Global Bizav Activity Continues Comeback, Says WingX
Global business aviation activity through May 26 was about half of the normal levels from a year ago, but continues to show more resilience in this Covid-19 recovery period than airline traffic, which is still 85 percent below normal levels, according to data released today by WingX Advance. On average, 2,800 business aircraft have been active globally each day this month, which equates to 48 percent of the average fleet normally employed.
Meanwhile, the moving seven-day daily average daily activity for business aircraft has maintained its upward momentum, rising above 7,100 flights globally on Tuesday—87 percent higher than the low point in daily operations in mid-April. Business aviation’s share of all fixed-wing activity has also doubled in the last three months, WingX said.
According to the data firm, North America is seeing the strongest recovery, with business aviation activity now recovered to 48 percent of previous-year levels. Traffic in Europe is still depressed by more than 60 percent year-over-year; Asia, down 53 percent; Africa, down more than 50 percent; South America, down 34 percent; and Oceana, down 28 percent.
Business jet operations were down by 57 percent globally so far this month, with light jets faring better and large-cabin jets worse. In fact, in North American and European markets, large-cabin jet flying dipped 65 percent, while light and very light jet operations slid 51 percent and 46 percent, respectively.
Air Charter Group Protests Against UK Quarantine Rules
The Air Charter Association (ACA) has strongly criticized new Covid-19 quarantine rules that from June 8 will require almost all travelers arriving in the UK to remain isolated at a fixed location for 14 days. In a statement issued today, the industry group questioned the validity of the quarantine rules and said that they will make it impossible for business people to come to the UK for short visits.
“At a time when other European nations are beginning to relax their travel restrictions, it is disappointing that the [UK] government has disregarded the safe working practices and testing regimes proposed by the association’s members and other industry bodies which could be easily implemented and allow small numbers of passengers to travel safely across borders,” said ACA chairman Kevin Ducksbury.
A spokeswoman for the UK Border Force explained to AIN that all arriving passengers will be required to complete an online form providing contact details and nominating a private address at which they will quarantine for 14 days. Officials will conduct spot checks to ensure that quarantine is maintained and have the power to impose fines starting at around $120.
Brazil Bizav Sees Long Recovery, but Also Opportunity
Business aviation activity rates in Brazil are varying significantly among different groups of travelers as the country struggles to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, according to speakers at a recent industry webinar. Participants agreed that a full recovery is several years away, but they also saw opportunities as shrinkage of airline routes enhances business aviation’s value for reaching far-flung destinations already underserved by the airlines.
For instance, in Brazil’s Central-West region, the large agricultural sector is still generating high levels of flight activity. “[Farmers] are flying a lot. They’re leaving the family in quarantine on the ranch, not in the city,” explained Raul Marinho, technical director for Brazilian business aviation group ABAG. "But in the artistic segment, it’s a climate of terror, with country-western singers putting aircraft up for sale.”
The desire to avoid crowded situations makes private aviation more tempting and might allow it to come out of the crisis stronger, according to the industry representatives. Expected government regulations to ease rules covering fractional ownership and single-seat sales could also help broaden business aviation’s base.
Meanwhile, purchases of new business jets have been “less a financial difficulty, than a delivery difficulty because of assembly line delays,” aviation lawyer Felipe Bonsenso told webinar attendees.
Just as the active number of floating offshore energy rigs declined to their lowest level since 1987, a helicopter industry veteran has announced a new venture designed to help lenders to the offshore rotorcraft industry dispose of underutilized assets. Ed Washecka, the founder of Intrinsic Aviation, has formed a joint venture with Arena Investors to lease, trade, or part out mid- to end-of-life helicopters.
Washecka is the founder and former CEO of helicopter lessor Waypoint, which filed for bankruptcy in 2018 and whose assets were later acquired by Australia’s Macquarie Group. Arena specializes in investments below $50 million.
“The helicopter industry has suffered massive dislocation as a result of the prolonged oil and gas downturn, with asset prices falling dramatically for some aircraft types. In an oversupplied market, it sometimes makes more sense to scrap the helicopter and to sell the constituent parts as a means to recover any remaining value,” said Washecka.
The joint venture has initially acquired three Sikorsky S-76C++ helicopters and plans on parting out two of them and re-leasing one to an offshore operator. Sikorsky produced the S-76C++ from 2006 to 2012. Washecka said parting out provides operators with an alternative to parking and sitting on idle assets that continue to depreciate while incurring costs.
