Jetex Business Jumps Due to Lack of First-class Flights
Jetex has seen business boom at its marquee VIP terminal at Dubai Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) as Covid-19 has caused a dearth of first-class flights at UAE airline Emirates, which is today flying to only around half of the destinations it normally serves. “I expect the second half of 2020 to [see] 200 percent growth compared to [the same period] last year,” Jetex founder and CEO Adel Mardini told AIN.
He said he sometimes saw as many as 20 to 25 flights a day going through Jetex’s VIP terminal since April. “I would say 70 percent of our new customers are coming from Emirates and Etihad’s first-class clientele. People who used to fly 10 times a year in first class are now flying three times by private jet—and it’s the same budget. The more airlines shut down, the more business will come to us,” Mardini said.
Jetex has been recruiting every day, he said. “Employee headcount [globally] is up from 465 last year to 540 today.” At its Dubai facility, Mardini added that he expects flights in the second half of the year to be more than double than that of last year. “If we continue on the same trajectory, I will close the second half with more than 2,000 flights [at DWC],” he concluded.
New FBO Opens in Dallas Metroplex
US Trinity Aviation has become the second FBO at the Dallas-Fort Worth-area Denton Enterprise Airport. The company began operations on September 1 out of a former Greenpoint Technologies facility that was vacant for several years after the aircraft completions specialist consolidated its operations at another location in the area.
The facility, which just underwent a $250,000 renovation, occupies four acres on the field. It includes a 26,300-sq-ft terminal with two passenger lounge areas, two conference rooms, a large dining area, concierge, crew cars, vehicle valet service, on-site car rental, and tenant office space. The Avfuel-branded facility also features 65,000 sq ft of hangar space that can accommodate aircraft up to a Boeing BBJ.
“The existing layout is spacious and well-appointed for an FBO,” general manager Damon Ward told AIN, adding the only thing lacking is better presence on the ramp side, which is currently under construction. “We are adding a new ramp-side lobby and pilot lounge, executive restrooms, and designated computer stations/business center.”
The company had hoped to announce its grand opening and debut next week at NBAA-BACE, but the event was canceled due to Covid concerns. Instead, a local ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place in mid-October, coinciding with the completion of construction.
Garmin Chief Test Pilot Honored for Autoland Program
The Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP) honored Tom Carr, Garmin director of flight operations and chief test pilot, with the 2020 Iven C. Kincheloe Award for his role in the Garmin Autoland flight-test program. Presented in a virtual awards ceremony last week, the award recognizes outstanding professional accomplishment in the conduct of flight testing.
SETP established the Iven C. Kincheloe Award in 1958 in memory of the veteran flight test pilot and U.S. Air Force Korean war ace. It is considered the highest honor from the group.
The Kincheloe Award in particular recognized Carr for his role as the experimental test pilot in the Autoland flight test program. Carr has flown hundreds of approaches and fully-automated landings using Autoland in the Columbia 400, Piper M600, and Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet, including tests involved as part of the FAA certification program.
Carr has a 42-year career in experimental flight test, including as director of flight operations and chief test pilot at Garmin for 17 years. His experience spans 192 different aircraft types ranging from gliders to four-engine jets.
“His dedication to the advancement of flight testing, along with his perseverance and pioneering vision, have played a vital role in bringing innovative Garmin products to market and into the hands of our customers," said Phil Straub, executive v-p and managing director of aviation.
Bombardier To Gain Ownership of Berlin Service Center
Bombardier will add a wholly-owned service center in Berlin through an agreement to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares it doesn’t own of Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services from Lufthansa Technik and ExecuJet Aviation Group, the Canadian airframer announced today. The deal is expected to close before the end of the year.
“This investment is critical to the expansion of our service footprint in Europe and around the world, and as the service center is set to become a wholly-owned Bombardier service center, our customers will benefit from even more advantages and expertise offered by the OEM,” said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Bombardier Aviation v-p and general manager of customer experience. Since 1997, the jointly owned service center has supported Learjet, Challenger, and Global owners and operators in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Russia. It was Bombardier’s first service center in Europe to support customers of its flagship Global 7500.
At 160,000 sq ft, the service center employs 240 workers and will join other wholly-owned Bombardier service centers under construction or expansion, including at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, London Biggin Hill, and in the Singapore Seletar Aerospace Park.
IRS Finalizes Regs for 100 Percent Bonus Depreciation
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released the last set of final regulations implementing the 100 percent additional first-year depreciation deduction that allows companies to write off the cost of most depreciable business assets, including business aircraft, in the year they are placed in service. These final regulations further clarify the increased deduction that initially went into effect in 2017 and expand the qualified property that are placed in service after Sept. 27, 2017 and before Jan. 1, 2027 (Jan. 1, 2028, for certain aircraft).
Additionally, the final regulations provide clarifying guidance on the requirements that must be met for property to qualify for the deduction, including used property. Finally, the latest revisions also withdraw a portion of the proposed regulations published on Sept. 24, 2019.
Instructions on claiming the deduction, including special guidance for aircraft and other products with long-production periods, are contained in IRS Form 4562.
The IRS plans to issue procedural guidance for taxpayers to apply the final regulations in prior taxable years or to rely on the proposed regulations issued on Sept. 24, 2019.
Satcom Direct Adds Network Ops Center
Satcom Direct has upgraded a network operations center (NOC) at its headquarters facility in Melbourne, Florida, to aggregate, collate, and analyze the increasing amounts of data generated by business aircraft activity. The NOC features a 72- by 10-foot digital wall displaying real-time global customer connectivity activity, providing significantly augmented customer and product support.
