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BlueSky Business Aviation News | 31st October 2024 | Issue #770

Features Icarus Jet WINGX Lilium

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Your essential weekly digest of International Business and Private Aviation Industry news

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Las Vegas, Nevada:

NBAA-BACE: "Boundless enthusiasm and opportunities"

The National Business Aviation Association concluded an electrifying week at its 2024 Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), bringing together the industry’s top names, latest innovations and biggest news, ushering in the next era of aviation.

“Business aviation is transforming with new technologies and bold ideas,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “NBAA-BACE celebrated all our industry is today, and how we are shaping the future.”

Headline-making moments defined the show from the very start. At the opening keynote, FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker unveiled a long-awaited regulatory framework for electric air taxis and other advanced air mobility (AAM) operations. Immediately after the keynote, Whitaker signed the SFAR (Special Federal Aviation Regulation) surrounded by the CEOs and leaders of top AAM companies.

Along with the FAA’s historic news, NBAA-BACE hosted a slate of major announcements, including Bombardier’s planned production of the all-new Global Express 8000 and Textron Aviation’s unveiling of its new line Gen3 of Cessna Citation M2, CJ3 and CJ4 aircraft. The upgraded CJ4 is equipped with the Garmin G3000 PRIME all-touchscreen flight deck, released in time for the show.

At the convention, Wheels Up touted a $300m fleet modernization with acquisitions of Embraer Phenom 300 and Bombardier Challenger 300/350 jets.

NBAA-BACE: "Boundless enthusiasm and opportunities"

The exhibit hall was packed with more than 800 of the industry’s leading companies showcasing the latest aircraft, avionics and propulsion technologies. Bombardier displayed its prototype small-scale demonstrator aircraft, the EcoJet, which uses revolutionary blended wing body designs and other technologies that could reduce business jet emissions by 50%.

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Melbourne, Florida:

Eve announces $50m bank loan to support eVTOL development

Eve Air Mobility, a global electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer and services provider, has announced a $50m loan from Citibank N.A. The funding, which will strengthen Eve's balance sheet, will support the company’s aircraft research and development program.

With this additional loan, Eve's 2Q24 pro-forma liquidity increases to ~$480m, when combined with recently announced $95.6m in equity financing from a diverse group of global industrial companies and financial investors in July 2024.

Eve also recently announced a new $88m credit line agreement with Brazil’s National Development Bank (BNDES) to fund the development of the company’s aircraft production facility in Taubaté, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.

Eve announces $50m bank loan to support eVTOL development

“Eve continues to attract new investors, a sign of the continued confidence in our strategic plan, strong customer interest in our eVTOL aircraft, services, operations solutions and our Vector urban air traffic management software solution,” said Eduardo Couto, chief financial officer at Eve Air Mobility.

“The bank loan, along with existing cash and credit lines, ensures that Eve remains well capitalized with a comfortable balance sheet and with one of the highest cash runways in the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry. We are continuing to advance in the development and manufacturing of our eVTOL.”

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United States and UAE:

MySky launches Scheduler platform to enhance Part 91 operations

MySky, the leading spend management platform powering business aviation, has announced the launch of MySky Scheduler, a state-of-the-art aircraft scheduling tool designed to meet the unique needs of Part 91 operators, without disrupting those focused on Part 135.

The move comes following MySky’s recent acquisition of Satcom Direct’s scheduling platform, which has been seamlessly integrated into the MySky ecosystem.

Under MySky’s management, Scheduler will integrate with various avionics manufacturers, automatically pulling post-flight data from their onboard FMS (flight management systems).

This eliminates the need for manual postflight data entry, increases operational efficiency and ensures greater accuracy, freeing up time for users to work on more strategic tasks.

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New York City:

Atlantic Aviation preps Manhattan heliport for eVTOLs

Atlantic Aviation has extended its concession agreement with New York City’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the City of New York for operations at the East 34th Street Heliport for the next five years.

Located on Manhattan’s East River waterfront, Atlantic Aviation’s facility provides support for helicopter operations in and around New York City and serves as a key facility to handle flights for the adjacent NYU Langone Health Center.

