Avionics Sales Post Ninth Consecutive Quarter of Growth
Worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales increased 13.2 percent between the first quarters of 2019 and 2018 to $724 million, according to the Aircraft Electronics Association’s first quarter 2019 Avionics Market Report released May 9. The total, which was up from more than $639 million in the first three months of 2018, includes more than $388 million in retrofit sales and more than $336 million in forward-fit sales (avionics equipment installed by airframe manufacturers during original production), the report said.
“While it is likely that ADS-B installations in the United States are a contributing factor to the increase in year-over-year sales as we get closer to the FAA's equipage deadline, those are fairly straight-forward installations,” AEA president and CEO Mike Adamson reported. “Our member repair stations report that they are also doing an increasing number of full-panel retrofits. Installations of new electronic flight displays, digital autopilots, engine monitor systems, in-flight connectivity, and other technologies are keeping the shops extremely busy.”
Of the AEA members that break out sales geographically, North America accounted for 76.1 percent of sales, with other international markets accounting for the remaining 23.9 percent. Dollar amounts that are reported are net sales price, not manufacturer’s suggested retail price, and cover all business and general aviation aircraft electronics sales, but not repair, warranty, or subscription services.
Nearly $2 Billion in Debt, Bristow Files Bankruptcy
In a move widely anticipated for months, if not years, helicopter services company Bristow Group announced Saturday morning that it entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in the Southern District of Texas, claiming debts of $1.885 billion against assets of $2.86 billion and citing “previously disclosed financial challenges” and “constrained liquidity.”
Bristow CEO L. Don Miller called bankruptcy “the best path forward for Bristow and its stakeholders.” The company said it was seeking bankruptcy protection to “restructure and strengthen its balance sheet and achieve a more sustainable debt profile” and that it would continue normal operations during its restructuring.
Primary creditors listed include the company’s senior note holders, which are owed $895.25 million, various banks and financial institutions owed $580 million, and the GECAS helicopter leasing unit Milestone Aviation Group, owed $21.9 million.
Bristow said it will continue normal operations with the assistance of a $75 million loan from unidentified senior secure noteholders plus another $75 million in debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing from those noteholders upon court approval.
The Pilatus PC-12 NG is now the first single-engine turboprop available with a factory-installed option for Gogo Business Aviation’s Avance L3 air-to-ground airborne connectivity system.
Avance L3 offers speeds compatible with 3G terrestrial cellular networks and allows multiple occupants to send and receive text messages and emails with attachments, stream audio and video, and access information for electronic flight bag apps.
Avance L3 includes Gogo Vision (service plan required), which includes access to digital magazines, news, TV, and movies. Gogo’s Text & Talk service is also available for sending and receiving text messages and making voice calls on occupants' mobile devices.
“Our customers enjoy having the ability to be connected when they fly, and we’re pleased to offer Gogo’s Avance L3 as an option from the factory,” said Tom Aniello, v-p of marketing for Pilatus. “The additional value-added features and benefits that are included as part of the Avance L3 made it an easy decision to offer it to our customers from the factory.”
Business Airplane Accidents Surge in Canada
The number of business airplane accidents in Canada increased considerably in 2018 compared with 2017, according to figures recently published by the country’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB). Business airplanes, defined as those flown primarily by their owners, suffered eight accidents resulting in one fatality last year, versus just one accident and no fatalities in 2017. The TSB study shows the average number of business airplane accidents between 2013 and 2017 was three. Business helicopter accidents climbed from zero in 2017 to two last year, but they averaged zero accidents from 2013 to 2017.
There were no accidents in the last two years by corporate airplanes or corporate helicopters, defined as those flown by a paid crew. However, this segment of business aviation did average one accident of a non-Canada-registered corporate airplane between 2013 and 2017.
The number of accidents involving prop-driven air-taxi airplanes (under Canadian regulations, jets cannot be operated as an air taxi) declined from 28 in 2017 (two of which incurred fatalities) to 23 last year, including one fatal. Accidents involving airplane ambulance flights remained at one each for 2017 and 2018. Helicopter ambulance flights experienced no accidents last year compared with one in 2017.
The top three most serious incidents reported in 2018 were associated with smoke or fire (85); risk of collision or loss of separation (133); and emergencies declared for various reasons not given in the statistics (297).
ABAG Opens Space Sales for 2019 LABACE
Space for the 2019 LABACE, to take place August 13 to 15 in São Paulo, was opened for exhibitors on May 10, with a lottery for static display locations to take place on May 31. “Our objective here is to hold the largest business aviation event in Latin America,” ABAG (Brazilian Association for General Aviation) CEO Flávio Pires told AIN after the launch at fair organizer MCI’s São Paulo offices. MCI’s Rodrigo Cordeiro told representatives of the country’s major business aviation firms that efforts to bring purchasers and exhibitors from elsewhere in Latin America, begun last year with success, will continue in 2019.
