Bizav Embracing UAM Concepts, but Long Road Still Ahead
Even as NBAA was releasing a new report this week touting the benefits of urban air mobility (UAM) for business aviation, two panels of industry experts offered diverse opinions about its future this week at NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas.
The report, “Business Aviation Embraces Electric Flight, How Urban Air Mobility Creates Enterprise Value,” was a joint undertaking of NBAA and Nexa Advisors, a financial firm that has done extensive research into the UAM market. The report was part of a larger study on the potential of UAM and global markets for the next 20 years. “These reports highlight the potential of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to transform short-range air transportation, especially for those companies and individuals that use business aviation,” said NBAA senior v-p Mike Nichols.
In the face of this promise of a potential market, calculated by investment banking giant Morgan Stanley to be worth anywhere from $1.5 trillion to $3 trillion, daunting questions remain regarding these vehicles, the public acceptance of them, and the applicable regulatory framework. While most industry experts agree that fully autonomous, pilotless vehicles that are heavily dependent on artificial intelligence (AI) are required to make UAM technically and economically viable, a clear pathway and timetable for the beginning of commercial service has yet to emerge.
With a balance sheet reflecting $930 million in orders and commitments, Italy’s Piaggio Aerospace announced yesterday at NBAA-BACE 2019 the impending launch of a public tender for the insolvent company, a new agreement for the sale of at least 10 Avanti Evo turboprop twins, and plans to introduce two corporate shuttle versions of the eight-passenger aircraft.
The figure represents close to $300 million in contracts from its engine and customer-support units, and new aircraft and other contracts anticipated by year-end to total some $630 million. The latter figure includes one of at least 10 Evos Saudi Arabia’s Al Saif Aviation has agreed to purchase, also announced yesterday.
The public tender offer will come in mid-November, said Vincenzo Nicastro, the government-appointed extraordinary commissioner charged with managing the company while it restructures. Based on the response from more than 40 companies to a request for letters of interest early this year, he expressed confidence that a suitable buyer will come forth. Any deal will require government approval.
The two proposed corporate shuttle variants are the Classic, with either a double-club or four-row configuration; and 2.0, an edgier design with technically advanced seats. Piaggio is in discussions with a potential shuttle customer and might launch the platform early next year. The company is also aggressively pursuing new onboard connectivity options for Evos.
As sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) take the spotlight at this year’s NBAA-BACE in an effort to accelerate their availability and use, NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) are looking to continue that push with a Business Aviation Global Sustainability Summit in March 2020 in Washington, D.C.
The summit will build on previous industry initiatives aimed at promoting the use of renewable fuels, including the first-ever public demonstration at Van Nuys Airport in January that highlighted the safety and environmental benefits of SAF. That was followed by a similar event held in May at the UK’s Farnborough Airport on the eve of EBACE.
“Business aviation has long made sustainability a priority, and we have made tangible progress,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “Over the past decade we have redoubled our commitment to reducing the industry’s already-small carbon footprint, and key to that has been the development and use of sustainable fuels.”
As part of the show’s week-long focus on sustainability, SAF is available at Henderson Executive Airport, host of the NBAA 2019 static display. By the time the display aircraft refuel and depart today, an estimated 150,000 gallons of SAF, provided by World Fuel Services, will have been pumped in a collaborative effort between the airport, local fuel suppliers, and show organizers.
Boeing Inks Two BBJ 787-9 Orders From One Customer
Boeing Business Jets has revealed orders for two BBJ 787-9 Dreamliners, placed in August by a single undisclosed customer, with a combined list price value of $564 million. That brings orders for the VIP variant of the all-composite widebody to 16.
“The BBJ 787 program has won over other government and private customers who want to work, rest, and arrive refresh and ready for a productive day,” said Ihssane Mounir, Boeing’s senior v-p of commercial sales and marketing. The aircraft “offers our most discerning customers the ability to travel in ultimate comfort and fly directly to just about any city on earth,” he said, adding, “We’re talking about London to Sydney or Tokyo to Cape Town,” given its 9,485-nm range.
Offering one of the most spacious cabins in the industry, according to the Chicago-based airframer, the BBJ 787-9 boasts 2,775 sq ft of space, providing “a large canvas for a range of interior design options to ensure ultimate comfort on short or long-distance flights.”
It also offers amenities such as larger windows, a lower cabin altitude, smooth ride technology, cleaner and higher humidity air, and a quieter cabin compared to other BBJ models, the company said.
The 787 Dreamliner is the fastest-selling widebody airplane in history, according to Boeing, with orders for more than 1,450 from some 80 customers on six continents.
Trailblazers Keynote NBAA-BACE Second-day Opener
Attendees at the day-two keynote session at NBAA-BACE heard from a group of trailblazers in aviation, including the first female Air Force fighter pilot and an Uber executive.