According to Satcom Direct, information collected from the SD Xperience “nose-to-tail portfolio” of hardware, software, and infrastructure solutions ensures the NOC is aware of the network status of each customer’s aircraft globally. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning, that data is aggregated and displayed on the digital wall, allowing the company to identify any connectivity outage, degradation, or systemic issues.
From there, Satcom Direct support personnel can then implement corrective actions, often during flight. Predictive alerting is also triggered by the NOC, enabling remedial action ahead of potential issues.
Cybersecurity management has also been enhanced with abnormal patterns of data behavior highlighted to stimulate mitigative action. In addition, Satcom Direct can also alert crewmembers to advise passengers of any necessary action needed to prevent potential cyber events.
Blue Avionics Certifies ILS Deviation Training System
Blue Avionics has developed an ILS deviation system with an offset application using its BA-540 Adaptable Avionics Unit (AAU) and obtained certification for installation in a Cessna Citation 560XL. The ILS deviation system is used for pilot training, where the instructor can induce a deviation in the localizer or glideslope display during instrument approach training. Duncan Aviation’s Lincoln, Nebraska headquarters facility did the systems integration and certification of the 560XL application.
Unlike dedicated avionics boxes, the BA-540 AAU allows integrators and installers to design new avionics functions and use the AAU to implement these functions. In addition to the BA-540 AAU, Blue Avionics offers the BA-440 Router/Filter and BA-110 Arinc to CDSB Unit, which further expand the number of functions that can be implemented.
Blue Avionics systems have been installed on a variety of aircraft, according to Ross Cairns, company founder and v-p of engineering. “The same BA-540 AAU with no software or hardware changes is being used for many other certified functions, everything from performing as an airspeed/Mach warning computer to ADS-B Out DO-260B compliance monitoring.”
For the 560XL, the BA-540 provides the instructor with a momentary annunciation switch that can be used to select the direction of deviation (up, down, right, or left). Each switch illuminates to indicate the instructor’s selection.
Dave Franson Among 2020 NAA Distinguished Statesmen
Business aviation veteran communications executive and Wichita Aero Club president Dave Franson joins a slate of six recipients for this year’s 2020 National Aeronautic Association (NAA) Wesley L. McDonald Distinguished Statesman and Stateswoman of Aviation Award. Other recipients include Brigadier General John Allen, U.S. Air Force (Ret.); Captain Julie Clark; Einar Enevoldson; Colonel and Dr. Kathryn Hughes, USAF (Ret.); and Michael Quiello.
Established in 1954, the Distinguished Statesman and Stateswoman of Aviation honors “outstanding Americans who, by their efforts over an extended period of years, have made contributions of significant value to aeronautics and have reflected credit upon America and themselves.” Past recipients have included Jimmy Dolittle, Katherine Stinson, Charles Bolden, Olive Ann Beech, and Chuck Yeager.
Franson, the president and owner of Franson Consulting who has led the Wichita Aero Club for a dozen years, is being recognized for “his fervent dedication as an aviation communications executive and founder of the Wichita Aero Club, and for his 40 years of service in continuing to advance the future of aviation.”
His career has spanned business aviation manufacturers such as Bombardier, Cessna, and AlliedSignal to association work, including NBAA.
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People in Aviation
Ray Benvenuti joined Spike Aerospace’s executive team. Benvenuti, who has decades of experience in finance, operations, and advisory roles with private equity, aerospace, and manufacturing firms, founded Concord Investment Partners, was president and CEO of Stellex Aerostructures, served as an operating partner to Greenbriar Equity Group, and managed portfolio companies, including Gulfstream Aerospace while with Forstmann Little.
Dave Weil was appointed to the board of TAG Aviation Europe. Weil has more than 30 years of aviation industry experience, including formerly serving as CFO for TAG Aviation USA for 17 years and currently serving as CEO of business aviation consultancy Flight Dept Solutions.
Epic Fuels added two executives to its leadership team—Joshua Foster, who was named v-p of supply, and Kyle O’Leary, v-p of operations. Foster previously served as director of supply and training for various Delta Air Lines subsidiaries. O’Leary formerly was senior manager of fuel supply for Spirit Airlines and also has business and general aviation experience as an aviation fuels marketer and general manager of an FBO.
Counter-drone technology specialist D-Fend Solutions appointed Michael Huerta to its newly created advisory board. Huerta served a five-year term as FAA administrator beginning in 2012 and also has served on the board of directors for Delta Air Lines.
Robert Stangarone was elected chairman of the board and president of the New England Air Museum. He succeeds Scott Ashton, who decided against seeking reelection after serving in the role for 12 years. Ashton will remain on the board as past president for a one-year term. Stangarone is a veteran aerospace marketer and communications specialist who has held senior management positions at Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, Rolls-Royce, Litton, Fairchild Dornier, Cessna Aircraft, and Embraer.
Nick Maynard has launched Leading Edge Aviation Marketing to provide a range of specialized, tailored marketing services for the aviation industry, particularly as they face the challenges in the current environment. Maynard, an aviation industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience, has provided marketing and communications services for a range of companies, including British Airways, Emirates, Gulf Air, Royal Jet, Honeywell Aerospace, ACC Columbia Jet, JetSupport, and ExecuJet MRO Services.
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