Textron Aviation’s Cessna Citation Longitude has received its long-awaited FAA type certification, the Wichita-based OEM announced today, allowing customer deliveries of the super-midsize twin to begin. “With the broadest lineup of business aviation platforms available worldwide, today Textron Aviation welcomes the Longitude into the Citation family of products and begins a new era of solutions for our customers,” Textron Aviation president and CEO Ron Draper said. “The Longitude revolution starts now.”
In what Textron Aviation called “the most robust flight, structural and component qualification testing completed on a Citation to date,” the experimental and demo Longitude fleet completed nearly 6,000 hours of flight time, as well as 11,000 test points. During the certification process, the 3,500-nm-range Longitude also flew a 31,000-nm world tour.
Certification of the Longitude was originally expected about two years ago when Textron Aviation revealed plans for the 12-seat business jet—and brought a full-size mockup to the static display—at the 2015 NBAA Convention in Las Vegas. But at least one issue—fuel tank flammability—hampered Textron Aviation’s certification timeline for more than a year and a half while the manufacturer sought an exemption, which the FAA granted on June 26.
Last year at the NBAA Convention in Orlando, NetJets agreed to purchase up to 175 Longitudes, including an option to take first deliveries in the second half of this year.
Bombardier has delivered its 100th Challenger business jet to fractional provider NetJets, the Canadian airframer announced today. The delivery of the Challenger 350 late last week brings NetJets’ total fleet of the type to 80 Model 350s and 20 Challenger 650s.
NetJets also was the launch customer for the 350 and took its first delivery of the model in 2014. “We're very proud of our longstanding relationship with NetJets, who share our desire to create an exceptional flight experience for customers,” Bombardier Business Aircraft president David Coleal said. “This addition of a 100th Challenger aircraft to NetJets’ fleet shows how sought-after this aircraft is.”
To date, NetJets' Challenger fleet in the U.S. and Europe has flown a total of 178,394 flights (96,773 of which were revenue flights), 339,124 passengers, and 300,554 total flight hours, according to statistics provided by Bombardier. Last year alone, “This equates to roughly one takeoff or landing every 317 seconds and revenue takeoff or landing every 587 seconds,” it added.
With a maximum range of 3,200 nm with NBAA IFR reserves, the 10-seat Challenger 350 is powered by a pair of Honeywell HTF7350 turbofans that each provide 7,323 pounds of thrust. In July, Bombardier announced that it had delivered its 300th Challenger 350 five years after the type's entry into service.
Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 Wins Transport Canada Approval
The Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 engine—developed at the company’s Center Of Excellence For Business Aviation Engines in Dahlewitz, Germany, for the Bombardier Global 5500 and 6500—has received Transport Canada certification, the UK-based company announced today. Since receiving EASA certification in 2018, the Pearl 15 has undergone a comprehensive test program and is undergoing final flight validation on both Global models, which are on track to enter service by year-end.
According to Rolls-Royce, the 15,250-pound-thrust Pearl 15, which is the first of a planned new engine family for business aviation, combines technologies derived from the Rolls-Royce Advance2 technology demonstrator programs with proven features from the BR700. It also incorporates an engine health monitoring system that introduces advanced vibration detection and remote engine diagnostics. Compared with the BR710 engine, the Pearl has up to 7 percent better specific fuel consumption, is two decibels cumulative quieter, and reduces NOx emissions by 20 percent.
“This certification makes us very proud, as it illustrates the dedication of our global team to support our customer Bombardier and the planned entry into service later this year,” said Rolls-Royce director of business aviation Dirk Geisinger. “We have worked closely with the teams at Transport Canada and Bombardier to achieve this certification.”
ExecuJet Malaysia Plans New MRO Facility
ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia (EMSM) plans to build a new facility at Kuala Lumpur Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport. According to ExecuJet MRO Services Asia vice president Ivan Lim, the maintenance hangar will have up to 150,000 sq ft and will be able to accommodate 10 to 15 ultra-long-range business jets. His aim is to have the integrated facility operational in 2021 or 2022, depending on approvals from the local authorities.
EMSM started operations at the airport in 2009 from it existing 64,000-sq-ft facility, providing line and base maintenance for Dassault Aviation, Bombardier and Gulfstream aircraft. It also does avionics upgrades and modifications.
With the new facility, the company plans to expand its capabilities to include component repair, cabin modification, and stripping and painting. The technical team will also be expanded from the current 50 to 80.
“With the new facility it will further reinforce our status as a key centre for business aviation MRO in the region,” Lim noted. Currently 95 percent of EMSM’s business is from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, and Thailand.
