From the editors of Aviation International News

May 12, 2009
This issue sponsored by Honeywell and Gulfstream.

AIN Has You Covered at EBACE 2009
AINalerts is on site this week in Geneva, bringing you daily news from EBACE through Thursday. Also look for EBACE news updates on www.ainonline.com, and if you’re at the show be sure to pick up a print copy of EBACE Convention News each morning.

Emissions Trading Looms at EBACE Opening Session
Key officials from the European Commission and Eurocontrol joined EBAA chief executive Brian Humphries and NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen on the podium at this morning’s EBACE opening general session, followed by a ribbon-cutting with EBAA chairman Rodolfo Baviera. Humphries reiterated EBAA’s concerns about how European business aviation will be constrained by new regulatory efforts such as the emissions trading scheme (ETS) and “inappropriate blanket security proposals.” Business aviation access to the region’s airports is also affected by growing low-cost airline traffic that uses airports previously available to only general aviation aircraft. “The situation is as challenging as any we’ve ever seen,” he said. According to NBAA’s Bolen, “We’re very concerned [about ETS]. Business aviation did not receive the fair treatment it deserves.” Under the European ETS, a business aviation flight from Los Angeles to London would have to offset carbon emissions for the entire flight, not just the portion flown in Europe, which, he said, “is difficult for us to understand.” European Commission director of air transport Daniel Calleja said that ETS is coming in 2012. He added, “The Commission is willing to work with you. We need to find a workable system, and we are very keen to find a solution that takes into account the concerns of business aviation.”

Cessna’s Chief Sees Light at the End of the Tunnel
Cessna Aircraft chairman, president and CEO Jack Pelton said today at EBACE that he believes the worst is behind us in terms of the economy. As proof, he noted the rising stock market, improved consumer spending, housing market stabilization and the expectation that the gross domestic product will be positive in the third quarter. Historically, business aviation is correlated with corporate profits and lags behind changes in the general economy by 12 to 24 months. While Cessna expects the used aircraft inventory to peak and flight activity to bottom in the third quarter, “The true indication of a turnaround will be increasing orders,” Pelton said. Last year the manufacturer delivered 467 jets, reported revenues of $5.7 billion and “thought we would be delivering 500 jets in 2009,” he noted. “Instead we’ll probably deliver between 290 and 300 jets. We may be a little disappointed, but we have a backlog worth $13 billion and 2009 will still be a very good year.” Nevertheless, Cessna reported the cancellation of 92 jet orders during the first quarter.

RayaJet Looks To Rationalize Mideast Charter
RayaJet chairman Nader Dajani today explained the thinking behind the Jordanian charter operator’s purchase yesterday at EBACE of a Hawker Beechcraft Premier II light jet. “The Middle East has always been focused on luxury,” Dajani said. “The bigger and fancier, the better. In the U.S., business people work out their cost per hour and decide how they can save money. They are astute. They count dollars before cents. We hope we can bring that kind of thinking to the Middle East with the Premier II.” RayaJet will target the Premier II, which is scheduled for delivery in 2011, to “upper managers” in the Middle East by advertising per-hour charter rates between $2,000 and $2,500. Dajani said the introduction of a six-passenger light jet would “open a market niche that is not available” in a region dominated by large-cabin Gulfstreams and Challengers. Founded in 2005, RayaJet operates a Challenger 601 and is negotiating to buy a Challenger 604, Dajani said. The firm plans to merge by the end of this year with sister company Ayla Aviation Academy, a flight training organization, to offer charter, management and maintenance services from its Amman base.

Honeywell Upgrades Near for EASy, PlaneView
Honeywell said today at EBACE that it is closing in on certification of several long-awaited avionics upgrades for Gulfstream and Dassault business jets, including functionality for future air navigation system (FANS1/A), wide-area augmentation system localizer performance with vertical guidance (WAAS LPV) and required navigation performance special aircraft and aircrew authorization required (RNP SAAAR) operations in PlaneView-equipped Gulfstreams and EASy-equipped Falcons. Honeywell has also delivered “load software” to Dassault for the synthetic-vision upgrade for EASy. FANS1/A, used on oceanic flight routes, enables text-based datalink communications between pilots and controllers. WAAS LPV provides ILS-like landing minimums without the need for ground stations. RNP SAAAR is a special type of procedure that allows appropriately equipped aircraft flown by appropriately trained crews to fly extremely precise (0.1 nm lateral accuracy) tracks, including curved approach courses. Honeywell expects to have the enhanced functionality in the Gulfstream G350, G450, G500 and G550 TSO’d in July. The Dassault EASy Phase II cockpit updates are scheduled to be certified late this year in the Falcon 900, 2000 and 7X, with the FANS1/A capability to follow early next year.

