Honda Aircraft Breaks Ground on Wing/Parts Facility
At a groundbreaking ceremony held today, Honda Aircraft president and CEO Michimasa Fujino and local and state government officials celebrated the imminent construction of an 83,000-sq-ft facility at the company’s Greensboro, North Carolina Headquarters. Set to open next July, the facility will house a new service parts warehouse and HondaJet wing manufacturing operation.
During the ceremony, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper welcomed Honda Aircraft’s $15.5 million investment in the new facility and the company’s $245 million capital investment in North Carolina. The state now ranks as the second-largest aerospace cluster in the U.S., with 200 aerospace companies and 400 suppliers. “We're making the push for first,” he said.
With the added wing manufacturing capability and new automated manufacturing technology, Honda Aircraft will have extra space for other projects. Cooper hinted that some work is under way on possible new models, although Honda Aircraft hasn’t confirmed this. Honda Aircraft employs 1,500 in North Carolina, and as the company ramps up the HondaJet assembly line from four to five aircraft per month, Fujino hopes to add more employees.
“The [new] facility will be utilized for lean production and increased production efficiency with a highly automated process,” he said. “The addition of this facility will directly translate to quicker lead times between purchase and the delivery, eventually allowing us to increase output.”
Embraer’s airliner and executive jet deliveries were flat at 73 through the first six months of the year as growth in the latter segment offset a dip in the former, the company announced today. Its executive jets group delivered 25 aircraft in the second quarter, a five-unit improvement from the same period last year, and 36 in all during the first six months. The company's six-month business jet shipment tally was also up by five aircraft from a year ago.
Light jet handovers increased by four, to 27 (21 Phenom 300s and six Phenom 100s), in the first half. Meanwhile, large jet shipments climbed to nine aircraft in the first six months, up by one from a year ago. One of those deliveries was for the new Praetor 600, while the remainder included five Legacy 500s, two Legacy 650s, and one Legacy 450.
Embraer, which gained certification and began deliveries of its new super-midsize Praetor 600 in the second quarter, credited the new Praetor family for helping to increase its backlog from $16 billion at the end of the first quarter to $16.9 billion at the end of June.
Its airliner deliveries, meanwhile, were down five through the first six months of the year, led by fewer E190 shipments (five in the first six months of 2018, compared with one this year).
Wichita Bank Expands Into Business Aircraft Financing
A regional bank based in Wichita with $4 billion in assets is expanding into business aviation with the addition of an aircraft financing division, Equity Bank announced yesterday. Leading the new division is v-p of business aviation Morgan Littell, who comes to Equity from Kansas City-based UMB Bank, where she oversaw a similar effort.
“She is the epitome of a customer-oriented banker who will be focused on client needs in a full range of aircraft financing, to include new and used piston-powered aircraft, turboprops, and jets,” said Equity executive v-p and COO Craig Anderson. “The development of our new aircraft finance division gives current and future customers an opportunity to improve their business travel.”
Littell has more than 20 years of experience in aviation, holding sales and marketing positions for the former Raytheon Aircraft (now Textron Aviation Beechcraft), as well as other positions at Sentient Jet and Ametek B&S Aircraft Parts & Accessories. Equity operates 52 branches in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Energy Org Joins Fray Warning on Fuel Contamination
International energy organization Energy Institute joined the increasing calls for caution in handling fuel additives on airports, including fuel system icing inhibitors (FSII). The Energy Institute’s new report, “EI 1538: Handling of Fuel System Icing Inhibitor and Aviation Fuel Containing Fuel System Icing Inhibitor at Airports, 1st Edition,” outlines risks of handling and guidance on avoiding inadvertent cross-contamination.
The report comes in the wake of several instances of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) cross-contamination with FSII that caused loss of engine power. These events spurred an industry Aircraft Diesel Exhaust Fluid Contamination Working Group report in June and a National Transportation Safety Board safety alert in July on avoidance of such cross-contamination.
Improperly stored, the clear, colorless DEF can be mistaken for FSII. “It is essential that all personnel involved in the handling of FSII and all additives and chemicals on a site understand the consequences of any lapse in maintaining correct procedures,” the Energy Institute report states, detailing means of training, handling, and storage.
“We’re grateful for the Energy Institute’s support to educate and inform FBOs, aircraft fuelers, operators and other stakeholders about the dangers of DEF contamination,” said NBAA senior manager of safety and flight operations Mark Larsen.
BBA Aviation plans to sell its Ontic unit for $1.37 billion to CVC Capital Partners’ CVC Fund VII, the London-based global aviation support and aftermarket services provider announced today. The sale of Ontic, a manufacturer of OEM-licensed parts for legacy aircraft, will allow BBA to enhance and invest in its Signature Flight Support business, the company added. “While maintaining a strong balance sheet, we also expect to return between $750 million and $850 million to shareholders and will evaluate how best to structure this return after consultation with our shareholders,” said BBA CEO Mark Johnstone.
Acquired by BBA in February 2006 for $67 million, Ontic “has grown successfully” by way of acquisition of parts manufacturing licenses and organic growth, Johnstone explained. “It now supports more than 39,000 legacy aircraft through its portfolio of over 165 licenses for more than 7,000 parts and over 1,200 customers worldwide,” he added.
The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter, following shareholder and regulatory approvals. “Ontic is a growing, highly resilient business and a leading player in what we believe to be a very attractive market,” said James Mahoney, senior managing director of Luxembourg-based CVC Capital. “We see multiple opportunities to develop the business further and look forward to working closely with Ontic’s excellent management team to take the company to the next level.”
