Bombardier’s next-generation Challenger—the Model 3500—has entered service, the Montreal-based OEM announced today. Launch customer Les Goldberg, the chairman and CEO of Technology Entertainment Partners, will take delivery of the super-midsize business jet later this year after it makes some public and private appearances, including next month at 2022 NBAA-BACE in Orlando, Florida, a Bombardier spokeswoman told AIN.
Unveiled last September, the $26.7 million Challenger 3500 features upgrades in the cabin and on the flight deck. The former includes the airframer’s Nuage seats, which were first installed on the Global 7500 and voice-activated controls for cabin lighting, sound, and media that can play on 24-inch 4K displays. On the flight deck, an autothrottle system has been added to help reduce pilot workload.
In addition, the aircraft’s cabin altitude has been lowered by 2,000 feet, to 4,850 feet, and the interior features sustainable materials such as veneers from eucalyptus trees and fabrics reclaimed from manufacturing processes. The Challenger 3500, which has already won awards for its cabin design, will retain the engines, avionics, and performance of its predecessor, the Challenger 350. An order for 20 Challenger 3500s represented the company's single biggest aircraft sale last year.
Rolls-Royce has obtained EASA approval for its Pearl 700 engine, moving Gulfstream’s G700 and G800 ultra-long-range aircraft closer to certification next year.
Developed at the Rolls-Royce Center of Excellence for Business Aviation Engines in Dahlewitz, Germany, the Pearl 700 incorporates the engine-maker’s Advance2 engine core with a new low-pressure system. This results in an 8 percent increase in takeoff thrust, at 18,250 pounds, compared with the BR725 engine. Rolls-Royce also added the engine provides a 5 percent efficiency improvement while maintaining lower noise and emissions.
Gulfstream has opted for the same engine for both its 7,500-nm G700 and 8,000-nm G800 that are slated for certification in mid-2023 and late 2023, respectively. “The certification of the Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines for the G700 and G800 is a significant step that brings us closer to delivering these game-changing aircraft to our customers,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns, adding the company has received a “high level of demand” for both models.
EASA approval followed a comprehensive test program that include operating at sea-level and altitude conditions on both conventional jet fuel and 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel. Testing proved its durability against bird strikes and ice, hail, and water ingestion. Other tests included critical fan blade contamination under which a fan blade is deliberately released at maximum speed.
Skyservice Business Aviation has doubled its space at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (CYUL) with the acquisition of an aircraft hangar and office facility from Bombardier. The 153,000-sq-ft complex includes an 80,000-sq-ft hangar that allows Skyservice to increase its capacity to perform nose-to-tail heavy aircraft maintenance and support the growing demand for aircraft management at the airport.
“We are pleased to acquire this cutting-edge facility, which will allow us to deliver our award-winning services to even more aircraft owners, clients, and fleet operators at CYUL,” said Skyservice president and CEO Benjamin Murray. “Skyservice was founded in Montreal in 1986 and we are committed to continuing to invest in aviation excellence, innovation, and sustainability at this airport, creating more opportunities for hands-on training and employment, and offering aircraft owners access to a full suite of best-in-class services and support.”
The acquisition follows the opening earlier this year of Skyservice’s second private jet center at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Included in that expansion were a 90,000-sq-ft hangar and a 20,000-sq-ft FBO for its managed aircraft clients.
Baldwin Safety & Compliance customers can now seamlessly file NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) submissions from within their Baldwin safety reporting module. This allows customers to complete one report in the portal and also submit it to the ASRS database.
“We are always striving to streamline our safety information processes, therefore integrating NASA ASRS reporting capability into our reporting function is a great example,” said Baldwin director of safety Jason Starke. “I believe it will encourage more submissions because of the convenience and ultimately improve safety by sharing vital information with the aviation community. Plans are also underway to build an ASRS UAS form for drone operators to submit to the NASA database.”
The ASRS database is a public repository that serves the FAA and NASA, as well as other organizations that are engaged in research and the promotion of safe flight. Under the ASRS, the agencies collect, analyze, and respond to voluntarily submitted aviation safety event reports to improve safety in the National Airspace System.
The Goal: 100 Percent Aircraft Availability
The only way to keep 100 percent of your customers happy is to have their aircraft available 100 percent of the time.
NBAA is taking several steps to highlight its new Owner Pilot Association Coalition (OPAC) during this year’s BACE in Orlando, Florida, including dedicating an area on the exhibit hall floor, educational sessions, and networking events. The organization hosted an owner/single-pilot pavilion during BACE last year and followed that up this year with the announcement of the formation of OPAC, which was established with representatives from six independent owner-pilot organizations.
“We’d like to take the pulse of the OPAC membership and learn what NBAA can do to better support them, so we’re going to feature coalition member associations at our show,” said Andrew Broom, NBAA’s senior v-p of strategy, marketing, and innovation. “We’re also going to their shows to talk to their members directly.”
During BACE, an area on the exhibit hall floor will be set aside for OPAC member booths, enabling their representatives to better meet and network. In addition, a reception is planned for the opening day of the show on October 18 for OPAC members, and NBAA’s Small Operator Symposium and Single Pilot Safety Standdown are expected to draw from the groups.
