Gulfstream has announced a further expansion of operations at its completions facility at St. Louis Downtown Airport (KCPS) in Cahokia, Illinois. Coming on the heels of last year’s expansion at the center, this latest $28.5 million improvement is a result of the airframer’s tax credits through Illinois’s Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) program. The agreement calls for significant capital investment by Gulfstream, resulting in the addition of 200 jobs and the retention of nearly 500 positions.
Through the introduction of new equipment and tooling, the facility—one of the airframer’s major completion centers—will have a greater capacity for exterior aircraft painting, cabin furniture installations, avionics integrations, and other tasks required for customer deliveries straight from the KCPS location. When completed, the facility’s footprint will total more than 642,000 sq ft.
This latest round of growth will also add career opportunities for skilled labor in avionics, interior installations, structures, and testing, along with procurement, parts management, customer service, and engineering.
“As we continue to experience extraordinary demand, we are implementing strategic investments in our people and places,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns, who added that St Louis has a deep aviation history. “We look forward to offering these expanded capabilities to Gulfstream customers from around the world, so they can experience firsthand the region’s talented workforce and artisans.”
Flexjet plans to add 22 business jets to its mid- and super-midsized fleet by the end of 2023, bringing its global fleet to 270 aircraft, the company said yesterday. Its current fleet includes the Embraer Phenom 300 and Praetor 500 and 600, Bombardier Challenger 350 and 3500, and Gulfstream G450 and G650. To support its growing fleet, Flexjet said, it plans to hire 1,400 employees in 2023, including 388 pilots and 338 maintenance technicians.
This year, Flexjet added Embraer’s Praetor 600 to its North American fleet, after two years of operations in Europe and seven years of operating the Praetor 500 and its predecessor, the Legacy 450. Flexjet has also incorporated the Bombardier Challenger 3500 into its super-midsized private jet offering. “The aircraft available to travelers within this offering present mission versatility that is unmatched by any other private aviation provider,” said D.J. Hanlon, Flexjet executive v-p, sales. Flexjet fractional owners can avail themselves of the company’s Red Label program, which features pilots assigned to a specific aircraft and LXi custom cabin interiors.
Since 2020, the Praetor 600 has been the backbone of the Europe fleet for Flexjet, which was the launch fleet customer for the aircraft.
Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Omni Aircraft Maintenance has earned an FAA Part 145 repair station certificate allowing the MRO to provide heavy maintenance on Learjet 40, 45, and 75-series aircraft.
“We’ve been doing all of the inspections, maintenance, and upgrades to support our sister company, Omni Air Transport’s Learjet fleet, for over 40 years,” explained Omni Aircraft Maintenance president Caleb Benner. “Because of our network, we’ve gotten a lot of requests from other operators to work on their Lears. Now, with the Part 145 certificate, we can support all of these operators and provide everything from inspections to upgrades to heavy maintenance.”
Benner noted that the MRO is adding Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum capabilities along with other aircraft—such as Gulfstreams, King Airs, and Citations—to its Part 145 certificate.
In addition to the repair station certificate, Benner explained, the company is fielding a new AOG mobile truck in Las Vegas, complementing its mobile service locations in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Atlanta, and Lubbock, Texas.
“Our AOG trucks also operate under our 145 certificate. However, the mobile units can do all types of inspections and maintenance on most popular turboprops and jets,” he said. “We have all the tooling on the trucks to do pretty much any kind of AOG repair wherever the customer’s aircraft is.”
Aviation technology and financial entrepreneur Asad Rahman has teamed up with veteran industry executive and former NATA executive v-p Ryan Waguespack to launch Jetquity, an international private investment house that backs the residual values of private jets.
With offices in the U.S. and the Middle East, Jetquity is rolling out two plans: Protect Plus, for aircraft up to three years old, which protects a minimum of 80 percent of the residual value for five years, and Protect, for aircraft between three and 15 years old, which protects a maximum of 75 percent of the residual value for five years.
"With the current economic climate, the timing of the Protect Program couldn't be more apt,” said Rahman, who is CEO of the new venture. “Our customers seek certainty and value, and this is precisely what our Protect Program delivers."
Jetquity is backed by Middle East sovereign wealth funds, U.S. investment firms, and some of the largest family offices and was founded through the study of years of analytics surrounding the business aircraft market.
