Cessna Citation Longitude crosses the pond for European debut

Textron Aviation displayed its new super-midsize Cessna Citation Longitude for the first time in Europe at EBACE in Geneva.

The aircraft - the fourth to join the test program - is the first flying test aircraft with a fully fitted interior and is being used to evaluate systems related to the overall passenger experience and technologies in the cabin.

Citation Longitude arrives at EBACE

“We are confident that the Citation Longitude will set the new standard in business aviation with its incredible cabin comfort, low operating costs, long maintenance intervals and combination of speed and range,” said Rob Scholl, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing. “Throughout the flight-test program our test pilots have been reporting that the Longitude is the best flying Citation to date. Now, with this full interior test aircraft, we’re able to showcase its class-leading and incredibly quiet cabin experience.”

With four aircraft flying in the Longitude test program, the company has tested various systems and technologies throughout the last eight months including avionics, stability, handling and cabin technologies.

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Denali poised to redefine segment as first test articles come to life

Textron Aviation has outlined the status of development of its new high-performance Cessna Denali single-engine turboprop, as the program begins fabrication of the first test articles.

The clean-sheet Denali will incorporate the latest technology and is being designed to outperform its competition in capability, pilot interface, cabin experience and ownership costs. Powered by GE’s advanced turboprop engine, the Denali will offer single-lever power and propeller control to ease pilot workload, a feature currently not offered in this class of aircraft.

Since the Denali was unveiled at Oshkosh last summer, program engineers have started fabrication of the first static and fatigue test articles and initiated testing with the fuel system iron bird test article.

“This is an exciting time in the Denali program as this aircraft is now coming to life through the production of the first test articles,” said Brad Thress, senior vice president, Engineering.

“The level of attention that goes into this phase of development results in a highly mature product in later stages of the development program, ultimately allowing us to deliver customers a best-in-class aircraft.”

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IBAC announces initial IS-BAH Stage II registrations

The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) has formally announced the initial Stage II registrations for the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS- BAH), the global code of best safety practices.

The announcement confirms the first Stage II registrations issued in May 2017 to Sky Valet of Cannes-Mandelieu, France; SRC Aviation, New Delhi, India; and TAG Farnborough Airport, Farnborough, UK.

All three organisations have successfully shown that the systems, processes and procedures assessed at Stage I are maturing and continue dynamically to improve safety performance within their ground handling activities.

“Our congratulations go out to the respective management and teams at Sky Valet, SRC Aviation and TAG Farnborough Airport for their continued support and dedication to the IS-BAH programme," said Terry Yeomans, IS-BAH Programme Director.

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NBAA

NBAA concerned and disappointed by President's budget proposal

National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen expressed concern over budget-planning details released last week by the White House, showing the Trump administration’s apparent commitment to privatizing the nation’s air traffic control (ATC) system.

“For several years, NBAA has said the public airspace belongs to the American public and should serve all Americans,” Bolen said. “The president’s budget takes the public’s elected representatives out of the equation and leaves it to a private board to ensure the public’s interest is being well served. We are troubled and concerned by this proposal and will review it closely as the legislative process moves forward.”

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FAI accepts Gold Award for Safety from EBAA on 40th anniversary

FAI rent-a-jet Aktiengesellschaft (dba Flight Ambulance Intl.) has been awarded the prestigious 2017 Gold Safety of Flight Award by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) during the EBACE Convention’s 40th annual event in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Gold Award is awarded to member companies operating business aircraft for forty years or 80,000 hours without an accident.

Receiving the award from Brian Humphries, EBAA President at a special EBACE Awards Luncheon, FAI Chairman Siegfried Axtmann said: “We are absolutely delighted and proud to receive this fine endorsement from EBAA. It is an excellent achievement for the company. Safety is our number one priority at FAI and we pride ourselves on offering only the highest standards of safety across our entire operation for the benefit of our customers. I congratulate members of our dedicated workforce on this achievement as their tireless efforts have greatly contributed to our success.”

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Acropolis Aviation selects CFM LEAP-1A engine for new ACJ320neo

Acropolis Aviation has announced that its new Airbus ACJ320neo aircraft will be powered by CFM International’s LEAP-1A engines.

The seven-year-old VIP charter operator, based at Farnborough Airport, UK, with a complementary sales office in Florida, USA, became launch customer for the ACJ320neo when it signed an order with Airbus in May 2015, the same month the LEAP-1A engine completed its maiden flight on the new model. Delivery of the aircraft is scheduled to take place during the fourth quarter of 2018.

Acropolis’ flagship ACJ319 G-NOAH, is equipped with CFM56 engines.

Announcing the decision, CEO of Acropolis Aviation, Jonathan Bousfield said: “We’ve experienced many years of ‘happy motoring’ with the CFM powerplant on board G-NOAH, which we introduced to revenue service in 2010. Their worldwide support network has been very important for our long and fruitful relationship with CFM International and in our mind this is the superior engine for our next Airbus. We look forward to benefitting from the increased efficiency the LEAP-1A engine can offer.”

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A completion contract for a VVIP completion of an Airbus ACJ320neo has been awarded by Acropolis Aviation, to AMAC Aerospace’s headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.

