This year Textron Aviation has made a big leap forward in executing its strategic plan for a leadership role in the so-called advanced air mobility (AAM) revolution. Alongside rival Embraer, it is the only other mainstream business aircraft manufacturer to be assembling a credible product portfolio of electric and autonomous aircraft.
The U.S. aerospace and defense group sees the new sector gaining serious momentum from around 2030, and by then it could potentially have several new electric aircraft ready to enter service next to a product line that already includes the ubiquitous King Air and Caravan turboprop families and Citation business jets.
In March 2021, Textron signaled its ambitions with the formation of its eAviation division under the leadership of former Textron senior v-p of sales and marketing Rob Scholl, reporting directly to group chairman and CEO Scott Donnelly. Just over 12 months later the surprise acquisition of electric aviation pioneer Pipistrel in April 2022 well and truly turned theory into practice, providing the basis for several new aircraft now in the development pipeline.
The deal also seems to have breathed new life into the plans being hatched by Textron’s helicopter division Bell for its Nexus eVTOL vehicle.
Rosen Aviation expanded its portfolio of upper-end OLED displays, adding a 65-inch and 77-inch screen, both currently in development, to the product line. Both displays are part of ongoing STC projects and will be available in mid-2023.
The new units, like the rest of the line, are ground-up aviation-specific designs with sleek, lightweight profiles. The 65-inch model is expected to weigh just 36 pounds, and the 77-inch is planned to be a mere 43 pounds, Rosen reported, and both will measure one inch in depth.
“The larger sizes really highlight the amazing benefits from OLED technology,” said Lee Clark, Rosen’s senior v-p of strategy. “A comparable sized 65-inch+ LED display could weigh nearly a hundred pounds.”
Last year Eugene, Oregon-based Rosen introduced 22-inch through 55-inch OLEDs, which “have surpassed even our own expectations in market demand and sales,” said Clark. “I think we have an opportunity to eclipse our forecasts again with the latest 65-inch and 77-inch offerings.”
At last year’s introduction, Rosen noted the supply chain challenges it faced during the initial OLED launch and the innovative ways it overcame parts and material shortages. Its internal systems are now more robust and better equipped to handle any future uncertainty in the supply chain, but nonetheless Rosen advises customers to place orders for the larger displays as soon as possible, citing longer-than-usual lead times from suppliers.
In its quest to provide consistent satellite communications airborne connectivity to business aviation customers, Satcom Direct has transitioned from being primarily a service provider to a satcom system hardware company. Its first hardware was the SD Router and now its Intelsat FlexExec Ku-band Plane Simple satcom is preparing to make inroads into the satellite connectivity market.
“Consistency of service is what we’re focused on, and capability,” said Satcom Direct president Chris Moore. “So when somebody gets into a business jet and its [connectivity is] powered by Satcom Direct, they’re getting the most consistent service anywhere.”
By the end of this year, Satcom Direct expects its Ku-band Plane Simple system to be installed on 30 early adopter aircraft. The system will be available for installation in a variety of aircraft in the second half of next year.
“We’re anticipating a large number of customers,” Moore said. Satcom Direct will also begin testing of a Ka-band Plane Simple antenna by the end of the year, he added.
Meanwhile, Satcom Direct is moving ahead with flat-panel antenna technology with German antenna manufacturer QEST Antenna Technology, which also manufactures the Plane Simple antennas. The flat-panel antenna is designed to work with OneWeb’s low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite network, which will provide service in the range of 50 Mbps and eventually up to 150 to 200 Mbps.
Gulfstream Aerospace (Static AD_101) has all seven models of its business jet fleet on static display this week at NBAA-BACE 2022, including the in-development top-of-the-line G700 and G800. At the show, Gulfstream is also highlighting planned expansions of manufacturing and support facilities.
The G700 and G800, with respective ranges of 7,500 nm and 8,000 nm, and long-range cruise speeds of Mach 0.85, are expected to enter service next year. Two fully outfitted G700 production test aircraft are on static display this week at Orlando Executive Airport, each with a different interior, but between them showcase what Gulfstream terms an “ultra-galley” with more than 10 feet of counter space; a grand suite with fixed bed and bright, spacious lavatory with shower; circadian lighting system; and an all-new seat design.
“They really show the flexibility of the design that our team has created,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns.
Immediately following the NBAA show, which closes Thursday, the two G700s will embark on a world tour across 20 cities and six continents. The route will reflect “the strong demand we are seeing in established markets, such as Europe and the Middle East, and in growing markets for us, including Southeast Asia, India, and Africa,” said Burns.
All of Duncan Aviation’s FBO locations (LNK, BTL, AZO and PVU) passed the comprehensive safety audit required for Stage 3 of the International Safety for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH) accreditation. The company’s FBO locations join only three other FBOs in the United States that meet Stage 3 certification standards.
DPI Labs and SkyCinema Aviation debuted at NBAA-BACE 2022 the world’s first airborne application of the Dolby Atmos immersive audio system, as well as DPI’s newest dotless remote phosphor LED Smartlights. Both the Atmos sound system and LED lighting are on display in a specially outfitted van at the companies’ booth where visitors can immerse themselves in the products.
Dolby Atmos allows up to 128 channels of audio to 64 independent speakers for in-theater applications, while the consumer version uses a smaller number of speakers.
“What we love about this system is that it’s perfect for VVIP retrofit installations,” said Jay McGrath, co-founder and managing partner of UK-based SkyCinema Aviation. “We’re able to deliver a truly professional, immersive cinematic experience to the end customer at less than 15 percent of the cost of a full cabin audio replacement.”