Brazil’s economy is making a slow recovery from the country’s longest modern recession, and the optimism that came with the election of new president has resulted in a surge of interest in business aviation. But purchasers are awaiting firm evidence that the new administration can implement its policies in such areas as the long-needed public pension reform.
Pires said that this year’s fair will likely be a farewell to Congonhas, as the area traditionally used for the fair has been leased for a home-construction superstore, with groundbreaking scheduled before LABACE 2020. Rumor indicates the replacement will be Campo de Marte, Brazil’s leading business airport, with a broad ramp in smooth concrete rather than cobblestone.
Elit’Avia has implemented Collins Aerospace’s ArincDirect Flight Operations System (FOS) software, a step that the Slovenia-based charter operator and management services firm said will streamline its operations and enhance its efficiency.
FOS, a flight operations management tool, integrates numerous functions for operators that typically are conducted using different systems, including scheduling and dispatching, flight planning, fuel services, maintenance tracking, and other services. The tool can be tailored to the operation with features such as live, customizable data on a schedule board; a time and distance calculator that computes local arrival or departure time, fuel burn, time en route, time zone change, and cost; quick charter quoting ability; and tracking of flight-log entries, expenses, aircraft and crew records, among others.
“We are pleased to announce the integration of Collins Aerospace ArincDirect FOS,” said Elit’Avia CEO Michel Coulomb. “FOS includes a mobile application that allows our dispatchers, pilots, and staff to stay connected and up-to-date on all flight information. By unifying paperless communications, it enhances our operational efficiency. Our investment in FOS represents Elit’Avia’s commitment to operational excellence and demonstrates our value to our clientele.”
FAA To Run Out of ADS-B Rebates Soon
As early as the end of this week, the FAA may run out of the $500 rebates it is offering to certain fixed-wing general aviation aircraft operators to help them equip with ADS-B Out avionics, the agency said on Friday. “Fewer than 1,000 rebates remained as of Friday,” the agency said. “The rate of rebates being claimed has doubled from about 70 per day to about 150 per day in the last week.”
The FAA relaunched its rebate program last October, offering 9,792 reservations. “Rebates are available to encourage owners of fixed-wing, single-engine piston aircraft to equip with ADS-B Out avionics, which will be required in certain controlled airspace beginning Jan. 1, 2020,” the agency said.
Aircraft owners need to follow five steps to receive the $500 rebate: purchase the equipment and schedule its installation; obtain a Rebate Reservation Code by reserving a position online; have the equipment installed; conduct the required equipment performance validation and get an Incentive Code; and claim the $500 rebate online using the Rebate Reservation Code and Incentive Code.
In addition to the ADS-B rebate reservation portal, the FAA’s Equip ADS-B website lists FAA-certified ADS-B equipment and features an equipage database searchable by aircraft type and model.
Aviation Safety Question of the Week
Provided by
Which of the following have been issued by the FAA regarding model aircraft operations?
A. When flown within 10 miles of an airport, the operator of a model aircraft must provide the airport operator and air traffic control tower with prior notice of the flight.
B. The weight of a model aircraft must not exceed 75 pounds, unless otherwise certified.
C. Model aircraft may be used for commercial purposes.
D. None of the above.
HAI Partners with Unmanned Safety Institute for Training
The Unmanned Safety Institute (USI) has formed a partnership with Helicopter Association International (HAI) to provide unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) training to HAI members worldwide. HAI members will receive a 15 percent discount on USI courses and certifications when accessed through HAI’s online academy portal.
These materials include USI’s full suite of training and industry certifications, including the sUAS safety ground school, UAS flight safety endorsement, visual line-of-sight (VLOS) system operations, FAA remote pilot practice exam, and Part 107 study and field guide. Members also will be able to purchase licensing agreements for corporate internal training programs including the VLOS flight training curriculum and sUAS safety certification curriculum.
“The unmanned flight industry has huge potential, and businesses and individuals within the helicopter industry are serving as the vanguard by incorporating the UAS technology into their operations,” said HAI president Matt Zuccaro. “There are companies that are using unmanned aircraft for surveying pipelines and powerlines, for aerial photography and mapping, and even for conducting cargo missions. These USI courses offer these and other HAI members the opportunity and flexibility to advance their careers and businesses.” USI has more than 150 instructors and 7,000 customers worldwide.
How Dassault Set the SMO-TEB Coast-to-Coast Record with a Falcon 8X
Dassault Falcon recently invited AIN to take a special flight on a Falcon 8X from Santa Monica, California, to Teterboro, New Jersey. The reason for this flight was simple – to set a speed record.
The company wanted to do this because the runway at Santa Monica was recently shortened from 5,000 feet to 3,500 feet. It would show off the capabilities of the 8X – that it could be loaded up with enough fuel, four passengers, luggage, and still manage to take off from the short runway at Santa Monica before going on to fly across the country quickly.
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