Tamarack Aerospace this week submitted city-pair record claims for National Aeronautic Association (NAA) and European Federation Aeronautique International recognition involving flights of a SmartWing winglet-equipped King Air 350 to and from NBAA-BACE 2022 in Orlando, Florida.
The first city-pair record submitted was for a nonstop 2,032.8-nm flight from Spokane, Washington, to Orlando on October 16. That journey was accomplished in 7 hours 46 minutes, averaging a true airspeed (TAS) of 240 knots. At the end of BACE, the King Air flew west from Florida to Henderson, Nevada, covering 1,770.7 nm. With one stop in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the aircraft faced headwinds and icing as it accomplished the mission in 8 hours and 8 minutes with an average TAS of 295 knots.
Tamarack founder and CEO Nick Guida, who copiloted both trips, said the record claim demonstrates the benefits of the SmartWing winglet installation in terms of fuel savings, increased range, stability, flight smoothing, and associated safety improvements.
“The military is especially interested in our increased range and loiter time for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions for smaller turboprops and large transport, and our upgraded King Airs boast features that additionally allow takeoffs and landings in high/hot conditions,” Guida said.
In addition, Tamarack has set its sights on larger modifications and said it is in “serious talks” with an airline for Airbus A320 modifications.
The FAA is proposing changes to its definitions covering air carriers to create scope for including new powered-lift aircraft such as eVTOL models in existing operational rules. On November 21, the agency issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) covering changes allowing it to determine on what terms powered-lift aircraft that can’t be categorized as airplanes or rotorcraft could be regulated for air carrier operations, including scheduled airline services and on-demand charter.
According to the FAA, the revised definitions represent “an important step toward making commercial air taxi operations a reality,” and it will allow 60 days for industry comments after the NRPM appears in the Federal Register. “This powered-lift definitions rule lays that foundation that will allow operators to use powered-lift aircraft,” the agency said. “This is important because our regulations have to cover powered-lift aircraft for them to be able to operate commercially.”
In tandem with this initiative, the FAA is also developing rules for certifying pilots for powered-lift aircraft and new operational requirements. It said these proposed rules should be published in the summer of 2023 and will be finalized in time for the first eVTOL aircraft to complete type certification.
Last week, FAA acting Administrator Billy Nolen indicated that eVTOL commercial operations could start in early 2025, which tallies with the expectations of several eVTOL manufacturers, including Joby and Archer.
Want more? You can find a longer version of this article at FutureFlight.aero, a news and information resource developed by AIN to provide objective coverage and analysis of cutting-edge aviation technology.
Flydocs has launched lease asset management software in cooperation with Lufthansa Technik. The software is customized to continuously optimize leases and ensure the on-time handover of aircraft back to the lessor.
“We have created a flexible solution that is highly customizable, scalable, and affordable to meet the precise needs for simplified and automated fleet planning for leased or owned assets. The new application aims to reduce the effort and time required throughout the lease period along with optimized costs through the asst lifecycle to ensure compliance with contracts,” said Mark Bunting, product director for asset management and artificial intelligence at Flydocs.
“The partnership with Flydocs will accelerate digital innovation across our business,” added Matthias Kuehlbach, head of lease and aircraft transition services and aircraft engineering at Lufthansa Technik. “They understand that professionals need to be able to rely on their industry partners for lease asset management.”
Flydocs was founded in 2007 and is wholly owned by Lufthansa Technik.
TreviPay, a B2B payment platform that began as MultiService, recently unveiled its Aviation Network, a co-branded card solution tailored to the needs of FBOs and flight service organizations. Affiliate KHI, which created Avcard, is powering the payment plan offering. The two companies are working to provide service organizations the opportunity to establish their own co-branded payment cards.
“In the United States there are plenty of options for aviation card payments, but internationally there are not so many options so when we look at our partners in Europe and the Middle East, they are looking for an opportunity to have a card that shows their company,” KHI president Virginia Zimmerman told AIN. “That is a huge value proposition for them—it’s company recognition, it’s marketing, it’s loyalty for their cardholders—and then lastly probably one of the most important pieces of this is the ability to secure and maintain contract pricing.”
Zimmerman noted the network will launch a digital wallet solution next year to further streamline its use.
“We’re agnostic in the industry, we’re not a fuel supplier, we in no way participate in the industry as a servicer,” explained Zimmerman. “Our card is accepted everywhere without any kind of worry that we’re a competitor to them in the market.”
SmartSky is Live Nationwide and Everyone’s Talking
SmartSky is the leading innovator of connectivity for business aviation with the only ALL NEW airborne network that is available NOW, giving customers a choice of provider, hardware and services. “Of the next-gen systems coming online, SmartSky Networks has the only one available to install today,” said Seth Miller, IFEC, Aviation Analyst.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of State sanctioned aircraft management company Emperor Aviation and eight of its aircraft earlier this month. The sanctions come as part of a larger sanction of a global Russian supply chain, and Kremlin-linked networks and persons.
Emperor, which is based in Malta and Russia, was sanctioned for coordinating luxury travel for the immediate family of Suleiman Abusaidovich Kerimov, including his daughter, after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. Kerimov was sanctioned in September “for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the Government of the Russian Federation.”
Further, OFAC identified eight aircraft—in which Emperor has an interest—as blocked property. Those eight aircraft are three Bombardier Global Expresses and a Global 5000; a Cessna Citation XLS+; two Gulfstream G650s; and a Bombardier Challenger.
Aviation insurance solutions provider Starr Insurance has developed a program to maximize a business aviation company’s savings and operational safety. The Starr Safety Partnership program provides access to a portfolio of premium service providers at a significant discount. The program focuses on the entire life cycle of aircraft ownership, with an emphasis on safety and cost-efficient operations.