In keeping with NYCEDC’s mission of delivering sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city's future economy, Atlantic will soon begin a project to upgrade utility infrastructure and install charging stations at the heliport to support electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operations.

Atlantic Aviation preps Manhattan heliport for eVTOLs

This project will include a utility upgrade and expects to facilitate technology-agnostic eVTOL operations from the site via the installation of both Combined Charging System (CCS) and Global Electric Aviation Charging System (GEACS) charging solutions.

Atlantic is actively working with partners BETA Technologies, Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, and others to understand aircraft needs and adapt the site for eVTOL operations.

The project will ensure that all certified and site-compliant eVTOL aircraft can land at the heliport and is expected to be completed in time to align with early eVTOL aircraft entry into service dates.

“Atlantic Aviation is firmly committed to continuing our position as the leader in innovation and sustainability within the business aviation industry,” said John Redcay, Chief Commercial and Sustainability Officer at Atlantic Aviation.

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Las Vegas, Nevada:

Supernal and Clay Lacy partner to prepare FBO network for eVTOL ops

Initial focus on Southern California to align with Supernal’s 2028 entry into service.

Supernal LLC - Hyundai Motor Group’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company - and Clay Lacy Aviation announced a partnership at 2024 NBAA-BACE to prepare Clay Lacy’s FBO locations for electric vertical and take-off landing (eVTOL) operations.
This marks Supernal’s first official FBO partnership, which will benefit future operators of the company’s eVTOL vehicles.

As part of the five-year partnership, Supernal and Clay Lacy will develop end-to-end operational plans for integrating AAM into existing airport infrastructure, with a focus on developing standards and procedures for ground handling, MRO and battery management. Supernal will also support Clay Lacy’s work to integrate sufficient power and charging infrastructure for electric aviation.

Initially, the partnership will focus on two of Clay Lacy’s FBO locations: SNA (Orange County) and VNY (Van Nuys), which aligns with Supernal’s Southern California launch plans. In subsequent phases, the companies will apply their best practices and learnings to prepare Clay Lacy’s broader FBO network for AAM.

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People

FCG OPS

Thomas Smith

Thomas Smith

As Latvia-headquartered FCG OPS expands its global presence with a strategic entry into the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, the company has announced the appointment of Thomas Smith as a Business Development Manager in APAC.

With an extensive background in aviation sales and charter services, Thomas Smith will play a crucial role in expanding FCG OPS's presence and client base across APAC, strengthening the company’s reach and capabilities in the new market.

Throughout his career, Thomas has been focused on the APAC region, establishing a strong network of industry contacts, and building a reputation within the business aviation sector.

In his new role, Thomas will be responsible for introducing FCG OPS range of services to clients across the APAC region.

These services include Outsourced OCC, International Trip Support, Ground Handling Network, and Fuel Services, designed to meet all the requirement and specific needs of our customers. By expanding FCG OPS's footprint in this region, Thomas will ensure that clients in APAC have seamless access to the company’s tailored solutions.

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WINGX Global Market Tracker:

Substantial lift in US operations as elections reach conclusion

  WINGX Global Market Tracker
In Week 43 (21st to 27th October), there were 75,421 business jet flights operated globally, 1% fewer than the previous week, a 4% uplift on Week 43 2023.

According to WINGX's weekly Global Market Tracker published today, the Week 43 gains are well above the year-to-date trend, 1% below last year. Growth in Week 43 also reversed a negative trend in the first half of the month, with the full month tending towards 2% deficit compared to October last year.

By operator type, Aircraft Management fleets were busiest, slightly off YOY whereas global Charter, Fractional and Private operations were all well up YOY.

North America

Week 43 saw 55,471 business jet sectors flown from airports in North America, 6% up YOY and only 1,000 fewer flights than peak week 26. In the last 10 weeks only 3 weeks have seen a YOY increase, two consecutively in the second half of October.

By State, Florida was the busiest, just under 10% of national activity, 4% down on last year. In contrast, Texas, California and New Jersey saw strong activity, well up on Week 43 last year. In California the W43 activity tended towards larger cabin jets; entry level, very light and light jets saw year on year decline.