Enrolled aircraft must meet certain quality-of-care standards, and Jetquity has developed a selection of management companies that would meet those standards. Waguespack, who is head of asset management, added, “By working alongside the industry’s leading players, we're creating a program that truly elevates the ownership experience, while simultaneously building value for our stakeholders."
For the first time ever: Streaming-level connectivity for smaller biz aircraft.
SmartSky is wowing large cabin customers across the country, and now SmartSky LITE delivers the same dependable, responsive and secure connectivity to smaller aircraft. Connecting to what’s most important is as effortless in the air as it is on the ground.
PHI MRO Services has partnered with GPMS International to serve as a certified installer for the Foresight MX system for helicopters. Foresight MX is GPMS’s predictive health and usage monitoring system (HUMS), flight data monitoring system, and rotor track and balance platform.
PHI MRO Services will offer Foresight MX installation services to customers at its MRO facility in Lafayette, Louisiana, or its customers’ facilities worldwide.
“This partnership is one that I believe is beneficial for both PHI MRO Services and GPMS. Most importantly, being a certified installer allows us all to better serve our customers,” said Tom Neumann, president of PHI MRO Services. “We look forward to being able to offer installation and support to operators around the world.”
John Byus, director of sales at GPMS, added: “PHI has long been known as a leader in the advancement of helicopter HUMS operations. With PHI MRO Services, we have a world-recognized partner that not only knows how to best implement HUMS practices but now has the capability of bringing our next-generation Foresight MX HUMS solution directly to operators.”
Eve Air Mobility, an eVTOL developer backed by Brazilian aerospace group Embraer, has collected new orders for up to 150 aircraft, bringing its total order backlog for the four-passenger air taxi to 2,850 aircraft, the company announced yesterday at the Paris Air Show. According to Eve, this represents the largest and most diversified order book among aircraft manufacturers in the nascent eVTOL industry.
Voar Aviation, a general aviation services provider based in São Paulo, signed a letter of intent covering the purchase of 70 Eve eVTOL aircraft, which the company intends to operate in several locations across Brazil.
Widerøe Zero, the sustainability division of Norwegian airline Widerøe, has agreed to purchase up to 50 Eve eVTOL aircraft. Eve and Widerøe have worked together since 2021 when the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding to evaluate potential eVTOL operations in Scandinavia. Now the airline has signed a letter of intent in which it has provisionally agreed to buy and operate Eve’s air taxis.
As part of the agreement with Widerøe, Eve will provide comprehensive services to support its eVTOL operations, including training and MRO activities. Nordic Aviation Capital signed a letter of intent to purchase up to 30 Eve aircraft. The Copenhagen, Denmark-based aircraft lessor has placed a firm order for 15 aircraft with the option of buying 15 more units that the company will lease to operators.
Feam Aero recently earned an FAA Class 2 composite construction and Class 4 all-metal Part 145 repair station authorization, enabling the line maintenance provider to support all airframe types weighing above 12,500 pounds (gross takeoff weight). These expanded capabilities will provide air operators in the Florida region with a broader range of options and enhanced services at Feam Aero's main maintenance facility at Miami International Airport, the company said.
These airframe ratings are granted to repair stations for conducting maintenance and alterations on airframes, airframe structures, landing gear, and aircraft systems. They are crucial for performing aircraft line or hangar maintenance, as well as for major repairs and alterations.
Feam Aero president Cam Murphy credited the work of Alison McHugh, v-p of quality and safety, and Frank Valenzano, director of quality, along with their teams for obtaining the approvals.
Requires modification of the gripping strap, which maintains the upholstery panel on the emergency exit trim panel. This AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the aviation authority of another country, which found interference between the emergency exit trim panel and the upholstery panel. This interference could result in additional effort required to open the emergency exit door.
Requires a check for part number and serial numbers of the horizontal stabilizer trim actuator (HSTA), and if necessary, inspection of the no-back pawl installation, and corrective action. This AD was prompted by a report that a design deficiency was discovered which could allow a no-back pawl to be incorrectly installed in an HSTA.
Requires inspections of both the left-hand side and right-hand side inboard flap seal plate assembly attaching angles for cracks, and, subsequently, the replacement of both existing inboard flap seal plate assemblies with improved components. This AD stems from multiple reports in service of missing or damaged inboard flap seal plate assemblies. An investigation revealed a premature fatigue failure mode of the seal plate assembly. Left uncorrected, the flap seal plate may partially or totally detach. Under certain flight conditions, a missing flap seal plate assembly could lead to excessive buffeting and vibration, and consequent damage to the airplane.
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