Rumors of the death of aircraft finance were greatly exaggerated. Aircraft finance is still around. Like everything else in the industry, aircraft finance has grown a little older, a little wiser and much more timid about taking risks.
Despite a serious five-year setback in helicopter sales during the latest recession, aviation forecasters are predicting a slow but steady growth starting this year and continuing through the coming decade. The Teal Group, a Fairfax, Va., research/analyst organization, reported in its August 2012 “World Military & Civil Aircraft Briefing” that while deliveries of civil helicopters fell 19% by value in 2008-2011, with a projected 6.6% drop when 2012 figures come in, it predicted 9,526 deliveries worth $53.5 billion to civil operators through 2021.
Whether and where to build a new plant is one of the issues that Cessna, Avic and the Chengdu city government are negotiating as they work toward agreeing on assembly of the Citation Sovereign business jet in China. The first Citation Sovereign delivery in China may not take place by year's end, as originally planned, says a person involved in the complex talks, which also include the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the FAA.
House lawmakers have drafted a bill to preserve funding slated to be cut from the contract air traffic control tower program. Reps. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) and Richard Hudson (R- N.C.) on April 10 introduced a bill, H.R.1432, the Air Traffic Control Tower Funding Restoration Act, designed to continue funding for the program. The bill would use unobligated funds within the current FAA budget to pay for the program.
For several years, optimists have been predicting that a recovery in the used business aircraft market was imminent. Conversely, skeptics believe that the huge inventory of previously owned airplanes will continue to depress prices. Could both be right? As spring began, the experts seemed divided.
True Blue Power received an FAR Part 25 STC for installation of the TS835 Series in Learjet 35/36 models and a Part 27 STC for installation in BK 117 and EC145 helicopters. The company amended a Part 23 Approved Model List STC to include more than 20 aircraft models, including the Beech King Air and Pilatus PC-12. The TS835 is now approved as a direct replacement for the J.E.T. PS-835 and PS-855 lead-acid batteries. The power supply uses the same rack, connector, wire harness and OFF/ARM/TEST switch.
Bell Helicopter obtained its 17th international approval of a 500-lb. weight increase for the Bell 429. The Indonesian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is the latest aviation authority to approve the increase, which boosts the helicopter's maximum gross weight to 7,500 lb. The approval validates the original Transport Canada OK. The hike provides operators increased payload, giving them the option of either carrying more fuel for increased range or carrying more passengers and equipment for specific mission requirements.
The Canadian Coast Guard has a requirement for up to 16 light helicopters, with the option of an additional four. The Canadian Department of Fisheries & Oceans, the umbrella agency for the Coast Guard, issued a tender for the aircraft on April 3. It is looking for procurement proposals by June. The Canadian Coast Guard currently operates a fleet of 22 helicopters including MBB Bo105s, Bell 206L LongRangers and Bell 212s.
Hangar Design and Supply Looking for help with your next hangar project? The NBAA 2012 Buyers Guide has a search function to point you to Hangar Sales, Design and Construction suppliers. Visit the NBAA website (www.nbaa.org), enter “Hangar Design” in the search bar and click. Check out suppliers that have experience with hangar designs that are similar to what you are looking for. Be sure to thoroughly check out all references. Hangars are a big investment and you want to find the most-qualified team to ensure that you get the best barn for your buck.
India is about to relax rules that have severely restricted the flexibility of business jets visiting or overflying that country. The application time for a landing permit will be reduced from seven working days to three, and for an overflight, from three days to one, according to local reports. “This is a huge benefit to the whole of the business aviation industry,” says Lex den Herder, divisional vice president for government and industry affairs at flight services company Universal Weather and Aviation.
Bell Helicopter unveiled a third-generation tiltrotor, the V-280 Valor as a candidate for the Joint Multi-Role/Future Vertical Lift Technology Demonstrator (JMR/TD), at the 2013 Army Aviation Association of America Forum and Exposition in Fort Worth, Texas. At the show, Bell officials said that the new design may also be a strong candidate for commercial applications, although the version presented has a very “Army-centric” feature set.
The FAA's proposed fiscal 2014 budget of $15.6 billion cuts $351 million from fiscal 2012's actual level largely by trimming airport grants, a move that failed in recent years — and leaving the fate of 149 contract control towers in limbo. The budget, released April 10 by the Obama administration, includes $9.7 billion for operations, $2.8 billion for facilities and equipment (F&E), $166 million for research and development, and $2.9 billion for the Airport and Airway Trust Fund-backed Airport Improvement Program (AIP).