Last week, Las Vegas hosted the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, Henderson airport (KHND) played host to the static display, almost 800 bizjet departures so far this month, 1% fewer than last year, the year-to-date trend on par with last year.

full report


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Opinion

What a Trump or Harris win could mean for business aviation

By Kevin Singh, President and Founder of Icarus Jet.

  Kevin Singh

Private aviation is at a fork in the road. From the surging private jet market to environmental and economic headwinds, US political leaders - including Presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris - will likely have vastly different impacts on this industry.

Here’s a breakdown that we put together alongside Icarus Jet’s in-house market research team of some of the key areas in aviation and how different policies could shape their future.

1. Private jet charter

Private jet charter has experienced serious growth, mainly from post-pandemic demand for flexibility. Deliveries of business jets are forecast to continue higher in the next decade at a steady pace, supported by Honeywell’s latest Global Business Aviation Outlook, with 8,500 new jets potentially coming through at a value of about $280bn.

However, the policy set by the new administration might seriously affect the charter market:

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Miami, Florida:

Jet Aviation breaks ground on new FBO at Opa-Locka

Jet Aviation announced has broken ground at its new FBO and hangar facility at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport. The facility will feature two large, private use hangars, and on-site US Customs and Border Protection.

Jet Aviation breaks ground on new FBO at Opa-Locka

The 27-acre facility will be situated on the west side of the airfield and feature a newly-constructed 8,500 square-foot FBO that will be Silver LEED certified, a ramp totaling 540,000 square feet that is able to accommodate large-cabin business jets, and a 4,800 square-foot space for dedicated on-site US Customs and Border Protection.

In addition, two 20,000 square-foot, private use hangars, each with hangar office support, will be constructed. The hangars have capacity for multiple large cabin and ultra-long range business jets and will benefit from handling through the Jet Aviation FBO.

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London:

JETMS wins major contract for aircraft interior refurbishments at London Biggin Hill Airport

JETMS, a resident company at London Biggin Hill Airport, is taking on a significant refurbishment project, the interiors for the first two of four Airbus A380 aircraft for Global Airlines, Britain’s new transatlantic carrier.

JETMS wins major contract for aircraft interior refurbishments at London Biggin Hill Airport

The project will see JETMS lead the refurbishment programme for Global Airlines as it gears up towards its first commercial operations in 2025.

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Bembridge: UK:

Guyana start-up acquires first Islander

Xen Aviation & Services Limited, a start-up domestic operator based in Georgetown Guyana, has finalised a deal to acquire its first Britten-Norman turbine powered Islander.

An artistic representation of Xen Aviation's aircraft livery on the BN2T-4S Islander.

The aircraft will be used by Xen Aviation to enhance regional connectivity and support its planned commuter services across the country.

The BN2T-4S, an enlarged turboprop variant of the renowned piston version of the Islander aircraft, will be the first operated in Guyana. The BN2T-4S boasts 30% more interior space compared with the piston variant, as well as having a significantly increased Maximum Take-Off Weight of up to 8,925 lbs (4,048 kg).

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Savannah, Georgia:

Gulfstream offers Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi for G650 and G650ER

Gulfstream has received FAA supplemental type certification to install Starlink high-speed internet on the award-winning G650 and G650ER.

“Starlink is an offering that we know is important to operators,” said Derek Zimmerman, president, Gulfstream Customer Support. “Our team has invested extensive time and resources preparing for this certification, and we are well-positioned across our service network to provide a seamless installation.

Gulfstream offers Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi for G650 and G650ER

Starlink gives passengers simultaneous access to a variety of in-flight services through its high-speed in-flight connectivity, which delivers latency less than 99 milliseconds and download speeds of 40-220 Mbps.

The company is currently pursuing similar supplemental type certificates from the FAA for the G800, G700, G600, G500, G400, G280, GIV, GIV-X, GV and GV-SP.


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Guest Article

Stormy weather - how turbulence occurs

Changing weather conditions across the globe can lead to increased likelihood of turbulence during a flight. Artemis Aerospace takes a reassuring look at how an aircraft copes with extreme conditions.

Stormy weather - how turbulence occurs

We’ve all been on a plane when the captain announces an area of possible turbulence ahead and asks everyone to buckle up for a bit.

