Piaggio’s latest version of the Avanti turboprop twin, the EVO, was awarded European certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Dec. 9. U.S. certification from the FAA is expected within the next few weeks as well as Indian certification as the first two Avanti EVO aircraft will be delivered to Indian customers. The EVO has a number of significant modifications that boost efficiency, reduce operating costs, provide greater levels of comfort for passengers, and reduce internal and external noise.
Honeywell Aerospace scored two firsts for the region at the recent Middle East Business Aviation show in Dubai when it signed up construction and management giant Saudi Oger as the launch customer in the region for its Boeing Business Jet avionics maintenance plan, and an unnamed launch customer for its BBJ 131-9B auxiliary power unit maintenance plan. It also appointed Arab-owned, U.S.-based GDC Technics to retrofit its JetWave satellite communications system in Airbus and Boeing VIP aircraft.
Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) will invest more than $1 billion in research and development over the next 4 1/2 years to develop the next generation of high-performance aircraft engines, the company announced in early December. The investment includes a $300 million repayable contribution from the government of Canada under the Strategic Aerospace and Defense Initiative program.
Airbus Helicopters has delivered the 2nd Super Puma AS332 C1e to the Bolivian Air Force (FAB). At the end of 2013, the FAB purchased six of these light-medium helicopters to fight drug trafficking and perform civil security and public service missions throughout the country. The first helicopter was delivered in August of this year and the four remaining helicopters will be delivered between now and 2016.
Boeing has named David Longridge as president of Boeing Business Jets following the promotion of Capt. Steve Taylor to chief pilot of Boeing’s Flight Services unit. Longridge, a 21-year veteran of Boeing, most recently served as sales director based in the U.K., leading the British Airways, Finnair, Iberia and TUI accounts. He was previously a sales director for BBJ when the group was founded in 1996. Taylor leaves BBJ on a high note. While at BBJ, the organization sold 28 jetliners to be outfitted as VIP aircraft.
Louis Chenevert, the architect of the biggest aerospace and defense (A&D) acquisition ever and a driving force behind Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan (GTF) engine, has stepped down as chairman and CEO of United Technologies Corp. (UTC). Gregory J. Hayes, UTC’s chief financial officer, is replacing him as CEO. Edward A. Kangas, a member of UTC’s board, will become non-executive chairman. In an announcement before the stock market opened Nov.
FBO Winner Aviation is expanding its offerings by joining the Avfuel Corp. dealer network. As a result, Avfuel-branded programs — including Avtrip rewards and jet fuel-savings program Avfuel Contract Fuel — will be made available at Winner’s Ohio base at Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport. Winner this is incorporating Avfuel’s training and systems. To celebrate the partnership, Winner Aviation will offer triple Avtrip points on qualifying services through year-end.
In its report on the Inhofe MU-2-B accident, the NTSB points out that the airplane was not equipped, and was not required to be equipped, with any type of crash-resistant recorder.
Dassault rolled out its three-engine Falcon 8X on Dec. 17 at a special ceremony at its Bordeaux-Merignac production facility. The first flight will follow in the next few weeks. The 6,450-nm ultra-long-range jet is powered by improved Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307D engines, it will build on the strengths of the fast-selling Falcon 7X, adding 500 nm to that aircraft’s range and 3.5 ft. to its cabin length.
Signature Flight Support has signed an agreement to lease part of a new general aviation terminal at Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) in St. Maarten, as the company moves to upgrade its facilities and build up its presence in the Caribbean. SXM became Signature’s first location in the Caribbean when the company acquired the Arrindell Aviation Services facilities there in 2011.
The U.S. House passed the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 (H.R. 5771) on Dec. 3, renewing provisions to encourage capital investment. But the move only served to kick the can down the road, and not very far at that. Nevertheless, business aviation organizations see passage as a step forward. “NBAA applauds this action by the House to renew bonus depreciation and other tax incentives that encourage businesses to upgrade equipment and invest in assets such as aircraft,” National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen says.
Dassault Falcon Service plans to build a heavy maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport in southwestern France, adjacent to the Dassault Aviation manufacturing plant. The 7,200-sq.-meter facility will serve Falcon 7X, 8X and 5X large cabin aircraft. The six-bay facility is expected to open in mid-2016, in time to handle initial C Checks for the Falcon 7X, of which more than 230 are now in operation.
Cirrus added a second conforming-prototype Vision SF50 personal jet to the flight test program as the company progresses toward certification and delivery in late 2015. The second prototype, C1, first flew on Nov. 25 from Duluth, Minnesota. The flight occurred as the company was in the final stages of adding a third aircraft to the flight test program. The initial proof-of-concept single-jet Vision SF250 flew in July 2008, but the program gained momentum after Caiga, the general aviation manufacturing subsidiary of China’s AVIC, acquired Cirrus in 2011.
PAC Seating Systems has been selected by San Antonio cabin completion specialist GDC Technics to provide all seating products for two wide-body BBJ787 programs. The two BBJ787 contracts mark the first time the Palm City, Florida-based company has received a multiple aircraft order. It is the third BBJ787 seating order for PAC, and the company also has a fresh seating contract for a Boeing Business Jet.
Cessna’s grand plans for China have been scaled back considerably from those outlined at signing ceremonies with AVIC two years ago. But progress has been made: the first Cessna Caravan utility aircraft has been delivered from one joint venture; the first two Citation XLS+ business jets delivered from a second JV, based at Zhuhai, to Zhongheng Air Lines. The XLS+ aircraft were built, completed and licensed in Wichita, then flown to Zhuhai.
ExcelAire added another Gulfstream to its growing charter fleet, this one being a GIV-SP that can seat 18 passengers. Based at Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP) in New York, ExcelAire operates a range of light, medium, super-midsize and heavy jets. It is the anchor charter and management company for Hawthorne Global Aviation Services, which is a growing chain of fixed-base operations.
FAA is proposing a $160,000 civil penalty against aviation spare parts, support services and inventory products provider Parker Aerospace of Irvine, California. The agency alleges the facility violated drug and alcohol testing regulations, hiring two people for safety-sensitive positions before conducting pre-employment drug tests and receiving results. FAA further claims the company transferred an employee into a safety-sensitive position before conducting drug tests and receiving results. Parker has until late December to respond to the allegations.
Surf Air, the all-you-can-fly startup airline operating within California, hopes to launch similar operations in Texas and Florida within the next year, and wants to eventually begin near-hourly service between the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas, executives said in interviews. The airline, run by former Frontier Airlines CEO Jeff Potter, placed a firm order in August for 15 Pilatus PC-12 aircraft with 50 options. The first arrived last month, giving Surf Air a fleet of four aircraft, each with eight seats.
RUAG Aviation recently completed the first upgrade in Europe of a Falcon 2000 with Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics replacing the aircraft’s Pro Line 4 cockpit. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and FAA-approved upgrade is also available for the Falcon 2000EX. RUAG carried out the upgrade at its Lugano, Switzerland, facility during a 3C inspection, which was itself the first performed at that location.
