Aerion Kicks Off Wind Tunnel Testing for AS2

Aerion Supersonic is taking a significant step toward reaching the preliminary design review (PDR) milestone in 2021 for its Mach 1.4 AS2 business jet with the launch of high-speed wind tunnel testing this month. Conducted in conjunction with the French Office of National Aerospace Research, Onera, in Modane, France, the wind tunnel tests will subject the aircraft design to more than three times the speed of sound, Aerion said. Testing will be used to evaluate high-speed performance, loads, stability, and control at both transonic and supersonic velocities. Resulting data will be used toward the completion of PDR.

In addition, Aerion has completed modeling of the AS2 design through the use of aerodynamic optimization tools developed by its subsidiary, Aerion Technologies. These tools involved thousands of data points to refine the aerodynamic shape to a high level of fidelity, it said. Combining the use of this modeling with wind-tunnel testing will negate the need for a demonstrator aircraft in the early stages of the development cycle, Aerion added.

Once reaching PDR next year, Aerion plans to begin production in 2023, with first flight following in 2025 and entry into service later in the decade. Plans call for the manufacture of 300 of the supersonic jets in the first decade of production, which will take place at Aerion’s new headquarters in Melbourne, Florida.

GA Leaders: Time Still Exists To Fight for HTO, SMO

As airports such as East Hampton (HTO) on Long Island, New York, and Santa Monica (SMO) in California face the specter of closure, general aviation leaders stress the need for continued advocacy and efforts to fly neighborly because time still exists to fight for their survival. HTO is eligible to close on Sept. 25, 2021, when grant obligations expire, while SMO is free to close after Dec. 31, 2028, under a consent decree between the FAA and city of Santa Monica.

Speaking during an NBAA News Hour webinar about airport access on Tuesday, Jeff Smith, chair of NBAA’s Access Committee and a chief pilot actively involved in the Eastern Region Helicopter Council, pointed out that the aviation community recently collaborated on an all overwater initiative at HTO. “We know, the operators know...that there’s an end date and we still have to mitigate and get this community compatibility going if we are going to save the airport,” he added.

Operators have continued to work to address concerns. “The operators are very compliant [with noise mitigation efforts]. Everyone understands what’s at stake,” Smith said.

Meanwhile, Christian Fry, president of the Santa Monica Airport Association, said many believe the airport already has closed. But SMO is still busy, he said. The airport remains vulnerable to redevelopment, but Fry added, “We’re working on trying to help people understand closure is not mandated."

North American Bizav Flying Continues Covid Recovery

Business aircraft activity last month in the U.S., Canada, and Caribbean was off by 21.2 percent year-over-year as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to weigh on air travel, according to TraqPak data released yesterday by Argus International. However, analysts at the company are optimistic about continued recovery this month, predicting just a 14 percent decrease in flying versus September 2019.

Results by operational category were all in the red, with Part 91 activity once again posting the largest decrease last month, down 27.6 percent from a year earlier. Fractional and Part 135 activity saw declines smaller than the average, falling 16.6 percent and 13.9 percent, respectively.

All aircraft categories also strayed into negative territory last month, with large jet flying faring the worst at -27.9 percent from a year ago. Midsize jet and turboprop activity was down slightly more than average, falling 22.1 percent and 21.4 percent, respectively. Light jet activity did slightly better but still declined by 16 percent from August 2019.

Weekday flights slid 23.6 percent from last year, while weekend flights dipped 10.7 percent—validating industry-watchers’ comments about leisure travel buoying business aviation’s post-Covid flight activity recovery to date.

Bombardier Safety Standdown To Broaden Reach

Bombardier’s annual Safety Standdown, set for October 21 in a virtual format, will feature a new speaker whose presentation should be of interest to aviation professionals beyond pilots. The speaker, Toronto-based Multi-Health Systems executive chair and founder Steven J. Stein, will discuss “broader, more abstract concepts of safety…to permit maintenance technicians, pilots, dispatchers, safety program managers, or accountable executives to design and implement safety improvements,” according to the Canadian airframer.

In its 24th year, the standdown was originally scheduled to be held over two days in Wichita but was moved to a virtual format because of the Covid-19 pandemic. With the theme of “Safety in Focus 2020,” this year’s standdown is designed to “prompt aviation professionals and organizations to question how to turn their vision of a safer and more efficient organization into reality,” Bombardier explained.

