Leonardo Delivers 1,000th AW139

Leonardo Helicopters delivered the 1,000th example of its AW139 to Italian law enforcement agency Guardia di Finanza today at an event at its Vergiate, Italy production plant near Milan. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboshaft engines and co-produced in Vergiate and Philadelphia, the AW139 is now in operation with 280 operators in 70 countries and has attracted a total order book of more than 1,100 units.

Leonardo CEO Alessandro Profumo told those gathered for the celebration, which included a display by an AW139 and an AW609 tiltrotor prototype, that it was “a huge milestone…the company had hoped [at launch] to sell 400 and now it’s 1,000…in 15 years…and the order book is packed.”

He committed to continue to develop the product to stay ahead of coming competition, looking forward to the 2,000th or even 3,000th AW139 delivery. “We now have 25 percent of the market for twin-engine helicopters,” he said.

The first AW139 was unveiled at the 1999 Paris Air Show, initially as the AB139 when Bell was still involved, and made its maiden flight on Feb. 3, 2001, leading to certification and first delivery in 2004.

AINsight: Predictions for Next Month’s NBAA-BACE

When business aviation gathers at its premier event, this year held in Las Vegas from October 22 to 24, it is possible that OEMs will announce new business jet models. With solid new aircraft orders and book-to-bills well above 1.0 at most OEMs through the first eight months, a new announcement or two could provide the ingredients for a party that goes on right through the desert night.

Aircraft development is where big investment bets and long payback periods are the rule rather than the exception. In the “fuzzy front-end” of an aircraft development program, leadership teams need to get the design and engineering right and make determinations about sales and delivery forecasts long before any program revenues are accrued.

At NBAA-BACE 2019, I speculate that Gulfstream will finally come forward with the news that it is adding at least one new model to its large-cabin family. I suspect that the much anticipated “G700” will be designed to reclaim the industry high ground occupied by the G650/G650ER from 2012 through the end of 2018, when Bombardier began delivering its Global 7500.

Another aircraft, nominally the “G400," could also be revealed, bracketing the lower end of Gulfstream’s large-cabin family. A “G300” upgrade to the super-midsize G280 is also believed to be in the works, providing Gulfstream with a once-in-a-generation opportunity of a triple product announcement that will be the talk of the town in Las Vegas at NBAA-BACE 2019.

One Aviation Receives Court OK for Bankruptcy Exit Plan

After many fits and starts over the past 11 months, Albuquerque, New Mexico-based One Aviation received confirmation from the U.S. bankruptcy court yesterday for its plans to exit Chapter 11 before year-end under ownership by Chinese-backed investors Citiking International. The ruling from U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher S. Sontchi calls for One Aviation to exit bankruptcy upon the plan’s effective date, on or before December 1.

However, the company still needs to secure approval from the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for One Aviation to be acquired by Citiking—a decision separate from the bankruptcy court’s jurisdiction.

Approval of the reorganization plan came with support from secured and unsecured creditors in One Aviation operating units Eclipse Aerospace and Kestrel Aircraft, following a bit of gamesmanship by Citiking earlier this year that compelled some previously reticent parties to sign onto its amended reorganization plan. However, even with those creditors on board, the U.S. acting trustee continued to express concerns about Citiking’s efforts to hasten the confirmation process following months of delays.

In a September 9 filing, the trustee alleged the company had provided “insufficient” notice to concerned parties in petitioning the U.S. bankruptcy court for a September 11 confirmation hearing after releasing its amended reorganization plan on August 30. The court moved to delay the confirmation hearing by just one week, to September 18.

Jet Linx Expands Private Terminal Network

Nebraska-based jet card and private jet management provider Jet Linx has increased its footprint in the U.S. with the opening of two new bases this week. At Texas Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the company’s fourth location in the state, it is the only private aviation company to offer a dedicated terminal for its members and aircraft owners. A grand opening celebration with a static display featuring several business jets—including a Dassault Falcon 8X, Gulfstream G280, Embraer Legacy 500, and Bombardier Challenger 350—attracted several hundred guests.

“There is a natural synergy between Jet Linx and Austin, and we are excited to now offer our industry-leading private jet services to this rapidly growing market,” said Tom Worthington, base president and partner for this location as well as for San Antonio.

To the northeast, the company has expanded its operations in St. Louis with the debut of a private terminal at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport (KSUS) in Chesterfield to augment its facility at Lambert-St. Louis International, which has been in operation since 2013. While that location has attracted many residents from the city, the new base, which will feature a private lounge, conference room, and aircraft hangar, is located 30 minutes from the city’s Central West End and is expected to service business travelers throughout the greater St. Louis area.