ExecuJet MRO Services, which was acquired by Dassault Aviation earlier this year, provides maintenance support capabilities for a diverse collection of business aircraft types in 42 countries globally.
Redbird Skyport Calls It Quits
Redbird Skyport, one of two service providers at San Marcos (Texas) Regional Airport (HYI), located midway between San Antonio and Austin, closed its doors last week after eight years in operation. The facility was owned by parent company Redbird, which is known in the flight training sector for its affordable motion simulators and other training devices, and a flight school/simulator showroom occupied half of the 17,000-sq-ft terminal.
While Redbird’s training equipment division has seen “explosive growth,” company founder Jerry Gregoire said that since its opening in 2011 the FBO never had even a profitable quarter, let alone earned a profit. In a blog on his company website announcing the closure, he listed as factors in the FBO’s demise never realized projections of increases in traffic to the airport, turnover in the city manager’s office that failed to live up to promises made by their predecessors, and the opening of privately owned Austin Executive Airport.
Those employees who wish to remain with the company will be invited to join its simulator business, said Gregoire. The move leaves Berry Aviation as the lone FBO at HYI.
Safran Developing New Turboprop Engine for UAS Market
Engine maker Safran, ZF Luftfahrttechnik (ZFL), and MT-Propeller are jointly developing a new turboprop engine system aimed at Europe’s unmanned aircraft market. ZFL will develop the propeller accessory gearbox.
“This partnership…will offer the European aerospace industry a 100 percent European engine solution for new unmanned applications, featuring high levels of design maturity and competitive operating and maintenance costs,” said Safran Helicopter Engines executive v-p for programs Bruno Bellanger.
The new engine will be optimized for medium and high altitude, up to 45,000 feet, and feature Fadec and propeller control for both power and propeller pitch. It is a derivative of Safran Helicopter Engines’ Ardiden 3-based Tech TP demonstration engine. That engine made its first ground run in June at Safran’s Tarnos, France facility. The goal of Tech TP, which is part of the European Union’s Clean Sky 2 research and innovation program, is to validate technologies required to develop a new-generation turboprop with lightweight architecture, improved fuel consumption, and lower emissions.
Safran’s Ardiden 3 is a new turboshaft that produces power in the 1,700- to 2,000-shp range. Two models, the Ardiden 3C and 3G, already have completed more than 10,000 hours of tests and been certified by EASA. The 3G powers the Russian Kamov Ka-62, while the 3C/WZ16 powers the Chinese Avicopter AC352.
The Lufthansa Technik Component Services (LTCS) operation in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has received Civil Aviation Administration of China certification. It also has become the 33rd design department of Lufthansa Technik’s European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 21/J Design Organization, and the first for its Americas region.
“In 2017, the idea was born that LTCS should have its own design engineers to be as flexible as possible in a constantly changing aftermarket environment,” said LTCS COO Tobias Baumgart. “After two years of a training and mentorship program, LTCS is very proud to start this new chapter with three design engineers.”
The designation gives LTCS the ability to develop further repair methods to improve the component services of the company in the Americas, as well as improve turnaround times and reliability, and overcome material obsolescence. LTCS, a subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik Group, encompasses 11 facilities and more than 680 employees in North, Central, and South America that provide comprehensive MRO services of aircraft components.
Aviation Safety Question of the Week
Provided by
Considering aircraft performance during climb, which of the following statements is correct?
A. Deploying lift augmentation devices increases aircraft performance during the climb.
B. For a given aircraft weight, the climb angle is affected by thrust and drag.
C. The main factors affecting the aircraft climb performance are lift, drag, and thrust.
D. To increase climb performance, maximum thrust could be used continuously during the climb.
FAA’s Dickson To Highlight Careers, Safety at NBAA
Steve Dickson will make his first appearance at this year’s NBAA annual convention as FAA administrator, providing two presentations on highlighting workforce and safety issues. A former Delta Air Lines senior executive and U.S. Air Force F-15 pilot, Dickson was sworn in as the FAA’s 18th Administrator in August.
To appear on October 24, the third day of the convention, Dickson will speak with high school students attending the Careers in Business Aviation Day. He will follow that with a speech providing his perspectives on business aviation safety during the NBAA National Safety Forum.
The Careers in Business Aviation event provides students with a glimpse of the business aviation industry and offers an opportunity to discuss the variety of aviation career paths. The fifth edition of the National Safety Forum will emphasize the pursuit of excellence in airmanship.
“We are honored Steve Dickson will be with us to inspire young people about the aviation careers awaiting them in science, technology, engineering, math, and beyond,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “We are equally pleased that he will be a part of the day we set aside at our convention each year to redouble our focus on safety, our industry’s highest priority.”
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