“For more than 20 years, Bombardier has led the industry in providing aviation professionals with knowledge-based aviation training, and this year’s virtual event builds on this very important goal,” said Bombardier Aviation v-p of customer support Andy Nureddin. Returning presenters include Tony Kern, Amy Grubb, and Antonio Cortés.

Public Hearing Set on EPA Aircraft Emissions Proposal

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is holding a virtual public hearing on September 17 to discuss its proposed greenhouse gas emission standards for large airplanes. This comes on the heels of a proposal that the EPA published on August 20, with a comment period closing October 19.

Next week's hearing will begin at 10 a.m. ET and end when all parties who wish to speak have had an opportunity to do so. EPA officials said the hearing “will provide interested parties the opportunity to present data, views, or arguments concerning the proposal.”

Emission standards would apply to jet airplanes with an mtow of more than 12,500 pounds for which an application for a new TC is submitted to the FAA on or after Jan. 1, 2020, or Jan. 1, 2023, for new type designs that have an mtow of 132,270 pounds or less and have 19 or fewer passenger seats. The standards would also apply to turboprops having an mtow greater than 19,000 pounds. In-production standards would apply beginning Jan. 1, 2028.

NBAA To Resume On-location Regional Forums in 2021

Amid organizations continuing to move their events online due to the Covid-19 pandemic, NBAA announced this morning that it will resume its on-location regional forums next year, starting in June with the Northeast U.S. That forum, slated for June 9, will take place once again at the Million Air FBO at New York City–area business aviation hub Westchester County Airport (HPN).

“NBAA is excited to bring the regional forum platform back in 2021, with the White Plains event,” said Dina Green, the organization’s v-p for events. “This forum will feature the education sessions, networking opportunities, and aircraft display so many members look forward to every year.”

Typical information sessions include updates to tax and regulatory changes, as well as safety programming and workforce development.

Green added that the annual Northeastern regional forum, which was canceled this year due to the coronavirus crisis, is normally one of the most well-attended events in NBAA’s calendar, attracting approximately 150 indoor exhibitors, dozens of static display aircraft, and 2,000 attendees. The Northeast forum has been held for the past several years at HPN, and Green noted that the area represents a significant business aviation market.

“With the cancellation of most live events for 2020, we encourage members and potential buyers and users of business aviation to put the live NBAA White Plains Regional forum on their calendar,” she concluded.

FAA To Develop Expanded Air Tour Management Program

The FAA, in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS), has ended its previously initiated processes for the development of air tour management plans (ATMP) and their associated environmental assessments for some national parks. Instead, the agencies will develop new plans for many more parks than were covered in the first ATMP.

The agencies had worked the ATMP processes at six parks from 2004 to 2011 but ceased all effort by September 2012 due to a focus on other program priorities. “Given the length of time since these processes were initiated and actively worked, termination of these processes will allow the agencies to start anew with the development of ATMPs and associated environmental documents at these and other parks,” the FAA said.

The FAA and NPS are required to file a proposed schedule within four months for bringing all 23 eligible U.S. parks into compliance with new ATMPs within two years. Otherwise, it will have to “provide specific, concrete reasons why it would take longer,” according to the Federal National Environmental Policy Act of 1970.

Pratt & Whitney Continues Service Network Expansion

Pratt & Whitney continues to build out its worldwide network of designated maintenance facilities (DMF) with two recent additions: Prince Aviation in Serbia and Aero-Dienst in Germany. The facilities reflect “our desire to grow our points of service around the world,” a Pratt & Whitney spokeswoman told AIN.

As a new DMF, Prince Aviation is authorized to provide service on the PT6A, PW500, PW600, and JT15D engine families. In addition to Serbia, its service area will encompass Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

Aero-Dienst will support the PW300 engine family. Besides Germany, Aero-Dienst’s service territory for those engines comprises Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.

Pratt & Whitney has more than a dozen DMFs in North and South America, Europe, and Asia supporting helicopter and business and general aviation industries with line maintenance and mobile repair services.

AIN’s Solutions in Business Aviation

We invite you to review our latest sponsored resource guide. Solutions in Business Aviation features real solutions to business aviation’s biggest challenges from some of our most trusted brand partners—innovations that are designed to help our industry and make your job easier.

Honda's Homegrown Engine for the HondaJet

The Dec. 3, 2003, first flight of the HondaJet represented a truly new clean-sheet very light jet design by Honda’s new aviation division, and it was powered by turbofan engines designed and manufactured by Honda’s own engineering team. To get the maximum efficiency and meet Honda Aircraft’s ambitious design goals, the company created its own new turbofan engine—a first in the industry.