Gulfstream Aerospace, Inc., Savannah, Ga., expanded the role of commercial sales representative Prestige Jet to handle Gulfstream aircraft transactions in France, Italy and Switzerland.
Citation Mustang is the most successful very light in history. More than 440 have been built since 2006, but production rates now have dropped to about 12 aircraft per year because of slack demand. However, the aircraft remains an ideal entry-level twin turbofan aircraft because it's easy to fly, safe, reliable and well supported by Cessna.
According to business aviation consultant Brian Foley, the number of used jets up for sale is descending to normal levels, or about 15% of total fleet. He told delegates to SpeedNews “18th Annual Regional and Business Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference” conference held last month in Phoenix, Ariz., that the number of unsold new aircraft — i.e. “white tails” — is also down. Those facts, coupled with a steady rise in business jet operations around the world and a better global economy, should lead to greater business jet sales, he said.
Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer has been in Beijing, China, opening an office that will work to support trade opportunities for the U.S. city's aviation industry. “There are a lot of opportunities for us to be able to sell a lot of planes in China,” Brewer said. “We need to be in the game of international trade, and this trip reflects our dedication to helping Wichita companies expand their export opportunities.” The Beijing office is a pilot project initially budgeted at $300,000-$500,000 and funded by private sponsors.
A little more than a decade ago, then Chicago Mayor Richard Daley shocked the aviation community and his own city by ordering backhoes out to Meigs Field (CGX) in the dark of night to carve giant Xs, measuring two-foot-deep, along the close-in airport's 3,899-ft. runway. That March 31, 2003, assault destroyed the 55-year-old general aviation airport and took place without warning to the FAA, the FBO (Signature Flight Support) and the owners of about 16 aircraft temporarily stranded there.
International aviation insurance underwriter USAIG has introduced Performance Vector PLUS, an “individual good experience program” that returns up to 15% of premiums and more to operators who avoid losses while meeting prescribed safety standards. Customers can earn “good experience returns” when they achieve any of three safety standards during a policy year while also avoiding loss claims. Each standard met earns a 5% “good experience” return.
APG Avionics and Sandel have announced an agreement for APG Avionics to install more than 30 units of Sandel's HeliTAWS on helicopters being flown for the United Nations. Effective Dec. 1, 2013, the U.N. mandated all helicopters flying under its flag to install helicopter terrain awareness and ground-proximity warning systems. In order for these Russian Mi-8 helicopters to comply, they must be equipped with the Sandel ST3400H. APG will provide installations for the systems by year-end.
EQ-1 Wireless Communications, Spokane Wash., now has available the EQ-Reverse Link wireless system, which is comprised of two modules. The Reverse Link module is designed to accept input from conventional wired general aviation headset apparatus (either 2-plug GA style of single-plug helicopter style). The module is worn on the user's person and makes a wireless connection with the EQ-Link module that is plugged into the aircraft's intercom system. The system uses 2.4 Ghz TDMA protocol wireless technology instead of Bluetooth technology.
True Blue Power, Wichita, Kan., is determined to reverse all the bad press surrounding lithium-ion batteries with its new low-weight, high-power-density technology for general and business aviation. “Every pound is worth a lot,” says Todd Winter, True Blue Power's president and CEO. A division of the Mid-Continent Instrument Co., True Blue is offering two main battery options to fixed- and rotary-wing turbine operators.
Luma Technologies, Bellevue, Wash., introduced new Luma Tech LED products for King Airs and Beechjet 400s, including annunciator panels and a master caution system. The annunciator panels for the King Air family include a 45-stations variant tailored to the C90A and such newer models as the C90GT, C90GTI and C90GTx, Luma says. The new unit is designated LT-4545 and is a one-for-one drop-in replacement for the existing incandescent annunciators.
BizJet International, a Tulsa, Okla.-based subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik, was to begin work this month on a Boeing Business Jet completion, its second for a Chinese customer. Earlier it delivered its a BBJ to Chinese Nanshan Group — the first private BBJ delivered to the Chinese market. Meanwhile, in Germany, the parent firm will shortly finalize its cabin installation work on two VIP completion projects from undisclosed customers in its Hamburg hangars.
International Bureau of Aviation, Surrey, U.K., announced that Ken Sewell has joined the group as head of Aircraft Transactions responsible for aircraft remarketing and associated transaction management across IBA's managed portfolio.
Aspen Avionics, Albuquerque, N.M., announced the election of Dr. John B. “Jack” Mowell as chairman of the board. Dr. Mowell, a Tallahassee, Fla., resident, is a diversified business executive in the fields of aviation, the life sciences, and oil and gas.