Shell Aviation Network Expands in New England
The Shell Aviation Fuel network has added two Columbia Air Services locations in New England. Columbia operates the lone service facilities at Maine’s Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport as well as Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airport.
Home to Acadia National Park, “Down East” Bar Harbor sees strong summer tourism, especially from those seeking the country’s finest lobsters. The Columbia facility there offers a 6,400-sq-ft and a 3,200-sq-ft storage hangar; a 5,880-sq-ft maintenance hangar, and an office and shop area. Amenities include passenger and pilot lounge, flight planning room, concierge, onsite car rental, crew car, and 24/7 callout service.
Rutland is the heart of Vermont’s ski region and Southern Vermont Regional is the gateway to six major ski resorts, yet with its mountains, lakes, golf courses, and campgrounds, it has become a four-season destination. The FBO specializes in cold-weather operations, and its facilities include approximately 40,000 sq ft of aircraft storage space, and 4,000 sq ft of office space.
“The Columbia Aviation Companies have served the general and corporate aviation communities for nearly 40 years,” said Melissa Duzguner, the company’s v-p of administration. “Our partnership with Shell offers our customers quality fuel and FBO programs.”
Prison Drone Dope Operation Thwarted
Eric Lee Brown, 35, pleaded guilty last week to federal charges related to attempting to use a drone to deliver marijuana to inmates at Autry State Prison in Pelham, Georgia. Brown, of Lithonia, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of “operating an aircraft eligible for registration knowing that the aircraft is not registered to facilitate a controlled substance offense.” He is facing a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, three years supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Brown admitted to attempting to use a DJI Phantom 4 to deliver the drugs.
He was arrested on March 29 after Mitchell County deputies responded to a complaint of a vehicle impeding traffic near the prison. Brown was found inside the vehicle with 294 grams of marijuana and the drone. Evidence later emerged that Brown intended to use the unregistered aircraft to deliver marijuana to prisoners. Brown does not hold a valid remote pilot’s certificate or an FAA airman’s certificate as would be required to conduct commercial operations or to be eligible to conduct unmanned aircraft operations beyond visual line of sight.
Drone delivery of contraband into prisons is becoming an increasing problem nationwide. U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler said his office “will aggressively prosecute those who choose to smuggle cellphones, drugs, or any other contraband into our state prisons.”
Peggy Chabrian, who founded and steered Women In Aviation International (WAI) into an organization that has 14,000 members and has facilitated the award of $12.5 million in scholarships, is planning to retire as president and CEO in April 2020.
Chabrian announced her impending departure at EAA AirVenture, saying, “The organization is in an excellent place with record accomplishments in all areas including membership numbers, scholarship awards, and a solid financial position. It has been a pleasure to have established the WAI annual conferences 30 years ago, to create the organization 25 years ago, and to serve as its president since its inception in 1994.”
Chabrian first held the WAI conference in 1990 in Prescott, Arizona. That gathering led to the formation of the formal organization. “My commitment is to engage in continued fundraising and public relations for WAI…up through April 2020 and to ensure a smooth transition once a new individual has been hired,” Chabrian said. WAI pans to retain an executive search firm for the next leader.
WAI chairman Marci Veronie called Chabrian “a trailblazing pioneer and an industry leader” and NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen added, “For 30 years, Dr. Chabrian has been a source of inspiration to women in aviation, and a tireless advocate for educational initiatives and other resources to ensure their success and career growth in the industry."
As ever, you can count on AIN for full coverage of LABACE 2019. Our team will publish three of our award-winning daily LABACE Convention News editions at the show on August 13, 14, and 15. 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 Ian Sheppard.
People in Aviation
Heli-One hired Christian Drouin as v-p of operations. Drouin has 33 years of military service, culminating in the rank of major-general in the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Ronnie Hudson was promoted to v-p of Robinson Aerospace and Robinson Aircraft Interiors. Most recently v-p of operations at Robinson Aerospace and general manager of Robinson Aircraft, Hudson has 27 years of experience with aircraft interiors, structural repairs, and aircraft maintenance. Jody Wagner, meanwhile, has taken over the general manager role at Robinson Aircraft Interiors. Wagner has a 20-year background in cabinet building and detailed parts manufacturing. Mark Karls joined the company earlier this year as general manager of Robinson Aerospace after holding roles with Gulfstream Aerospace, Savannah Air Center, Bombardier, and Dassault Falcon.
Denise Wilson joined jetAviva as sales director for the Citation CJ, CJ1/1+, and M2 markets. Wilson, an active jet pilot, founded and recently transitioned from CEO to chairman at Desert Jet Holdings. She will continue in that capacity while taking on her new role at jetAviva.
Alex Almonte joined Western Aircraft as regional sales manager. Almonte, who will cover the U.S. Southwest and Midwest region territories for Falcon, Gulfstream, Embraer Legacy/Praetor, and Hawker customers, previously was v-p of operations with Sentinel Aviation, regional sales director for StarPort Aviation, and regional sales manager with Constant Aviation.
Uniflight Global named Darryl "D.J." Bates director of maintenance for its flight operations division. Bates has more than 40 years of helicopter maintenance experience and a background in Part 135 operations, serving as director of maintenance with Helicopter Systems, CJ Systems Aviation Group, and Air-Evac Lifeteam.
Connecticut-based on-location aircraft, avionics, safety, and professional development training provider Global Jet Services added experienced Falcon aircraft instructor Rob Fisher to its Dassault Falcon maintenance training program.
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