A joint-engineering effort between California’s DPI Labs and SkyCinema Aviation, the main theater area on the Boeing includes DPI Labs’ 65-inch OLED UHD ultra-thin 4K display and its SmartLink cabin management system, paired with a Dolby Atmos processor and 57 speakers situated around the cabin and above the viewers. The 65-inch 4K OLED display, introduced in 2020, is the largest and thinnest display available for aircraft today, according to the companies.
Airbus Corporate Helicopters (ACH) has delivered the first ACH130 Aston Martin Edition to a U.S. customer. The helicopter features a special interior and exterior livery created by the sports car maker. In May, ACH committed to producing a second batch of 15 ACH130 Aston Martin Editions of the single-turbine helicopter.
In addition to the partnership with Aston Martin, ACH CEO Frederic Lemos said it continues its long-standing work with Mercedes Benz on fashioning customer interiors for its twin-engine H145 and will make a new product announcement in conjunction with this partnership in 2023.
“We like working with the automotive industry because we feel we have the same constraints when it comes to the cabin, the fact that we work in a very small environment compared to fixed-wing [aircraft],” said Lemos. “By working with them they are always bringing something new to us. We like these partnerships because they push us to do better and bring something new to our customers.”
Desert Jet Center, a full-service FBO and aircraft operator at Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (KTRM) in Thermal, California, is now the latest member of the Titan Aviation Fuels-branded network.
“After a very thorough process, we found that Titan Aviation Fuels is the best fit for Desert Jet Center and our continued growth,” said Jared Fox, CEO of Desert Jet Center. “After getting to know the Titan team and seeing their operation, we are confident that our new partnership will benefit our customers, employees, and community.”
As it prepares for its peak season, Desert Jet—which was recently named as the Corporate Aircraft Association’s preferred FBO at KTRM—has also adopted a new software management system to further enhance its customer experience.
“We are excited to be operating X1-FBO’s software platform,” said Roman Mendez, the location’s general manager. “With its automation enhancements, our team can continue to focus its time on providing great customer service and less time on data entry.”
The move is part of the company’s commitment to embracing the latest FBO technologies to improve service efficiencies. Paperless tracking of fuel loads and real-time notifications of reservations, flights, and service requests all help personalize client interaction.
The “extra wide body” Falcon 6X, scheduled to enter service in mid-2023, is in its final stage of flight trials, Dassault Aviation said Monday at NBAA-BACE 2022. In addition, the French airframer is presenting a fully outfitted 6X on static display.
According to Dassault, the 6X has the tallest and widest cabin of any purpose-built business jet. And the model on display, the fourth airframe built, completed a round-the-world demonstration tour in July, showcasing the aircraft’s maturity and reliability. The twinjet made 50 flights over five continents and logged 150 hours, flying up to five times per day during the tour.
“Pilots gave all systems, including new features of the EASy IV flight deck, high marks and assessed performance as ‘spot on,’” said Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Eric Trappier.
Three test aircraft taking part in the certification process have now concluded hot-weather trials in the Tunisian desert at temperatures of up to 118 deg F, cold soak trials in northern Canada at temperatures as low as -36 deg F, and high-elevation trials at Telluride, Colorado.
Paul “BJ” Ransbury, CEO of upset prevention and recovery training provider Aviation Performance Solutions (APS), was named as chairman of the NBAA Safety Committee yesterday at NBAA-BACE in Orlando, Florida. Ransbury has previously served the committee on the working group and in team lead and vice chairman leadership roles. He also has prior experience having held leadership roles in the military, airline, and advanced flight training operations before assuming the role of CEO at APS in 2005.
Textron Aviation has appointed Duncan Van De Velde as v-p of sales, Europe, following the retirement of Tom Perry. Van De Velde re-joins Textron Aviation following four years at Bell Helicopter as the managing director for Europe and Russia. Prior to this role, he served as director of aftermarket sales for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region at Textron.
The International Association of Aircraft Dealers has named Zipporah Marmor, v-p of aircraft transactions at ACASS, as chair of the organization; and Phil Winters, v-p of aircraft sales and charter management for Western Aircraft, as vice chair. Marmor joined ACASS in 2011 and has more than 20 years of international business aviation experience spanning sales, management, and marketing. Winters has served with Western Aircraft for 25 years and now leads new and preowned aircraft sales and aircraft management/charter divisions for the company.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy has named Veronica Marshall as the NTSB’s first chief human capital officer. Marshall previously served at NASA as human resources director since 2018 and prior to that held the position of director for executive resources and chief learning officer. Before joining NASA, she led the leadership development of the U.S. Postal Service’s 650 senior executives and 5,000 managerial employees.
ACASS has hired Krystyna Hranek as a sales director serving the Southeast U.S. and Central/South America. Hranek began her business aviation career at Bombardier Aerospace before joining SmartJets. She has more than 15 years of marketing, business development, and sales experience.
Metrojet Limited has appointed Justin Yeung as the director of aircraft management and charter and Stewart Borg as the new director of flight operations. Yeung joined Metrojet in 2018 and was most recently the company’s head of commercial. Prior to that he held various progressive commercial and supply chain roles with Rolls-Royce in the UK. Borg has been with Metrojet for over 17 years having previously served as lead captain, deputy chief pilot, and manager of flight training. He is a check and training captain for Metrojet as well as an authorized examiner for the Gulfstream G450, G550, and G650ER for the Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong.
The Wichita Aero Club (WAC) has announced Dr. John Tomblin as the recipient of its 2023 Wichita Aero Club Trophy. Tomblin is senior v-p of industry and defense programs for Wichita State University; executive director at the National Institute for Aviation Research; and a Sam Bloomfield Distinguished Professor of Aerospace Engineering for Wichita State University. WAC will celebrate Dr. Tomblin at its annual trophy gala in January 2023.
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