You could almost hear a collective gulp within the business aviation community last August when a U.S. Bankruptcy Court ordered Chapter 7 liquidation of Avantair, the Clearwater, Fla.-based fractional aircraft ownership program.
Signature Flight Support says it's the exclusive FBO launch partner for Aircell's Gogo Cloud, permitting a complete and automatic update of inflight entertainment content, “all without any intervention from the flight crew.” Orlando, Dulles and Las Vegas are already equipped, “and approximately 15 key business and resort Signature locations are expected to be live by the end of 2014,” Signature said. “We are continually introducing exclusive technology and innovation,” said Signature Flight Support President and COO Maria Sastre.
Beechcraft, Wichita, named John Kearns regional sales director for the Central and West Texas region. Kearns formerly spent 15 years with Tulsa Beechcraft and is a former Beechcraft sales distributor in Tulsa. Patrick O'Connell was named regional sales director for the Upper Midwest region. He served as a demonstration pilot for Beechcraft for the past 6 years.
Constant Aviation, Cleveland, Ohio, announced the John Wasmund has joined the company as avionics sales manager. Lance Lajara was named regional sales manager responsible for selling maintenance, avionics, interior modifications/refurbishments, arts and composite/accessory services for customers based in the Central U.S.
A Beechcraft King Air 100 piloted by a well-experienced captain crashed on Oct. 27, 2011, about a half mile short of Runway 26L at Vancouver International Airport. Observers said the airplane simply spun out on short final from a position 300 ft. above the ground. Both pilots were killed and all seven passengers were seriously injured by the impact and subsequent fire.
Dr. Perry Inhofe, the son of Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), was killed Nov. 10 when the Mitsubishi MU-2B-25 he was piloting crashed on approach to Tulsa, Okla., International Airport. The 52-year-old orthopedic surgeon was the only person aboard. The aircraft, which Dr. Inhofe had recently acquired, was en route from Salina, Kan., when the accident occurred. Weather was not believed to be a factor. However, initial reports indicated the aircraft lost an engine in flight, and NTSB did find the left engine propeller in the feathered position.
These graphs are designed to illustrate the performance of the Learjet 75 under a variety of range, payload, speed and density altitude conditions. Do not use these data for flight planning purposes because they are gross approximations of actual aircraft performance. Time and Fuel Versus Distance This graph shows the relationship between distance flown, block time and fuel consumption for the Learjet 75 at Mach 0.77 long-range cruise and Mach 0.78 high-speed cruise. Both profiles assume FL 430 to FL 470 cruise altitudes.
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association has elected Boeing Business Jets President Steve Taylor as its 2014 chairman. In addition, Hartzell Propeller President Joe Brown becomes vice chairman and will continue serving as chairman of the Policy and Legal Issues Committee. The board also elected Aviall President and CEO Ed Dolanski to chair the Environment Committee, John Uczekaj to chair the Flight Operations Committee and Piper Aircraft President and CEO Simon Caldicott to head the Safety and Accident Investigation Committee.
In a new strategic alliance with Houston-based Starbase Jet, China's largest business jet operator, Deer Jet, is shifting seven of its aircraft to the U.S. to fly in the charter market there. The U.S.-registered jets will be operated by Starbase Jet and will be available for hire, with a particular emphasis on serving Chinese customers traveling within the United States. “The U.S. is China's most important business aviation market,” says Deer Jet chairman Xu Xin, “and this new venture is an investment in our expansion there.”
2002—Steven F. Santo, an attorney, pilot and former prosecutor, conceives Avantair, a fractional aircraft ownership program based solely on the Piaggio P180 Avanti turboprop. Service launches following year. 2005 – Having moved from New Jersey to Clearwater, Fla., Avantair operates 16 Avantis for 100 shareowners and announces plans to add another 20 aircraft within a year. The publicly traded firm adds charter card program. 2008 — Employs some 400 people; takes delivery of its 50th P180; announces 58 more Avanti IIs on order.
The SJ30 light jet, now known as the SyberJet, and which is undergoing significant improvements, was launched by Ed Swearingen back in the 1980s. The prototype first flew 22 years ago. Over the decades it's had a variety of names — mighty Gulfstream briefly promoted it as the “Gulfjet” before withdrawing from the program — and owners, including Swearingen Aircraft, the Jaffe Group, Sino Swearingen and Emivest, all of which either lost interest or came to financial grief, with the last named actually going bankrupt in 2010.
