International Business and Private Aviation Industry News
 United States: 73% of US bizav fleet ready for ADS-B mandate deadline With six months to go before the ADS-B equipage mandate deadline, an updated report this week from FlightAware reports that 73 percent of the US registered business aircraft fleet has been equipped. Of the 17,958 currently registered aircraft, 4,784 (27 percent) have not yet been modified. Leaders amongst models with the highest rate of compliance are: Cirrus Vision SF50 (99 percent); HondaJet (95 percent); Dassault Falcon 7X (94 percent); and Embraer Legacy 600/650 (91 percent). Lowest is the Gulfstream III with 17 of the 44 registered aircraft modified (39 percent).
United States: More Gulfstream in-service-aircraft approved for added safety and efficiency features G650ER, G650, G500, G550, G280, G450 certified for touchdown and rollout using EFVS. Gulfstream has announced its flagship Gulfstream G650ER as well as the G650, G550 and G450 now have US FAA approval for touchdown and rollout using an Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS). These aircraft join the company’s new large-cabin Gulfstream G500, which was certified for this operational capability in December 2018, along with the super-midsize G280, which was authorized for this feature in April 2019. Gulfstream’s other new large-cabin aircraft, the G600, will be certified for touchdown and rollout using an EFVS after the aircraft receives its type certification, which is expected in late June. “This authorization provides the capability for nearly 1,500 in-service Gulfstream aircraft to increase their operational efficiency and safety,” said Colin Miller, senior vice president, Innovation, Engineering and Flight, Gulfstream. “EFVS greatly reduces the possibility of runway incidents, puts aircraft and passengers on the ground faster and saves fuel.”
India: GKN Aerospace’s JV in India to manufacture wiring systems for Pilatus PC-24 GKN Aerospace's Indian Joint Venture, Fokker Elmo SASMOS Interconnection Systems Ltd (FE-SIL), in Bangalore has been awarded a contract to manufacture electrical wiring interconnection systems (EWIS) for the Pilatus PC-24. The multi-million dollar contract is another milestone in the business relationship between GKN Aerospace’s FE-SIL and Pilatus Aircraft Ltd that currently includes the company providing wiring systems for the PC-21 and PC-7 MkII. Activities in Bangalore to start the production for PC24 EWIS involve more than 30 highly skilled operators in India. This number will grow after further production ramp-up.
Royal Flying Doctor Service PC-24
 Ashley Bowen Cook, vice president at Greteman Group, a marketing communications agency based in Wichita, the Air Capital. Nothing sucks productivity out of a workday like back-to-back meetings. We’ve been focusing on how to get the most out of our time together, while reducing our actual meeting time. We’ve found these simple suggestions to be the most helpful. On Time and On Track Start and end your meeting as planned. Don’t wait for people to wander in, get coffee and settle down. Circulate an agenda prior to the meeting and stick to it. If something is off topic, put it in the “parking lot” to discuss if there’s time at the end of the meeting or to be followed up on later.
Quickly going over the agenda at the outset helps squash discussions that don’t go anywhere and grandstanders who hog the stage. We don’t go as far as racing legend Niki Lauda, who preferred to hold meetings without chairs, though we understand the wisdom of his focused, don’t-let-people-get-too-comfortable approach. As the meeting organizer, let the agenda and the clock be your guide. Put a hard stop on your meeting and reconvene later if you need to. You probably don’t.
Paris Air Show: CAE presents its first CAE Women in Flight ambassadors CAE announced the names of the first three winners of its 2019 CAE Women in Flight scholarship program during the International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget. CAE’s new Women in Flight ambassadors will help drive awareness and promote the pilot profession among women, as well as diversity in aviation. “We look forward to accompanying our new ambassadors, from their early days in training to the beginning of their journey as professional pilots with our airline partners,” said Nick Leontidis, CAE’s Group President, Civil Aviation Training Solutions. “This ground-breaking scholarship program is a catalyst for more diversity in the cockpit, and we congratulate the winners as they pave the way for a new generation of pilots. We thank all applicants of this first edition and wish them much success in reaching their dreams of becoming pilots.” Over the next decade, CAE expects the civil aviation industry to need over 300,000 new pilots. With women currently representing less than 5% of pilots, CAE is taking a proactive approach to promote a better gender balance and tap into a wider pool of talent.
