lauderdale, and the local FBO team to deliver a best-in-class service offering for our customers in the South Florida region.”
Lawmakers Highlight NATCA with State of Union Invites
A dozen National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) members are joining the guest list for this evening’s State of the Union address. Every member of Congress is permitted to invite one guest to the annual presidential address on Capitol Hill, and often these guests highlight national issues. The invitations to the ATC team follow the campaign NATCA waged to end the partial U.S. government shutdown, putting a spotlight on the stress controllers endured while working without pay.
“These invitations are a testament to the respect that our members and our professions have earned on Capitol Hill and across the country,” said NATCA president Paul Rinaldi, who is the guest of Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia).
The professionalism of the controllers, Rinaldi added, “was never more evident than during the longest government shutdown in American history. Despite personal hardship and stress, uncertainty and fatigue, over 15,000 NATCA members went to work [and] did their jobs at the highest level.”
The 12 lawmakers issuing the invitations, all Democrats, include Sens. Patty Murray (Washington), Kamala Harris (California), Dick Durbin (Illinois), and Chuck Schumer (New York), along with Kaine. In the House, seven representatives issued invitations: Reps. Annie Kuster (New Hampshire), Matt Cartwright (Pennsylvania), David Cicilline (Rhode Island), Mark Takano (California), Katie Hill (California), Tom Suozzi (New York), and Jennifer Wexton (Virginia).
Los Angeles-based light jet aircraft broker and services firm Aerocor secured FAA approval for its Eclipse 500/550 initial and recurrent training programs. With the FAA nod, Aerocor is bundling the training programs with the available preowned Eclipses in its sales portfolio, a move the company said will enable customers to finance the training programs with the purchase of the aircraft.
The approval is particularly important, Aerocor said, because initial pilot training for the Eclipse models must be conducted by an FAA-approved, standardized training provider. That requirement limits options for owners, it added. Not only does the approval add to Eclipse training availability, but it also enables Aerocor to further its support to Eclipse owners.
Aerocor retained Eclipse instructor and designated pilot examiner Greg Webster to steer the program. “We are very excited to have Greg on board. Clients choose Aerocor because of our in-depth product knowledge and so it was important for us to provide that same level of expertise in our training product,” said Aerocor co-founder Gavin Woodman.
Since approval, Aerocor has completed the first couple of initial type ratings and about a dozen recurrent events, it said. Eyeing expansion in this arena, the company is planning to hire staff and roll out other light-jet training programs in the near future.
Heritage Aviation Achieves Benefit Corp. Status
Burlington International Airport-based FBO, MRO, and business aircraft management company Heritage Aviation has converted to a Vermont Benefit Corporation, which requires it to consider social responsibility to employees, the environment, and its communities, in addition to financial accountability to shareholders. “Becoming a Benefit Corporation was a natural step for us,” said Heritage Aviation president Dave Stiller. “It aligns with our commitment to frame profitability and social impact as complementary, rather than conflicting, goals.”
It started down this path in 2016, when Heritage Aviation enacted an employee stock ownership plan that converted the company to 100 percent employee ownership. The company currently has 65 workers at its Burlington facility.
To help meet its environmental commitment, this month the company launched Heritage Green, which allows customers to offset carbon emissions from jet fuel purchases through a partnership with Vermont-based NativeEnergy. Proceeds from this program will help fund the Honduras Clean Water Project, it said.
“Making business decisions that give weight to both profit and social impact has made us a more successful company because it has made us a more meaningful organization to our customers, vendors, employees, and community,” said Stiller. “The conversion to a Benefit Corporation is not only about what we have done, but it’s also about directing our path forward.”
Aircraft Brokers Group Seeks Accreditation Applications
The International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) will accept applications for its new dealer accreditation process until Friday a part of its push to raise the standards of broker conduct and increase transparency in aircraft transactions, the organization announced this week. “We already have 30 new companies interested in applying for this new program, which covers existing IADA members and those who want to become accredited,” IADA chair Brian Proctor said.
