Five-blade Airbus H145 Hits Offshore Wind Market

HTM-Helicopters will be the first operator to use the new five-blade Airbus Helicopters H145D3 in the offshore wind market. HTM recently signed a contract to purchase two additional Airbus H145 helicopters. Airbus plans to deliver the first helicopter, a four-blade H145D2, during this year's fourth quarter, followed by the second aircraft, a five-blade H145D3, by the middle of next year. Plans call for HTM's maintenance organization, Intercopter, to later upgrade the four-blade H145D2 with the new five-blade rotor system.

The new aircraft will operate from HTM’s bases at Norden-Norddeich, Emden, Borkum, and Helgoland. Missions will include passenger transport to and from wind farms and hoisting technicians to the wind turbines. The two helicopters will come with a hoist, floatation equipment, and a cargo hook. 

Fully owned by Heristo Aktiengesellschaft since April 2020, HTM is one of the largest helicopter companies in Germany. HTM’s core business is provisioning helicopters for civil and military customers, offshore operations, emergency medical services, commercial air transport, flight training, and aerial work including external load operations in mountainous terrain. 

The H145 is equipped with two Safran Arriel 2E engines and the Helionix digital avionics, including a four-axis autopilot. The D3 variant features a five-blade bearingless main rotor system that provides a 330-pound useful load increase and delivers a smoother ride.

New Long Island FBO Set To Break Ground

Following a long-contested RFP process at New York’s Francis S. Gabreski/Westhampton Beach Airport (FOK) in Suffolk County, locally-based aircraft charter/management and maintenance provider Eastway Aviation is set to break ground by the end of the year on the second FBO at the airport, which serves the eastern end of Long Island and the tony Hamptons communities.

Eastway has operated for four decades and flies a fleet of nine jets at FOK, which features a 9,000-foot primary runway. The new FBO, to be named Sunrise Jets Aviation, will occupy a 14-acre leasehold on the northwest corner of the field, near the main entrance.

Company president Eric Lang told AIN his company obtained a 32-year lease on the property, and the $25 million-plus complex will include a 5,000-sq-ft terminal with pilot lounge, snooze rooms, shower facilities, and conference rooms. It will also have a new fuel farm, two 35,000-sq-ft hangars, and more than six acres of ramp space. The new development will also allow the company to expand its Part 145 repair station, which offers the only aircraft maintenance on the field.

“By combining an FBO with Eastway’s management business and Part 145 repair station, the objective is to garner a strong share of FOK’s aviation business year-round,” said Lang.

Textron Aviation Union Approves Four-year Contract

Machinist union members approved a four-year contract at Textron Aviation over the weekend that takes effect today. The contract with Local Lodge 774 replaces one negotiated and approved by the union in 2014, following the acquisition and merger of Hawker Beechcraft with Cessna.

The Wichita manufacturer noted that the agreement enables the company “to weather this challenging economy…and eventually return to growing our business.” 

The union, representing about 4,500 machinists at Textron Aviation, began contract negotiations on August 17. The Cessna and Beechcraft airframer had attempted to begin negotiations in June, an effort that had been soundly defeated by a vote of the union. Approved by 64 percent of voting machinists, the contract included additional contributions to employee health savings plans; a no-deductible health care plan option; language that increases job security; general wage increases; and a voluntary retirement plan for employees who are 55 or older and have at least five years of service.   

“The focus of our negotiations with Textron Aviation was to bring the employees represented by the IAM to be something that would benefit the group as a whole, without the need to have a work stoppage,” said District 70 Machinists president and directing business representative Cornell Beard. “I believe we did that or we'd be walking a picket line right now." 

Embraer Phenom Deliveries Mark Latin America Milestone

Embraer’s business jet fleet in Latin America has reached the 250 milestone with the deliveries of a Phenom 100EV and a Phenom 300E to two first-time Brazilian customers. An unidentified industrial firm selected the Phenom 100EV, while the Phenom 300E went to Agrojem, an agribusiness company.

Agrojem CEO José Eduardo Motta said the purchase became necessary as the company continued to grow. “Due to our continuous expansion of operations, we made the decision to transition from a turboprop to the new Phenom 300E,” Motta said. “With our previous aircraft, we flew 200 hours per year. Now, with the Phenom 300E, we expect to cover the same distance in just 120 hours per year, saving valuable time and resources.”

Embraer has delivered more than 550 Phenom 300s and 380 Phenom 100s globally. The 300E, which is powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535E1 engines that provide for a high-speed cruise of 465 kts and a 2,010-nm range with five occupants and NBAA IFR reserves, is equipped with Embraer's runway overrun awareness and alerting system.