“The Starr Safety Partnership provides Starr clients access to preferred pricing with many of the best-in-class aviation service providers,” said Starr assistant v-p, director of safety and loss control Andrew Madison. “The partnership includes services focused on the entire aircraft ownership life cycle that increase operational savings and promote safety, safety management system facilitation, and training. It also gives the aircraft owner an extra measure of safety assurance, all to help our clients enhance the safety of their operations and reduce losses.”
The Starr Safety Partnership includes twelve service providers that “are well known in the industry for providing top-notch solutions and customer service,” according to Madison. “This was confirmed by our first-hand experience with some of the service providers and client feedback.”
Aviation Performance Solutions is among the first to join, offering an upset prevention and recovery training system that uses academics, on-aircraft flight training, and advanced simulators to curb the threat of loss of control in-flight, all taught by a group of well-qualified instructors.
On-demand private aviation provider Wheels Up Experience has partnered with global medical transport company AirMed to offer medical travel services to its members and their families. As an aviation partner to AirMed, Wheels Up will introduce a membership tier that will cover its members—and up to 11 more designated travelers—if they need air medical transport while traveling.
Wheels Up members will have 24-hour access to AirMed’s fleet and air medical crews if they are more than 150 miles from home. A Covid-19 benefit also will be offered to provide medical transport to members in the event of a confirmed and eligible diagnosis.
“AirMed shares our passion for the customer, and their significant experience providing world-class care during some of life's most critical moments will be incredibly valuable to our members,” said Wheels Up chairman and CEO Kenny Dichter.
London Biggin Hill Airport officials believe heavy investments in the facility—the UK capital's number-two business aviation hub—have been a driving force behind the airfield's appeal to domestic and international business aircraft travelers. “Our vision for the airport is bold,” said Robert Walters, Biggin Hill’s commercial director. “But we are committed to providing high-end services for the business aviation community and retaining our position as one of the leading business aviation hubs not only in the UK but in Europe, too.”
Today, Biggin Hill and rival Farnborough Airport—London’s top business aviation hub located 55 kilometers southwest of London—account for more 50 percent of corporate aircraft traffic coming into the British capital, Walters noted. Moreover, Biggin Hill is on track to record its strongest year ever in 2022, with more than 26,000 movements expected by year-end. This smashes the airport's previous record of around 19,000 takeoffs and landings in 2019.
Walters attributes some of this success to Biggin Hill's decision not to shut down during the Covid pandemic. This, he explained, helped to magnify the benefits of business aviation airports over their commercial aviation counterparts. “The pandemic provided a kick-start for Biggin Hill rather than a brake,” said Walters. Contributing to its success are first-time entrants to the business aviation market, he said.
Deutsche Aircraft promoted Maximilian Fahr to serve as v-p of supply chain. Prior to his promotion, Fahr held the role of director of supply chain for two years. He previously held operational and strategic positions at Airbus’s corporate headquarters in China and in South Korea, including sourcing for the Tianjin A320 final assembly line and as supplier development director for Airbus Group Asia Pacific. He is also a Form 4 holder with Germany’s Airworthiness Authority.
Will Cutter and Cutter Aviation were inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The recognition “commemorates over 94 years of commitment to aviation and the hard work and dedication of the Cutter family to the industry,” according to the company. Cutter Aviation was founded in 1928 by William P. Cutter and is now under the family’s third generation of leadership, making it the oldest family-owned and operated FBO in the world. Under Will Cutter’s direction, the family business has expanded from two locations to eleven, having facilities spread throughout the Southwest offering aircraft fuel/line services, maintenance and avionics solutions, aircraft charter and management, and aircraft sales.
The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) has announced new appointments to its executive committee for 2023. AIA elected Tom Gentile, president and CEO of Spirit AeroSystems, to serve as chairman of the board of governors and Theodore “Ted” Colbert III, executive v-p of Boeing and president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space, and Security, to serve as vice chairman. Eric Fanning has been reelected as AIA president and CEO.
F. Roger Hardesty, founder of Bizjet International, was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame on November 17. Hardesty, A diversified real estate developer and builder, began his career in concrete finishing in 1959 in Tulsa. He founded and operated more than 25 different business ventures including Mid-Continent Concrete, Alliance Transportation, United States Aviation, and the Quarry Landfill. Today, the Hardesty Family owns and operates an independent FBO chain, worldwide aircraft charter services, and Black Hawk helicopter air crane businesses. As a pilot, Hardesty has logged in excess of 14,000 flight hours with 15 jet ATP type ratings including the Gulfstream 550, Northrop F-5A and F-5B, and Sikorsky Black Hawk. He also has performed in air shows and television commercials in his Northrop F-5A.
Elevate Aviation Group appointed Randy McKinney to serve as president. McKinney has most recently served as COO for JSX and prior to that held the role of COO and executive v-p for DAL Global Services, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines. He also has customer service and vendor management experience with NetJets. McKinney will oversee all aspects of the company’s charter, management, MRO, and sales and acquisitions portfolio.
Keystone Aviation—a subsidiary of Elevate Aviation Group—has named David Allen v-p of operations and Colleen McCauley to the new position of v-p of sales and owner services. Allen joined Keystone in 2018 and most recently served as director of air carrier safety at Keystone’s Salt Lake City operations. Before that, he ran TAC Air’s Airline Services and held various management positions in both operations and customer service at major airlines including Delta, Northwest, and US Airways. McCauley has nearly 30 years of aircraft charter and management experience, having previously served as director of charter sales at an aircraft management company and president and director of flight operations at charter firm Jetworks International. She joined the group’s Elevate Jet sales unit last year and will hold similar responsibilities in her new role.
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