Atlantic Aviation Sale Closes

Macquarie Investment Infrastructure ended its long ownership of FBO chain Atlantic Aviation late last week. On Friday, Macquarie announced the conclusion of Atlantic's sale to global investment firm KKR. The terms of the deal, revealed in June, had a sale price of $4.475 billion, including approximately $1 billion in assumed debt.

For Macquarie, it marks the end of a remarkable span owning the FBO chain it purchased back in 2004 for a reported $238 million. Under its watch, Atlantic grew to become the world’s second-largest service provider chain, behind Signature Flight Support, which also was sold this year.

“We’ve been with Macquarie for 17 years and they’ve been a fantastic partner,” said Atlantic CEO Lou Pepper. “I’ve been the CEO running it for the past 17 years, so I want to give them props as they brought a lot of capital and we went from 12 FBOs to 70 in that time.”

Atlantic had been quiet on the acquisition front over the past several years, but Pepper expressed excitement over the possibilities under the new ownership. “KKR is bringing a lot of experience and capabilities into the business and they like our platform,” he told AIN. “We’re going have the ability to expand, we’re going to do it strategically as we’ve always done in the past.”

Lufthansa Technik Working on New Bizliner Cabin Concept

Visitors to the Monaco Yacht Show 2021 last week were introduced to Lufthansa Technik’s (LHT) “pioneering” cabin design study for bizliners called “Explorer,” which is based on the current trend for superyachts of the same name. For the study, LHT’s VIP business selected an ACJ330 as the platform because it offers ample space for several new cabin ideas.

LHT officials noted that only a few cabin concepts utilizing the A330 cabin have been introduced to the market and said that, as a result, its study should stir customer interest. A wide range of possible uses were incorporated in the development of the cabin floor concept, in addition to the typical elements of a bizliner such as bedrooms, bathrooms, dining, and conference areas. One demonstrated use was a projection system covering large sections of the cabin walls and ceilings that depicts an undersea environment.

With the new design, LHT hopes to deliver on meeting the requirements of 10 to 16 VIP passengers in a way that provides them a “maximum positive passenger experience.” The cabin concept is still being finalized and LHT plans to present a completed design study—with further “surprises”—at the Dubai Air Show in November.

NBAA Working with Social Media Influencers for BACE

NBAA is collaborating with aviation industry social media influencers to tout the highlights of NBAA-BACE 2021, which opens in Las Vegas in about two weeks. “Business aviation is an industry unlike any other, and NBAA’s convention puts its importance front and center,” said NBAA senior v-p of communications Dan Hubbard. “Having these social media leaders with us will help bring our story alive to people around the world, and we want everyone to take part in the conversation.”

Among the influencers coordinating on the coverage is Sam Chui, known as a leading industry vlogger who has millions of followers across multiple platforms, including 2.7 million YouTube subscribers. “Business aviation is one of my primary interests in aviation,” Chui said. “I am excited to discover and share the latest product offerings with my viewers at NBAA-BACE this October.”

Chui will provide daily commentary and comments on his YouTube channel and through his blog, as well as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. NBAA also noted upcoming coverage from other influencers, including Tory Crosby, Owen Leipelt, Mindy Lindheim, and Max Weldon.

This coverage comes in addition to NBAA’s own social media channels. Besides reaching people via social media, NBAA has also developed a hybrid approach to its educational sessions and certain exhibits to reach people who are unable to attend in person.

Baldwin Develops Tools To Help with Safety Monitoring

Baldwin Safety and Compliance is rolling out more features in its safety management system (SMS) portal to help users with their safety performance monitoring (SPM) and measuring efforts. To be available over the next four to six weeks, the new tools are designed to “demystify” the safety monitoring process and clarify objectives and measures in alignment with International Civil Aviation Organization, IS-BAO, and IS-BAH standards.

Users can specify their objectives and add measurements to compare how they are performing. In addition to data inputs, users can add support information such as training events and safety meetings that can help achieve safety objectives.

“We often hear confusion over safety performance indicators (SPIs) and safety performance targeting (SPTs) and how to monitor them effectively,” said Jason Starke, director of standards for Baldwin Safety and Compliance. “These new features help clarify the link between the two and allow for monitoring performance indicators. It is such an important part of the SMS process, and I am excited to share it with our clients.”

Baldwin Safety and Compliance is including a training session for clients in the SPM tool introduction.

Chicago Jet Gets STC for Falcon 900B InSight Upgrade

Chicago Jet Group (CJG) has received FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) approval for Universal Avionics’s InSight flight deck upgrade on the Dassault Falcon 900B. The upgrade can be done in two phases to provide flexibility in budget and downtime coordination or both can be done in a single downtime event, according to CJG.