Genav Pre-clearance Resumes at Shannon Airport

U.S. customs and immigration pre-clearance for general aviation flights to the U.S. resumed yesterday at Ireland’s Shannon Airport, following a lengthy suspension due to the Covid-19 crisis. According to Universal Weather & Aviation, all crew and passengers must now be cleared in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) office in the terminal due to precautionary health measures put in place by the CBP, and onboard clearance will not return until the Covid crisis has ceased.

All personal protective equipment, protective screening, sanitizing measures, and social distancing will be in effect in the CBP office, as well as by the CBP officers.

Pre-clearance operating hours will be unchanged from before they were curtailed by the pandemic, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time, and Universal recommends that all operators wishing to pre-clear at Shannon should notify their handler as early as possible (preferably at least 24 hours) so that CBP can begin processing information before arrival.

CBP pre-clearance for general aviation aircraft was introduced at Shannon in 2010, originally for private non-revenue flights, but the following year the pre-clearance service was expanded to include charter operations.

Signature TechnicAir Establishes Farnborough Mx Base

Signature TechnicAir has established a line station and mobile service unit (MSU) at Farnborough Airport in England, which will complement the company’s primary service center at Bournemouth Airport and line stations and MSUs at London-Biggin Hill Airport, London-Luton Airport, and Manchester Airport. The Farnborough unit will operate seven days a week.

Signature TechnicAir now has eight fully equipped mobile service vans and 15 dedicated engineers and operates from five UK airports, offering AOG and line maintenance assistance to business and general aviation, according to the company's EMEA managing director Andy Preston. 

Minor aircraft maintenance, the clearing of defect lists, preventative check, and oxygen and nitrogen service are among the amenities Signature TechnicAir will offer at Farnborough. Its MSUs will support customers in Southampton and the Midlands with proactive aircraft maintenance as well as AOG troubleshooting and repair.

With New SNA Lease in Hand, ACI Plans $85M Project

Aviation services provider ACI Jet plans an $85 million project for the construction of a new FBO at John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Southern California following the approval earlier this week of a new 35-year lease agreement. The project will include the construction of 100,000 sq ft of hangars, more than 100 T-hangars, and a 25,000-sq-ft FBO terminal.

The project will serve to consolidate ACI Jet’s footprint at SNA, which has been split between east and west sides of the airport since it took over FBO operations there from Signature Flight Support more than three years ago. “It’ll be bigger and more importantly the aesthetic design for the needs that it fulfills,” ACI Jet CEO Bill Borgsmiller said in describing the FBO terminal, which also will include a customs facility.

Construction is not likely to start for another year, he said, because ACI Jet’s plans are part of a larger redevelopment effort on the general aviation side of SNA that also includes new construction by the airport’s other FBO provider, Clay Lacy Aviation, and Jay’s Aircraft Maintenance, both of which were also approved for long-term leases.

In addition to SNA, ACI Jet has other California operations at San Luis Obispo Regional Airport, Paso Robles Municipal Airport, and Oceano County Airport. It is an authorized Bombardier maintenance provider and also offers charter and aircraft management services.

NTSB Safety Alert Cautions on Dangers of Flight in Snow

The NTSB issued a Safety Alert last week highlighting the dangers of flight into snow, citing concern that some pilots don’t understand the full dangers involved in such operations.

“A recent NTSB investigation revealed that pilots and operators assumed that flight in snow was safe as long as minimum ceiling and visibility requirements were met or that snow conditions were too dry or cold to pose an icing hazard,” the Safety Board said. “Pilots also commented that snow conditions are safe to fly in as long as you can see through it; they did not consider the effects of icing.”

The NTSB added that these assumptions could serve as a disincentive for pilots to fully review icing-related forecasts or tools. “Flight in wet snow and associated icing conditions can lead to deadly consequences,” the investigatory agency further cautioned, explaining that snow is typically viewed as containing all-frozen water, but it also can have liquid particles that can freeze onto surfaces and pose safety-of-flight hazards.

An FAA Advisory Circular (AC 91-74B) states that “dry snow” is unlikely to pose an icing hazard while “wet snow” could, the NTSB acknowledged. But it said the FAA does not define either term, noting that “it is imperative that pilots and dispatchers review all potential snow forecasts for an icing threat in addition to potential instrument meteorological conditions.”

AIN Webinar: New Trends in Aircraft Interiors

Please join us on September 23 as AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber moderates an in-depth discussion on the latest trends in business aircraft interiors and lighting design. Featuring Aircraft Lighting International general manager Shervin Rezaie and West Star Aviation paint and interior designer Veta C. Traxler, this webinar will help business aircraft owners and operators planning interior refurbishments to make aesthetic choices for upcoming upgrades. Register now for this free webinar.