JSSI: Bizav Flight Ops Reach Record Low in April
The latest global flight activity report from Jet Support Services (JSSI) underscored the heavy toll the Covid-19 pandemic has had on operations as business aviation utilization dropped to a record low in April with flight hours falling 77.5 percent year-over-year.
“March flight hours saw the largest decline since the global financial crisis of 2008,” said JSSI president and CEO Neil Book. “April’s flight hours are the lowest we have on record...demonstrating the true impact of global lockdown restrictions and border closures since their implementation.”
Across the JSSI portfolio, aircraft averaged 5.9 flight hours last month, and, compared with March, activity was down 69.3 percent, JSSI reported in its April 2020 Business Aviation Index. New aircraft, those five years old or less, were the hardest hit, followed by aircraft between the ages of six and 10 years. Large-cabin aircraft saw the most precipitous drop month-over-month, plummeting 84.7 percent from March. Least impacted was helicopter activity, which slowed 27.5 percent month-over-month in April.
Not surprisingly, the healthcare industry marked the strongest flight hours in April. Even so, healthcare use was down 30.4 percent month-over-month. The power and energy segment, meanwhile, saw an 84.1 percent decline. The Covid-19 pandemic significantly dampened operations in all regions: month-over-month decreases ranged from 48.5 percent in Asia-Pacific to 74.2 percent in Europe.
EHang’s 216 eVTOL Cleared for Supply Flights in China
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has approved eVTOL aircraft developer EHang to conduct commercial logistics flights using its 216 Autonomous Aerial Vehicle on behalf of a hotel operator at Taizhou in southern China. EHang claims this is the world’s first commercial pilot operation to be approved by a national aviation authority and the permission has been granted even though the all-electric EHang 216 has not yet completed type certification.
The approval, which was announced on May 27, follows earlier interim approval granted in February 2019 for trial operations for the Model 216, including some that have carried passengers. None of these flights, made at a number of locations in China, were conducted on a commercial basis.
EHang will carry loads such as luggage or groceries for its unnamed client between several sites in the Taizhou area, including a hilltop location and a nearby island. The 216 can carry a payload of up to 485 pounds, consisting of freight or up to two passengers.
To earn the CAAC approval, the 216 has conducted tests to show that it can fly safely with at least one of its eight motors and propellers inoperable, within an electronic “fence” to confine unmanned aircraft operations, and to locations up to three miles offshore.
West Star Aviation’s facility in East Alton, Illinois, is completing its first 12-, 24-, and 48-month inspections of a Gulfstream G650. To be finished within five weeks, the inspections of the four-year-old aircraft will take a total of 1,200 man-hours, West Star estimated.
While the aircraft is still under full warranty, the owner opted for West Star to complete the work based on the MRO provider’s depth of Gulfstream expertise and technical team, West Star said.
“We are excited to be able to provide additional maintenance options for customers, which usually saves them time and money over alternative MROs,” said Eric Valdes, West Star's Gulfstream program director in East Alton.
In addition to East Alton, West Star operates major maintenance centers in Grand Junction, Colorado; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Perryville, Missouri. It also operates satellite facilities at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport in Colorado, Chicago Executive Airport, Centennial Airport in Denver, Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport, Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, and Scottsdale Airport in Arizona.
Flight Safety Foundation Tackles VFR Helicopter Accidents
The Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) has issued a new white paper that focuses on ways to avoid weather-related helicopter accidents. The group proposes a comprehensive, five-point strategy to improve commercial VFR helicopter safety for passenger operations.
Key recommendations include implementing regular risk identification and mitigation/management strategies, as well as tools to improve or develop an organizational safety culture; improving pilot decision making and adherence to procedures, including training on how to safely fly out of marginal weather and the use of single-pilot resource management and small flight recorders; establishing procedures for more consistent go/no-go decisions that include enforcement of weather minimums, limiting late flight plan changes, and using a process to inform customers of cancellations/postponements; educating customers via mandatory preflight weather and safety briefings; and enhancing regulatory oversight by mandating all commercial operations be flown under Part 135 rules and work with small operators to develop SMS, risk assessment, weather training, and flight data monitoring programs.
The paper noted that there “needs to be a sense of urgency” to the problem of safety with the active participation of operators, manufacturers, regulators, and consumers to reduce the fatal helicopter accident rate. “Fatal crashes continue to happen with tragic regularity,” the FSF said.
Cessna SkyCourier Achieves First Flight
Textron Aviation is developing the Cessna SkyCourier as a utility aircraft that can carry freight or passengers. The twin-turboprop model has started its flight-test campaign and will likely complete type certification by the end of 2021. Six SkyCourier prototypes will be involved in flight testing at Textron’s facility in Wichita.
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