AINalerts will not publish tomorrow, July 3, in observance of Independence Day in the U.S.

NBAA Cancels 2020 BACE, Citing Health Safety

Citing health and safety concerns, NBAA took the extraordinary step late Wednesday to cancel its 2020 Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) that was to have taken place from October 6 to 8 in Orlando, Florida. NBAA pointed to guidance from public health officials and the challenges of staging an event the scope of its annual meeting during the Covid-19 pandemic. The decision was made as the pandemic is seeming to spike upward in a number of states, including the planned host state of Florida.

In fact, the Florida Department of Health advises individuals to avoid participation in gatherings of more than 50 people. Given NBAA-BACE typically draws upwards of 30,000 attendees and 1,000 exhibitors, such an advisory would make the event seemingly implausible. On top of this, various and rapidly changing restrictions both within and out of the U.S. make planning for the event extraordinarily difficult and in some cases impossible. That was reflected in the early exhibitor numbers, which far from finalized, were still at 547, compared with the some 1,000 that the convention typically draws. 

NBAA said it would begin working with exhibitors to wind down this year’s events and begin preparation for the 2021 NBAA-BACE, scheduled for October 12 to 14 in Las Vegas.   

Global Bizav Flying Now 70% of Normal, Says WingX

Global business aircraft activity continued its post-Covid-19 recovery last month, with traffic down 30 percent from year-ago levels, according to data released today by WingX Advance. But business aviation is still outpacing the airline recovery, which was down about 50 percent from June 2019.

The North American market has had the largest rebound since the global slump in April, but recovery trends in the U.S. slowed last month as lockdown lifts have slowed in several states due to Covid-19 spikes, WingX said. In Europe, the recovery rate in the latter part of June was stronger than in any other region, although full-month activity lagged 40 percent behind last year.

In the rest of the world, which accounted for less than 10 percent of business aviation departures last month, Oceania activity was down around 10 percent, though Asia as a whole fell 30 percent. While improving, flying in Africa fell 38 percent, while business aviation activity in South America fell just 13 percent.

“The recovery in flight activity has hit a fragile period where lockdown lifts are getting stuttered due to secondary localized virus outbreaks. But overall, June's 30 percent year-over-year decline was a clear improvement on May's 50 percent slump,” said WingX Advance managing director Richard Koe. “Assuming that the opening up of economies can be resumed, we would expect stronger recovery in July.”

Airbus H160 Gets EASA Nod

Airbus Helicopters’ medium-twin H160 received EASA type certification approval yesterday, with FAA validation expected before first delivery to an undisclosed U.S. customer later this year, the company said.

Airbus flew three prototypes and employed two static versions for dynamic and systems testing over the course of a test program that accumulated more than 1,500 flight test hours over nearly five years. The multirole, 12-passenger (four to eight in executive configuration) helicopter features noise-reducing Blue Edge main rotor blades and advanced Helionix avionics with safety features that include accrued pilot assistance and flight envelope protection.

Power comes from a pair of Safran Arrano 1A engines, each with 1,300 shp. The Arrano 1A features a two-stage centrifugal compressor and variable inlet guide vanes, which cut fuel consumption in all phases of flight and particularly at cruise power. They help propel the H160 to its estimated maximum cruise speed of 150 knots and service ceiling of 20,000 feet and give it a maximum range of 475 nm (no reserve, standard tanks).

The H160 also incorporates electrically activated landing gear and brakes in place of the traditional hydraulic systems, which trims some weight and improves reliability. A health usage and monitoring system tracks key maintenance parameters and can transmit them to technicians on the ground while the helicopter is in flight, when equipped with the proper datalink.

MEBAA Still Planning Dubai Bizav Show in December

The Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) is planning to proceed with its 2020 trade show in Dubai in December, although a final decision on whether to go ahead is unlikely until September at the earliest, association founding and executive chairman Ali Alnaqbi told AIN. The event is scheduled for December 8 to 10.

However, Alnaqbi is unable at this point to confirm whether MEBAA attendees traveling on airlines from outside the United Arab Emirates would be able to attend. Citing the UAE General Authority for Civil Aviation's Safety Decision 2020-01, he said the regulator had lifted restrictions on international business aviation travel from the UAE to permitted destinations, but conceded that a requirement for self-isolation for those entering or reentering the UAE acts as a deterrent to trips.

“Anyone who [wants] to travel by private or corporate jet does not [now] need to get approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or diplomatic clearance,” he said. “Things are [getting] back to normal. Any person or company can travel to or from the UAE, but if you are coming back, the government has [put in place] endorsement procedures saying you have to be in quarantine for 14 days.”

