In the largest such arrangement of its kind involving the business aviation sector, Avfuel has struck a deal to purchase one billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from biocrude specialist Alder Fuels over the next 20 years, the companies said today. In addition, the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based company will provide logistics support and expertise, and its Avfuel Technology Initiatives Corp. (ATIC) subsidiary further has agreed to invest millions into Alder Fuels to help the company scale production.
Alder Fuels is developing production facilities that will convert abundant biomass, such as forest and crop residue, into a low-carbon replacement fuel that will meet jet-A specifications once refined. The refined fuel is in the process of being certified as a 100 percent drop-in replacement for petroleum-based jet-A and is anticipated to become available in early 2024.
“Our fuel is indicating from the testing we've done and the initial work we're doing with ASTM that this fuel will meet the full specification of jet-A 100 percent neat, meaning we're not going to need to blend it with petroleum fuel,” Alder Fuels CEO and founder Bryan Sherbacow told AIN. Unlike earlier versions of SAF, the Alder fuel has properties that eliminate the need for aromatics that require a petroleum blend.
Avfuel will supply the SAF to its business and commercial aviation customers globally.
Vista Global Holding announced today that it has closed on its acquisition of Jet Edge, doubling its North American charter footprint. The deal, announced in March, expands the company’s VistaJet and XO branded fleets by an additional 100 aircraft, including what Vista said is the largest on-demand fleet of Gulfstream jets in the U.S. Combined, the Vista fleet now totals more than 350 aircraft.
In addition, more than 800 Jet Edge employees are “seamlessly” joining Vista, which acquires more infrastructure, including a maintenance facility, to support larger-scale operations. “All clients can now enjoy an even larger network that guarantees reliability, flexibility, safety, consistency, and superior in-cabin experience—in a way that no other private aviation company can offer,” said Vista founder and chairman Thomas Flohr.
Completion of the Jet Edge purchase follows Vista’s closing of its Air Hamburg acquisition last month. Those acquisitions are two of seven Vista has done since 2018.
“The sustained growth and stability of Vista across an industry that is highly fragmented places us in the best position to service clients,” said Jet Edge CEO Bill Papariella. “With the exponential demand the market is experiencing, we understand the value this acquisition will bring to all clients.”
NATA opened its 2022 Aviation Leadership Conference today with House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) ranking Republican Sam Graves (Missouri) noting that Congress is gearing up for its FAA reauthorization cycle. Graves stressed a desire to work in a bipartisan fashion, as has been historically the case, in creating the next FAA reauthorization bill, and said lawmakers will gather information in the next year to set priorities.
A pilot, Graves also expressed concern about Environmental Protect Agency “backdoor” efforts to place pressure on states to make it harder to use leaded aviation gasoline. He noted the difficulties still ahead in moving towards unleaded fuel but stressed the importance of working toward that goal, particularly since the prevailing perception is that 100LL is a significant source of lead in the environment.
Maria DiPasquantonio, who is leading the FAA/Industry Eagle project to find an unleaded solution, expressed confidence that the collaborative process will produce results. Speaking on a panel on Fueling Aviation’s Future, DiPasquantonio called the 2030 target for a transition “aggressive” but said there is a sense of urgency, adding, “We are at a pivotal point where all the forces have aligned.”
NATA’s conference also covered advanced air mobility and the future of hangar fire protection. It further hosted a discussion with regulators and NTSB member Michael Graham.
With backing from across the industry, the U.S. House passed a bill this week to authorize funding to foster the development of the advanced air mobility (AAM) sector, including leveraging existing vertiports and other facilities to establish the appropriate infrastructure. Passed by a 338-73 margin, H.R.6270, the Advanced Aviation Infrastructure Modernization Act, was introduced in December by House aviation subcommittee chair Rick Larsen (D-Washington) with ranking Republican Garret Graves (Louisiana) and Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nevada). It also attracted nearly 30 bipartisan co-sponsors.
The bill would establish a two-year pilot program under which eligible entities—such as airport sponsors, transit agencies, or other municipal entities—could apply for grants toward the development of AAM infrastructure. The bill authorizes a total of $25 million over the two years of the program.
“The targeted investments outlined in this legislation will assist in creating new, innovative, and sustainable air transportation networks throughout our country that will support hundreds of thousands of green jobs while also ensuring our nation’s global leadership in aviation,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce added, “It is very encouraging to see Congress placing a priority on the growth of advanced air mobility."
Sens. Alex Padilla (D-California) and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) have introduced similar legislation (S.4246) in the Senate.