More often than not passengers don’t really notice, but occasionally flying through a rough patch can be a bit alarming and, very rarely, quite frightening.

Earlier this year a Singapore Airlines Flight from London to Singapore made global headlines when it encountered severe turbulence, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Bangkok. Unfortunately, it resulted in 71 passengers being injured, some seriously, and one sadly passing away due to a heart attack. The plane had dropped dramatically and any untethered articles such as cutlery and crockery, handbags and mobile phones were thrown in all directions. Many passengers who weren’t wearing seatbelts at the time hit the ceiling sustaining head injuries, and the entire interior of the plane was badly damaged.

So, what is turbulence?

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Job Hunting?

Munich, Germany:

Lilium's German subsidiaries to file for insolvency

Follows German parliament´s Budget Committee not approving a loan guarantee that was a condition precedent to a private fundraise.

Leading electric aircraft manufacturer and pioneer in Regional Air Mobility (RAM), Lilium N.V., has announced that its principal German subsidiaries will apply for self-administration proceedings in the next few days with the competent court in Germany.

This follows a lengthy and complex government approval process for a loan from KfW, which failed in the Budget Committee of the German parliament.

Lilium’s international competition is receiving grants and loans in the US, France, China, Brazil, and the UK. Therefore, German government support was seen by Lilium investors as critical to retain market confidence and potential future investment.

Lilium's German subsidiaries to file for insolvency

“Our plan was to obtain shareholder investment in a new funding round anchored by a German government backed loan of €100m,” Lilium CEO Klaus Roewe said. “We had already conditionally secured additional private capital to complement the KfW loan. However, the Budget Committee was unable to agree on the loan and Bavaria couldn’t do it alone.”

German government support of the KfW loan was a closing condition to already committed private funding and without this support Lilium was left with no alternative but to cause the principal German subsidiaries to file for self-administration.

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Switzerland:

AXIS Aviation enhances Crew AXIS app with AI assistant

AXIS Aviation has unveilled its own AI function, designed to support pilots and crew with instant access to safety information from within its Crew AXIS app.

All relevant documentation, including flight operation and avionics manuals, is stored within Crew AXIS. Now integrated with an AI-powered search assistant, Direct To, users can ask any question related to the contents of their manual library and receive descriptive answers, as well as page references.

The in-app system was designed in partnership with a third-party provider and processes data from hundreds of pages of text stored in Crew AXIS, ensuring accuracy. It offers users an intuitive shortcut to accessing crucial flight information while saving time.

Kerstin Mumenthaler, managing director, AXIS Aviation Europe AG, says: “The launch of our own AI functionality will deliver new levels of efficiency for our pilots and crew. Users can simply ask any query related to their flight and receive accurate answers, backed by technical data. Our aim is to simplify the decision-making processes and drive efficiency.

“Our customers and partners are increasingly recognising the value of transparency in business aviation and AI is the natural next step in our path towards digital transformation.”

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London:

Muirhead Avionics / AMETEK MRO enhances skills base with ex-military employee focus

Muirhead Avionics/AMETEK MRO is one of the largest specialist avionics repair facilities in Europe and it specialises in the repair, overhaul and maintenance of complex OEM equipment for the global Airbus and Boeing fleets.

A robust and focused policy to employ ex-military personnel is proving to be a successful strategy in the pursuit of qualified and skilled avionics technicians to deliver the organisation’s services that are founded upon quality and precision.

Matthew Brookes, Operations Manager at Muirhead Avionics, explains that military training is the perfect foundation for a career in civil aviation avionics MRO: “Aircraft today use a combination of old and new technologies that are continuously evolving,” he says.

“Even military aircraft with upgraded weapons systems and radar may well use legacy primary flight instruments. So, one way to head off the impending labour shortage of aerospace skills in the UK is to bring in people who have been previously trained in the armed services in similar technical and responsible roles and have an ingrained attitude to learning.”

Lee Robinson, Askin Ekinci and Ethan Weaving at Muirhead Avionics.

Muirhead Avionics currently employs seven ex-military team members from the air force, army and navy of different nations.

