Acquisition Extends Part 135 Operator’s Global Reach

The parent company of Part 135 operator FlyExclusive is acquiring Sky Night, a Tennessee-based charter operator, in a deal that will add Gulfstream GIV-SPs to FlyExclusive’s company-owned fleet and enable it to offer international charters. “Through this alignment and sales agency agreement with FlyExclusive, we will capitalize on the opportunity to extend our high-quality, safe, and reliable point-to-point travel on a global scale,” said Jim Segrave, owner of FlyExclusive parent LGM Enterprises. “The addition of Gulfstreams is a key milestone in our growth strategy and furthers our commitment to exceeding expectations for unmatched private travel no matter the destination.”

Under the acquisition, Sky Night will be rebranded FlyExclusive International and offer charter flights to Hawaii and Alaska, as well as Europe and Asia, among other international destinations.

“From the beginning, our strategy has been to extend our fleet globally in a way that grows our position as a world leader in private charter,” Segrave said. “Today we begin a new chapter in that journey as we expand our reach to wherever passengers dream of flying.”

EASA Proposes Requirements for Tire Pressure Monitoring

EASA has issued a notice of proposed amendment (NPA) that would update large airplane certification (CS-25) rules to provide a means for ensuring that no tire is below its minimum serviceable inflation pressure during operation. Compliance can be achieved either by requiring operators to perform tire pressure checks at suitable time intervals or by installing a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

“Incorrect tire pressure, and, in particular, under-inflation, is a contributing factor to tire- and wheel-failure-related accidents or incidents of large airplanes,” EASA said. Safety agencies, such as the NTSB, have recommended requiring TPMSs on Part 25/CS-25 airplanes.

Among examples of accidents related to under-inflated tires cited in the NPA was the fatal rejected takeoff crash of Learjet 60 on Sept. 19, 2008, in Columbia, South Carolina. The NTSB determined that tire pressures had not been checked for approximately three weeks and that they had experienced a 2 percent loss of pressure per day. At the time of the accident, the pressures of all four main gear tires were approximately 140 psi instead of the recommended 219 psi. This under-inflation resulted in the failure of all four tires.

“Visual inspections of high-pressure tires, such as those of the airplane involved in the accident, will not help to detect an incorrectly inflated tire,” the NTSB concluded. Comments on the NPA are due June 6.

NTSB, Safety Experts ID Charter Safety Issues

Scenario-based training, enrolling in the Aviation Safety Action Program, adopting a scalable safety management system (SMS), and establishing a safety manager certification standard were among the suggestions offered last week by six safety experts at an NTSB panel on improving the safety of Part 135 operations, a key item on the agency’s “Most Wanted” list of priorities.

The FAA has declined to act on the Safety Board’s recommendation to require all Part 135 operators to have an SMS, flight data monitoring, and controlled flight into terrain avoidance equipment, all of which most operators lack, according to the NTSB. The panel focused on ways charter operators can enhance safety and on identifying stumbling blocks in that effort.

Jeff Baum, president and CEO of Wisconsin Aviation, labeled “the declining quality of upcoming pilots” as one of the impediments, while Janine Schwahn, Summit Aviation's director of operations, noted that operators cannot freely share information on problem pilots without fearing legal repercussions. Several said that SMS will become mandatory and urged operators to develop their own programs now. “SMS has long not been a requirement to us,” concluded NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt. “We deserve it.”

WAI Draws Record Attendees, $831k in Scholarships

Despite travel-related COVID-19 precautions, the 31st Annual International Women in Aviation Conference remained a strong draw with a record 4,500 professionals and students from 31 countries attending the three-day event held March 5 to 7 in Orlando, Florida. More than 180 companies and organizations were on site in a sold-out exhibit hall that had very few cancellations.

Exhibitors ranged from numerous airlines, many of which held recruiting sessions, to private aviation operations such as Walmart that showed up to not only support Women in Aviation but also to educate attendees about business aviation. Uber returned for a second time with a larger presence to share its vision for Urban Air Mobility. 

True to past form, WAI remained a key recruitment venue, not only with sessions and exhibits but also with scholarships. This year, WAI announced 151 scholarships valued at $831,365 at its conference, bringing the total amount awarded since 1995 to more than $13 million.

“Workforce development is the cornerstone to the future of WAI,” said new WAI CEO Allison McKay, who in February became only the second person to lead the 25-year-old organization and was formally introduced to the WAI community during the conference. “The scholarship program that we currently have is probably one of the greatest assets to the industry…I only see it growing from here. The sky’s the limit.”

