An Airbus H225 today performed the first helicopter flight using 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at Airbus Helicopters’ headquarters in Marignane, France, with the unblended SAF burned in one of the helicopter's two Safran Makila 2 engines. This also marks the start of a flight campaign aiming to assess the impact of unblended SAF on the helicopter systems, with the goal of certifying use of SAF blends that exceed today’s 50 percent limit.
The flight campaign follows earlier unblended SAF bench tests performed by Safran Helicopter Engines at its Bordes plant. According to Airbus, the H225 test helicopter flew with an unblended SAF derived from used cooking oil provided by TotalEnergies, which offers a net 90 percent CO2 reduction compared to traditional jet-A. Airbus Helicopters has launched a SAF user group dedicated to deriving the use of biofuels in the rotary-wing community and also started using blended SAF for training and test flights at its French and German sites.
“While all Airbus helicopters are certified to fly with up to a 50 percent SAF blend, it is our company’s ambition to have its helicopters certified to fly with 100 percent SAF within the decade,” said Airbus Helicopters executive v-p for engineering and chief technical officer Stefan Thome. “Today’s flight is an important first step toward this goal.”
GE announced plans today to spin off its healthcare and energy businesses as separate public companies by early 2024, leaving an “aviation-focused company shaping the future of flight.” The conglomerate expects to spin off GE Healthcare in early 2023 but will retain a 19.9 percent stake; divestiture of GE’s energy segment will occur a year later.
Company chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp Jr. will continue to serve as chairman and CEO of GE until the second spin-off, at which point he will then lead the GE aviation-focused company going forward. John Slattery will remain as CEO of GE Aviation.
Meanwhile, GE is on track to reduce its debt by more than $75 billion by year-end, in part due to the company’s sale of its GECAS aircraft-leasing business to Ireland’s AerCap Holdings last month for some $30 billion. “As a result, GE is in a strong position to execute this plan to form three well-capitalized, investment-grade companies. The company and its businesses will continue to serve GE’s partners and customers throughout this transition,” GE noted.
GE Aviation has an installed base of 37,700 commercial engines and 26,500 military engines. In the business and general aviation space, the division currently offers the CF34, Passport, and—in partnership with Honda—HF120 turbofans, as well as the H-series turboprop. The company is also developing its Catalyst turboprop engine that will power the Beechcraft Denali.
The race to close preowned business aircraft deals in the face of a shortage of inventory is already beginning to result in legal cases surrounding unhappy acquisitions, said Paul Lange from the Law Offices of Paul A. Lange. Speaking at the NATA Business Conference last week, Lange said his office is seeing a “tremendous amount of aircraft transactions and like everybody else, we're seeing a tremendous amount of people who were not in business aviation before.”
These transactions are coming from a range of people, both new and those returning to business aviation, he said. “The challenge right now is that we see transactions that are just insane, the risk levels that people are are taking,” Lange said. “Things that would never fly before are now happening. They're taking aircraft seizure risks.”
He said he had one deal where the buyer walked away from a deal where the risk threshold was literally criminal, with the seller under house arrest. “But it still took about a day for the buyer to think about that,” Lange said. “That kind of tells you where this insane market is and that tremendous risk.”
Lange noted that people are worried about losing the deal, but they may have problems after it. “We’ve had a fair number of depositions in our office already on deals gone bad,” he said.
Virginia-based Averett University has taken over FBO operations at Danville Regional Airport following the conclusion of an RFP process initiated by the city of Danville. After the lease on the facility expired, the incumbent that operated the FBO since 1948 was not selected for renewal.
The university, which held its grand opening late last month for the location under the AU Aviation Services name, has had a presence on the field for four decades, with its aeronautics degree program and flight school based at the George J. Falk Flight Operations Center adjacent to the private terminal.
According to general manager John Earl, the 2,000-sq-ft terminal received a facelift over the past several months. It includes passenger and pilot lounges, a snooze room, two conference rooms, showers, and a flight-planning area. The location has a 2,700-sq-ft hangar that can accommodate a light jet or turboprop.
Earl told AIN that the facility is set for a major renovation starting in the first half of next year. It will incorporate the former commercial passenger area, which has been unused since airline traffic ceased at the airport in the late 1990s. That project, which will add nearly 1,000 sq ft to the FBO terminal, is slated for completion by mid-2023.
Technology, Relationships Set FlightSafety Maintenance Training Apart
For decades FlightSafety International has been the go-to name in aviation training, preparing pilots for anything in the cockpit, and mastering their aircraft. But its name doesn’t stop with just the people who fly the aircraft. It resonates as the best maintenance training available—just as important to the safety and smooth operation of aviation as a whole.
Harold “Hal” Summers, who served as director of flight operations for Helicopter Association International and had an aviation industry career spanning six decades, died October 20. He was 83.
“Hal was an icon in the industry, a subject-matter expert on everything involving helicopter maintenance, and he felt it was an honor and obligation to share his wisdom and experience with the rest of us,” said HAI president and CEO James Viola. “We are a better industry because of his passionate contributions, and he will be profoundly missed.”