Brookes goes on to say that their attention to detail, discipline, and ability to work under pressure are ideal requirements for the business as it strives the meet urgent turnaround times and sustain the highest quality standards.

“We encourage veterans about to leave the service to trust in their abilities – their skills can make a big impact. Be open to learning and adapting to a new environment - the commercial world offers great opportunities for growth and development.”

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China:

Air Charter Service’s Greater China offices thriving

The Greater China offices of leading aircraft charter specialist, Air Charter Service, have had a remarkable first nine months of the year, with both the Shanghai and Hong Kong offices having their best years ever, in terms of charter numbers.

Justin Bowman, Air Charter Service’s CEO commented: “This year has seen the growth plans that we put in place last year really start to pay dividends. Our revenue across the three offices has grown, most noticeably in Hong Kong - by 18% year-on-year. Charter numbers have also grown across the region - with our Shanghai office up by an incredible 40% so far in 2024.

“Last year we identified that we needed to better focus on targeting the second largest economy in the world, and so split our other Asia-Pacific operations from the Greater China market. Our leadership team of James Royds-Jones and Wanny Wu have together helped develop those plans and have managed our team of nearly 50 people in the region in achieving them.”

Wanny Wu and James Royds-Jones.

Wanny Wu and James Royds-Jones.

James Royds-Jones, Regional Director for ACS Greater China, commented: “We opened our first Greater China operation 16 years ago, here in Hong Kong and have grown our presence substantially in that time, to now include our two thriving Mainland China offices in Beijing and Shanghai.”

Wanny Wu, Deputy Regional Director, and head of the Mainland China offices, added: “We have been focussing on building the strongest and most experienced team here in Shanghai, and the expansion has obviously worked well, taking the Shanghai office to new heights over this past year.”

ACS


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Events

Prague, Czech Republic:

The ACA tackles European industry issues at Broker-Operator Forum in Prague

Leading global trade body, The Air Charter Association (The ACA), hosted its annual European Broker-Operator Forum on 16th October 2024 at The Grand Majestic Hotel in Prague.

More than 50 senior air charter professionals from over 15 countries across Europe shared their expert insight into current industry challenges and best practices. The event also made for the perfect opportunity to network and engage with members, many of whom were attending an ACA event for the first time.

The agenda featured a combination of panel discussions and interactive round table debates, with topics carefully curated based on The ACA’s member feedback.

The issues of fraud and cyber security were high on the agenda, as well as regulatory developments and broker-operator relationships.

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Stories you might have missed.

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And Finally

The Pilatus PC-12 was last year’s most flown business aircraft in the USA

The Swiss-Made PC-12 was last year’s most frequently flown business aircraft in the USA. Specifically, 316,328 takeoffs by the “World’s Greatest Single” were recorded between August 2023 and July 2024, representing 8.8 percent of all departures. Once again, this single-engine turboprop impresses with its versatility, safety, reliability and efficiency.

In business aviation, the USA is the world’s dominant market. 'AvBuyer' provides an overview of the most frequently flown business aircraft based on information from 'WingX Advance', the aviation industry data specialist. This overview reveals that the Pilatus PC-12 comes top of the list of most frequently flown business aircraft in the USA - with 316,328 takeoffs between August 2023 and July 2024.

The Pilatus PC-12 was last year’s most flown business aircraft in the USA

Market leader with a proven engine

Statistically, a good 70 of the world’s global fleet of over 2,000 PC-12s are in the air at any given time. In 2023 alone, Pilatus produced 101 PC-12s in the heart of Switzerland for delivery all over the world, including 48 for customers in the USA. The international PC-12 fleet has now completed well over ten million hours in the air and is used for a wide range of missions - including business travel, cargo transport, air ambulance and emergency services.

Launched in 2019, the latest version, the PC-12 NGX, is a state-of-the-art aircraft fitted with the safest turboprop engine available – the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6. Stastics show that this engine makes the PC-12 is one of the safest single-engine aircraft around. The PC-12 embodies Pilatus’s efforts in the area of sustainability and is capable of reaching destinations with comparatively low fuel consumption. The engine is certified for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), another benefit which contributes to safe, efficient flight.


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