Universal Avionics Launches Roadshow Demos

Universal Avionics is helping its sales teams and dealers reach out to customers with a mobile demonstration unit (MDU) that offers live views of its avionics products. The company is bringing the MDU to dealers, integrators, and FBOs in the U.S. and providing a safe, socially distanced setting for the demonstrations, which are held one-on-one. The first took place this week in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The products being shown in the MDU include Universal’s localizer performance with vertical guidance (LPV) capabilities in its flight management systems; the head-worn SkyLens enhanced flight vision system (EFVS); data communications technology for digital communications and FANS datalink, which provides access to preferred routing; Universal’s integrated display systems for flight deck avionics; and interactive synthetic vision system (i-SVS), along with the company’s unique gaze-control concept. 

“The mobile demonstration unit is further evidence of Universal Avionics’ continuous drive for innovation,” said Universal Avionics v-p of business development, marketing, and services Marc Bouliane. “Our team reacted swiftly to this year’s unfortunate events and developed a fully portable demonstration system. Visitors will be able to experience firsthand our newest products, confident that we are simultaneously ensuring their wellbeing.”

Duncan Ups Falcon’s Seating Capacity, Shaves Weight

Duncan Aviation rose to the challenge when a customer asked it to reduce the empty weight of his Dassault Falcon 900EX EASy while also increasing the trijet’s passenger capacity from 14 to 17. The final design, created by Duncan Aviation aircraft designer Ken Reita, required an STC and the help of his team members from engineering, airframe, interior, and customer service.

“We regularly updated detailed spreadsheets with the weight of every single item, including coffee containers and life rafts, on that aircraft,” said Duncan Aviation senior completions sales rep Suzanne Hawes. “We even took out the carpet and weighed it. We pored over that interior, coming up with savings, ounce by ounce.”

The team switched out the seat and divan frames for lighter alternatives, removed a pocket door, installed thinner carpet, and replaced the stone countertops in the galley cabinet with lightweight laminate. They also saved 50 pounds by swapping out the insulation in the headliner.

Ultimately, the Duncan team fit 17 seats comfortably in the cabin and shaved 374 pounds from the aircraft’s weight. In addition to the pre-buy and cabin reconfiguration, Duncan Aviation performed an airframe 2-C inspection, EASy II avionics upgrade, and complete paint job.

Aerion Forms Partnership with Jetex

Moving forward on its vision to build an ecosystem surrounding supersonic travel, Aerion Supersonic has made a strategic partnership agreement with international business aviation services provider Jetex to ensure a “seamless experience” for passengers traveling aboard the AS2 supersonic business jet.

As a preferred partner, Jetex will coordinate with Aerion to provide personalized travel arrangements for AS2 customers at its private terminals. The companies will also collaborate on efforts to encourage broad adoption of synthetic fuels.

Working with Aerion, Jetex plans to unveil a suite of services tailored specifically for the launch of AS2, said Jetex founder and CEO Adel Mardini. “Since the retirement of the Concorde in 2003, the world has been eagerly waiting to return to the supersonic skies. Two decades later, we look forward to welcoming the first passengers traveling aboard AS2 at Jetex private jet terminals around the world.”

The partnership comes as Aerion chairman Tom Vice recently laid out long-term aspirations for the company’s “Aerion Connect” initiative to take a holistic approach to provide seamless travel for the customer from door-to-door. The company plans to kick off the flight-test program for the Mach 1.4 business jet in the middle of the decade with entry into service in the 2027 timeframe. Accumulating a backlog valued at more than $3 billion, Aerion is targeting the manufacture of 300 AS2s in the aircraft’s first decade.

Charter Broker Offers Expedited Pre-trip Covid Testing

Air charter broker Paramount Business Jets is offering expedited pre-trip Covid-19 testing through a new partnership with The COVID Consultants, allowing healthy passengers to avoid otherwise mandatory quarantines on arrival. “Our clients flying domestically in the U.S. or internationally can now receive expedited Covid-19 testing so they may avoid 14-day quarantines,” said Paramount founder and CEO Richard Zaher.

Launched earlier this year by a team of infectious-disease doctors and other medical specialists, The COVID Consultants provides remote Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and antibody testing. Results are back within 72 hours to anyone within the contiguous U.S, but the company is currently guaranteeing a 24-hour turnaround. That compares with the week or longer that state-level testing facilities take to return test results, The COVID Consultants said.

Under the partnership, Paramount clients can arrange for the testing when they book a charter trip. The COVID Consultants then ships a home testing kit for next-day delivery, along with detailed instructions for providing a test sample and returning it to the lab.