The theme of the standdown is “Breaking the Chain of Runway Excursion” and will include a look at the Safe to Land initiative spearheaded by OPAC member Citation Jet Pilots.
Jetex and Estonia-based air charter and cargo operator Avem Aero are launching a software integration for automated fuel price tracking. This will help avoid miscalculations and cover risks caused by fluctuating fuel prices, the companies noted.
“Сonstant fluctuations in fuel prices are a huge pain for the ‘go-now’ carriers,” they said. “Earlier, the range of prices at different airports could vary within the limits of hundreds of Euros; now, the price can be 125 percent higher per tonne. The level of risk grows proportionally if using bigger aircraft.”
Operators such as Avem Aero previously used the average fuel price to quote charter and cargo trips. But with the new software integration, they can use current fuel prices at the departure and destination airports to provide more accurate quotes.
“This integration correlates a lot with our all-in price policy. This means that nothing can affect the charter price if fundamental parameters do not change,” said Avem Aero managing director Nikolay Kurbanov. “Accordingly, it is important for us that the price is up-to-date to reduce financial risks. And this solution fits perfectly into our all-in price philosophy, when the client sees the full cost immediately, without hidden extra charges.”
Jetex also said the new feature will allow charter operators to choose technical-stop airports with the lowest fuel prices.
New FAR Part 89 required that after Sept. 16, 2022, no unmanned aircraft system (UAS) can be produced without FAA-approved remote identification capability. But that date has been pushed to Dec. 16, 2022, because the agency acknowledges that not all UAS manufacturers have had sufficient time to adequately design, develop, test their aircraft, and file a declaration of compliance on or before that September 16 deadline.
In a recently published notice of enforcement policy, the agency concedes that the need for more time by some UAS makers stems from its adoption date of the means of compliance on Aug. 11, 2022, “only slightly more than a month before the Sept. 16, 2022, compliance [deadline] date.”
Accordingly, the FAA said it will “exercise its discretion in determining how to handle any apparent noncompliance, including exercising discretion to not take enforcement action, if appropriate, for any noncompliance that occurs on or before Dec. 16, 2022.”
Meanwhile, UAS operators are reminded that after Sept. 16, 2023, no unmanned aircraft can be flown unless it is equipped with remote ID capability as described in Part 89 or is transmitting ADS-B Out under Part 91. Until then, a person operating an unmanned aircraft without remote identification “must always operate within visual line of sight and in an approved FAA-recognized identification area.”
Brazil’s armed forces will acquire 27 Airbus H125 turbine singles for its air force and navy flight-training programs. The helicopters will be produced at the Helibras facility in Itajubá, where the Airbus H225M heavy twin helicopters for the Brazilian armed forces are also assembled. The H125s are slated to be in service for 30 years and will replace the aging fleet of Airbus AS350 and Bell 206 training helicopters in service with the country's air force and navy, respectively.
The H125s will be equipped with the Garmin G500H TXi double glass cockpit and vehicle and engine multifunction display and will be compatible with the use of night vision goggles. They will also be kitted with different types of mission equipment such as a hoist and hook.
Brazil’s armed forces operate 156 Airbus helicopters deployed from eight bases across the country. Its fleet includes 67 from the light single-engine Ecureuil family and 41 H225Ms. The fleet performs a wide array of missions such as tactical transport, search-and-rescue missions, and civil population support. The worldwide H125 fleet numbers more than 5,350 helicopters in operation with a cumulative 37 million flight hours.
People in Aviation
Damping Technologies expanded its presence to Europe and hired Laurent Vacher as business development manager. Vacher has a background in aviation and specializes in marketing high-value products to the aerospace industry. He will be based in Toulouse, France.
Skyryse appointed Will Fulton as v-p of product and marketing. Fulton joins the company from Airbus Helicopters, where he served as head of marketing for North America. In his new role, he will lead the strategy, execution, and growth of Skyryse’s FlightOS product.
Aircraft management company Elevate Holdings named Will Dent to the new position of chief marketing officer. After serving as a helicopter crew chief in the U.S. Army for seven years, Dent spent 13 years at Gulfstream Aerospace before leading his own company, Dently, that created customized software solutions and offered technology consulting. He most recently served as president and chief technology officer for AeroParts Now.
West Star appointed Vince Ruscitti as its new program manager for government affairs. He will be responsible for building and leading the company's government project aircraft maintenance program at its Cahokia, Illinois location. Ruscitti has more than 38 years of experience in the aviation industry and also has active U.S. government secret clearance. Additionally, West Star promoted Sean McCracken to avionics team lead at its Grand Junction, Colorado facility. McCracken started at West Star in 2012 in the paint department, moving into the avionics department approximately four years ago.
Laura Heltebran, the chief legal officer at Wheels Up Experience, has been appointed to the advisory board of Women Leading Travel & Hospitality. Heltebran has more than 30 years of experience in the technology, travel, and aviation industries. She will participate in quarterly advisory board meetings for the organization, along with attending and promoting various events.
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