Procedure Deviations Cited in Helo Midair
The NTSB determined the probable cause of the June 29, 2008 fatal midair between two Bell 407s on approach to Arizona’s Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC) was the failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other, but significant contributing factors included the pilots noncompliance with established communications and noise-abatement procedures. The daylight VMC collision involved helicopters operated by Classic Helicopters and Air Methods. The NTSB noted that the Classic pilot did not contact the FMC communication center directly while inbound, as required, and that the Air Methods pilot did not follow noise-abatement guidelines, which would have put him on approach to the helipad from a more easterly direction–and likely easier for the Classic pilot to see. The Classic helicopter was approaching from the northeast. The NTSB noted that had the Classic pilot contacted the FMC directly as required, “The FMC transportation coordinator likely would have told him that another helicopter was expected at the helipad,” heightening his situational awareness. The NTSB also noted that neither helicopter was equipped with TCAS.

More News at AINonline.com...

Falcon 7X sports new interior

 

Dassault Aviation unveiled a new interior for its Falcon 7X jet here at EBACE yesterday. The cabin was developed with BMW DesignworksUSA, a specialist design house which is part of the BMW car group... More...

   

ETS plans due as deadline looms

  Aircraft operators who will be subject to Europe’s new emissions trading scheme (ETS) from Jan. 1, 2012, need to start preparing now to be part of this complex process... More...
   
Daher-Socata NTx launch by year-end?
 

Daher-Socata is still mulling a new eight- to 10-seat twin-engine aircraft to enter the market segment above its extremely popular TBM 850 turboprop single, but a decision could come by the end of the year... More...


Your Opinion Needed for the 2009 AIN Product Support Survey

The 2009 AIN Product Support Survey is now online, ready for selected readers to rate the support they receive for their aircraft. The survey is devised by AIN’s editors and designed and administered by Newtown, Conn.-based research firm Forecast International. AIN readers who have been selected to participate in this year’s Product Support Survey should have received a coded number and link to the online survey Web site by e-mail or postcard (where the subscriber number appears directly above the last name). All participants who complete the survey will be entered automatically into a random drawing to win one of three Sennheiser headsets. The survey deadline is May 29 at midnight.


Also Noted...

CAE announced today at EBACE that it expanded its portfolio of Web-based pilot and maintenance technician training courses for business aviation customers. CAE’s e-Learning and courseware training solutions provide self-paced courses and practice tools for initial/transition, recurrent, refresher pilot and maintenance training. They can be integrated into a company’s existing training program or offered as part of CAE’s training programs.

Embraer will offer its Phenom 100 customers a new seat with enhanced comfort in form and function, beginning in the fourth quarter, it said today at EBACE. The seats, which were developed in partnership with BMW Group DesignworksUSA, offer ergonomically improved cushions and lumbar support. DeCrane Aerospace Aircraft Seating is the supplier for the current and new Phenom seats.

Bombardier Aerospace yesterday announced a range option for Learjet 40XR, which increases the light jet’s range by 268 nm to 1,991 nm. The range extension is now available as an option for all new Learjet 40XR orders, as well as for aircraft previously ordered and scheduled for delivery in the third quarter.

On Sunday, a Beechcraft Premier IA set a yet-to-be-official record on its trip to Geneva for EBACE. With legendary astronaut Robert “Hoot” Gibson at the controls, the Premier IA completed a 627-sm trip from Hawker Beechcraft’s Chester, UK facility to Geneva in one hour, 13 minutes, 30 seconds, for an average speed of 511.9 mph. Hawker Beechcraft submitted the trip statistics to the National Aeronautic Association for record approval.

Conklin & de Decker developed a new carbon dioxide calculator for business aircraft. The Microsoft Excel-based calculator provides estimated carbon offset costs by aircraft make and model. Conklin’s CO2 Calculator allows the user to select the aircraft type, make and model, hours flown per year and then predicts fuel consumption while providing CO2 emissions and offset costs per year. It also breaks down the annual CO2 offset by hour, trip and seat.


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