Cirrus Aircraft has received FAA certification for a new version of its single-engine Vision Jet, the Generation 2 (G2), and deliveries of the model will begin this month. New features include a higher maximum operating altitude, autothrottle, lithium-ion main-ship batteries, and upgraded avionics.
The G2 Vision Jet’s Garmin avionics suite is upgraded to the Perspective+ configuration, with faster processors and higher-resolution displays, Flight Stream 510 wireless gateway, and a Garmin autothrottle system for the Fadec Williams International FJ33-5A turbofan.
Meanwhile, the FJ33-5A engine has also been modified with a new thrust schedule from FL240 to FL310, the new maximum operating altitude (up from FL280), giving the G2 Vision an improved climb and a seven-knot increase in cruise speed at FL280 to 311 ktas. At FL310, the Vision G2 can cruise at 305 ktas, one knot faster than the original Vision at FL280 (at ISA and mtow).
Range is about 100 nm higher at long-range cruise of 240 ktas, giving a range of more than 1,200 nm, or G2 pilots can carry more payload when flying at the more typical maximum continuous thrust power setting.
The original Vision base price was $1.96 million plus consumer price index increases from July 2012. Today’s G2 Vision base price is $2.38 million, with the fully loaded Elite configuration at $2.75 million.
Highlighting the increasing awareness and appeal of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) solutions outside the traditional domains of the rotorcraft industry, Bell returned this week to the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas with its “full vision” of a practical urban air taxi, dubbed the Bell Nexus.
The full-scale Nexus display builds upon the fuselage mockup unveiled at last year’s CES and features a central wing, integrated landing skids, and a modified V tail topped by a short horizontal stabilizer. A flying model will utilize a hybrid/electric distributed propulsion system feeding six tilting ducted fans, each powered by individual electric motors.
According to Bell, the six-fan design is a compromise between quad- and octo-rotor designs seen on other urban VTOL designs to provide system redundancy and space for passengers to safely embark and disembark the vehicle while operating. The ducted fans also offer improved performance and a quieter noise signature than comparable open rotor designs, the company said.
Bell also announced four collaborating partners on Nexus, with Safran providing the hybrid propulsion and drive systems; Thales, flight control computer hardware and software; Moog, flight control actuation systems; and Garmin, avionics and vehicle management computer.
Dassault Falcon Orders Up in 2018, but Deliveries Fall
Net orders for Dassault Falcons stood at 42 as of December 31, marking the third consecutive year of improved sales for the business jet manufacturer. The French company logged orders for 38 Falcons in 2017 and 21 examples in 2016.
Last year’s tally, however, is still below the 67 recorded in 2014, but does account for the last Falcon 5X cancellations after that program was canceled in late 2017. Dassault did not provide a breakdown of orders by model.
Deliveries of new Falcons fell by eight aircraft year-over-year last year, to 41 aircraft, but the tally was “consistent with our deliveries’ forecast,” Dassault Aviation noted. Backlog inched up slightly, from 52 Falcons at year-end 2017 to 53 last year, though still below the 63 and 91 at the end of 2016 and 2015, respectively.
On the military side, Dassault said deliveries were “as per” its forecast for shipment of 12 Rafale fighters, up from nine a year earlier, with nine examples for export and three going to France. Orders for 12 Rafales were placed last year following the entry into force of the option exercised by Qatar. The year-end defense backlog includes 101 Rafales—unchanged from late 2017—with 73 for export and 28 for France.
Dassault Aviation will present full-year annual results and 2019 deliveries guidance on February 28 in Paris.
Industry and Worker Reps Spotlight Toll of Shutdown
Effects of the nearly three-week-long U.S. government shutdown are taking an increasing toll on government workers, the flow of products, flight approvals, and key aviation research projects, industry and worker representatives say.
The shutdown, which took effect December 22, resulted in the furlough of nearly 18,000 FAA workers alone. But Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) president and CEO Eric Fanning points out that government-wide, 800,000 federal workers are either furloughed or working without pay. AIA noted the ripple effects, such as an inability to process export licenses with the lapse of funding for the Departments of State and Commerce. “Every day the shutdown lasts, the impacts grow and become more difficult and more expensive to fix,” Fanning said. “It’s time to get these dedicated public servants back to work.”
NATCA and ALPA highlighted delays setting in with Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC), or DataComm. “The training for DataComm has a very specific performance schedule,” said NATCA director of safety and technology Jim Ullmann, adding the shutdown could delay implementation by a year.
NATA further pointed to “numerous reports of failed attempts to obtain ferry permits or add aircraft.” If the shutdown continues to drag on, the closure of the FSDO will become an increasing issue, fears NBAA, as operators seek letters of authorization, make changes, or add personnel and aircraft to their OpSpecs.
State Farm Obtains First National Drone BVLOS Waiver
Insurer State Farm has been granted the first FAA national UAS waiver to conduct operations over people (OOP) or beyond the pilot’s visual line of sight (BVLOS). The waiver runs through November 2022. Previously the company had been granted limited-duration waivers in geographic-specific areas in the aftermath of hurricanes. The insurer uses UAS to assess property damage in areas where access can be limited due to water, debris, and damage to infrastructure.
For nearly two years, State Farm has been working with the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) at Virginia Tech on drone safety case research. In May 2018, the Commonwealth of Virginia was selected as one of 10 teams to participate in the FAA Integration Pilot Program (IPP). As a member of the Virginia IPP team, the insurer has worked with MAAP to assess a wide range of potential risks and strategies for reducing them.
