Business & Commercial Aviation

JetFuelX has launched a free jet fuel price management tool for aircraft owners and corporate flight departments.

OneJet, the start-up carrier that services small and medium-size markets using Hawker Beechcraft 400A business jets, has added Nashville, Tennessee as a new destination.

RIGA Business Aviation Center opened its new fixed base operation at Riga International Airport in Latvia Sept. 8, it said, which allows the FBO to handle 35% more aircraft. The company provides ground handling services for business aircraft, passengers and crews, with plans to expand its services and add maintenance, repair and overhaul services for business jets. That will contribute to the growth of the number of aircraft it handles. Its hangar is able to hold 12 to 14 business aircraft of all types, it said.

Textron Aviation’s eastern U.S. service facilities have received FAA certifications to expand their capabilities to provide service and support for Beechcraft King Air, Cessna Citation and Hawker customers. Under the certifications, centers in Newburgh, New York, and Greensboro, North Carolina, are authorized to service King Air 90-, 200- and 300-series aircraft and Hawker 125-series jets.

John Tucker, a founder of Midcoast Aviation and one-time president of Butler Aviation, died Aug. 30. He was 82. A former U.S. Marine Corps aviator and St. Louis native, Tucker helped launch Midcoast in 1971 and served as its president and CEO for the next 20 years. Under his direction, the FBO and airport terminal service provider grew from 17 employees to 1700. He also served on the board of the National Air Transportation Association and received numerous awards from the aviation community. He was also a leader within the St. Louis business community.

The National Business Aviation Association says it is ready to follow up on a recommendation by the National Transportation Safety Board following a fatal runway overrun accident last year.

Teterboro Airport returned to the No. 1 positions on the lists of most popular departure and arrival airports for charter travel in August 2015, according to an investigation into Air Charter Guide Worldwide Trip Builder search queries submitted during the month.

Bombardier’s Wichita Learjet facility is seeking to take on outside work from third parties to diversify its business. It has also expanded its Wichita service center capabilities.

Night flying is very different from day flying and demands more attention of the pilot.

The business jet market is expected to reach nearly $21.07 billion this year, according to London-based Visiongain. Demand for business jets is growing because of a strengthening global economy and a rise in high net worth individuals. Several major business jet manufacturers offer a diverse portfolio of aircraft types with a broad range of performance and flight mission capabilities, Visiongain said.

Cessna Aircraft, the oldest member of the Textron Aviation family, is rebounding as a result of streamlined manufacturing processes, supply chain cost controls and expedited development of new products.

According to the Office of Inspector General, Jeffrey Krantz was charged and pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court, Hartford, Connecticut, to wire fraud for his role in the sale of counterfeit aircraft parts. Among other things, Krantz allegedly bought and sold obsolete electronic parts for use by commercial buyers and the U.S. military.

Aviation Partners has received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification for retrofitting its Split-Scimitar Winglet on BBJ aircraft. The approval was granted to Aviation Partners Boeing (APB), a joint venture between API and Boeing. The STC follows FAA approvals issued earlier this year. The Split-Scimitar Winglet is now standard equipment on new 737NG BBJ aircraft.

Cirrus Aircraft officials say the Vision SF50 personal jet is on track for certification by the end of this year. In the meantime, the company is adding a finishing and detail center in Duluth, Minnesota, and a new “Vision Center” in Knoxville, Tennessee, which will focus on training, deliveries, service, sales and marketing. In addition, the company is phasing in a new manufacturing system for the SF50 to take advantage of the benefits of robotics, which it calls the “Electronic Manufacturing Execution System.”

Redesign of the wing is the major driver behind a two-year delay in entry into service of the Bombardier Global 7000 long-range, large-cabin business aircraft, to the second half of 2018, says CEO Alain Bellemare.

Commercial aviation’s first touch screen primary flight displays have received FAA certification as standard equipment on Beechcraft King Airs. Textron Aviation now will begin deliveries of the King Air 250 turboprop equipped with Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics.

Van Nuys Airport (VNY) and Signature Flight Support hosted an open house celebrating the grand opening of the new 1,528-sq.-ft. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility. Since its opening on May 21, 2015, more than 75 international flights have been successfully cleared, providing direct benefits for business travelers, the local economy, and reducing airspace congestion in Southern California.

Michael Thacker, Textron Aviation senior vice president for engineering, says a team has been created to bring a turboprop to market a range of more than 1,500 nm, and cruise speed of over 280 kt.

FlightSafety International is building a full-flight simulator for King Air 350 aircraft for its Learning Center in Atlanta. The new FS1000 simulator will be equipped with the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion integrated avionics system. It is expected to enter service in early 2016. Training will include FlightSafety’s Operational DayFlow training methodology, which presents critical procedures and tasks according to the phase of flight.

​ U.K. air crash investigators probing the loss of a Saudi Arabian-registered Embraer Phenom 300 have found the aircraft touched down just 400 meters from the end of the runway before crashing into a car-auction business. All three passengers — who were members of the Bin Laden family — and the Jordanian-born pilot were killed in the accident at Blackbushe airfield, west of London, on July 31. In its interim report, published on Aug. 6, the U.K.

The Breitling Jet Team is performing aerobatic exhibitions using seven L-39 C Albatros jets made by AERO Vodochody Aerospace, a Czech Republic aerospace company. The team is on a U.S. and Canada tour visiting more than 20 cities. Watchmaker Breitling has worked with the Czech jets for almost a decade in showcases and display tours throughout Europe, Asia and Africa.

Vertis Aviation, based in Switzerland, has added a Doha, Qatar-based Bombardier Challenger 604 to its managed fleet of aircraft. The Challenger 604 is a new model for the company and complements the larger Boeing Business Jet managed by Vertis out of Dubai, the company said.

Gulfstream Aerospace reports the market for its business jets has been boosted by demand from major corporations companies seeking to replace their fleets. General Dynamics Chairman and CEO Phebe Novakovic says the sales pipeline for Gulfstream jets remains steady across all aircraft models. And the return of S&P 500 companies seeking to replenish aging fleets is especially encouraging.

Revenue totaled $1.12 billion for the quarter.

Swift Fuels said that its 94 MON, or motor-octane-number, aviation gasoline will be available in select regions in the U.S. and Canada. The unleaded fuel is FAA certified and meets ASTM standards for aviation gasoline, the company said. An estimated 40% of the nation’s aircraft fleet will be able to use the fuel. Many piston-engine aircraft requiring a minimum octane rating at or below 94 MON are eligible to buy the appropriate supplemental type certificates to use the fuel, the company said.