Leading the group of four keynote speakers was Barrington Irving. The Jamaican-born pilot and founder of the Flying Classroom at 23 became the youngest pilot to circumnavigate the world solo. He explained how a chance encounter with another Jamaican-born man who was an airline pilot brought him to aviation.
Major General Jeannie Leavitt also detailed her path in aviation. It was about three months after she graduated at the top of her Air Force flight school class that the rules were changed permitting women to serve in combat. Top graduates were normally allowed to pick their pilot job assignment, but because she was a woman, she was advised not to request to fly fighters, bombers, or special operations because she “would forever be labeled a troublemaker and it would ruin [her] career,” Leavitt said. She asked and became the Air Force’s first female combat pilot, flying an F-15E Strike Eagle and serving combat tours, including in Afghanistan.
Attendees also heard from Yves Rossy, the first man to fly with a jet-propelled wearable wing, and Eric Allison, CEO of Uber Elevate, the ride-sharing company that’s working to build out a network of autonomously piloted eVTOLs.
Honeywell Aerospace has brought to market an auxiliary power unit (APU) for business aircraft owners, but instead is calling it a micro power unit (MPU). It unveiled the MPU this week at NBAA-BACE.
Designed for turboprops, light business jets, and helicopters with space limitations, it will provide enough power to operate air conditioning, charge batteries, and assist with main engine start. When used as a primary power source instead of from the main engines, it can reduce fuel burn by up to 80 percent on the ground, Honeywell claims. The manufacturer of a line of larger and more costly line of APUS for large business, commercial, and military jets said the addition of its MPU will add value to the aircraft’s hull.
Measuring 12 inches by 13 inches by 24 inches, the MPU weighs 75 pounds and is rated at 10kW and 400 amps. Honeywell isn’t disclosing a price.
“By expanding our line of trusted and reliable solutions to include the MPU, Honeywell can better serve turboprop and light jet owners and operators looking to increase passenger comfort and reduce overall operating costs,” said Honeywell engines and power systems president Brian Sill.
Engineering its first APU in 1948, Honeywell has since produced more than 100,000. Of those, more than 36,000 are in service today among more than 150 types of business, commercial, military, and regional aircraft.
G700 Mockup Maker Kept Project Under Wraps for Two Years
While Gulfstream certainly had a monumental task keeping its G700 project under wraps before Monday’s unveiling, the company that manufactured the mockup also faced a similarly daunting super-secret mission. Jeff Bonner R&D (JBRND) designed and fabricated the two-trailer, self-leveling composite G700 mockup, with some 100 employees sworn to secrecy, having signed non-disclosure agreements.
“The project took close to two years,” said Ed Harris, v-p of sales/program management for San Antonio, Texas-based JBRND. “And we had to take it on an eight-hour test ride over Texas roads with the fuselage completely covered. Now the secret is finally out, and we’d like everyone to know we’d love to do more mockups,” he told AIN.
JBRND has a 65,000-sq-ft facility in San Antonio, where it also built a second 20-foot mockup for smaller demonstration venues. The full-scale, trailer-mounted mockup on display at NBAA-BACE involved fabricating not only the composite fuselage, but also the drive train, trailers, stairs, removable tail, show-site air conditioning, and other features. All that work was required for road travel not only in the U.S., but also in Europe and Asia-Pacific. “We had height, width, and weight requirements to contend with,” said Harris.
Children's air ambulance charity Wings of Humanity announced its formation this week at NBAA-BACE 2019. The Scottsdale, Arizona-based 501(c)3 tax-exempt charitable organization said its mission would be to provide free/low-cost air medical transportation to children needing specialized medical care unavailable in their home markets, as well as transportation for their family members. “There are many children’s hospitals ready to accept children in need, but transportation is often not available at no cost to the child and his family,” said Michael Long, the charity’s founder and director of aviation.
Wings plans to use funds to acquire specially equipped Learjet and Cessna Citation air ambulances. Flights will be operated by Peak Medevac International of Denver, a Part 135 operator. In addition to patient transport, the charity also said it would use aircraft for the transport of transplant organs and specialized surgical teams. The charity is initially affiliated with Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Arizona Mayo Clinic Children’s Center, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, St. Joseph Barrows Neurological Institute, and Sanford Children’s Hospitals.
The charity said it will accept contributions from individuals, corporations, and charitable trusts as well as the donation of older and/or out-of-service aircraft for resale or part out. The charity pledged to devote at least 80 percent of its budget to medical flights.
AINalerts News Tips/Feedback: News tips may be sent anonymously, but feedback must include name and contact info (we will withhold name on request). We reserve the right to edit correspondence for length, clarity and grammar. Send feedback or news tips to AINalerts editor Chad Trautvetter.
AIN Alerts is a publication of AIN Publications, 214 Franklin Avenue, Midland Park, New Jersey. Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited.
For advertising in AIN Alerts please contact Nancy O'Brien at nobrien@ainonline.com.