Breitling's new Bentley Light Body Midnight Carbon watch is issued in a 1,000 piece worldwide limited edition. Beneath its all-black exterior is a light and sturdy titanium chassis featuring a highly resistant carbon-based coating. The dashboard-style dial displays two exclusive Breitling technical features highlighted by red-trimmed indications. The “30-second chronograph” system with its central hand sweeping around the dial in half a minute instead of the customary 60 seconds, provides highly accurate 1/8th of a second readings.
“Ambulatory Care” (Viewpoint, March 2013) is very timely with aircraft going longer and longer. It reminds me of my early days as a junior copilot with Pan Am on DC-6s and 7s — especially the Africa trips. We would depart Lisbon, Spain, headed for Johannesburg and as the junior pilot — we had three pilots and two engineers — I got bunk time first and during daylight. Naturally, you couldn't sleep as you came in the night before from the U.S.
FAA said it will delay the closure of all 149 federal contract air traffic control towers until June 15. March 22, the FAA announced it would eliminate funding for these towers as part of the agency's required $637 million budget cuts under sequestration. A phased, four-week closure process was scheduled to begin April 7. Now, the FAA will close the facilities June 15 unless the airports decide to continue operations as a nonfederal contract tower.
Sporting an analog computer, 1,500 mi. of wire and enough electricity to light a city block, Flight Safety Inc., new Grumman Gulfstream simulator recently went into operation training and upgrading pilots of many Gulfstream-owning corporations. The simulator took one year to build with the combined talent and knowledge of Link, Grumman and Atlantic Aviation. It costs almost as much as a flying Gulfstream and weighs nearly half as much.
The Model 560 Citation family is the fastest and farthest flying group of light jets built by Cessna under the original Citation 500 type certificate. The Citation V was first to arrive in 1988, followed by the Citation Ultra in 1994 with slightly more thrust, then the Citation Encore in 2001 and finally the Citation Encore+ in 2007 through early 2010.
Many of us have been ingrained with the idea that whenever an approach or landing starts going awry, the right thing to do is to go around. But the fact is that sometimes that's not the safest action.
Are you nuts? iPad airplanes!?! (“Who's Up Front?” February 2013, page 9) That would be a terrorist's dream and a national security nightmare (I assume you've heard of computer hackers). Having logged over 14,000 hr. in military fighters, airline jumbos and corporate jets, it's a fact that a computer will never replace a pilot, his judgment, his experience and his ability to adjust to a changing environment and emergencies in a passenger-carrying aircraft. I hope you live long enough to be the first volunteer on the maiden flight.
The Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE2013), which opened April 16 at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, was on pace to draw at least the same if not more attendees as last year's event as we go to press. ABACE returned in 2012 after a five-year hiatus, drawing 6,375 attendees, nearly triple the 2,200 who attended the previous event in 2007. The attendance, which exceeded expectations, underscored the rapid growth of business aviation in the region. This year, early registrations appear to be slightly ahead of last year's event.
When the office phone rings, I grab it (my secretary left to fetch a Cobb salad for lunch one day in 1997 and has yet to return) and brace just a bit since there's no telling what will follow. Most frequently, it's the executive editor reminding me gently about something I've failed to do; or a writer looking for guidance, deadline relief or payment; maybe some PR person looking for ink; or it could be one of those maddening robo calls telling me not to worry, my credit is fine, but. . . .
Cessna offered early retirement to employees 55 years of age and over who are not involved in aircraft production. According to a company spokeswoman, Cessna does not have a target number for the voluntary retirements, but rather is seeking to decrease indirect costs, overall. Voluntary retirees had until April 12 to apply.
Nick Nelson (Interlaken Capital Aviation Services Inc. )
Thanks for all the great ideas in “Tips on Scheduling International Trips” (January 2013, page 38). It was packed with info that's helped me quite a bit as I transition from a fractional jet company dispatcher to FAR Part 91 flight coordinator. Over the past few months I've come to learn that Part 91 ops are a whole different animal and information like this really helps out “rookies” like me. I'm looking forward to future articles. Interlaken Capital Aviation Services Inc.
Beechcraft Corporation announced that it has appointed Cutter Aviation in Phoenix and Flying Colours Corp. in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, as authorized service centers (ASCs) for the company's King Air, Baron and Bonanza products.
