Epic Wins FAA Certification for E1000 Turboprop Single

Epic Aircraft has received FAA type certification for its all-composite E1000 turboprop single, marking the conclusion of a seven-year test program, the Bend, Oregon-based company announced today. The E1000 is based on the company’s experimental LT kit model, which was introduced in 2005 through an owner-assist build program at its Bend headquarters.

“Transitioning that design into a certified version was the chance to offer a truly compelling product to the industry,” said Epic CEO Doug King, noting the company has orders for more than 80 E1000s. “We had some opportunities to speed things up along the way, to get certification earlier, but that would have required some tradeoffs that we weren’t willing to make.”

Powered by a 1,200-shp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67A, the six-seat airplane has a climb rate of 3,000 feet per minute, 34,000-foot ceiling, 1,650-nm NBAA IFR range, and maximum cruise speed of 325 knots, making it one of the fastest aircraft in its class. The $3.25 million E1000 is also equipped with Garmin G1000 avionics.

As it ramps up production, Epic has doubled its composite fabrication capacity—investing in more tooling, equipment, and curing ovens—and increased its schedule to two manufacturing shifts. The first seven customer E1000s are currently on the production line, with deliveries scheduled to start by year-end. Epic also expects to receive production certification in the first quarter.

U.S. on Path for Bizjet Fleet Cleanup, Analyst Says

The business jet market is headed toward a “big fleet cleanup” with the looming ADS-B Out installation deadline and other changes ahead, industry analyst Rolland Vincent said yesterday at the 2019 NATA Aviation Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. Vincent, JetNet iQ director and president of industry consultancy Rolland Vincent Associates, told attendees that 25 percent of the fleet is on a path to miss the Jan. 1, 2020 ADS-B deadline in the U.S., and some might just be retired.

Further playing into such a cleanup is the potential overcapacity of as many as 3,900 business jets in the U.S. Cycles have not quite returned to the nearly five million logged a decade ago when the business jet fleet was at 8,000 aircraft. Now it numbers 14,000. “We are flying quite a bit less than we were,” he said.

Even with retirements, however, Vincent sees a pendulum swing back to a strengthening of the U.S. market, forecasting gains in the world share. “That’s a very different perspective than we had a few years ago,” he said, pointing to geopolitical changes that are causing people to think more nationally. The demands for the super-long-haul aircraft might still be there, but “the requirement to fly very far maybe not so much.”

This is leading to demand growth in the “middle of market” class of business jets—those that can fly corner to corner in the U.S.—he said. Vincent predicts orders in this segment will account for nearly half of all business jet sales over the next five years.

FAA Clears Way for ATP, Commercial Pilots with Diabetes

The U.S. FAA has developed a new medical protocol that paves the way for people with diabetes to seek airline transport or commercial pilot flying privileges. A notice published in today’s Federal Register reverses the agency’s long-standing policy that limited persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) to third-class medical certificates that were granted under a special-issuance, case-by-case basis.

“Previously available medical science, treatment, and monitoring have allowed the FAA to safely provide special issue third-class medical certificates for private pilot privileges since 1996, but was not sufficient to meet the higher levels of safety demanded for applicants considered for airline transport or commercial pilot duties,” the agency said.

But advancements in medical science, including the ability for continuous glucose monitoring, make “it possible to mitigate flight safety risk so that applicants seeking first- or second-class special- issuance medical certification may be considered for the exercise of either airline transport or commercial pilot privileges,” it added.

Under the policy, individuals with ITDM can apply for a special issuance for any class of medical certificates if they follow the new protocol. Those seeking third-class certificates can continue to use the previous protocol or opt for the new protocol. The FAA is accepting comments on the notice through January 6.

FlightAware: October ADS-B Equipage Edges Higher

ADS-B equipage rates moved slightly higher from a month ago and made a bigger jump from last year, according to FlightAware’s October 2019 report released today. In all, 85 percent of U.S.-registered turbine-powered business aircraft—15,077—were equipped to meet the Jan. 1, 2020 mandate. That edged higher from 83 percent—14,652—in September and 62 percent—9,859—last October.

The five aircraft types with the highest ADS-B equipage rates in the period were the Cirrus Vision SF50 at 99 percent; Honda HA-420 HondaJet, 98 percent; Cessna Citation CJ4, 96 percent; Embraer Legacy 450, 95 percent; and Mitsubishi MU-2, 94 percent.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, aircraft types with the five lowest equipage rates were the Dassault Falcon 20 at 65 percent; Citation III, 66 percent; Bombardier Learjet 55 and Quest Kodiak, 67 percent each; and IAI Astra, 69 percent. The report said 2,672 U.S.-registered turbine aircraft remain unequipped.

