Luxivair SBD, the airport-owned FBO at California’s San Bernardino International Airport, has taken strides to reduce its carbon footprint, the latest coming from the addition of zero- and low-emissions vehicles and ground support equipment. They include electric aircraft tugs and a propane-powered forklift, in addition to new 10,000-gallon fuel trucks that adhere to Tier 4, the latest emission milestone established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Besides standard rental cars, Luxivair is also the first FBO in the world to offer the new hydrogen fuel cell-powered Toyota Mirai, through a partnership with local operator StratosShare, which offers an app-based rental platform. Customers can rent zero-emission Mirais for as little as an hour to several days, refueling at one of several compressed hydrogen filling stations in the Southern California area and returning them to their airport base.
“We wanted to provide our customers with an alternative to traditional rental cars,” said Wendy Bechtel, the service provider’s manager. “Like the FBO, the Mirai is futuristic, environmentally responsible, and exclusive."
CAE Seals Deal To Buy 50% of Simcom from DAC
CAE has finalized its 50 percent acquisition of Simcom from Directional Aviation Capital (DAC), some two months after the deal was announced, the companies said today. Under the $85 million deal, for the next 15 years CAE will also be the exclusive training services provider to six DAC-owned business aircraft operators: Flexjet, Flight Options, Flairjet, Sirio, Nextant Aerospace, and Corporate Wings. Combined, these operators have a fleet of 175 business aircraft.
Another part of the agreement calls for Simcom to purchase equipment from Montreal, Canada-based CAE, including five full-flight simulators. Two weeks ago at NBAA-BACE, Simcom said it has purchased five CAE full-flight simulators (FFSs) and flight training devices (FTDs) for the Gulfstream G650, Bombardier Challenger 350, and Embraer Phenom 300 and Legacy 500. Simcom plans to install these FFSs and FTDs in a new training center that is under development in Lake Nona, Florida.
"CAE's investment in Simcom along with our new long-term partnership will allow us to realize our vision of creating industry-leading training solutions for private aviation,” said DAC principal Kenn Ricci. “CAE provides access to technology and training expertise that will allow us to better serve both internal and external customers."
According to CAE president and CEO Marc Parent, this partnership will further strengthen his company’s position in the business aviation training market.
Senate Approves $17.7B FAA Budget for FY2020
The U.S. Senate cleared a $17.7 billion budget for the FAA in Fiscal Year 2020 as part of an overarching “minibus” multi-agency funding bill. Passed 84-9 late last week, the minibus consolidated four separate appropriations bills, including that for the Department of Transportation. However, this and other funding bills must be reconciled with House bills. With the government operating under a temporary funding measure that is set to expire November 21, the possibility of another stopgap funding bill might be necessary to provide time for the two chambers to hash out the differences in their respective funding bills.
The Senate would provide a slight boost funding for the FAA, which has a $17.5 billion budget in the current fiscal year. The bill would fully fund the contract tower program and calls on the FAA to respond to key reports on its certification activities. Also, lawmakers are calling on the FAA to finalize rulemaking regarding safety management systems for manufacturers.
In addition, the bill carries over a couple of key measures that have been included in previous appropriations bills, including a continuation of the weight limitations on Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, as well as call for the continuation of efforts to honor requests of business aircraft operators to keep their registration numbers private from flight-tracking programs.
Helicopter Market Turning Corner at Last, Say Pundits
After reeling from being virtually abandoned by the oil and gas sector after oil plummeted to $30 a barrel in early 2016, the helicopter market appears to have turned the corner and operating prices are now reflecting a recovery, industry observers said today at the opening of the Vertical Flight Expo & Conference at Farnborough Airport. Even though exploration is now resurgent in the oil and gas sector, profits for helicopter operators are still very limited, they added. The panel discussion centered mainly on changes in demand and supply, with several comments pointing to better times ahead.
Alastair Fallon, aviation analyst with IBA Group, reflected it had been “a slow recovery” after the oil shock that started in 2014, which saw 20 percent to 30 percent of the helicopter fleet become surplus. “But we’re kind of getting there.” He noted how it affected the whole industry as contracts weren’t renewed and helicopters had to find new homes.
A key theme that came out of the session was that the new medium-heavy helicopters that are coming to the market, such as the Bell 525 and Airbus H160, could struggle as they are unproven and there are still many used large helicopters available. Panelists also said OEMs and operators could help the market by making helicopters more easily reconfigurable for new roles.
International aircraft charter and jet card provider Paramount Business Jets (PBJ) has introduced what it claims is the private jet charter industry’s first open-source carbon emissions calculator. Available through its website, the Easy Private Jet Carbon Offset Calculator allows anyone to enter their trip origin, destination, and business aircraft model. The calculator will then determine total flight time and emissions, as well as offer a list of international carbon offset providers the client can choose to pay for carbon credits on the flight.
According to PBJ CEO Richard Zahar, frustration over trying to determine the carbon footprints of his client's charter flights led him to encourage the development of the calculator.
“Until now, this information was extremely difficult for private jet charter firms to track down,” he explained. “Even when that data could be found, it was generally at least a two-day process to secure an offset; our calculator allows private jet charter clients to offset their carbon footprint in less than two minutes.”
Zahar added he will provide the source code for the calculator, along with fuel burn data for private jets, notes, and instructions free to any company wishing to post it on their own website under their own corporate branding.