Negative test results are sent via email along with a copy of the U.S. Federal Drug Administration emergency-use authorization to demonstrate the passenger's compliance with official requirements. The COVID Consultants contacts anyone testing positive to reiterate U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommendations and provide guidance on when to go to the hospital, if necessary.

Gulfstream Brings In GD Exec To Succeed Clare as CFO

Gulfstream has made a few executive changes, including the appointment of Josh Thompson to serve as CFO, effective August 3, and the promotions of sales team members Wayne Oedewaldt and Kirsten Krueger.

Moving over from the CFO post at General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (OTS), Thompson succeeds longtime company executive Dan Clare, who is retiring at the end of September. Clare has spent more than two decades with Gulfstream and General Dynamics, serving in roles including corporate v-p of the parent company and president of its Jet Aviation business.

Thompson, who will report to Gulfstream president Mark Burns, had served as OTS CTO since 2018 and has held various positions with that and the parent company since 2004. “Josh is the ideal candidate, given his extensive business acumen, financial savvy, and in-depth knowledge of General Dynamics,” Burns said. “His experience will be invaluable to Gulfstream.”

In addition, the Savannah, Georgia, business jet maker promoted Oedewaldt to regional senior v-p of international sales for Asia-Pacific and Krueger to regional v-p of sales for California’s central coast.

Formerly responsible for the California central coast, Oedewaldt has served on Gulfstream’s sales team since 2001 and has a 40-year business aviation background. Most recently regional sales manager for the northwest and west-central U.S., Krueger joined Gulfstream in 2017 and has 20 years of business aviation experience.

NATA Broadens Environmental Focus

NATA has established an environment committee aimed at assisting in its policy priorities and highlighting the achievements of its constituent aviation businesses in building on efficiency gains, sustainability, and other ways of lessening their environmental impact.

An environmental subcommittee had previously existed as part of NATA’s airport business committee. Elevating this group to full committee status further underlines the increasing importance that NATA ascribes to sustainability and environmental stewardship in the operation of aviation businesses. The committee will address subjects such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), solar power and battery storage systems, PFAS remediation, 100LL alternative fuels, aircraft noise mitigation, and FBO and aviation infrastructure efficiencies in aircraft operations.

“As the world has worked to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the pandemic has created a renewed focus on climate change as positive environmental effects of its disruptive nature have been exposed on a world stage,” said NATA chairman Curt Castagna. “NATA’s environmental committee demonstrates a steadfast dedication to supporting the industry’s long-held goal to expand access to aviation while embracing technological achievements and sound policies that promote a cleaner future.”

Tamarack Adds Installation Center in UK

Active Winglet specialist Tamarack Aerospace has expanded its presence in Europe with the opening of an installation center at London-Oxford Airport in the UK. Operating from the Jet Maintenance International (JMI) facility, the Tamarack European Installation Center will work seven days a week to expedite Atlas Active Winglet installations, collaborate with Tamarack authorized dealers in the European region, and reduce supply chain lead times, the Sandpoint, Idaho-based company said. Customer installations are set to begin this month.

The company said the opening furthers its expansion goals. “After a short period of building experience, our goal is to offer customers installations in just one week, which will be of significant benefit to mainly the charter market that exists here,” said Tamarack CEO Nick Guida.

JMI director Ed Griffith said the partnership builds on a long relationship with Tamarack. “We already carry out a range of maintenance on Citation 525 series aircraft at our brand-new 18,000-sq-ft facility, so this partnership is a great fit for us and our customers,” he added.

EASA Grafts Cybersecurity Onto Certification Standards

EASA has issued decision 2020/006/R to introduce cybersecurity provisions via amendments to its aircraft certification standards. The certification amendments would apply to helicopters (both CS-27 and CS-29), large airplanes, engines, auxiliary power units, propellers, and European Technical Standard Orders (ETSO).

According to EASA, the provisions require applicants “to show during certification that the possible security risks have been identified, assessed, and mitigated as necessary.” These new rules pertain to aircraft systems, equipment, and networks.

EASA said the changes are necessary to protect aircraft from “unauthorized electronic interactions” that “may result in catastrophic or hazardous effects on the safety of the rotorcraft” and said that it would “monitor” the effectiveness of the proposed amendments “once they become applicable.” However, the agency acknowledged that “due to the evolving nature of cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities, the monitoring indicators cannot be specified exhaustively.”

The new rules would require EASA to “review the results of regular proactive testing of the effectiveness of the cybersecurity protection means,” and the agency can also access cybersecurity incidents via the European Coordination Centre for Accident and Incident Reporting Systems (ECCAIRS).