XO Introduces Low-cost Plan for Private Flying

On-demand digital charter platform XO has unveiled a new $595 annual membership plan that it hopes will attract more business people and leisure travelers to private aviation. Called Rise, the plan is designed for those who fly up to 15 hours a year.

Benefits of the membership, which is limited to one authorized user per account, include instant booking for flights ranging from full charter to individual seats; the ability to initiate or join shared charters; discounts on empty legs; and waived service fees. It also includes transparency in terms of the aircraft a Rise member will be flying, whether it’s a newer or older turboprop or business jet, as well as the size of the aircraft and availability of amenities such as Wi-Fi. Rise members also pay a “dynamic” private charter and/or seat fee per flight, according to XO’s website.

“The introduction of XO's Rise membership is a dramatic advance in our mission to make the benefits of private aviation more accessible to business and leisure travelers,” said Thomas Flohr, the founder and chairman of XO parent company Vista Global Holding. “We believe that the combination of innovative membership options, and the breadth and diversity of the aircraft in our fleet—more than 1,600 across all our service classes—will extend our leadership role.”

Volocopter, John Deere Partner On Large Ag Drone

Volocopter has partnered with American agricultural vehicle and equipment manufacturer John Deere to create the first large agricultural application drone for missions traditionally performed by helicopters, the drone-maker announced this morning. The aircraft is based on the VoloDrone Volocopter unveiled last month and fitted with a John Deere crop-protection spray system with two capacity tanks, a pump, and a spray bar.

Volocopter said the agricultural drone, which has a potential payload up to 441 pounds, is reconfigurable for multiple missions, including spraying, sowing seeds, and frost control and that it can be piloted by a remote operator or fly a pre-programmed route.

The VoloDrone has a diameter of 30.2 feet and is powered by 18 rotors and a fully electric drive using exchangeable lithium-ion batteries. One battery charge provides 30 minutes of flight time. For agricultural spraying, the VoloDrone can cover an area equal to approximately 15 acres per flight hour.

Volocopter called the agricultural VoloDrone a “sustainable, precise, and cost-effective alternative to helicopters. Due to the system’s high flexibility and GPS control, more selective area-specific treatments are also possible.” Flight and application tests will begin next year. 

European Bizav Flying Levels Out in October

Business aviation flight activity in Europe last month was flat year-over-year, at 74,420 departures, with increased charter activity largely offsetting a 5 percent dip in private/owner flights, according to data released today by WingX Advance. Traffic in the region is down by 1.4 percent year-to-date, it added.

“October’s flight activity shows some stabilization in demand after several months of decline,” said WingX managing director Richard Koe. “Business jet charter traffic was up for the first time this year. Heavy and super-midsize jets are flying more, especially in fractional and charter fleets. There is still volatility in the market, with big dips in activity in key hubs.”

Though activity climbed in France last month, the UK and Germany saw declines of 6 percent and 5 percent, respectively. France experienced a surge in turboprop flights, while large-jet activity rose 2.4 percent in the UK but fell between 6 percent and 11 percent in Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Intra-European flights were flat last month from a year ago, with the year-to-date average trend down by 1.5 percent. Flights to North America from Europe increased 3.7 percent year-to-date.

Traffic fell 9 percent year-over-year at Paris Le Bourget Airport, while that at Farnborough Airport grew by 13 percent, the latter boosted by a rise in small and midsize jet activity.

Life Flight Orders Eight New Bells

The Life Flight Network has agreed to purchase four Bell 429 light twins and four Bell 407GXi singles to add to its existing helicopter EMS fleet, Bell announced Tuesday. Life Flight will use the helicopters to service portions of its network that include 31 bases throughout the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West. The company is the largest nonprofit air medical transport service in the U.S.

“These aircraft will ensure we are there when our communities and patients need us,” said Life Flight Network CEO Michael Griffiths. “We have an unyielding commitment to safety, quality, and excellence, and these Bell aircraft meet our standards.” 

Bell began deliveries of the 407GXi last year. It features the Garmin G1000H NXi integrated flight deck and a new Rolls-Royce M250-C47E/4 engine with dual-channel Fadec that delivers better high/hot performance, full automatic relight, and the ability to cruise at 133 knots. The G1000H NXi has high-definition displays and faster processors with increased brightness and clarity, faster startup, and maps, while the Garmin Flight Stream 510 allows pilots to upload flight plans from devices and Garmin SurfaceWatch provides runway identification and alerting technology.

The 429 was certified in 2009 and in the ensuing decade Bell has made numerous improvements to the helicopter.

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