Dassault Resumes Falcon M&O Regional Seminars

After a three-year absence due to the pandemic, Dassault Aviation is laying plans for the resumption of its Falcon Maintenance & Operations regional seminars this year. The seven-city seminar series in North and South America and Europe will kick off on April 6 in Paris and conclude on May 24 in Chicago.

“We are thrilled to welcome Falcon operators back to our M&O seminars and allow them to once again meet face-to-face with representatives from our company, our partners, and our suppliers,” said Falcon worldwide customer service and service center network senior v-p Jean Kayanakis. “The feedback provided during these events is crucial to our commitment to continuously improve the Falcon customer experience.”

Topics to be addressed at the seminars include preparations for the Falcon 6X entry into service, consolidation and optimization of the Falcon MRO network, sustainable aviation fuels, and information on the new EASy IV flight deck.

Model-specific and general technical sessions on troubleshooting, reliability improvements, and STC updates also will be offered.

Insurers Face Losses Due To Grounded Aircraft in Russia

The already hard aviation insurance market could become even harder if Russia confiscates the more than 500 airplanes in the country that are financed or owned by non-Russian lessors and have been stranded by Western sanctions against Russia. Insurers and reinsurers are thus faced with potential claims as high as $10 billion, which for aircraft owners/operators would result in increased premiums, additional exclusion clauses, and more dropped policies, according to Fitch Ratings.

These lessors have hull and liability insurance, as well as specific aviation war coverage, and will call on their insurance to be indemnified against expropriation of their airplanes. Most aviation policies are underwritten through the Lloyd’s of London market, and Fitch Ratings estimates that 30 to 40 percent of primary insurers’ exposure is ceded to reinsurers.

Fitch Ratings said it is hard to quantify ultimate claims with a high degree of certainty as outcomes are likely to be subject to legal disputes. Industry experts estimate the total insured residual value of the grounded aircraft at $13 billion, but aggregate loss limits written into policies means potential hull insurance claims should be $5 billion to $6 billion but could be as high as $10 billion worst-case, according to Fitch Ratings. The latter figure “would be by far the largest annual claims in the history of aviation insurance,” it concluded.

Dart Developing H145 Fire Attack System

Japan Aerospace (JAC) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) have signed an agreement with Dart Aerospace to design and certify a fire attack system for the new five-blade Airbus Helicopters H145. KHI, which will assemble the new five-blade H145 in Japan, is partnering with JAC to help test, certify, and install the tank with Dart on the H145.

Based on the Dart 311GII designed for the EC145/Kawasaki BK117C-2 helicopter, the H145 system features a lightweight, belly-mounted 240-gallon main tank, 14-gallon foam tank, 10-foot-long snorkel, and five-inch hover pump with a 450 gallon per minute flow rate. It can deliver multiple drops with one tank load. 

The partnership to develop the system came at the request of Dart representative JAC to market a fire attack system for the H145 helicopter in Japan. FAA certification for the H145 fire attack system is expected by the end of this year, followed by Japanese JCAB approval.

“This agreement not only creates opportunities for new markets that operate this high-performing aircraft, but it also expands Dart’s portfolio of products to another popular aircraft model,” said Dart v-p of sales Steve Ghaleb. “This is another example of Dart’s longstanding history of partnerships with our clients to collaboratively find solutions for their missions.”

GAO: FAA Needs To Better Address Public’s Noise Concern

Despite advances in technology that have led to increasingly quieter airplanes, the FAA needs to do more to address community concerns about aircraft noise, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a newly issued report.

One major concern of the GAO relates to performance-based navigation (PBN). Although PBN allows aircraft to fly more precise flight paths intended to reduce flying time, fuel use, and emissions, it can also concentrate aircraft noise over a smaller area. The GAO recognizes that the FAA has increased its community outreach efforts throughout the PBN implementation process, but said the FAA “could improve its outreach to communities about noise concerns both before and after PBN changes.”

For example, community members in some PBN outreach forums told the GAO they were “frustrated” on how to productively engage with the FAA to address noise concerns. The GAO concluded that “it was unclear about the extent to which communities can expect assistance from the FAA in proposing changes to flight paths that cause noise concerns.”

To improve the FAA’s efforts to assess noise impacts and engage with affected communities, the GAO submitted several recommendations to the agency. The FAA said it expects to take steps toward implementing these recommendations by year-end.

Jet MS Completions Rebrand To Include Facility Upgrade

Following Jet MS’s acquisition of RAS Group at London Biggin Hill last year, the Avia Solutions Group’s MRO provider is rebranding the company as Jet MS Completions. RAS Group was the holding company of RAS Completions and RAS Interiors, which provide aircraft interior design, aircraft seating, aircraft painting, coatings, and ancillary services.

