Aircraft broker Jetcraft is predicting that preowned business jet transactions will dip slightly this year and then rise at a 3.6 percent compound annual growth rate until year-end 2026, according to its Five-Year Pre-Owned Business Jet Market Forecast, released today. “This year’s report predicts that, after stabilizing in the wake of a post-Covid surge, preowned transactions should maintain their new higher base and growth rates, reaching 10,921 transactions valued at $66.6B over the forecast period,” said Jetcraft CEO Chad Anderson.
Last year’s preowned jet transactions reached a record value of $14.5 billion, a nearly 40 percent increase from 2020, primarily driven by midsize and large-cabin jet purchases, the company said. Despite an equally strong performance earlier this year, Jetcraft expects the market to soften, with normal depreciation levels resuming in 2023.
Jetcraft identified international growth areas in the report, noting that the ultra-high-net-worth population in Asia-Pacific—a region that prefers large-cabin jets—is set to increase by 33 percent over the next five years. The study reports that the share of preowned jet buyers under 45 has risen by 20 percent since 2017.
Its report also predicts a much more rational market over the next five years versus the 2004 to 2008 boom, with average purchase prices returning to pre-pandemic levels by 2027.
Academy College has created a new program aimed at supporting MRO providers and others by offering aviation maintenance technician apprenticeships with structured on-the-job training (OJT) designed to reduce the managerial burden of administrating apprenticeships.
The AMT Apprenticeship Support Program provides study materials, virtual seminars, apprentice mentoring, an app for tracking OJT and self-study progress, and a report card on an apprentice’s overall progress. Because of long wait lists at aircraft maintenance schools and high demand for AMTs, Academy president Nanay Grazzini-Olson said maintenance organizations are hiring non-certified mechanics to work alongside certified mechanics for the hands-on experience required to test for the FAA airframe and powerplant certificate.
“The challenge we hear from industry is managing the additional workload to properly support an apprentice mechanic,” said Grazzini-Olson. “This program is designed to ease the additional workload placed on supervisors and managers when hiring and training uncertificated mechanics.”
One of the first organizations to use the Bloomington, Minnesota-based college’s program was Bakersfield Jet Center by Loyd’s Aviation in California. “We see many talented people that would love to be an aircraft mechanic but cannot afford to take a time-out from life to attend a traditional school,” said Loyd’s Aviation president Ryan Crowl. “This program lets us train people in-house and simultaneously provides students the ability to make a living while pursuing their career goals.”
The pilot and nine passengers aboard a Cessna Citation CJ3—registered as N528DV—were able to evacuate moments before the aircraft caught fire and was destroyed in the blaze after sliding on its belly following a gear-up or gear-collapse landing at Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco, Washington, on Tuesday morning. The FAA type certification data sheet for the CJ3 (Model 525B) indicates it is approved for a maximum of 10 seats, but the standard cabin shown in Textron Aviation marketing literature is nine places—two cockpit seats, six cabin seats, and a belted lavatory.
According to reports, the privately-owned jet was carrying surgical technicians and a registered nurse for Chehalis, Washington-based Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute. It was flying to the Tri-Cities Airport to pick up a doctor before continuing to Lewiston, Idaho. The jet is one of three registered to and operated by the Pacific Cataract Laser Institute.
Airport fire vehicles responded quickly after the blaze started but emergency personnel did not have advance warning of issues with the aircraft. According to ATC audio tapes, the pilot did not communicate about malfunctions or concerns before landing.
The accident occurred the day before an FAA-mandated drill was scheduled at the airport to practice how to respond to an aircraft crash.
Mexico’s civil aviation agency, Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil (AFAC), has awarded authorization for Clay Lacy Aviation’s Part 145 repair stations in San Diego and Los Angeles to provide maintenance services on Mexican-registered business jets.
AFAC approval builds on Clay Lacy’s international authorizations and serves to expand its client base at its Van Nuys Airport and McClellan-Palomar Airport locations. The aircraft management, charter, maintenance, avionics, interiors, and FBO services provider also has maintenance authorizations for U.S., European, and Canadian-registered business jets.
In addition to the company’s California operations, Clay Lacy operates an MRO in Oxford, Connecticut. All of the locations can perform light line maintenance, heavy airframe inspections, engine and APU maintenance, avionics and cabin management/entertainment repairs and upgrades, and interior modifications and repair.
With more than $3.4 million in parts, as well as warranty administration and AOG mobile support, the company has a particular focus on Bombardier, Dassault Falcon, and Gulfstream business jet maintenance. Clay Lacy also is an Embraer-authorized service center.
SmartSky demonstrates the power of its nationwide network to customers, network density and patented technology shine
July 28, SmartSky announced its network is live nationwide. Coast-to-coast availability of its enhanced air-to-ground solution for the entire aircraft makes connecting to what’s most important as effortless at 35,000 ft in the air as it is on the ground. Read more to see what enables SmartSky's unprecedented performance in the sky.
