AINalerts will not be published on Monday due to the Labor Day holiday in the U.S. Publication will resume on Tuesday, September 7.

Embraer Delivers Its 1,500th Business Jet

Embraer’s handover this week of a Phenom 300E to Switzerland-based Haute Aviation marks its 1,500th business jet delivery, the Brazilian airframer announced today. This milestone was accomplished in just two decades, besting the industry average of 34 years, according to the OEM, which assembles its Phenom light jets at a facility in Melbourne, Florida.

In all, Embraer has more than 950 customers operating its business jets in more than 80 countries. Its business jet unit has had an annual growth rate of 22 percent since the delivery of its first business jet in 2002. The company estimated that one in every four light and midsize business jet deliveries is an Embraer Phenom or Praetor.

Haute Aviation charters, brokers, and manages business jets and is based at Saanen-Gstaad Airport. “For Haute Aviation, the new Phenom 300E is the best product on the market to complete the range of our fleet,” said Haute head of marketing and communication Catherine Tamagni. “We believe the aircraft’s two engines will suit our passengers who prefer not to fly in a single-engine aircraft, as this allows for uncompromised range and payload performance.”

AINsight: Did We Get Caught Flatfooted?

The preowned business aircraft market is experiencing a supply versus demand ratio like we have possibly never seen. As people seek private travel as a safe haven during the pandemic, aircraft demand has soared while supply has dwindled.

During the emerging market phenomenon from 2003 through 2008, supply was also stressed, though buyers wanted only new or like-new aircraft. Today, buyers are seeking anything they can get their hands on, even including smaller, older airplanes.

What is critical is that you do not get swept up in the pace and be allowed to miss critical due diligence. There is no way that anyone should buy an airplane without a comprehensive pre-buy inspection, accept weak or missing records, and/or not have a proper purchase agreement.

Remember, this is not the Wild West even though it might seem like it. This is just a pandemic reality of the largest-ever number of first-time buyers coming into our market space.

How does one best protect themselves when entering this market? Use common sense. If it seems too perfect, it just might be. Aircraft transactions are expensive, so it’s important to do them correctly the first time. Make sure you are well represented and that whoever represents you can build a transaction with all the purchase tools needed to make good choices.

Bombardier Announces Dates for Safety Standdown 2021

After a virtual-only edition last year, Bombardier’s Safety Standdown will be held November 2 and 3 at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita, the Canadian airframer announced this week. The theme of this year’s milestone event, which is marking its 25th year, is “Learn, Apply, Share.”

Aimed at pilots, maintenance technicians, managers, cabin crew, other aviation professionals, and students, the safety seminar features general sessions and workshops led by industry safety experts. Bombardier said some of this year’s presenters will be new to the seminar. Additional details about the seminar are forthcoming, the company said.

The last in-person Safety Standdown, held over three days in 2019 in Fort Worth, attracted more than 500 attendees and featured nearly 50 workshops on topics such as controlled flight into terrain, hypoxia awareness, international operations, and predictability of maintenance errors.

For most of a quarter of a century, the standdown has been held in Wichita. It started as a safety program for Learjet demonstration pilots.

Sheltair Expanding at Rocky Mountain Airport

One year after opening its FBO terminal at Denver Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, Sheltair has broken ground on a new hangar with attached office space. The $10 million project will provide a second 30,240-sq-ft hangar that will mirror an existing building.  

To be equipped with a 210-foot-wide and 28.6-foot-high door, the hangar will be able to accommodate the latest generation of large-cabin business jets, including the Gulfstream G650 and Bombardier Global 6500. In addition, the new facilities will include 6,000 sq ft of office space for tenants, as well as 16 covered and 94 total auto parking spaces.

Sheltair said the new hangar facilities will help it to meet the busy tenant and transient traffic that has come with the strengthening economy in the region.

As it broke ground on the hangar project, Sheltair commemorated the one-year anniversary of its new FBO terminal at the Rocky Mountain airport. “As a third-generation family business committed to providing outstanding service, we are focused on our guests' experience,” said Sheltair president Lisa Holland.

Cirrus Opens Training, Innovation Centers

Cirrus Aircraft is expanding its services business with a new flight training facility at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona, where it will offer pilot training and full-service aircraft management starting in October. The company also opened two Cirrus Aircraft Innovation Centers—in Chandler, Arizona, and McKinney, Texas.

The innovation centers support the new product development team that is “responsible for advancing new technologies and designs for innovative product introductions,” according to Cirrus. The Chandler center focuses on avionics, electrical, and software, while all engineering disciplines are supported at the McKinney facility.