Phase One replaces the Honeywell NZ-2000 FMS by adding dual Universal UNS-1Fw flight management systems that provide LP/LPV approach capabilities, a CVR-120A cockpit voice recorder, and UniLink UL-801 communications management unit. This FANS over Iridium solution offers capabilities for FANS 1/A+ CPDLC, European ATN B1, and push-to-load, the latter of which is required by the FAA for domestic CPDLC, departure, and en route clearance.

In Phase Two, the legacy Honeywell EDZ-800 EFISs are replaced with four Universal InSight EFI-1040 displays, dual touchscreen EFIS control display units, dual alphanumeric keyboards, and Mid-Continent MD-302 standby attitude module, resulting in a weight savings of more than 250 pounds.

CJG’s STC options include upgraded dual- or triple-integrated PS Engineering PAC45L audio control panels system, Latitude Technologies Iridium-based SkyNode S200 Safety Voice satcom for the cockpit, and Aircraft Lighting International adjustable LED cockpit lighting.

Bell Customer Caps Delivery with Transatlantic Flight

A Ukrainian corporate customer broke in its new Bell 407GXi helicopter equipped with an instrument flight rules kit by operating a transatlantic flight following delivery of the turboshaft single in Mirabel, Canada. The flight was operated by Maksym Lunov, the pilot and owner of Heliclub—one of Bell’s Ukrainian independent representatives—and included stops in 13 countries with the customer aboard.

“I’ve been a pilot for 13 years, and a transatlantic flight is something I’ve always wanted to do. It would not have been easily done without the IFR kit,” said Lunov. “The Bell 407GXi is a remarkable helicopter that provided a safe and enjoyable trip. With the IFR kit, we had no weather limitations and it allowed us to proceed with the planned route without any delays.”

The helicopter will be used for corporate transportation around Ukraine by the unnamed customer. It was featured along with a Bell 505 and Bell 429 last week at a Bell and Heliclub customer demonstration event at the Mayachok Yacht Club.

FAA Releases Notam for NBAA-BACE

In preparation for an anticipated jump in aircraft movements surrounding NBAA-BACE, the FAA has issued a notam with revised air traffic procedures for October 8 to 14 in the Las Vegas area. NBAA said the procedures, which take effect in the days leading up to the association's October 12 to 14 convention, are intended to minimize delays.

The procedures affect operations at the NBAA-BACE static display host airport—Henderson Executive (KHND)—as well as at North Las Vegas Airport (KVGT) and Harry Reid International Airport (KLAS).

To avoid a concentration of departures at one time at KHND and KLAS, the agency is recommending that operators register their intended departure time. This is not a slot program, the FAA stressed, adding, “This is a new program for general aviation that will allow you to submit an intended departure time, view demand information for your departure airport, and give you a better awareness of busy departure times, allowing you and your customers to make informed departure time decisions.”

KHND is requiring reservations for all aircraft parking, drop-offs, and pick-ups, and may ask arrivals without prior parking arrangements to depart if parking capacity is reached. Operators can call the KHND FBO at (702) 261-4800 to make reservations or use an HND NBAA-BACE Reservation and Service Request Form.

CHC Supporting Search-and-rescue Charities

CHC Helicopter is celebrating #HeliSARWeek this week on social media. As such, the company’s social media channels will feature specialized content regarding search-and-rescue (SAR) organizations, and for every #HeliSARWeek hashtag interaction (like, comment, share, or repost—interactions as defined by the social media platform), CHC Helicopter will donate $1 to a pool of funds to be split among charities local to its SAR bases. Those charities include the Royal National Lifeboat Institution—Ireland (RNLI), Mountain Rescue Ireland (MRI), Norwegian Red Cross Search and Rescue Corps, and Surf Life Saving.

Volunteer RNLI lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved more than 143,000 lives since 1824. It also does extensive youth education and water safety education.

MRI teams across Ireland search, locate, and rescue those seeking assistance and escort them to safety or deliver them to more definitive medical care. Norwegian Red Cross Search consists of 300 SAR teams with 13,000 members, 6,000 of whom are active with current SAR certification. They are called upon by local police to assist in SAR missions. 

And, finally, Australian Surf Life Saving was established in 1907 and has rescued more 660,000 people. Its Nipper program for children aged five to 14 allows them to participate in programming that will set them up for success in lifesaving and sport.

Count on AIN for Full Coverage of NBAA-BACE

As ever, you can count on AIN for full coverage of NBAA-BACE 2021. Our team will publish three of our award-winning daily NBAA Convention News editions at the show on October 12, 13, and 14. We will also have comprehensive real-time reporting of all the top news at AINonline.com and in our daily e-newsletters. If you are an exhibiting company that wants to share news or propose pre-show interviews and briefings, please contact show editor Chad Trautvetter.