MEBAA conferences in Jeddah, Amman, and Cairo have been postponed, while events already planned for Tunis and Marrakech in 2021 are likely to go ahead, Alnaqbi said.

House Backs Airports, Alternative Fuels Funding

The sweeping House-passed infrastructure bill forwards several key aviation provisions that include support for renewable fuels, airport funding, and workforce development. H.R.2, the Invest in America Act, cleared the House yesterday by a 233-188 vote that fell largely along party lines.

While the overall package itself has little Senate support and is in doubt, a number of the measures within H.R.2 are expected to move forward through other legislation, and the inclusion of the aviation measures strengthens their possibility of advancing.

These include a measure to authorize the Department of Transportation to promote transportation careers, including those involving aviation, through digital, broadcast, and print media, to attract a new and diverse generation of workers. Other measures would provide $4 billion in annual funding for the Airport Improvement Program with an additional $3 billion in grant funding for 2021. The legislation also would support finance techniques for small commercial airports and includes $30 million annually for renewable aviation fuel research.

NBAA lauded the inclusion of the aviation measures. “As we continue to grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic, it is critically important that we promote a strong and sustainable business aviation community with a highly skilled and diverse workforce to lead us forward,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen.” We are pleased that House lawmakers took into account several of our industry’s priorities.”

MySky To Add Enhanced Fuel Data

Flight department cost-management software provider MySky has signed a strategic agreement with S&P Global Platts, an energy and commodities data analyst, to give its clients access to Platts’s comprehensive database on global jet fuel price assessments. This will provide business aviation owners, operators, and consultants a precise benchmarking tool on fuel costs, MySky said.

According to the company, its spend management platform is backed by 15 million data points and will expand exponentially as a result of this relationship with Platts. Amid the current global uncertainty, MySky noted this will provide its users with increased visibility over how their money is being spent, while the inclusion of the Platts jet fuel price assessment data will help industry suppliers and allow them to more accurately benchmark fuel costs.

“At MySky, it is our mission to equip our clients with the tools to effectively and efficiently manage the costs of their assets,” said company co-founder and CEO Kirill Kim. “Our agreement with S&P Global Platts brings a new level of transparency to the private aviation industry, strengthening our database so that we can provide our customers with the information they need to achieve long-term financial success.”

NATA’s Covid-19 Clean Standard Gains Traction

Following the rollout of its new Safety 1st Clean standard in mid-June, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has already reached 50 companies that have self-certified their facilities in the Covid-19 mitigation program.

The standard consists of industry best practices compiled from guidance from government agencies such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and offers a checklist of the measures needed to be implemented in the company’s cleaning and sanitizing regimens to protect the health of customers and staff. Upon completing the self-certification checklist and submitting the required documentation to NATA, FBOs are allowed to highlight their participation in the program by displaying the Safety 1st Clean logo.

“The NATA team is very pleased to see how quickly Safety 1st Clean is gaining traction across the industry and throughout the world, with locations in Canada, Singapore, and Australia among the first to adopt the standard,” said NATA senior v-p Ryan Waguespack. “We are confident that even more locations will realize the immense value in using Safety 1st Clean to confirm their own heightened standards in cleaning and disinfecting during the Covid-19 crisis and beyond.”

UK Man Pleads Guilty to Aircraft Parts Fraud

The owner and operator of a Tennessee helicopter sales and repair shop pleaded guilty to attempted aircraft parts fraud in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, according to the Court and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) inspector general. Richard Paul Harper, a UK citizen and owner of Bristol-based Apple International, admitted in a plea agreement on June 16 that he obtained a helicopter with significant damage to its underbelly and switched its fuselage and data plate with that of one that had crashed in New Jersey.

He then marketed the helicopter and tried to sell it to an undercover agent posing as an aircraft broker. Harper was arrested in Los Angeles on January 24, when he returned to the U.S. to attend Heli-Expo 2020. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Sentencing has been set for October 20.

The case was investigated by the DOT, FAA, and Homeland Security. According to its website, Apple International has been placed into administration and an administrator was on appointed February 6.

Farnborough International Air Show Set for Online Takeoff

The Covid-19 pandemic means the Farnborough International Airshow can’t go ahead as normal this year, but organizers are pressing ahead with an online event to bring the aerospace industry together. Show organizer CEO Gareth Rogers explains how FIA Connect will offer a full program of webinars, Meet the Buyer opportunities, and a platform to inspire the next generation of industry professionals.