This will be the first Airbus A320neo delivered by Airbus Corporate Jets for VVIP configuration.

The launch customer for the ACJ320neo, Acropolis Aviation, is enhancing its bespoke aviation services with the addition of this VVIP aircraft. Building on the success of its existing Airbus ACJ319, the ACJ320neo will provide additional range via new high-efficiency engines and the addition of drag-reducing sharklets.

Acropolis Aviation, based at Farnborough Airport, UK, selected the well-known design studio Alberto Pinto for the bespoke interior design of its ACJ320neo last May 2016, also coinciding with EBACE. The green delivered aircraft will enter AMAC’s hangar doors in Q4, 2018 and will be returned to service to Acropolis Aviation in VVIP configuration in Q4, 2019.

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Women in Corporate Aviation awards new TAG Aviation Training scholarship

Women in Corporate Aviation awarded an inaugural TAG Global Training scholarship to Beth Walker at EBACE in Geneva last week.

As the scholarship winner, Walker will receive a week's training at TAG Global Training in the UK and will earn her EASA Cabin Crew Attestation.

Debbie Elliott, Manager TAG Global Training said: "I am really pleased that we have had this opportunity to work within the Women in Corporate Aviation’s network of cabin crew and pilots for our inaugural scholarship programme. This award will give the winner an opportunity to apply to work within Europe as the holder of an accepted training qualification. Due to the success, we have been contacted by another recognised body that would like us to extend this offer to their members, which we hope to promote in the coming months."

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Down-Route surpasses 100 registered operators

Down-Route, the unique expenses management and hotel booking platform for the business aviation industry, celebrated a milestone at EBACE, having reached 100 registered operators using its ground breaking platform.

Down-Route is free to use and provides operators with a live expenses management mobile App for travelling crews, which can be managed from a company’s finance department via a web portal.

The App also provides a comprehensive and adaptable hotel booking facility which offers hotel rooms at a discounted rate.

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EBACE

Air Hamburg becomes launch customer for Legacy 650E

Embraer has announced that Germany-based charter operator Air Hamburg is the launch customer for the new Legacy 650E.

Air Hamburg will expand its Embraer business jet fleet with an additional order for three new Legacy 650E. The contract has a value of $77.7m, based on current list prices, and will be included in the Company’s 2017 second-quarter backlog. The aircraft fleet delivery is scheduled for the third quarter of this year.

“We are very pleased with this new order from Air Hamburg, which will further propel their growth through exceptional operational costs and a superior customer experience with the Legacy 650E’s unique three-zone cabin and abundance of amenities,” said Michael Amalfitano, President & CEO, Embraer Executive Jets. “The Legacy 650E’s unmatched value proposition results in the productivity and efficiency sought by global charter operators and corporate flight departments.”

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Waves Technologies selects Cessna Grand Caravan EX to launch new UK-based air taxi service

Textron Aviation announced during EBACE that it has secured an order from Waves Technologies Ltd for a Cessna Grand Caravan EX utility turboprop.

The aircraft is expected to deliver in the coming months and will support the launch of Waves’ new on-demand, user-driven air taxi service for the U.K. Channel Islands.

“We are thrilled Waves has chosen the robust Grand Caravan EX platform to launch this exciting new air taxi service,” said Tom Perry, vice president of Sales, Europe. “We are confident that the Grand Caravan EX will provide Waves and its customers a dependable and comfortable experience with the aircraft’s ability to land on short runways, carry high payloads and take on nearly any mission with efficiency and simplicity.”

Waves Technologies Ltd is redefining the air taxi service with innovative technologies and customer-driven insight.

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VistaJet abolishes positioning fees

VistaJet has announced that it has abolished hourly ferry flight fees for new Program customers globally.

Uniquely in the industry, the commitment applies no matter where in the world a customer is flying to or from. The move signals a significant commitment to VistaJet’s mission to be the first operator to offer a truly global service. Its customers now have complete freedom when booking, without bearing the burden of paying a ferry flight hourly rate for an aircraft to return to a home base or service area, and enjoying truly transparent pricing.

VistaJet Chairman and Founder, Thomas Flohr

Positioning fees have traditionally been a frustrating and unexpected cost for business aviation clients. Currently, most companies in the sector make their customers pay for the cost of returning the empty plane to its home airport or service area after a flight is completed. Depending on location, this can add tens of thousands to the overall cost of a flight. For example, if a customer stepped onboard a London based aircraft towards Australia, the cost of returning the aircraft to its home base could add more than $100,000 to the overall cost of the journey.

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Hendell Aviation and Fly7 ‘SET’ on European expansion

Buoyed by EASA’s approval to allow single-engine turboprops to fly commercially in IFR conditions and at night, two leading Pilatus PC-12 operators, Hendell Aviation of Finland and Fly7 of Switzerland, were at EBACE to share their experience with operators and meet with European airports.

Top of the agenda is a potential UK base, which Hendell Aviation has identified as ripe for commercial operations, within the next six months. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has no issue with the plans, according to Hendell Chairman Matti Auterinen.

Yves Roch, CEO of Fly7 (left) and Hendell Chairman, Matti Auterinen at EBACE.

