Textron Aviation Expands Service Options in Stuttgart
Textron Aviation is expanding its line maintenance station in Stuttgart, Germany, to become a satellite service center. The effort includes doubling both its hangar space and the team of maintenance technicians there, as well as adding service capabilities for Beechcraft King Air turboprops. With the expansion, the Wichita-based airframer said it will be able to undertake a scope of work similar to that provided at its traditional service centers but in a smaller capacity.
Also, the expansion enables Textron Aviation’s facility at Stuttgart Airport to offer customers shorter downtimes and increased flexibility. In Europe, the company supports a fleet of more than 1,800 business jets and turboprops.
“We have strategically enhanced our footprint and capabilities in Europe due to the growing demand for services to ensure access to factory-direct service and support to customers,” said Phil Jones, Textron Aviation's v-p of European service centers. “This new service center model allows us to provide additional factory-direct support and deliver expert care to our aircraft owners and operators, regardless of where they are in the world.”
Million Air To Land in Hawaii
Million Air will add Hawaii to its network starting early next year when a temporary facility operated by its franchisee Freeman Holdings Group opens as the second FBO at Honolulu Kalaeloa Airport/John Rodgers Field.
Formerly Barbers Point Naval Air Station, the airfield, less than 10 miles from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, was turned over to the state in 1999 when the military facility closed. It features an 8,000-foot main runway and offers an uncongested alternative to Honolulu’s busy main airport, as well as access to the trendy Ko Olina resort area.
The first phase of construction on the permanent $20 million FBO includes a fuel farm with a capacity of 150,000 gallons of jet-A and 10,000 gallons of avgas. It is slated for completion by the end of the year. Groundbreaking on a 10,000-sq-ft terminal with café and a 30,000-sq-ft hangar, capable of sheltering ultra-long-range business jets, is slated for the second quarter of 2022.
“We are always looking for underutilized airports across the country that would benefit from our involvement and private investment that would serve as a catalyst for increasing activity,” said Freeman CEO Scott Freeman. “We have long had Kalaeloa on our list of potential growth locations, and after some due diligence, we felt it was a project worth pursuing.”
Hangar Network Rebrands, Adds New Functionality
Online aviation real estate directory Hangar Network has rebranded as the Aviation Property Network (APN) and launched a website. When the company started in 2013, it moved past the traditional “bulletin board” listings through the use of a simple map-based interface that allowed users to search geographically for available aviation real estate at any airport in the U.S.
Improved functionality on the new website allows visitors to more tightly focus their listings or search for specific property-type availability, ranging from hangars and offices to FBOs and greenfield lots for development.
The company's national newsletter will remain, but APN will add regional flair with separate newsletters focusing on events, news, and opportunities in specific areas of the country. While the company has dealt specifically with U.S. airport real estate over the past eight years, it is now working with several European FBOs and property managers to extend its services across the Atlantic.
The website also features integration with the company’s Affiliate Broker Network, which leverages specialized aviation real estate professionals with knowledge of local airport property market conditions. APN has also formalized a partnership with Aviation Management Consulting Group to lead and manage its real estate appraiser program. The program will set an industry standard for aviation real estate appraisals, and APN affiliate appraisers will be required to meet specific experience and educational requirements.
Premier Private Jets Acquires Michigan Interiors Firm
Premier Private Jets has expanded its MRO capabilities at Oakland County International Airport (KPTK) in Michigan with the acquisition of Unique One Aircraft Avionics & Interiors, also based at KPTK. The deal enables the Part 135 operator and Part 145 repair station to provide upholstery, carpet, lighting, entertainment systems, cabinetry, and cabin redesign and modification for its floating fleet of owned jets, as well as for third-party owners and operators.
“This acquisition uniquely allows Premier to offer high-quality interior upholstery, and complete avionic services, including full installations, to anyone needing to upgrade their airplane,” said Premier Private Jets CEO Josh Birmingham.
