Briefs from day 2

When Embraer’s Legacy 450 “mid-light”-cabin aircraft reaches market next year, the Brazilian manufacturer will have nearly achieved its ambitious goal set to have an aircraft in every market niche. The one exception remains the ultra-long-range niche that is filled or will be filled by aircraft such as Gulfstream’s G650 and Bombardier’s Global 7000/8000 program.

Marshall Aviation Services (MAS) based at Broughton, North Wales, and part of the Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, recently completed a significant avionics upgrade with the installation of a Garmin G1000 full glass cockpit aboard a Beechcraft King Air 300. The aircraft, for an undisclosed European operator, made its post-retrofit maiden flight on April 24, flying to Berne.

Luma Technologies’ Lumatech TM 45-station integrated LED caution warning display will be standard equipment on Nextant Aerospace’s King Air G90XT, which is scheduled for certification later this year. “Nextant and Luma have enjoyed a good working relationship since the beginning of the 400XTi program,” says Luma president Bruce Maxwell. “It’s a natural extension for them to carry the 400XTi’s reliable LED technology over to the G90XT.

Following a “fast and furious” 10 months from launch, Wheels Up’s membership program has expanded into three U.S. regions with a fleet of nearly 20 King Airs, and company founder Kenny Dichter expects to reach into other U.S. regions this year and Europe in early 2015. Dichter, the founder of the Marquis Jet membership program, formally unveiled plans for Wheels Up August 1 with an order for 105 King Air 350i and a vision of building a membership-based company that provide services for any private air travel need.

Honeywell has named the first business aviation customer for its JetWave Wi-Fi connectivity system employing Jet ConneX, the Inmarsat Global Xpress–powered service. Honeywell has an MoU with Haitec Aircraft Maintenance to deliver the system for two ACJ319s operated by Tyrolean Jet Services, a Haitec customer. “Once it comes online in the first half of 2015, it will deliver passengers and operators fast, global inflight Wi-Fi across land and sea,” Honeywell says.

Pilatus Aircraft opened its order book here yesterday for the PC-24 utility jet, and by the end of the first day of EBACE had announced sales of 76. Every sale was proudly proclaimed on a scoreboard, and often named the customer as well. Launch customers included: Falcon Aviation Services, UAE: two PC-24s; Jetfly, Luxembourg: four aircraft; PlaneSense, USA: six PC-24s; Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (Western Operations): three plus an option for a fourth; and U-Haul International, USA: two.

EBAA CEO Fabio Gamba is upbeat that this year’s EBACE is reflecting signs that the business aviation market in European may be stabilizing. “It’s been a tough period,” he says, but he told Tuesday’s opening ceremony that “indicators point to 2014 being a year of positive rebound.” EBAA, working with NBAA here, is “trying to be proactive” in anticipation of an improving market, with more educational sessions and announcements on access, infrastructure, runway use, flight and duty time and more.