A little more than two weeks after receiving FAA type certification for the Cessna Citation XLS Gen2, Textron Aviation announced today at EBACE 2022 that the fourth variant of its popular model 560XL has received EASA certification. Further, the OEM expects to make its first European delivery of the light-midsize twinjet to Porsche Air Service of Salzburg, Austria, in the coming weeks.
“This will pave the way for deliveries of the XLS Gen2 throughout Europe,” added Textron Aviation senior v-p of global sales and flight operations Lannie O’Bannion.
Introduced at the 2021 NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas, the $15.5 million XLS Gen2 updates include a lighted airstair door, the addition of an entry door for inclement weather, a pedestal seat design with individual controls and USB charging port, and an optional fold-down forward couch for extra baggage stowage. Additional upgrades are a wireless cabin management system with a moving map monitor, wireless smartphone charging, and an optional Bongiovi speakerless sound system.
Porsche Air Service is a longtime provider of charter and operator of Citations, including an XLS+. The XLS Gen2 will be the 22nd Citation flown by the company. Since its introduction as the Citation Excel in 1998, the Wichita-based airframer has delivered more than 1,000 Model 560XL variants.
Global Jet Capital (GJC) continues to attract new investments and investors, as it recently closed on its sixth asset-backed security (ABS) offering and raised about $609 million. The BJETS 2022-1 offering brought GJC’s total securitized assets to $4.4 billion and bonds to $3.6 billion.
The offering included $512.8 million Class A, $60.3 billion Class B, and $35.8 million Class C tranches of notes that involved 27 investors, including eight that were new.
“We completed yet another successful issuance despite turbulent market conditions,” said GJC CEO Vivek Kaushal. “This demonstrates the maturity of the BJETS securitization program and the strong performance of the company’s previous ABS transactions.”
GJC completed its sixth round a little more than seven years since the business was established in 2014. Since then, it has grown to become among the larger players in the business aircraft leasing and financing market with the backing of investors such as Carlyle, FS/KKR Advisor, and AE Industrial Partners. Kaushal noted the firm has originated $3 billion in transactions organically and bought the GE Aviation corporate aviation business for $2.5 billion.
“We’ve invested over $5 billion into this industry,” he said, and its reach has expanded globally. GJC recently completed its first operating lease in Vietnam, as well as closed on another in Singapore. “It’s taken years of education, but our operating lease products are taking root,” Kaushal said.
General aviation advocacy group Alliance for Aviation Across America has appointed two new members to its board: Mayor Barbara Tolbert of Arlington, Washington, and Bob Brock, director of aviation and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for the Kansas Department of Transportation.
Tolbert is a pilot and has been involved in the aviation industry for decades, while Brock has served as Kansas’ first state UAS director after a 22-year career in the U.S. Air Force with experience in UAS.
"We…appreciate their expertise and recognition of critical areas of growth for the industry, including the development of sustainable aviation fuels and advanced air mobility infrastructure and vehicles, all of which will help to boost our economy and ensure a growing and diverse aviation workforce,” said Ed Bolen, NBAA president and CEO who also serves as president of the Alliance’s board of directors.
National Air Transportation Association president and CEO Timothy Obitts added that Tolbert and Brock will help the Alliance “build federal support and promote awareness about general aviation, industry commitments to sustainability, and the importance of these investments to our long-term economic growth.”
On the eve of EBACE, Boeing named Erika Pearson as president of Boeing Business Jets, responsible for sales, support, and operations of the company's commercial products in the VIP, government, and military service. Pearson, a 29-year Boeing veteran, most recently served as sales director in Asia Pacific, leading the Singapore Airlines Group, Air New Zealand, and Fiji Airways accounts for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
“Erika is perfectly suited to lead the Boeing Business Jets team, providing world-class support to our global customer base,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior v-p of sales and marketing of Boeing’s commercial division.
More than 260 BBJs have been sold since the group was founded in 1996, and the fleet is supported by Boeing’s global service network.
Pearson has previously held leadership roles across sales and marketing and product development since joining the company as an aerodynamics engineer. She succeeds JD Detwiler, recently named as business development leader for Boeing Defense, Space, and Security programs.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Means Business
Armed with an industry focus on business education, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University creates groundbreaking opportunities for those who want to launch new business careers or upgrade their current professional skills. Practical programs in collaboration with renowned global partners are just one way Embry-Riddle helps its graduates stand apart.
Airbus Corporate Helicopters has committed to producing another 15 of its Aston Martin Edition ACH130 turbine single-engine model after selling out almost the entire initial production run faster than expected. Slightly more than two years after launch, the aircraft manufacturer has sold all but one of the 15 helicopters covered by its initial production commitment with orders coming from Southeast Asia, Europe, Latin America, New Zealand, and North America.
