Airbus Teams with ‘Mr. Colorful’ on ACJ220 SE Cabin

Airbus Corporate Jets has collaborated with renowned contemporary artist Cyril Kongo—known as “Mr. Colorful”—on a special-edition cabin for the ACJ TwoTwenty. The bizliner cabin was configured by the ACJ design team for comfort and functionality, while Kongo’s touch turned the cabin into a “flying contemporary art gallery.”

Notably, the main lounge will be partly hand-painted by Kongo and also combine textures and fabrics “to kindle the sumptuous comfort, space, and luxury of your own private art gallery.” According to Airbus, the special-edition cabin will allow passengers to rest or enjoy fine dining for up to eight people while admiring the colorful interior. Comlux is the exclusive completion partner for the first 15 ACJ TwoTwentys.

The bizliner offers 785 sq ft of floor space, providing six large VIP living areas that can carry up to 19 passengers. Launched late last year, the ACJ TwoTwenty has already racked up orders for six aircraft. Comlux will take delivery of the first one early next year with service entry pegged for early 2023 following completion.

WingX: With 2.4M Flights in 2021, Bizjets Mark Recovery

Business jets have completed nearly 2.4 million flights globally thus far this year, confirming a “complete recovery from pandemic lows” and tracking ahead of 2019, according to the latest WingX report. Traffic in the sector has eclipsed pre-pandemic tallies since May 2021 and is further poised to get a boost as transatlantic flights return.

In the first three weeks of September, business jet flights are up 15 percent over the comparable period in 2019. By contrast, commercial airline traffic is still down 41 percent year-to-date from 2019, according to WingX.

Business jet transatlantic flights, still facing numerous restrictions, have been slow to rebound, down 25 percent through the first nine months of 2021 when compared with 2019. But that is set to change as the U.S. softens restrictions on inbound passengers from Europe, WingX said. Some international connections have already improved, and business aircraft flights from Europe to Asia are only down 2 percent this year from 2019 levels.

U.S. domestic business jet hours are up by more than 15 percent from September 2019 and Europe is enjoying a late summer recovery, with business aviation activity up by more than 25 percent over the same period. “Given that the holiday season is ending, this sustained growth may hint at a return of the corporate customer,” said WingX managing director Richard Koe.

Sun Air Jets Implements Carbon Offsets for Charter Ops

Southern California-based charter and FBO operator Sun Air Jets is furthering its sustainability initiatives through a new partnership with Terrapass, which will allow the operator to reduce its carbon footprint and compensate for 100 percent of the carbon emissions released by its charter aircraft.

San Francisco-based carbon offsetting company Terrapass uses the carbon offsets to fund projects that promote wind energy, landfill methane flaring, methane digesting, and other clean energy initiatives. Sun Air said 100 percent of Terrapass carbon offsets are verified by independent third parties against standards from the Verified Carbon Standard, Gold Standard, American Carbon Registry, and the Climate Action Reserve.

A Sun Air spokeswoman told AIN the carbon offsets will be paid for through a combination of direct contributions by the operator and “a small portion from regular charter fees.” In addition to the Terrapass partnership, Sun Air’s other sustainability measures include offering sustainable aviation fuel and operating two hangars at Van Nuys Airport totaling 62,000 sq ft with a solar rooftop system. It also operates a full-service FBO at Camarillo Airport.

Cirrus To Open New Orlando-area Training, Mx Locations

Cirrus Aircraft is investing $3.4 million to establish Cirrus Orlando, which will include two locations in Central Florida that will offer concierge-level flight training, aircraft maintenance, aircraft management, and sales of its Vision Jet and SR-series piston airplanes. Comprising new locations at Kissimmee Gateway Airport and Orlando Executive Airport, Cirrus Orlando is scheduled to open early next year.

According to CEO Zean Nielsen, “Cirrus Aircraft’s new presence in greater Orlando strategically complements our global partner network as the number of personal aviation pilots increase. We are excited to open doors to those who are just beginning their aviation journey and to continue fostering the relationships we have with existing customers by providing a convenient Southeast U.S. location for Cirrus-owned training, maintenance, and aircraft management.”

Cirrus Orlando will offer personalized flight training from ground school to flight simulation for the company's jet and piston aircraft, in addition to in-airplane training in the SR22 G6 piston single. The new locations are in addition to Cirrus’ network of more than 700 partners that offer flight training by Cirrus-standardized instructor pilots and Cirrus Training Centers, as well as aircraft maintenance provided by Cirrus-authorized service centers.

Duncan Aviation Designers Bring In-Depth Knowledge and Extensive Talent to Interior and Paint Projects

In addition to creativity and artistry, Duncan Aviation’s Designers bring a wealth of aircraft-specific knowledge that is vital for every aircraft project they touch. When Duncan Aviation’s Designers provide custom design concepts for interior refurbishment and exterior paint livery, customers receive more than eye-catching presentations.