United States: SAVCOM provides new standard for secure bizav communications SAVCOM, LLC has announced a new communications service for business aviation operators and the companies that support them. SAVCOM (Secure Aviation Communication), provides a communications platform allowing 256-bit end-to-end “We founded SAVCOM on the common sense belief that business aviation operators, flying expensive equipment with very important passengers and typically representing very large Hamilton explained that communications methods and open systems used every day by the general public, such as cellular voice, SMS text, email, and free-to-the-public chat apps are not secure. This is especially true of foreign telecom data and voice telephony services, public Wi-Fi and the vulnerability of personal devices that are susceptible to viruses and malware.
Universal Avionics  Bob Sanchez Bob Sanchez has been appointed to the newly created position of Director of Government Business Development for Universal Avionics. In his new position, Bob will oversee the efforts to promote UA’s commercial products to government customers worldwide. Bob joined UA in March 2014 as Program Development Manager for Military and Government. His experience and broad range of knowledge has been instrumental in the company’s continued growth in this market segment over the past 5 years. Prior to joining UA, Bob served 11 years in the US Air Force as an avionics flight test engineer, later working with BAE Systems and as a consultant to the military and NASA. |
 United Kingdom: Heathrow reveals masterplan for expansion with launch of its largest consultation London Heathrow Airport launched its 12-week statutory consultation on expansion on Tuesday (18th June), the latest milestone in delivering the critical national infrastructure project, as the preferred masterplan for the project is unveiled. The Airport Expansion Consultation runs from 18th June until 13th September 2019 and gives the public the opportunity to provide feedback on Heathrow’s proposals for the future layout of the airport, including the new runway and other airport infrastructure such as terminals and road access. The public will also be able to have their say on plans to manage the environmental impacts of expansion, including a proposed Heathrow Ultra Low Emissions Zone, Heathrow Vehicle Access Charge and a proposed 6.5-hour ban on scheduled night flights.
The Airport Expansion Consultation also reveals plans for the airport’s growth in phases - from runway opening in approximately 2026, to the end masterplan in approximately 2050.
Paris Air Show: Daher TBM 940 debuts at Paris Air Show Daher is showcasing the TBM 940 at the 2019 Paris Air Show (June 17-23) following the start-up of deliveries for this newest member of its very fast turboprop aircraft product line.
Featuring an increased level of automation to reduce the pilot’s workload and optimize performance and safety, the TBM 940 incorporates an automated throttle and an automated icing detection system - both of which are installed for the first time on a standard production turboprop aircraft weighing less than 12,500 lbs. (5.7 metric tons). Their integration in the aircraft further builds on Daher’s TBM e-copilot strategy of introducing functionality for improved operational safety on the TBM product line.
Iron Maiden: Inside Ed Force OneThis week we offer another chance to see Liz Moscrop's film of Iron Maiden lead singer, Bruce Dickinson, taking delivery of the new Boeing 747-400, 'Ed Force One' at Cardiff Airport, UK.
Dickinson, a fully qualified commercial pilot, captained Ed Force One during the band's 70-date, 6-month 2016 'Book of Souls' world tour.
France: This month Jetex Paris Le Bourget celebrates 10 years of its first fixed based operator at Paris Airshow. Founded in 2005, Jetex quickly expanded to open its first FBO in 2009 at Paris Le Bourget, securing the largest market share at the airport. The launch of the Le Bourget FBO marked an opportunity for Jetex to expand its service offering, exceptional customer service and to become a market leader in the private aviation industry.
Jetex Le Bourget. Adel Mardini, CEO of Jetex says, “It is an extremely exciting and proud time for us to be celebrating 10 years since the launch of our first fixed based operator at Jetex. Since 2010, the number of flights handled by Jetex has passed 9,000 per year and I attribute this success to the dedication of our talented and hardworking team. "
Switzerland: Air Service Basel triumphs during Art Basel 2019 The Air Service Basel team rolled out the red carpet for traffic headed to the city for its annual international art fair: Art Basel from 10–16 June. This year, the FBO saw a record 10-times the average daily movements on the first day of the show to kick off the festivities. And still the operation’s handling agents never missed a beat. Air Service Basel supported guests with high-end services and efficient support for the duration of the event with the utmost consideration for customer care, receiving glowing customer feedback:
Air Service Basel FBO saw a record 10-times the average daily movements on the first day of Art Basel 2019. “In 34 years of flying, I cannot recall seeing a more efficient team effort,” remarked a captain on the show’s fourth day. “All the more remarkable due to the very busy day . . . absolutely first class service.”