Congressional leaders are planning to provide “clear direction” to the FAA on preparing for the emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) segment in the upcoming FAA reauthorization bill, House aviation subcommittee leaders said today. Speaking during a Honeywell Air Mobility Summit in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, subcommittee chairman Rick Larsen (D-Washington) said he expects that the upcoming bill would contain a title on AAM to make sure that the FAA is properly organized to focus on the regulatory and operational requirements in a timely fashion.
Rep. Garret Graves (R-Louisiana), the ranking Republican on the committee, agreed and further stressed that Congress needs to make sure that the FAA modernizes its approach so it is not applying a 1970s approach to regulation for 2030s technology.
Larsen stressed that safety must be addressed, but also noted issues such as electric charging stations and vertiport infrastructure. However, he deferred his response when asked about comments reported on AAM user fees.
Also at the gathering, House Advanced Air Mobility Caucus leaders Jimmy Panetta (D-California) and Jay Obernolte (R-California) discussed the importance of educating Congress so it can help enable AAM, noting this has been a pivotal year for the sector. “2022 has been a remarkable year for this industry,” agreed NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen, who moderated the panel, noting the formation of the caucus in June.
MRO Insider has added Real Alfa Flight Aviation Services and its 51 FBOs in Mexico to the Michigan-based company’s business aviation price quoting platform for fuel, handling, permits, and other services. The addition of Real Alfa brings to 68 the number of FBOs on MRO Insider’s app, which enables FBOs to provide quotes on their services to operators traveling in the region.
“Our team in Mexico has done a fantastic job of onboarding participating FBOs in the region,” said MRO Insider president Andy Nixon. “The business leaders are energized by the fact they no longer have to give a per gallon kickback to contract fuel and other programs out there. Instead, they will pay us a flat fee, no matter how many services the customer requests.”
Through the service, FBOs don’t pay a fee to sign up. When a price quote request is made on the app, it pings all FBOs on the network within 100 nm of the destination. “This allows FBOs to get in front of and possibly move the business to their ramp, driving competition between FBO chains,” Nixon added. MRO Insider’s goal is to have more than 100 FBOs in its network by the end of the year.
As Hurricane Fiona makes its way toward Bermuda, it has intensified to a Category 4 storm and has already left a trail of damage on some of the Caribbean islands. Puerto Rico, which saw the storm’s landfall on Sunday, experienced massive power and water outages.
The Jet Aviation FBO at San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport reported relying on its generators on Sunday and Monday before returning to grid power this morning. The location, which endured 60-mph winds, emerged with only minor water leaks in its roof and is drawing from its own reserve water tanks as it supports arriving humanitarian flights.
On Turks and Caicos, all airports were closed by authorities ahead of the storm yesterday morning. Much of the island lost power last night but electricity was restored this morning to Providenciales International Airport (MBPV), according to Provo Air Center, which told AIN it suffered no damage or flooding to its FBO. While MBPV saw little impact from Fiona, the country’s other airports—Grand Turk and South Caicos—were battered by high winds, with the latter closed entirely and the former open only to relief and medevac flights.
The U.S. Virgin Islands were spared the brunt of Fiona’s fury. Standard Aviation at St. Thomas Cyril E. King International Airport reported no damage, as did Bohlke International Airways at St. Croix Henry E. Rohlsen Airport.
Avcon Industries has received an FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) for the installation of the company's dual 400-amp starter generators on Beechcraft King Air 300s equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60 engines. This latest STC means that the Newton, Kansas-based company can install its starter generator on the entire fleet of King Air 300s.
The installation of the starter generators on each of the King Air 300’s two turboprop engines provides a total generator capacity of 800 amps. A user-customizable power distribution system with 400 amps of power from two dedicated electrical buses is also part of the installation, serving to optimize the airplane for special-mission operations.
"With the FAA STC approval of the starter generator on the PT6A-60 engines, we have the only STC-approved aftermarket solution to provide 800 amps of generator capacity to the B300 model King Air airplanes,” said Avcon president Marcus Abendroth. “The Avcon Special Mission Starter-Generator STC is key to many of our international customers upgrading their special-mission King Air 350 and 360 airplanes with the most technologically advanced intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance systems.”
Requires re-torqueing the baggage bay line fire extinguishing tube assembly to the correct torque values and applying corrosion inhibiting compound on the discharge tubes. Prompted by a determination that the baggage bay line fire extinguishing tube assembly might not have been installed with the correct torque.
Requires visually inspecting certain part-numbered tail rotor blades for the presence of a linear indication and, depending on the inspection results, fluorescent penetrant inspecting the blades and any further necessary corrective actions. This AD also prohibits installing an affected tail rotor blade unless certain requirements have been met. Prompted by a report of manufacturing defects on multiple tail rotor blades.
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