Signature To Supply SAF for New Airbus U.S. Deliveries

By November, all aircraft delivered from Airbus's U.S. manufacturing facility in Mobile, Alabama, will come filled with a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend. The airframer has struck a deal with Signature Flight Support to provide the SAF—a drop-in replacement for conventional jet-A that offers lifecycle carbon emissions savings—to its A220/A320 final assembly facility at Mobile Downtown Airport (KBFM).

“Delivering our Mobile-produced aircraft with SAF is an important, iterative step toward solving the carbon challenge,” said Jeff Knittel, Airbus Americas chairman and CEO, adding that the company is committed to making the fuel's use an everyday reality with increasingly greater production and adoption. “SAF is a positive contributor to enhanced sustainability in aviation since it enables up to an 80 percent reduction of CO2 across the fuel life cycle.”

The news follows a similar announcement by Airbus earlier this summer making SAF an option on aircraft deliveries from its Hamburg, Germany production site. Since 2016, the manufacturer's Mobile site has delivered more than 260 aircraft to U.S.-based customers, including 54 this year alone.

A Signature spokesman told AIN that while it has supplied SAF to Airbus at KBFM since 2018, the renewable fuel is not yet available for retail sales at the location.

Bristow Triples Down on Fleet Electrification

Helicopter operator Bristow today announced a partnership with Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions, revealing yet another element of Bristow’s expansion into the advanced air mobility (AAM) market. Under a memorandum of understanding (MoU), Bristow will work with the Embraer subsidiary to develop an air operator certificate (AOC) for Eve’s four-passenger eVTOL and has also committed to buying up 100 of the new model, with deliveries to begin in 2026.

This adds to Bristow’s provisional commitments announced over the past few weeks to buy 50 Electra Aero eSTOL airplanes and 50 Vertical Aerospace VA-X4 eVTOLs.

Bristow’s aim is to diversify its business model, which for a long time has been largely built around offshore passenger flights to and from oil and gas platforms. With AOCs in multiple countries around the world, the Texas-based group considers itself well-positioned to pursue new AAM applications, including logistics flights, cargo deliveries, and search-and-rescue missions.

The company is also keen to support multiple eVTOL manufacturers and other operators with services such as aircraft maintenance and crew training.

Want more? You can find a longer version of this article at FutureFlight.aero, a news and information resource developed by AIN to provide objective coverage and analysis of cutting-edge aviation technology.

Safran Landing Systems Adds Dallas-area Repair Shop

Safran Landing Systems has expanded its wheels and brakes support with the opening of a repair facility in Grand Prairie, Texas, near Dallas. The shop received FAA approval in August and Safran inaugurated the facility last week.

Joining the French company's U.S. repair stations in Milwaukee, Las Vegas, Miami, and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the Grand Prairie facility can provide both commercial and military wheel and carbon brakes maintenance and logistics services. Staffed with 200 specialists, the five Safran facilities have a combined footprint of 150,000 sq ft and work in tandem with the company’s manufacturing plant in Walton, Kentucky, which produces wheels, brakes, and carbon heat sinks.

“The opening of the Dallas [area] shop is an important milestone in Safran Landing Systems’ long-term commitment to strengthen our wheels and brakes repair network in the U.S.,” said Cédric Goubet, CEO of Safran Landing Systems.

Mike Buckley, president of Safran Wheel and Brake Repair and Services, added that the expansion would enable the facility to better serve its airline partners, particularly as they work toward pandemic recovery.

Phoenix PD Orders Five Airbus H125s

The Phoenix Police Department has placed an order for five new Airbus H125 turbine single helicopters, with deliveries are expected to begin next year. The H125 features dual hydraulics, dual channel Fadec, a crash-resistant fuel system, and advanced glass-panel cockpit displays

According to Airbus Helicopters, the model accounts for nearly half of all intermediate single-engine helicopters delivered for airborne law enforcement missions in North America over the last decade. It is built at Airbus Helicopters Inc.’s production and completion facility in Columbus, Mississippi. Overall, there are more than 3,100 Airbus helicopters in service throughout North America.   

“We spent a lot of time analyzing which platform would best fit all of our operational needs as we began to renew our fleet, and the H125 met all of our requirements,” said Paul Apolinar, Phoenix Police Department chief pilot. “These aircraft will allow us not only to protect from the skies but to perform rescues in remote locations all over Arizona. We needed an aircraft that excels in hot temperatures, and the H125 is really the best aircraft for the job in such conditions.”

Correction

The price per tonne for carbon offsets was incorrect in a story about sustainability options in the special-edition AINalerts sent earlier today. Per 4Air, carbon offsets cost $5 to $10 per tonne of emitted CO2. The $400 to $500 figure originally cited in the story referred to the cost to offset a tonne of CO2 using only sustainable aviation fuel. AIN apologizes for the error.