California Airport Seeks To Add Second FBO

California’s Napa County Airport has issued an RFP for a second service provider, as it looks to increase business at the dedicated general aviation gateway. Currently, Lynx, which purchased the Napa Jet Center last year, is the sole FBO there. According to Elizabeth Habkirk, the county’s deputy director of public works, the facility pumped 2.25 million gallons of fuel and handled more than 50,000 operations last year.

The RFP is for a 10-acre leasehold next to the existing FBO, with an initial 30-year term, plus two five-year options. Habkirk told AIN the proposal comes with a minimum capital investment requirement of $34,000 per acre per year, for an approximate $10 million outlay, and prospective operators should come to the table with ideas on how they expect to attract more customers.

“We recognize the airport as an important ‘front-door’ to the Napa Valley and look forward to the opportunity to grow business at the airport to benefit the entire community,” said county board of supervisors chair Ryan Gregory.

The wine-country airport will host a voluntary tour on September 25 for interested parties, with a mandatory pre-proposal conference on November 13 for those looking to issue a proposal, which is due by March 27. The airport is currently undergoing an environmental impact review for the new facility, which would be expected to be completed by October 2022.

FAA Approves Flightstar Datacom STC for Learjet 40, 45

Flightstar Corp. has received FAA approval of an STC for data communications in the Bombardier Learjet 40 and 45, the Illinois-based aircraft services, maintenance, and management company announced this week. It allows the use of both controller-pilot datalink communications clearance delivery (CPDLC DCL) and aeronautical telecommunications network baseline 1 (ATN B1) CPDLC. Also available is an option to integrate Future Air Navigation System 1/A+ in ATN B1 CPDLC or CPDLC DCL configurations.

“We are excited to offer this STC for the Bombardier Learjet 40 and 45 with four available variations,” said Flightstar avionics sales manager Greg Vail. “Our solution adds value and will extend the aircraft’s capabilities far into the future.”

The new STC requires a pre-existing Universal Avionics (UA) UNS-1Ew satellite-based augmentation system/flight management system, as well as integration of a UA UniLink UL-801 communications management unit and a CVR-120 cockpit voice recorder, with or without a recorder independent power supply.

Flightstar currently is seeking similar STC approval from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

UAE Now Has Three ISR Business Jet Programs

Two Bombardier Challenger 650 business jets are being converted to an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) configuration by Aquila Aerospace, a newly-formed company in the UAE. They will join the UAE Air Force, as will two Global 6000s that have been undergoing a protracted conversion in the UK. The UAE Air Force has also ordered three Global 6000s via Saab, which is providing them as GlobalEye multi-surveillance jets capable of monitoring airborne, maritime and ground-based activity.

Aquila first unveiled the project at the IDEX show in Abu Dhabi. Aquila is based at Al Bateen airbase in Abu Dhabi, where it will shortly take delivery of the first green Challenger 650. It will be converted to carry an imaging synthetic aperture radar sensor, including moving target indicator (MTI) and inverse search and rescue (ISAR) modes, as well as signals intelligence (SIGINT) and sensors.

The company said it is the only special missions aircraft modification center in the Gulf region. A company official told AIN that it aims to provide “80 percent of the capability of other conversions, at a fraction of the price.” He said that the UAE was keen to benefit from the transfer of skills in order to establish an indigenous capability. He suggested that the UAE had become frustrated at the long delays and expense of converting the two Global 6000s abroad.

Scientist Looks To Solar Energy To Disrupt Hurricanes

A retired aerospace engineer and rocket scientist is seeking a patent involving the use of microwave energy to disrupt nascent storm systems before they are able to strengthen into hurricanes. Bruce Morton, who has held engineering, business development, and defense contracting roles with GE, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon, among others, is pursuing a concept that would use platforms in space to collect solar radiation that would be turned into microwave energy. That energy could be transmitted to earth and directed at tropical depressions.

The idea would be to use the energy to interrupt the cycle of upward and downward movement of air, water, and water vapor, causing it to break up and dissipate, he said. Morton estimated that each space-based platform could enable the output of thousands of megawatts. Increased interest in commercial space launches could make the launching costs of the platforms more affordable, he said. Excess microwave energy could be used converted to other traditional solar energy uses, Morton said.

While weather specialists have long been able to track hurricanes, past attempts at altering hurricanes have proved unsuccessful, including attempts to diminish their strength by seeding from aircraft, he noted, saying this provides a new approach. Morton, who is still forming a business plan for the technology, expects the patent process to take a few years.

Tales from the Flight Deck: Avoiding King Air Rollover Tragedies

Over the past five years, one of the world’s most popular, dependable aircraft has been involved in a series of accidents—all of them fatal, all of them on takeoff. In each case, the Beechcraft King Airs appeared to roll or yaw to the left during a possible engine malfunction and crashed within seconds. What might be happening here? And what can pilots do to save their airplanes, their passengers, and their lives?