IADA’s board of directors will oversee the approval of applications for accreditation, which the group said will be accomplished through an independent accrediting process. To be accredited, an aircraft dealer must have five consecutive years of business activity and “the capability of representing a variety of customers and industry stakeholders…and must be considered a reputable organization within the aviation industry,” IADA said. Dealers also must meet certain size and volume standards, the association added.
Founded more than 25 years ago as the National Aircraft Resale Association, the recently renamed IADA represents the 3 percent of aircraft dealers worldwide that in 2017 represented 60 percent of used aircraft sales volume by revenue.
IADA also launched its AircraftExchange website, which lists the business aircraft for sale by its broker members, this week.
Astronautics To Consolidate Milwaukee Facilities
Avionics manufacturer Astronautics Corp. of America is relocating its Milwaukee-area facilities to allow for further expansion and to be closer to Milwaukee General Mitchell International Airport, the company said late last week. Astronautics plans to move its corporate headquarters by the fall, followed by its other Milwaukee-area facilities in the coming years. When fully consolidated, there will be 450 employees at the new Oak Creek location, with room for growth. None of its other worldwide facilities will be affected by the move.
Astronautics said its consolidated Milwaukee facility will provide a more collaborative work environment, while the integration of its engineering and manufacturing workforce will improve operational efficiencies. Additionally, the city of Oak Creek physically positions Astronautics near General Mitchell International Airport and the I-94 corridor.
“The new facility will allow us to better serve our customers through increased innovation and more rapid product development,” said Astronautics president Chad Cundiff. “The ability to consolidate Astronautics’ engineering, manufacturing, and administrative/support operations into a single space will allow us to continue to lead the market in quickly developing breakthrough products that solve our customers’ toughest technical challenges.”
Astronautics plans to immediately recruit from Oak Creek and the surrounding communities for its manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain workforce, and also has a career fair planned there on April 13.
Count on AIN for Full Coverage of Heli-Expo
As ever, you can count on AIN for full coverage of the 2019 Heli-Expo Convention. Our team will publish three of our award-winning daily HAI Convention News editions at the show on March 5, 6, and 7. We will also have comprehensive real-time reporting of all the top news at AINonline.com and in our daily e-newsletters. If you are an exhibiting company that wants to share news or propose pre-show interviews and briefings please contact show editor Kerry Lynch.
People in Aviation
David Winstanley, previously COO of the UK’s Birmingham Airport, was named as the first CEO of rapidly growing London Biggin Hill Airport. He succeeds Will Curtis, who stepped down after serving as the airport’s managing director for six years.
FlightSafety International appointed Daniel MacLellan to jointly lead a company-wide transformation team as senior vice president. MacLellan, who joined the company in 1994 and held positions of increasing responsibility, most recently senior vice president of operations, responsible for FlightSafety’s global training center network. Dann Runik, meanwhile, was promoted to the senior vice president of operations role. He has served with FlightSafety since 2004, initially at FlightSafety Academy, later managing OEM and customer relations in Savannah, and ultimately becoming executive director of advanced training programs in 2014.
Tal Golan was appointed to the newly created position of rotorcraft business development manager for Universal Avionics. Golan brings 20 years of aviation industry experience to his new role, including that as a pilot of both rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft.
The National Air Transportation Association’s Compliance Services organization (NATACS) named Joe Dalton director of security. Dalton previously spent 17 years with NetJets, most recently as director of aviation security.
GlobalJet Services, which specializes in on-location aircraft, avionics, safety, and professional development training, added Amy Jock as sales account manager. Jock brings a background in finance, sales, and marketing to her new role and currently serves on the board of directors at the Avon, Connecticut Chamber of Commerce.
SolJets hired Nathan “Nate” Metzler as executive sales director for the brokerage firm. Metzler has a 15-year aviation sales background in the Part 91 and 135 sectors, including managing training programs for Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, and Gulfstream business jet operators.
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