The rebranding allows the companies to align their business and regional jet refurbishment services more closely, and “will be conducted to highlight our business as a member of a progressive and highly supportive global organization, and will better showcase our ever-expanding portfolio of capabilities,” said Jet MS Completions managing director Keiron McNeill.

In addition to a new logo, social media profiles, and website, the rebranding also will include an upgrade of Jet MS Completions’s facilities. “We feel that rebranding the company as Jet MS Completions will be a wholly positive change for the entire company and that it will only add an extra strengthening element to the existing business relationships that have already been forged,” said Jet MS CEO Vytis Žalimas.

Report: Bombardier Contributes Billions To Canadian GDP

A new PwC Canada study found that Bombardier’s manufacturing activities contributed CA$5.7 billion to Canada’s GDP and supported 33,276 full-time jobs in 2021. Further, Bombardier was ranked among the largest employers in the manufacturing sector in Quebec, where it is headquartered, in addition to supporting a network of suppliers.

Commissioned by Bombardier, the report provides an overview of the company’s contribution to GDP, job creation, and wealth in Canada, along with its competitiveness internationally and ESG milestones. Bombardier president and CEO Eric Martel noted that Bombardier, which last year became a pure-play business aviation manufacturer and services organization, continues to play a significant role in high-paying jobs and wealth in Canada.

“In the next three years, our strong manufacturing activities will contribute an estimated CA$25.2B to Canada’s GDP and generate more than 37,000 full-time jobs across Canada each year,” Martel said. “In Quebec alone in 2021, Bombardier supported direct jobs that represented 20 percent of all the jobs in the province’s aerospace sector. What’s more, these positions are high-value, skilled jobs with an average salary that is nearly 70 percent higher than the average salary in Quebec.”

Bombardier added that it is recruiting for 400 skilled positions in Canada and another 600 outside of the country. Looking forward, Bombardier is forecasting revenues of CA$8.4 billion in 2022, increasing to CA$9.4 billion in 2025.

Hartzell Propeller Appoints Indian Service Center

Hartzell Propeller has named Arrow Aviation’s Kolkata propeller overhaul facility as a service and support center, making it the only authorized Hartzell service center in India. “We are proud to become a part of the Hartzell Propeller service and support center global network,” said Arrow principal owner Samir Gupta.

With the selection, Arrow joins a network of 31 recommended service facilities and service and support centers globally with Hartzell-trained technicians and equipment. “This latest appointment of Arrow Aviation demonstrates Hartzell Propeller’s ongoing commitment within India to benefit owners and operators who fly our propellers,” said Hartzell Propeller president J.J. Frigge.

Arrow, which established its propeller overhaul shop in 2007, also operates facilities in Delhi, Mumbai, and the United Arab Emirates. It also provides aircraft MRO, sales, and charter services. The company's aircraft support services include airframes, tools, avionics and instruments, brakes and wheels, consumables and lubricants, ground support equipment, landing gear, rotables, tires, and windows.

Gulfstream Adds International Rep in Vietnam

Gulfstream Aerospace named Hanoi-based Sun Air the authorized international sales representative in Vietnam. Under the agreement with Gulfstream, Sun Air will promote and support Gulfstream customers and prospects throughout the country.

The first company of its kind in Vietnam, Sun Air will provide aircraft sales, management, and charter services for private aircraft owners, Gulfstream said. Sun Air operates a G650ER and will add a G700 to the fleet once it is certified and delivered.

“Interest in Gulfstream aircraft continues to grow in Asia, and we are looking forward to continuing to expand our presence and efforts in Vietnam,” said Scott Neal, senior v-p of worldwide sales for Gulfstream. “Sun Air is not only a valued customer, they will also provide Gulfstream local expertise and opportunities to expand our presence in this important market.”

Sun Group chairman Dang Minh Truong called the appointment a key milestone in its development road map for general aviation. The company has continued to diversify and expand its business interest over the past 15 years, including in tourism brands, real estate, and infrastructure. Sun Air invested in Van Don International Airport, the first to be privately owned in Vietnam.

Joby Seeks To Transform Air Travel

Advanced air mobility evangelists say users of eVTOLs will feel as if they’re getting an Uber—except that they’ll be rising above gridlocked traffic in small electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, like the one being developed by Joby Aviation in California. The company is one of several now stepping up work on approvals from aviation regulators to start commercial flights from 2024. Its aim is to make urban air travel more green, lean, and responsive to passengers’ need for more complete connectivity. And carmakers such as Toyota are in the frame to help make this revolution happen.