Born on Feb. 23, 1938, in Newport, Oregon, Summers achieved his A&P license and began his career working in Alaska in the early 1960s. In 1964, he joined Petroleum Helicopters Inc. (PHI), eventually becoming vice president with responsibility for maintenance and support for a global fleet of more than 400 helicopters in the Gulf of Mexico alone. Summers also had served as acting chief engineer for a joint venture that PHI had formed with China Southern Helicopter in Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
He joined HAI in 2004 and steered the fly-in and fly-out each year for Heli-Expo, coordinating with local airports on staging and fueling sites. In addition, he worked with other HAI staff, regulators, and industry stakeholders on a number of issues confronting the association’s members.
Reps. Anthony Brown (D-Maryland) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania) have introduced the bipartisan Helicopter Data and Voice Recorder Requirement Act, which would require the installation of flight data and cockpit voice recorders in most U.S.-registered helicopters.
In a joint statement announcing the legislation earlier this month, the congressmen noted, “For nearly a decade, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has urged the FAA to address these gaps in helicopter safety. The helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, that claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant and eight others, as well as accidents across the country, have underscored the urgency for additional safety measures. From 2005 to 2017, the NTSB estimates there were 159 crashes involving helicopters with no recording equipment. Of the 159 incidents, the NTSB was unable to determine probable cause for 18 of those crashes.”
Brown is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, serving as both helicopter pilot flying OH-58s and JAG officer, during which time he graduated first in his flight class and received both airborne and air assault qualifications. He currently sits on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “Adding black boxes to helicopters raises accountability for pilots and allows investigators to give families closure in their time of need,” he said.
Elit’Avia has selected Satcom Direct (SD) as its preferred supplier under a three-year agreement for voice, data, connectivity, and flight deck communication functionality as well as customer support and training. The agreement builds on Elit’Avia’s commercial services with SD, including the use of SD Pro digital flight operations system and the SD Cyber Security Threat monitoring module.
“We wanted to work with a connectivity company that values partnership, and mirrors our operating philosophy, which is why we selected SD as our preferred connectivity partner,” said Elit’Avia CEO and accountable manager Michel Coulomb. “The SD team has already demonstrated the value they bring with their expert technical support, their genuine focus on customer service, and the ability to deliver seamless connectivity across a range of aircraft types. Access to the growing cybersecurity offering is also an important factor for Elit’Avia’s operations team.”
Elit’Avia is also in discussion with SD about cabin router upgrades that are not currently using SD connectivity services. Based in Slovenia, Elit’Avia operates and manages a charter fleet comprising the Bombardier Global Express, 5000, 6000, and 7500, as well as 600-series Challenger, Dassault Falcon 7X, and Gulfstream G450.
“With the expanded, long-term deal, we are able to better serve their customers, crew, and operations teams by providing flexible, customizable connectivity solutions,” said v-p of SD International Michael Skou Christensen.
Inmarsat named Philippe Carette to head up its aviation business unit as president. Carette, who steps into his new role on November 22, joins Inmarsat after spending the past eight years with Thales, including as CEO of the electronics specialist’s InFlyt Experience business.
He has more than 30 years of experience in the technology and aerospace industries, also including with Safran Group. At Inmarsat, Carette succeeds Philip Balaam, who has taken on a strategy position for the global satellite services provider to reinforce its commercial businesses.
“I am pleased to welcome Philippe Carette as president of our aviation business at the start of a new era of growth across our aviation business lines, and throughout the company as a whole,” said Inmarsat CEO Rajeev Suri. “He brings a wealth of experience and I look forward to working with him as a member of Inmarsat’s executive team as we extend our technology leadership and significantly enhance the services.”
Suri credited Balaam for playing a pivotal role in establishing Inmarsat’s leadership in the global in-flight connectivity sector. He comes on board as Inmarsat recently announced its 1,000th installation and activation of its Jet ConneX high-speed inflight connectivity system, providing it a major presence in business aviation.
People in Aviation
Hatt & Associates added Tyler Bowron as a new partner. Bowron, who has spent 14 years as a sales professional, previous was director of aircraft sales and acquisitions of QS Partners (formerly Cerretani Aviation) in Boulder, Colorado.
Adam Konowe was named senior v-p at Edelman Business Marketing. Konowe, who has more than 20 years of aviation marketing communications experience, previously served as v-p of client strategy at TMP Government, a subsidiary of Radancy.
F/List named Mélanie Prince head of innovation. Prince has served with F/List for 12 years, working in advanced research, engineering, certification, and systems engineering.
Jeffrey Miller was named executive director for Chicago Executive Airport. Miller has more than a decade of airport management experience, most recently the airport director at Laredo International Airport in Laredo, Texas.
Lori Knudson has joined AAR as v-p, chief ethics and compliance officer. Knudson, who began her career as an attorney, previously was senior v-p of compliance, risk, and internal audit for Aegion Corp.
Jerry Coots has joined Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems as regional sales manager responsible for the upper Midwest states. Coots brings a background in sales, FBO operations, and as a corporate pilot in a variety of jet aircraft.
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