Based in Stuart, Florida, where the seven-year-old company also operates a maintenance facility, Premier Private Jets’s owned charter fleet includes a Hawker 400XP and 800XP; Cessna Citation CJ1 and Bravo; and Gulfstream V. The company also operates the Premier Private Network, a vetted network of charter operators with access to more than 1,000 light, midsize, super-midsize, and large-cabin business jets.
4AIR takes the confusion out of participation in aviation sustainability initiatives
Whether you operate one aircraft or a large fleet, integrating a carbon offset program into your flight department’s operations can be a labor-intensive and confusing task. The team at 4AIR has the insights you need to make your operation’s participation as simple as a daytime VFR landing.
Lee Aerospace has begun offering FAA-approved aftermarket windshields for the Bombardier Learjet 55 and 60 to help alleviate the limited availability of these parts, particularly on the latter model whose windshield includes a heated crew shield. The Wichita-based supplier is also the OEM for the these models' cabin windows.
Installation of the windshields can be performed by Lee’s team of FAA-certified window repair technicians, which the company said are strategically located across the U.S. Lee estimates that 393 Learjet 55/60s are still flying.
“We continuously evaluate the market need and look for opportunities to expand our inventory,” said Lee director of aftermarket sales and service Ely Luna. “The addition of the Lear 55/60 windshields was a natural choice because we already make the cabin windows for the aircraft.”
In addition to offering commercial, business, and general aviation aircraft window manufacturing, repair, and installation, Lee specializes in complex aerostructure assemblies and composite manufacturing programs.
Amstat: Used Market Climb above Pre-Covid Levels
Used business aircraft market values have soared above pre-Covid levels, according to the latest resale market update from Amstat. For the first eight months of 2021, resale retail transactions are up 57 percent over the same period in 2020 and up 47 percent from 2019. Concurrently, the inventory of available preowned jets and turboprops has shrunk by 42 percent.
Heavy business jet short-term median value is up 19 percent in the last 12 months and 8 percent above pre-covid levels, with transaction activity increasing by 49 percent in the first eight months of 2021 compared with the same period in 2020 and up 31 percent from 2019. Meanwhile, inventory is down 41 percent year-over-year.
Medium jets are the hottest market, with short-term median values jumping 26 percent in the last 12 months and 5 percent ahead of early 2020 levels. Resale activity in the first eight months of 2021 exceeded the year-ago period by 71 percent and by 68 percent from 2019, while supply is down 49 percent year-over-year.
Light jets short-term median value increased 20 percent over the last 12 months but are still 5 percent below January 2020. Resale activity in the segment escalated by 67 percent during the first eight months of 2021 versus the same period in 2020, and is up 64 percent from 2019. Meanwhile, inventory in this segment has fallen 46 percent year-over-year.
Charter operator GrandView Aviation has enrolled in Pratt & Whitney Canada’s (P&WC) Fleet Management Program (FMP) for the PW535E engines that power its 13 Embraer Phenom 300 light jets. The program locks in lower operating costs and simplifies management of GrandView’s fleet of turbofan engines by reducing the overhead associated with in-house engine maintenance and logistics, according to P&WC.
Under the engine maintenance program, a P&WC-appointed team manages fleet operations. “For a company like GrandView Aviation, dispatch availability is a key driver of customer satisfaction,” said P&WC v-p of customer programs Scott McElvaine. “With the planned maintenance environment that the FMP provides, the emphasis is on ensuring aircraft are ready to fly whenever, wherever they are needed.”
Grandview director of maintenance Michael Ruth added that fleet uptime is key to GrandView’s 24/7 operations, which include private charters and organ transplantation flights. “We are excited to continue our investment in Pratt & Whitney’s highly reliable engines,” he said.
Pilatus Upbeat on Jet, Turboprop Sales
Pilatus reported bullish sales for its turboprop and jet models. “We are...very fortunate that in this challenging environment, sales of the PC-12 NGX and the PC-24 continue to exceed our original projections,” said CEO Markus Bucher.