Paris Air Show: UA presents new fly-by-sight concept with Interactive-SVS Universal Avionics (UA), an Elbit Systems Company, is showcasing its unique Interactive-Synthetic Vision System (i-SVS) during the 2019 Paris Air Show. The innovative operator’s sight-control concept allows pilots to easily select entities on the company’s conformal SkyLens Head-Wearable Display (HWD), sending it directly to the InSight Display System.
SkyLens and InSight are both critical components for safety in today's aircraft and reliance on them by the operator varies during the phases of flight. Integrating the two technologies enables the pilot to have the key information required, right when it’s needed, all presented super-positioned on the real world.
United States: Van Nuys recognizes Clay Lacy with Friendly Flyer Award for seventh consecutive year Clay Lacy Aviation has been honored as a legacy recipient of the Friendly Flyer Award from Los Angeles World Airports. The Award recognizes jet operators with the highest levels of compliance with the Quiet Departure Program, Van Nuys Airport’s voluntary noise reduction initiative, over and above mandatory noise regulations. Clay Lacy is a legacy winner, having earned this distinction every year since the award was instituted in 2012.
(L to R): Lauren Padick, Councilwoman Nury Martinez Office; Flora Margheritis, Van Nuys Airport Manager; Veriar Collins-Jenkins, Clay Lacy VP Charter Services; Laura Hockemeyer, Clay Lacy Marketing Manager; Lea Gonzales, Congressman Tony Cardenas Office; Kendrick Okuda, Director, LAWA Environmental Programs Group. “We are delighted to be a legacy winner of this award,” said Veriar Collins-Jenkins, VP Charter Services, Clay Lacy Aviation. “We also salute our fellow winners who share our commitment to reducing noise levels, benefiting Van Nuys and other cities near the airport.”
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 United Kingdom: Avia Solutions Group to acquire Chapman Freeborn New group forcasts €1bn revenue in 2019. Avia Solutions Group has entered into an agreement to acquire 100 per cent of the shareholding in UK-headquartered Chapman Freeborn Group - a worldwide market leader for aircraft charter solutions. The acquisition agreement was signed in London on June 14th. The addition of Chapman Freeborn’s worldwide businesses will bolster the current portfolio of Avia Solutions Group - a global holding company with 42 subsidiaries engaged in aircraft maintenance, pilot training, ground handling & fuelling, aviation IT solutions and business aviation. As part of the Group, Chapman Freeborn will maintain its existing product portfolio and continue to operate under the group’s existing brands - including subsidiaries Chapman Freeborn Airchartering, Chapman Freeborn OBC, Intradco Cargo Services, Logik Logistics, Magma Aviation, and Wings 24.
United Kingdom: Oriens Aviation is offering three delivery positions on the PC-24 Super Versatile Jet, hard on the heels of Pilatus Aircraft Ltd re-opening its orderbook last month, coinciding with EBACE 2019. Oriens, the exclusive UK and Ireland sales distributor and Authorised Pilatus Centre, headquartered at London Biggin Hill Airport, has already sold one of the three positions.
Prospective customers still have an opportunity to order and fully customise the next available positions, the first of which is in July 2020. The second available delivery slot is in mid-2021. Oriens’ first PC-24 has been sold to a private UK customer, an existing PC-12 operator, Oriens Aviation CEO Edwin Brenninkmeyer confirmed. “Customers interested in the other two are encouraged to commit with deposits and spec their interiors in good time.”
 Paula Kraft, founder of Atlanta's Tastefully Yours Catering and the DaVinci Inflight Training Institute in Fort Lauderdale. As the temperature warms and the days become longer, there is a huge upsurge in lighter foods for the aircraft…especially salads. Do away with your thoughts of the larger-than-life portions of proteins, starchy carbs and vegetables covered in rich sauces that filled us to overflowing during the winter months; think about fruit and vegetable gardens full of color. Instantly you physically feel lighter, right?