The special edition is the result of a partnership and design collaboration between Airbus Corporate Helicopters and luxury car manufacturer Aston Martin Lagonda. The Aston Martin editions feature custom paint that matches the automobile, seating for seven including the pilot, and an interior scheme with fabrics including ultra suede, leather shades that match those offered on the automobile, embossed Aston Martin wings, and other finishing details that parallel those found on the car. The elements combine to provide a higher level of comfort than a stock H130, according to Airbus.
“There’s no question that bringing together our values of excellence and quality with Aston Martin’s commitment to high-performance automotive elegance has resulted in a helicopter that always excites customers. But we really did not imagine that the market would move so fast, so I’m delighted to be able to commit to these future production slots,” said Frederic Lemos, head of Airbus Corporate Helicopters.
Universal Aviation, the ground handling arm of global aviation services provider Universal Weather and Aviation, has expanded its coverage in Europe with the opening of Universal Aviation Greece – Paros. The location, which began operations last week, is Universal’s third in Greece along with its Mykonos office which opened last year and its Athens headquarters, which has existed since 1993 and provides supervisory ground support to the entire country.
The Paros operation serves the island, which has become one of Greece’s most popular tourist destinations with local, dedicated staff directly supporting operators.
“Traffic to Paros has been growing steadily for years, but since the pandemic, it surged to new heights, with pent-up demand making demand for slots, parking, and services even more challenging,” said Yiannis Arkoulis, managing director for Universal’s Greece operation.
Adolfo Aragon, the company’s senior v-p, noted that based on booking and trip inquiries Universal expects traffic to Greece to exceed last year’s record-setting volumes. “We’re aggressively expanding throughout the Mediterranean to meet this pent-up demand and enhance our customers’ ground experience at congested and challenging destinations like Paros,” he said.
Avfuel's Michigan headquarters has been designated as a Tier-1 Green Aviation Business under the National Air Transportation Association’s (NATA) Sustainability Standard for Aviation Businesses. That makes it one of just 24 companies in the industry to receive that certification.
“We always strive to be on the leading edge of sustainability initiatives to support, inspire, and guide sustainably-minded operations across the Avfuel Network,” said Marci Ammerman, v-p of marketing for the U.S.-based fuel distributor.
As part of the certification process, the company established its baseline carbon emissions footprint; submitted an environmental policy; phased out single-use products from its kitchen/dining area; adopted a local recycling program; embraced paperless processes; and installed LED and motion sensor lighting, a filtered water refilling station, Energy Star-rated kitchen appliances, and low-flow plumbing fixtures.
Avfuel also plans to offset all of its annual carbon emissions generated from its Scope 1 and 2 activities, fuel used in its corporate aircraft, and diesel used in leased refueler trucks across its network. It is committed to promoting environmental awareness not only at its own properties and throughout its dealer web, but to its customers as well through the supply of sustainable aviation fuel and carbon offsetting.
Blade India, a joint venture with Blade Urban Air Mobility, has soft-launched helicopter services in the former Portuguese state of Goa. Daily services begin at the end of August when the tourism season starts and monsoon rains subside. Goa is the third state for Blade’s short-haul operations since its India launch in late 2019.
The new service offers per-seat helicopter charters from Goa Airport to North Goa, South Goa, and the old Goa airport. Surla and Saquelim, popular stops for hikers in the north, are also on Blade India's radar.
Fares are $60 per person, compared to $35 by car from Goa Airport to North and South Goa. The flight is just 10 minutes versus two hours by road, Blade India commercial director Payal Satish told AIN. Major cities in India face a common problem of congestion, she said, and Blade provides a perfect solution. Blade is also offering helitour flights of 10 to 15 minutes at $320 for four people.
Looking to launch in other Indian states, Blade has identified 40 routes in India that can be converted into dedicated helicopter corridors. To meet the upcoming needs, Blade India has a mix of five new Airbus H125s and H130s on order. Delivery of the first should take place by the end of the year.
Volato added Keith Rabin as CFO. Rabin has more than a decade of private aviation experience, previously serving as president, co-founder, and CFO of JSX.
JSSI appointed Tim Elberfeld as CFO and Ken Goodman as chief underwriting officer. Elberfeld, who will also serve as head of information technology for JSSI, has more than 20 years of finance and accounting experience, previously serving with TransUnion and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Goodman, who had served as CFO for JSSI for six years, has more than 20 years of executive financial experience, also holding senior roles with NetJets and Victoria’s Secret.
John Vance was named assistant director of operations for Metro Aviation at its headquarters in Shreveport, Louisiana. Vance, a former pilot in the U.S. Army, has served with Metro for 15 years, most recently as regional aviation manager in the southern region.
Portside appointed Fred Powell as v-p of product. Powell has 20 years of business aviation technology experience, previously serving at the software company his father founded, Computing Technologies for Aviation, later for Collins after it was sold to the avionics and electronics company, and then for Stellar Labs.
TAG Aviation has introduced new faces in its management line-up in recent times. Jo Goodall has been named CEO of TAG Europe while Steven Young becomes CEA of TAG Asia. Having headed up the marketing department at Farnborough airport since 2007, Elaine Turner has now been appointed global marketing director.
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