GKN Caps 2019 with Stronger Sales, New Bizav Contracts

UK-headquartered aerostructures, components, and systems provider GKN Aerospace reported a 7 percent increase in sales in 2019 and a jump on future business with a couple of key contracts, including from Gulfstream Aerospace and Aerion Supersonic. At the same time, GKN said it anticipates some negative impact in 2020 related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

GKN Aerospace brought in £3.852 billion ($5.03 billion) in revenue and posted a profit of £409 million for the year, exceeding expectations, it said. This compares with 2018 results of £3.534 billion in revenue and profit of £341 million. Operating margin was up from 9.9 percent in 2018 to 10.6 percent last year.

The company added its reorganization to strengthen and streamline its business remains on track. GKN is organizing business lines around civil airframes, defense, and engines—a process that will continue over the next 18 months. Meanwhile, GKN invested more than £50 million at its UK facilities in Cowes, Luton, and Portsmouth, as well as at its U.S. plant in Garden Grove, California.

Also last year, GKN reinforced its business jet business, receiving a contract to design and build the empennage and floorboards for the Gulfstream G700. The contract further covered fuselage panel production. In addition, Aerion selected GKN to design the empennage and electrical wiring and interconnection systems for the AS2 supersonic business jet.

Tradewind Aviation Adding Newport Shuttle Service

Charter provider Tradewind Aviation is launching shuttle service between New York and Newport, Rhode Island, beginning Memorial Day weekend. Plans call for up to 10-times-weekly service between the two locations aboard Tradewind’s Pilatus PC-12 fleet, the company said.

Shuttle service will be offered from the Million Air terminal at Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York, to Newport State Airport in Middletown, Rhode Island, on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays. Rates will begin at $245 per seat, plus tax, each way, with an estimated flight time of 35 minutes.

The service is the latest development in Tradewind’s “shared charter” concept, which it first provided in 2002 in Nantucket and since has expanded to other destinations, such as Martha's Vineyard and Stowe, Vermont, and in the Caribbean.

Calling Newport “one of New England's most iconic towns,” Tradewind Aviation co-owner and v-p David Zipkin, said, “Newport has been an increasingly popular private charter destination for Tradewind, so the time is right to launch our signature shared charter service.” He added the Pilatus PC-12 is well suited for the 3,000-foot-long runway at Newport.

Bristow Partners With Schiebel for UK SAR

Helicopter operator Bristow has partnered with Schiebel to conduct the first trial in the UK of unmanned aircraft for maritime and land search-and-rescue. Bristow is the provider of the HM Coastguard Search and Rescue Helicopter Service.

The company is operating a Schiebel Campcopter S-100 from Caernarfon Airport in Wales to evaluate its SAR capabilities. Bristow chose to conduct the evaluation from Caernarfon because it offers a dynamic operational area that includes mountainous and maritime environments in a complex airspace environment. The evaluation is being done in parallel with the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s efforts to develop beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) regulations for UAVs. 

“This trial allows us to carry out demanding evaluation of the aircraft, the broader system capability, and future suitability as an evolutionary step beyond the current helicopter-focused approach to search and rescue missions,” said Bristow Helicopters Ltd. CEO Alan Corbett.

The S-100 has a range of action of 216 nm. S-100 UAVs are in service worldwide and have flown more than 82,000 hours.

Leonardo in the Eye of Italy’s COVID-19 Outbreak

Leonardo has suspended all international and domestic travel in the wake of the COVID-19 virus’s impact on Italy, but a spokesman told AIN that the helicopter OEM’s “industrial operations remain active.” 

Leonardo released the following statement: "In line with guidelines from the Italian Authorities, and as a precautionary measure, Leonardo has suspended international business travel and national travel within Italy. Exceptions may apply in special cases in order to maintain business continuity or for urgent and specific requirements, following careful assessment of potential risks and having put in place any safety procedures. As an international organization, Leonardo is constantly monitoring the situation both in Italy and abroad, and maintains close contact with national and international authorities in order to ensure employee safety."

Italy is currently the epicenter for COVID-19 concern in Europe, with nearly 7,400 reported cases and 366 related deaths as of today. The vast majority of the cases are in the country’s northern Lombardy region, which includes Milan and suburban Cascina Costa, home of Leonardo’s civil helicopter assembly plant. The Lombardy region accounts for 40 percent of Italy’s total industrial output. The virus has propagated through all of Italy’s 22 regions. The Italian government has closed all of the nation’s schools and universities through at least March 15 and canceled numerous public events.

How is your flight operation addressing sustainability concerns?

With topics in the headlines such as carbon offsets, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and flight-shaming, AIN is interested to hear how your flight operation is or is not adjusting practices to address business aviation sustainability concerns. Your feedback will be used to help AIN cover these topics to best suit our readers' needs.