Scottsdale joins Cirrus's other training centers in Knoxville, Tennessee, which offers SR series and Vision Jet type rating training, and McKinney, which provides training and aircraft management services, as well as Dallas-Fort Worth.

“The Chandler and McKinney Innovation Centers add significant capabilities and further extend our capacity to fuel our ambitious product innovation plans,” said Pat Waddick, Cirrus's president of innovation and operations. “Additionally, our expansion efforts not only attract new talent to Cirrus Aircraft in great locations but generate jobs and economic growth within the local markets.”

Cirrus is recruiting new employees to support the expansion and at all of its other facilities, including Knoxville and the Duluth, Minnesota, and Grand Forks, North Dakota manufacturing centers.

Avflight Extends FBO Network with Plattsburgh Facility

Avflight has established its 24th FBO with the addition of a location at New York’s Plattsburgh International Airport (KPBG). Its new facility will serve upstate New York, southern Quebec, and Vermont and is proximate to popular leisure destinations such as Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks.

“The addition of Avflight Plattsburgh provides a key position for the Avflight Network in the Northeast,” said Avflight v-p of finance Garrett Hain. “This location serves as the ultimate gateway to thriving international businesses and leisure destinations throughout the region.” 

Avflight said it will establish its new FBO out of an existing facility at KPBG that include a 12,852-sq-ft heated hangar, two 10-bay T-hangars, more than 100,000 gallons of fuel storage, self-serve avgas pump, 200,000-sq-ft ramp, and 5,600-sq-ft FBO terminal building. Once updated, Avflight said the FBO will feature passenger and pilot lobbies, a flight-planning room, snooze room, and 12-person conference room.

The facility can accommodate any size of business jet and offers 24-hour fueling (jet-A and avgas), contract fuel, Avtrip rewards, U.S. Customs, aircraft parking, hangar space, ground handling, GPU/power cart, courtesy transportation, rental cars, catering, aircraft maintenance, weather service access, and concierge services.

Santa Clara Looks To Shutter Reid-Hillview Airport

Continuing the long-term battle over the future of Reid-Hillview Airport in San Jose, California, the Santa Clara County board of supervisors unanimously voted to take steps to shutter the airfield sooner than grant obligations currently permit and prohibit leaded aviation gasoline fueling there in the meantime.

The recent vote, which followed hours of debate, came on the heels of a report conducted by data science consulting firm Mountain Data Group that found higher blood lead levels in children who live closer to the airport. It also came despite an appeal from San Jose mayor Samuel Liccardo to proceed cautiously, fearing that premature closure would divert general aviation aircraft to other San Jose airports such as Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport.

In a letter to the board of supervisors, Liccardo expressed concern that such a move would push general aviation aircraft—and lead exposure—to more densely populated areas. But Liccardo also stressed he’s long been an advocate of closing the facility. 

Grant obligations would require that the airport remain open until 2031, but Reid-Hillview has had a lack of support from Santa Clara leadership for years. As for the leaded fuel concerns, Swift Fuels in August began delivery of its newly FAA-approved UL94 to the facility, a move advocates are hoping can help preserve its future.

Constant Partners with Western Tech for Mx Techs

Constant Aviation has partnered with Western Technical College of El Paso, Texas, as part of an effort to bolster the MRO provider’s workforce planning and recruiting. Under the partnership, Western Tech graduates will be able to transition to Constant Aviation, where they can earn their FAA certifications while working for the company.

The new partnership comes as demand for Cleveland-based Constant’s MRO services increases. This year, Constant has expanded its AOG mobile response network by more than 15 percent and is actively recruiting for positions such as avionics, maintenance, paint, and wire harness technicians.

“Western Tech’s curriculums are perfectly suited as a head start to our apprentice programs,” said Constant Aviation head of workforce development Jim Yarborough. “The quality instructors at Western Tech, the curriculum, and the program’s high standards lend themselves to creating skilled technicians with outstanding earnings potential in a meaningful career.”

Photo of the Week

Somewhere under the rainbow. JMComm chief pilot and communication/PR consultant Jeff Miller snapped this photo of his Mooney Acclaim Type S refueling in Goodland, Kansas, en route to Wichita. At about 5 p.m. on August 19 after rain showers passed through, “I wobbled out of the airplane after a bumpy ride and turned around to see it magically framed with a rainbow by the retreating storm,” he said. We assume Jeff clicked his heels three times before returning to home base in Sun Valley, Idaho.

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