Bombardier today announced that it set November 8 to 10 as the dates for its 25th annual Safety Standdown, which is free to attend but has limited seating and requires registration. It will be held this year at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita, though Bombardier will once again live-stream certain sessions for remote viewing by those unable to attend in person.
This year’s theme for the aviation safety conference is “Moving Safety Forward,” which Bombardier explained, “sounds like a straightforward concept, but is not easy.” The company added, “It takes the utmost commitment of everyone in our industry to instill a sense of change, moving forward and improving at everything we do. It also starts with culture change, starting every mission with a sound safety premise.
“Safety needs to be the overriding driver of every decision we make—nothing else will prevent unnecessary risks. We all must keep moving, pressing forward to ensure we meet this necessary goal. This is a journey without a final destination, but our future depends on it.”
Bombardier has not yet released an agenda for the conference, but it historically has included a range of timely aviation safety topics and well-respected expert presenters. Registration has not opened, but those who wish to attend can make hotel reservations via the conference webpage.
C&L Aviation Group has completed construction of its 12,000-sq-ft aircraft interior refurbishment facility. It is one of five building projects that have been completed for the company since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
The newest facility for the Bangor, Maine-based MRO provider will address the increasing demand C&L has been seeing for regional and corporate aircraft interior refurbishment projects. Its new building features a Gerber leather cutting machine, laser engraving machines, paint booth, seatbelt manufacturing center, and assembly and disassembly areas.
“We’ve made substantial investments in space, equipment, and manpower for the aircraft operators we serve,” said C&L CEO Chris Kilgour. “The new facility, along with increased in-house capabilities, provide us with robust options for customers looking for anything from a basic replacement of soft goods to complete interior upgrades and modifications.”
C&L’s four previous building projects include the purchase of an events center near Bangor airport for conversion to an aircraft component shop, construction of a 27,000-sq-ft aircraft parts warehouse, a 5,000-sq-ft addition to an existing hangar for storage, and a complete renovation of the company’s corporate aircraft maintenance hangar.
Part 135 operator Jet Linx paused revenue operations on Tuesday to hold its sixth consecutive safety summit for its more than 550 employees. The theme of this year’s summit, “Forward Together,” followed an agenda that included a yearly safety performance review; presentations on emergency preparedness, fatigue, and mental health; and keynote presentations from Southwest Airlines Capt. Darren Ellisor and human fatigue expert Dr. Mark Rosekind.
Ellisor was a crewmember on Southwest’s Flight 1380, which on April 18, 2018, experienced an engine incident and explosive cabin decompression. He was joined by flight attendants from Flight 1380 who described how to best care for passengers while managing an onboard emergency. Rosekind previously served with the NTSB as an on-scene Board member for seven major accidents and is credited with leading research that has earned awards from NASA and the National Sleep Foundation.
“Inviting every team member into a company-wide discussion around safety practices is the best way to ensure a healthy and dynamic safety culture—everyone is involved and plays a part,” said Jet Linx president and CEO Jamie Walker. “Implementing new safety initiatives that result from the topics explored and the ideas shared by our team members is invaluable. At the close of each annual safety summit, we sign an updated safety pledge, turning our new initiatives into required practices.”
International maintenance, repair, overhaul, and completions company Flying Colours has promoted Joe Thurman to general manager at its Spirit of St. Louis, Missouri location. The move helps to align the company's operations in St. Louis more closely with its headquarters in Peterborough, Ontario, it said.
“As the new general manager, Joe will spend more time interfacing with his Peterborough colleagues and supporting the executive team to achieve uniformity of operations across our North American facilities. The goal is to share, communicate, and implement knowledge about effective practices from each location, and ensure a consistent level of Flying Colours service so that no matter where clients work with us, they have the same exceptional experience,” said Flying Colours president and CEO John Gillespie.
Thurman, who previously led the MRO operations in St. Louis, stepped into the new role on June 1 and will be responsible for the day-to-day operations at the St. Louis facilities. He has more than 40 years of business aviation experience, including operations management, program leadership, and completions engineering.
“We work in a highly competitive environment, and I’m looking forward to helping Flying Colours continue to distinguish itself by setting new standards of excellence,” said Thurman.
Bizav Bounced Back from Covid, but Now Faces Headwinds
Exceptional demand, including from new customers, is driving growth in the business aviation sector, but rising costs and the constraints of a damaged supply chain could make trading conditions difficult to sustain. AIN interviewed industry leaders from aircraft manufacturers and operators—including Embraer, Gulfstream, Flexjet, and Alliance Jet, as well as independent expert Richard Koe from WingX—for a reality check as to how headwinds may be pushing back against the strong tailwinds.
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