CVC Capital Closes On Acquisition Of Ontic
CVC Capital Partners’ CVC Fund VII has completed its purchase of BBA Aviation’s Ontic, a manufacturer of OEM-licensed parts for legacy aircraft, in a deal valued at more than $1.3 billion. The acquisition was originally announced in July.
“Ontic has experienced significant growth over a sustained period as a result of the distinct and genuinely value-added solution the company provides to both OEMs and end-users,” said CVC Capital Partners senior managing director James Mahoney. Cheltenham, UK-based Ontic supports more than 39,000 in-service aircraft through a portfolio of more than 165 licenses to manufacture more than 7,000 parts. It has more than 1,200 customers and manufacturing and repair facilities in Chatsworth, California; Creedmoor, North Carolina; Plainview, New York; Cheltenham; and Singapore.
“We are thankful for all of the support we received from BBA Aviation and we are looking forward to our continued success and future growth with CVC,” Ontic CEO Gareth Hall said. “This is an exciting time for our business to move forward as an independent organization with a strong, new financial partner as the owner, and the opportunity to do so much more with our OEM partners.”
Vref Adds Greater Detail in New Valuation Platform
Vref Aircraft Reference Value & Appraisal Services has developed a new aircraft valuation software program that is designed for users with varying degrees of aviation knowledge, from first-time buyers to seasoned aircraft brokers, and allows them to “fine-tune” their search values. “Vref subscribers will have access to a robust avionics database containing more than 40,000 items,” said Vref president and CEO Jason Zilberbrand. “You can sort, filter, search as much as you like, and now you will also know…if the equipment installed in the aircraft is the latest and greatest or original to the aircraft. We completely rebuilt the entire database from scratch.”
In addition to a searchable avionics database, Vref's online platform contains a range of pricing categories beyond wholesale and retail. New value categories include fair market value, orderly liquidation value, forced liquidation value, scrap, and inventory pricing, as well as 15-year future residual value and historic residual values—all contained in a single table and graph.
Vref will be rolling out the new platform in beta, allowing existing subscribers to merge to the new platform. It also is the official valuation platform and appraisal company for AOPA, so all AOPA members will be able to access the complete Vref online platform (turbine and piston) from within the AOPA website, as well as have access to Vref's reports, appraisal services, and consulting.
Air Charter Association Honors Michael Marshall
The Air Charter Association honored the late Marshall Group chairman, Sir Michael Marshall, with The Chairman’s Award, recognizing his services to the aviation industry. Air Charter Association chairman Nick Weston and deputy chair Julie Black presented the posthumous award during the recent 17th annual Air Charter Excellence Awards ceremony at the Guildhall in London. Cambridge City airport director Kevan Craske accepted on behalf of Marshall’s widow, Sibyl.
Marshall passed away in July while on vacation in Spain with his wife and friends. He was 87. A former Royal Air Force pilot, Marshall was in his early 20s when he joined the company founded by his grandfather in 1909. By 1965, he was appointed deputy chairman of the company and took over as chairman and CEO after his father retired in 1989. He led the group over nearly the next three decades, helping expand the company into a multi-faceted aerospace organization with £2.5 billion in annual sales and almost 6,000 employees. Before he died, he was planning a flight to Morocco this year to celebrate the 70th anniversary of his receipt of a pilot’s license.
“Sir Michael Marshall’s love of flying, his time in the RAF, and his support of all things aerospace kept him busy,” Weston said, praising his advocacy for women in aerospace engineering, STEM education, and career development of youth.
AIN Webinar: Key Steps to a Successful Aircraft Transaction
There are several steps where business aircraft deals can go sideways, including miscommunication, ethics issues, misunderstanding of regulations, and any number of traps for the unwary. Learn how to identify and assemble the right team early in the aircraft buying or selling process, a checklist of action items/steps, and caveats for financial stages. Join us for this free webinar on December 10 at 1:30 p.m. EST as AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber moderates a panel of experts that includes Keith Swirsky, president of GKG Law, P.C.; Keith Hayes, senior v-p and national sales manager at PNC Aviation Finance; and Jad Donaldson, former head of the NBAA Ethics Committee and current director of aviation for Harley-Davidson Motor.
The Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) board of directors elected W. Ian Cheyne to the association’s senior volunteer leadership role of president. Cheyne, who has served as a director of ARSA since 2002, is chief technical and regulatory officer for Dallas Airmotive. David Latimer, senior v-p of regulatory compliance for Haeco Americas and the association’s immediate past president, will continue to serve on the board. Also, Gary Fortner, v-p of engineering and quality control for Fortner Engineering, was elected v-p and Terrell Seigfreid, assistant general counsel for the Nordam Group, is treasurer.
George Galanopoulos was appointed head of charter sales in Europe for the Luxaviation Group. In addition to his new duties overseeing sales in Europe, Galanopoulos will continue as managing director of Luxaviation UK.
Wayne Lockley joined Elevate Jet to lead safety and security protocol, including the development of a safety management system. Lockley has 40 years of aviation experience, including 23 years in the U.S. Navy and has been a member of the International Society of Aviation Safety Investigators.
Bismarck Aero Center promoted Chad Hegel to lead flightline technician. Hegel joined Bismarck Aero Center in 2012 as a part-time flightline technician and before that had aircraft refueling experience with Great Lakes Airlines.
King Aerospace named Analia Vaca people department leader. Vaca brings 15 years of experience to her new role, most recently as human resources director for SevenBar Aviation and before that human resources manager for Nera Telecommunications.
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