The worldwide PC-24 jet fleet has grown to 120 since the first delivery in 2018 and is flying diverse missions including corporate transport, charter, fractional, and air ambulance. “We still hear reactions from people discovering the PC-24 for the first time that they did not realize how large, roomy, and luxurious the passenger cabin is,” Bucher said. “It truly combines the cabin of a midsize jet with the economy of a light jet and the utility of a turboprop. As we bring the PC-24 to the attention of prospective customers outside the Pilatus family, we are very encouraged that it will provide a long and productive future for its operators and Pilatus."
The PC-12NGX turboprop single features an updated executive interior, larger cabin windows, and a digital auto-throttle to reduce pilot workload. It is powered by the Pratt & Whitney PT6E-67XP engine. Operators enrolled in P&W’s new Eagle Service Plan (ESP) Platinum pay-per-hour engine maintenance program for the engine are now covered for full foreign object damage (FOD), including any wear and tear or other required repairs discovered during a FOD repair.
AIN Events: Building a Sustainable Flight Department
AIN continues to host one-day regional conferences to help corporate flight departments become more sustainable, with the next set for November 10 in Dallas. Attendees will learn about aviation’s contribution to carbon emissions, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), regulator/government roles in minimizing aviation emissions (including CORSIA and carbon credits), and making sense of carbon offsets, among others. You’ll also have an opportunity to network with other top-tier aircraft operators and presenters. Future events will also be held in Fort Lauderdale (December 8) and Los Angeles (January 19). Register today, as seating is limited.
Requires removing from service a certain part-numbered MGB spherical bearing lock nut that is installed on main gearboxes (MGB) and replacement with a newly designed lock nut. AD also prohibits installing an affected lock nut on the MGB on an AB139/AW139, as well as any other helicopter. Prompted by a report of several occurrences of a cracked lock nut.
Requires visually inspecting the yellow sleeves and hoses installed on each emergency flotation system (EFS) assembly and, depending on the inspection results, accomplishing corrective actions in the applicable service information. Prompted by a report of an incorrect connection of the inflation hoses to the tee manifolds of the inflation line on the EFS assembly.
Requires repetitive inspections of the tail rotor servo-actuator (TRA), repetitive inspections and checks of the tail rotor duplex bearings (TR DB), installation of an improved TRA and TR DB, repetitive installations and checks of thermal strips, new life limit for the improved TR DB, and any other necessary corrective actions. Prompted by an accident involving an AW169 that was observed to have lost yaw control before the crash and a determination that certain inspections and checks of the TR DB, installation of an improved TRA and TR DB, and other actions are necessary to address the unsafe condition.
Requires inspecting certain emergency flotation systems (EFS) and, depending on the results, marking certain parts or removing certain parts from service. Prompted by failure of an EFS float compartment to inflate during maintenance of the EFS.
Requires a one-time measurement of the friction of the pilot collective stick assembly to verify that it is within the allowable range and, depending on findings, making an adjustment to restore the acceptable level of friction. Prompted by reports of in-flight pilot collective stick oscillation.
Requires a one-time inspection of the lower surface of the spherical bearing in the directional control bellcrank assembly to determine if it is properly staked and any necessary corrective actions. For certain helicopters, this AD also requires repetitive inspections and any necessary corrective actions. It also provides a terminating action for the repetitive inspections. Prompted by reports of incorrectly staked spherical bearings in the directional control bellcrank assembly.
Requires revising the existing rotorcraft flight manual and installing a placard. Prompted by multiple fatigue cracks in power turbine 3rd stage wheels.
Model(s): AS355E, AS355F/F1/F2, AS355N/NP, and AS350B3
Published: October 18, 2021
Effective: November 22, 2021
Requires repetitive cleaning and detailed inspections for cracking of the vertical fin spar and vertical fin upper attachments, and any necessary corrections. Prompted by a report that, during an unscheduled post-flight inspection of the tail cone area, a crack was found in the spar of the upper part of the vertical fin and fractures were found in the two front attachment screws.
Requires modifying certain side-facing utility seats and observer seats, and prohibits installing those seats unless the modification has been accomplished. Prompted by an incident of a side-facing utility seat detaching from wall attachment points.
Requires removing and reinstalling the cabin windows. Prompted by the discovery that the passenger cabin windows on a batch of helicopters were improperly installed during production.
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