An overall average score improvement from 8.5 (out of 10) last year to 8.7 was enough to push GE Aviation to the top of this year’s AIN Engine Product Support Survey. The scores of all other OEMs fell from last year, largely a factor of covid-related supply chain and personnel problems. Honeywell appeared to take the biggest hit in this regard, with its overall score dropping from 8.2 to 7.6, making it the only OEM to finish with an overall score of less than 8.0. Honeywell executives told AIN that the company is acutely aware of these issues and has embedded its personnel with key suppliers in an effort to unsnarl the bottlenecks and address related issues, including AOG times.
Williams International finished a strong second, with an overall score of 8.6, driven by top marks in the parts cost, AOG response, technical manuals, and tech rep categories. But its topline score still reflected a drop of 0.2 compared with last year, when it finished first overall in the survey. GE and Williams both scored 9.0 or better when it came to the key metric of warranty fulfillment.
For turboprop and turboshaft engines, Pratt & Whitney Canada continues to dominate, with an overall score of 8.5 in each category. However, the company’s overall score for turboshaft engine support on helicopters dropped from 8.9 last year.
Lilium Jet continues to build on its business aviation customer base in Europe with an agreement for charter operator GlobeAir to purchase a dozen of its six-passenger eVTOLs. GlobeAir plans to operate the Lilium Jets for customers in the French Riviera and Italy. The aircraft will provide “first and last mile,” along with point-to-point service in the region.
GlobeAir CEO Bernhard Fragner said Lilium is “changing how we think about aviation and revolutionizing how people travel. Technological breakthroughs, a forward-thinking mindset, and a drive to deliver quality time that fits customer expectations have propelled Lilium to the forefront of next-generation air travel.’’
Lilium is developing an eVTOL that is powered by 30 electric engines mounted on the aircraft’s wing and canard. Designed to fly as far as 190 miles and at speeds up to 170 mph, the aircraft has no tail, rudder, or propellers.
While Lilium has notched more than 100 test flights in a technology demonstrator since 2019, plans call for beginning to build a production-conforming model in 2023 with EASA type certification following in 2025.
The GlobeAir announcement follows recent agreements with Helity Copter Airlines, ASL Group, and AAP Aviation to build eVTOL networks using Lilium Jets in southern Spain, Benelux, and Norway. In addition, Lilium counts helicopter operator Bristow and fractional ownership provider NetJets among its customer base.
Flexjet Europe took delivery of its first Gulfstream G650 last week and expects to receive another of the ultra-long-range jets within the next six months, the fractional provider announced yesterday.
Delivery of the G650 was made at Malta Airport, where the aircraft is registered and employed by Flexjet Europe's Maltese operation. This marks the first time the G650 has become available in Europe in a shared-ownership program. Following the award of its Maltese air operator certificate last year, Flexjet has expanded its team there, as well as relocated its operational center to a larger location in Malta’s Ta’Xbiex district.
The G650 joins several super-midsize Embraer Praetor 600s that Flexjet has registered in Malta.
Flexjet Europe managing director Marine Eugene said the addition of the G650 enhances the company’s offering and helps it meet strong demand that has resulted in a 153 percent increase in fleet activity this year. With a range of nearly 11,500 kilometers (6,209 nm) and a top cruise speed of Mach 0.925, the G650 is “a significant investment that is a key milestone in our ambitious expansion plans,” Eugene added.
Testifying before a Senate transportation subcommittee yesterday, Helicopter Association International president James Viola expressed “grave concern” regarding the implementation of air-tour management plans developed by the FAA and the National Park Service covering flights over some 23 national parks. Viola said the strategy driving the draft plan “is to cut back flights to such a degree that it is no longer economically feasible for air-tour companies to stay in business” and that it ignores the future potential of quieter electric aircraft.
Viola also charged that the plan ignored safety issue input from the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group (NPOAG), which includes industry stakeholders. “Excluding critical stakeholders like the NPOAG in this process resulted in plans for the initial parks that contain clear safety concerns,” he said.
According to Viola, “The draft plan severely curtails the economic viability of the air tour industry by limiting flight allocations. To our knowledge, there have been no economic studies undertaken to determine the impact on the industry and broader aviation community. Air tours offer a low-impact approach to experiencing the beauty of our nation’s national parks. Additionally, air tours provide those with disabilities an opportunity to interact with the parks in ways they could not otherwise. Cutting air tours without regard to economic considerations will cripple a fragile industry trying to recover from the pandemic.”