Test flights used the senseFly eBee Classic fixed-wing drone for longer distance damage-assessment missions. State Farm used the data from these flights to conduct OOP and BVLOS flights in states affected by hurricanes Florence and Michael last year. Data from those flights was in turn used to obtain the national waiver.
Veteran Salesman, FSG Co-founder Bill Juvonen Dies
William Harwood Juvonen, 81, a long-time aircraft salesman and co-founder of charter and aircraft management firm Flight Services Group, died December 22 at his home in Stamford, Connecticut.
A regular NBAA convention attendee, Juvonen had a corporate aviation career that spanned more than 40 years and led him to sales positions involving Pan Am Business Jets, Cessna Citations, and Canadair Challengers. Ultimately, he helped found and became chairman of Flight Services Group, which grew into one of the larger charter and management firms that was later acquired by PrivatAir.
Born in Santa Ana, California, Juvonen joined the U.S. Marine Corps after graduating from Stanford University. He was trained as a carrier-based fighter and helicopter pilot, attending the Replacement Air Group, later known as Top Gun. He flew the supersonic F8-U Crusader.
Later he joined Pan American World Airways as a sales manager for Pan Am Business Jets. He then became a sales manager for Cessna, introducing the Citation series, beginning with the 500. Jumping from the success of the introduction of the venerable Citation line, Juvonen introduced the Canadair Challenger 600 program as vice president of sales. He joined Polaris Aircraft Leasing as v-p of marketing before helping establish Flight Services Group.
He is survived by his wife, Karen Coleman Juvonen, and children Nancy Juvonen Fallon (Jimmy) and Jim Juvonen (Sarah), along with five grandchildren.
Hydrogen UAS Demonstrates Superior Endurance
A 44-pound multi-rotor Project Rachel UAS powered by an Intelligent Energy hydrogen fuel cells has achieved 70 minutes of continuous flight while carrying an 11-pound payload. This is a substantial improvement over the aircraft's 12-minute endurance when using lithium batteries.
Project Rachel is supported by Innovate UK and led by venture engineering company Productiv on behalf of the UK UAV filming specialist Batcam. The fuel cell was powered by a six-liter cylinder containing hydrogen gas compressed to 300 bar. Batcam plans to carry out real-world, end-user trials of the aircraft later this year.
Intelligent Energy CEO David Woolhouse called fuel cells “a game-changer for the commercial UAV market. The advantages of fuel cells over batteries for our customers are clear: fast refuel, no vibration, quiet operation, zero emission at point of use, and three times more flight time than batteries.”
According to Productiv’s Jonathan Reed, “The effectiveness of UAVs is limited by their flight time and payload capacity. This opens up new opportunities for commercial UAV operators. Hydrogen power has huge potential here, and we anticipate a significant growth in the market for hydrogen-powered UAVs in the next few years.”
BEH and Norwood at Stalemate over FBO Agreement
To head off an impending trial, Boston Executive Helicopters and the city of Norwood, Massachusetts, had reached an agreement in principle on December 6 that would permit BEH to establish an FBO at Norwood Memorial Airport and permit the airport to again qualify for federal grant assurances. However, according to court documents obtained by AIN, airport officials have reneged on several key issues.
Consequently, BEH has filed a motion requesting the court order the city of Norwood to adhere to all the provisions agreed to in the settlement document or dismiss it and reschedule the trial. Terms of the agreement generally follow recommendations by the FAA in a Part 16 study.
Undisputed terms of the recent settlement agreement include payment of $750,000 to BEH by the defendants; defendants' withdrawal of their appeal of the Part 16 findings; approval of BEH as an FBO; the right to lease additional ramp space; and the right to build a hangar on the west ramp.
In the final draft agreement, three items essential to BEH were changed by the defendants. Removed was a stipulation allowing BEH to participate in an FAA “joint corrective action” plan, while language was added authorizing an easement through the west apron (to allow the existing FBO direct access to its fuel supply) and restricting BEH from building a hangar before 2026.
Count on AIN for Full Coverage of NBAA’s Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference
As ever, you can count on AIN for full coverage of the 2019 Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference from San Antonio, Texas. Our team will publish special editions of AINalerts from the show on January 28, 29, 30, and 31. If you are an exhibiting company that wants to share news ahead of the show, please contact senior editor Curt Epstein.
People in Aviation
NBAA appointed Annemarie McDonald Oxman chief people officer. In that role, she takes the responsibilities held by Holly Clark, who is retiring from the organization after more than 12 years of service. Oxman has previously held senior human resources roles for the American Petroleum Institute, Best Practices, and the Consumer Electronics Association.
Shreekant Agrawal joined Spike Aerospace as an executive advisor. Agrawal, director of flight sciences within the Vehicle Engineering division of Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, has more than 35 years of aerospace experience, also including 29 years with Boeing.
Wayne Jamroz joined King Aerospace Commercial Corp. as general manager of its Ardmore, Oklahoma operations. Jamroz has more than four decades of aviation maintenance experience, most recently as vice president and general manager of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for AAR Corp.
Silver Air named Colleen McCauley to the newly created position of vice president of client services. McCauley brings more than two decades of charter sales, management, and operations experience to her new role, most recently with Solairus Aviation.
John Yegerlehner has become president of Spectra Jet, in addition to serving as chief inspector. Yegerlehner, who co-founded the repair station in 1998, is taking over for co-founder Mike Catherwood, who retired. James "Jim" Major, meanwhile, was promoted to vice president. He will also continue as logistics manager.
AINalerts News Tips/Feedback: News tips may be sent anonymously, but feedback must include name and contact info (we will withhold name on request). We reserve the right to edit correspondence for length, clarity and grammar. Send feedback or news tips to AINalerts editor Chad Trautvetter.
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