“Our aim is to create a bridge between Switzerland, France and the UK,” he said, noting this new EASA ruling is the passport to broadening its reach. “Considering Finland has a population of just five million people opportunities are somewhat limited in our home market,” he asserts. Matti combines his role at Hendell with flying the Airbus A350 for Finnair, but creating a new industry with single engine turboprops is his great passion.

Originally signing an exclusive agreement to work together in 2015, Hendell Aviation and Fly7 are now doing more business together. Fly7’s CEO Yves Roch and Hendell’s Matti first met in Lausanne when Matti undertook type rating and ground course training on the PC-12. From that point on, they agreed to look for opportunities to pool resources to offer management and operations expertise to PC-12 owners. Since last year, Hendell’s CEO Mikael Lees, who is also heavily engaged in EASA work, has been based in Lausanne and runs Operations and CAMO services for Fly7.

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Air BP and RocketRoute launch digital suite of business aviation services under ‘RocketRoute’ brand

Air BP and RocketRoute, the European based aviation services company, underlined their commitment to the business and general aviation market with the launch of a new and enhanced RocketRoute app that takes the service offering beyond fuel and flight planning.

The new RocketRoute app will enable pilots to connect directly with thousands of ground handlers, FBOs and aviation providers worldwide. In just seconds business and light aviation customers can easily source and view any service provider at a particular airport. Users then simply select the services they require and complete their order.

RocketRoute actively engaged with a wide range of leading service suppliers at EBACE wanting to build their own ‘direct-to’ relationship with pilots and operators in order to promote their brand and business. This includes permit arrangers, inflight caterers, security, ground transport providers, hotels, insurance, customs and more.

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TAG Aviation expands its Mobile Repair Team operations in partnership with Polar Aviation

TAG Aviation has expanded its Mobile Repair Team (MRT) operations following a new collaboration with Polar Aviation of Finland.

The new partnership will enable a MRT to be dispatched to clients within hours of any reported AOG issue anywhere in Europe as well as other Western countries, including Russia.

Clients can now benefit from the joint resources of highly trained and skilled technicians with extensive maintenance experience being able to expediently diagnose and rectify faults for any kind of aircraft maintained by TAG and Polar Aviation wherever maintenance support is needed and, importantly, assist an aircraft out of base to reduce the time a plane is grounded.

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Paula Kraft to open professional flight attendant training institute Business aviation inflight catering icon and award-winning BlueSky columnist, Paula Kraft, has been recommended as a subject matter expert by NBAA to the board of International Standard for Business Aircraft Handlers (IS-BAH) for a three-year term. As regular readers will know, Paula is founder and President of Atlanta, GA-based Tastefully Yours Catering. IS-BAH follows the long-established format and structure of the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) program and is a global industry code of best practices for business aviation ground handlers based on a core Safety Management System (SMS). Paula is looking forward to opening the first comprehensive professional flight attendant training school in the world, called DaVinci Inflight Training Institute, at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport in Florida. She was in Geneva last week to meet with potential complementary partners during EBACE. The brand new 6,500 square foot facility is undergoing final construction and will be open for tours and classes this summer. read more Catering

Lufthansa Technik starts ETSO certification for its Induction Cooking Platform

Lufthansa Technik has commenced the ETSO (European Technical Standard Order) process for their Induction Cooking Platform.

The series of numerous and complex tests starts in August, 2017, bringing the option of preparing food freshly on board within reach.

The unique Induction Cooking Platform offers several advantages for preparing fresh food on board. Depending on the customer's catering requirements, the on-board chef can use a pan, toaster or pot to prepare a culinary masterpiece. The multiple capabilities ensure effective workflows to meet the minimal work space available in typical aircraft galleys. Cooking smells are eliminated with the integrated fume hood and odor filter system. A smart pot containment system both covers and holds the applications securely in place during all phases of preparation and cooking - in particular during turbulence.

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Industry study warns of looming skills shortage in business aviation

Is there a critical skills shortage looming in the business aviation sector?

A recently-published study by Korn Ferry Hay Group finds that the industry needs to be prepared for such a shortage and already to begin taking remedial action. Korn Ferry Hay Group undertook the study with the support of Booz Allen Hamilton on behalf of the European Business Aviation Association.

“This study is an advance warning that we need to raise awareness among our members and in the wider industry and find ways to attract more talent to the sector,” says EBAA CEO Brandon Mitchener. “This includes developing a compelling brand proposition for the sector, concerted talent marketing activities, initiatives to attract more women, and a sector-wide information plan.”

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Buoyant BACA means business at EBACE

BACA - the Air Charter Association - returned to EBACE this year with an even greater presence and ambitious plans for the three day event.

Spearheaded by Chairman Richard Mumford and a team from the Council, BACA came to EBACE boasting the highest numbers of members the Association has ever known and a busy program of events for 2017.

At the beginning of 2017 the number of BACA members stood at 225; the highest in BACA's history and continues to rise. A breakdown of the membership shows that Brokers make up 39% of the membership, aircraft operators account for 29% with the remaining 32% being airports, OEMs, service industries and suppliers.

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