A complete guide of what to expect when buying and managing private aircraft
Clearly there are tons of questions when considering or managing private aircraft. Nashville-based Chip McClure, founder of Jet Acquisitions, joins Stevens for a video panel discussion touching on virtually every aspect that should be considered when buying or upgrading private aircraft. Let’s shed some light on what to expect.
Since Hurricane Ian came ashore in Florida yesterday afternoon, it has left a trail of destruction in its wake as it churned across the state. The then-Category 4 storm, which made landfall near Punta Gorda, caused massive flooding and power outages for millions of residents, as well as possible scores of fatalities.
The reports from area airports are slowly trickling in. Naples Airport, which was inundated with flood water overnight, is now largely drained and has power. While the airport-operated FBO did not take on any water, airport director Chris Rozansky noted the same could not be said for numerous hangars and other buildings on the field. Staffers, some of whose own homes were flooded, are working to restore the fuel farm, which received several feet of water. “Our chief objective is to get the airport ready for emergency relief helicopter flights today in order to be a lifeline for the community in this time of great need,” Rozansky told AIN, adding he has no indication of when civilian fixed-wing activity might resume.
Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers is open and fully operational, according to Vincent Wolanin, chairman and founder of PrivateSky Aviation Services, the lone service provider on the field. The airport is a hub of rescue helicopter activity, and Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to land there today during a damage-assessment trip.
Tamarack Aerospace will offer full carbon sequestration for its customers’ carbon footprints under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) it signed with Yasava Solutions and its sister company Oxï-Zen.
The agreement covers Oxï-Zen’s carbon-balancing services, which instead of offsetting carbon emissions use carbon sequestration or absorption to match the carbon footprint of the emitter (aircraft operators) with the same amount of sequestration. The emitter can also select criteria for the type of converter, which “can include geolocation, type of carbon sink, and the convertor’s program to protect and enhance the carbon sink environment, [as well as] development of infrastructure in accordance with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals,” according to Tamarack. Data integrity is assured using blockchain technology.
Costs of Oxï-Zen carbon balancing depend on factors such as aircraft type, fuel usage, and carbon and fuel prices when the emitter signs up for the program. Tamarack views the collaboration with Oxï-Zen as helping potential customers elect to modify their aircraft with Tamarack’s eco-Smartwing load-alleviating active winglet technology.
“The aviation industry will not reach its goal of a net-zero carbon neutrality without meaningful collaborations like the new harmony between Tamarack and Oxï-Zen,” said Tamarack founder and CEO Nick Guida. “Our new MoU with Oxï-Zen is another example of how all of aviation can work together for a cleaner planet.”
The Air Charter Association (ACA) has partnered with 4Air to offer member companies sustainability support including carbon offsetting. The agreement between the two organizations enables members to immediately begin offsetting emissions.
Specifically, ACA members will have four offsetting options that start at the entry level and can be expanded as client demand increases. The offsetting options will support operators, FBOs, brokers, and the broader industry.
“With 4Air, we’ve put together a program that removes the difficult groundwork companies have to undertake when setting sustainability initiatives,” said Chris Mace, chair of ACA’s sustainability and innovation working group. “This scheme provides a clear roadmap for companies to carbon offset, without the hassle of researching the wide range of options available on the market.”
ACA unveiled the partnership with 4Air at its Air Charter Expo earlier this week at London Biggin Hill Airport, which was attended by a record 1,350 delegates and featured more than 90 exhibitors and 20 aircraft on static display.
The U.S. House yesterday overwhelmingly approved a bill to create a center that would help foster aviation and aerospace workforce development. Introduced by Rep. Andre Carson (D-Indiana), the National Center for the Advancement of Aviation Act of 2021, H.R.3482, would establish a private, tax-exempt organization to support development of aviation and aerospace education curricula and educators, promote employment opportunities in the industry, and support military personnel seeking to transition into aviation or aerospace careers.
In addition, the center would act as a central repository for economic data, safety data, and research related to the aviation and aerospace sectors. Further, it would serve as a forum for collaboration among stakeholders and may issue grants to organizations involved in education and training.
Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) president and CEO Eric Fanning called passage a “welcome step” and urged the Senate to quickly move on the bill or on similar legislation by Sen. James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma).
“With employee turnover rising, tough competition for talent, and more retirements on the horizon, the country needs holistic, creative, long-term solutions to our workforce challenges from both the industry and the government,” Fanning said.
True or false: you can only get the benefits of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) if it’s physically available at your airport.
A. True
B. False
Count on AIN for Full Coverage of NBAA-BACE
As ever, you can count on AIN for full coverage of NBAA-BACE 2022. Our team will publish three of our award-winning daily NBAA Convention News editions at the show on October 18, 19, and 20. 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.
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