Your passengers and crews are requesting not only entrée salads, but appetizer style salads, non-meat salads . . . some even filled with the sweetness of fruits, nuts, berries and cheeses; to a lighter dessert salad containing a lavish array of fruits, nuts, berries with possibly a rich balsamic sauce, a light yogurt sauce, or a honey sauce - any of which could be a stand-alone entrée if desired. Personally, I feel as though we’re stuck on the grilled chicken salad. Even reinvented presentations leave us with a grilled chicken Caesar. I’ve heard all the reasons why schedulers and crews still order this salad, even if they are tired of the same old thing; it’s easy, it’s basic, everyone can make one, and it contains very little to dislike when placed in front of a passenger. The time to step beyond is now.
United Kingdom: Luxury FBO operator intros enhanced services at its London Stansted Airport Diamond Hangar home. XJet, the luxury FBO operator at London Stansted Airport, continues to revolutionise the private aviation industry with its vision of what a truly world-class FBO can provide for its clientele with the roll out of its new ‘tailored branding’ service. The company has introduced an immersive experience at its London Stansted FBO which can be tailored to a client’s specific requirements (ideal for car launches; financial road shows; music and sports tours). From tickets to boarding passes to luggage tags and inside its executive lounges, operators and charter brokers can opt to have their brand’s logo, corporate colours and décor featured as and where they choose. Boarding passes and tickets are also now available in electronic form, in line with XJet’s commitment to sustainability. “The system allows us to carry out direct electronic online filing of GAR’s; all flight handling paperwork; load sheets; branded boarding passes and luggage tags, plus a few additional options,” noted XJet General Manager Paul Forster, architect of the new solution. Australia: Leading aircraft charter specialist, Air Charter Service, is continuing its commitment to investing in Australia, with the expansion of its Sydney operation. After opening its doors for the first time three years ago, ACS Australia has tripled in size, and the move is necessary to facilitate the planned future growth. Paul Crook, CEO of ACS Australia, said of the move: “As we plan to continue to invest in our operations in the region it became clear we needed more room - this new office affords us almost twice the floorspace of the last premises, with enough room for expansion for the foreseeable future. " We are looking to recruit more aviation specialists to our team in the second half of this year. Last year we almost doubled the size of our team and they all hit the ground running, as we were up 32% in charter numbers and we are going well so far this year. “The Australian economy presents its own challenges, but it is pretty robust at the moment - the country has the 13th-largest national economy by nominal GDP and, in 2018, Australia became the country with the largest median wealth per adult. Along with this, we believe that, due to the country’s geography, there is a large potential charter market for us to build on. “We haven’t moved far from our old office - we are just a street away from our original home. It is an exciting time for ACS Australia.”
Industry task force issues report on jet fuel contamination Chess Dynamics launches counter drone systems for airports EmbraerX unveils new flying vehicle concept for future urban air mobility First group of aircraft brokers approved for IADA certification The Incredible Edible Egg Paula Kraft, founder of Atlanta's Tastefully Yours Catering.
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ExecuJet adds Discovery Safaris as second Tours & Safaris partner
ExecuJet, part of the Luxaviation Group, has announced the addition of Discovery Safaris as a new partner for the company’s ExecuJet Tours & Safaris service.
ExecuJet Tours & Safaris offers a range of tailormade safari itineraries with private aircraft flights and transfers. Discovery Safaris will add to ExecuJet’s existing ultra-luxury offering, with privately guided fly-in safaris, authentic bush living and immersive wildlife adventures. Safaris can be arranged anywhere across Africa, with the option to follow wildlife to different regions as they move or migrate.
Gavin Kiggen, Vice President Africa, ExecuJet, says: “We’re delighted to add Discovery Safaris as a partner to our new ExecuJet Tours & Safaris service, bringing the raw beauty of untapped Africa and a strong conservational focus to our itineraries. Discovery Safaris exhibits exemplary safety and service standards, which we are proud and confident to extend to our clients as they explore Africa by private aircraft.”
Deon Kruger, professional pilot, wildlife guide and owner of Discovery Safaris, says: “Our family-run safaris have been designed and guided through every month and season. We pride ourselves on a fully immersive outdoor lifestyle - grilling freshly caught tiger fish and bream from the Okavango and Zambezi Rivers; watching herds of zebra and wildebeest graze over breakfast; or seeking lions, leopards, elephants, cheetahs and more on horseback, in open-top vehicles or from the air. If you’re passionate about preserving our natural heritage, understanding the environment and learning about wildlife from experienced professionals, Discovery Safaris is for you.”
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