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| In this issue: Coventry Airport to re-open soon? | Bahrain's Billion Dollar Airshow | Latest from Singapore Airshow |
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Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference sees third highest attendance ever The 21st Annual Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, held in San Antonio, Texas last week, saw the third highest attendance in the event’s history with 2,282 Attendees. “We are pleased to see such a strong attendance at this year’s Conference, which demonstrates the event’s continuing value to our industry,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. The 'S&D' is an annual educational event that provides timely and valuable information on topics of interest to those responsible for coordinating the use of business aircraft and is complimented by an exhibition featuring hundreds of aviation products and services. keynote speakers
NBAA Recognizes 52 Individuals for Achievement in Schedulers Professional Development Program The NBAA and its Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee have announced 52 recipients who have either received plaques and certificates for their achievement or completed entire modules in the NBAA Schedulers Professional Development Program (SPDP). SPDP Courses are classes conducted by NBAA-approved educational providers on topics tailored to business aviation schedulers and dispatchers. click here for the full list of recipients
President drops user fees from FY2011 Budget Both the NBAA and GAMA have welcomed the Obama Administration's fiscal year 2011 federal budget proposal, which does not include new user fees for general aviation. "When it comes to the long-standing battle over user fees, it appears that today, we have reached an important and welcome milestone," said National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen. "The fact that user fees are not part of the President's 2011 budget proposal shows the tremendous progress we have made over the past year." Commenting on behalf of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, President and CEO Pete Bunce said, "We support the Administration’s common-sense decision not to propose user fees. A burdensome user fee system faced widespread opposition in Congress and universal opposition from general aviation. GAMA stands ready to work with both the Administration and Congress to pass an FAA reauthorization bill that will help the agency move forward on air traffic control modernization and other important national priorities." read more
Universal launches new programme in support of the 2011 S&D Scholarship Fund Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. announced that it has launched a new programme as part of its continuing efforts to support the business aviation community. For every new UVflightplanner. comsm annual subscription it receives, it will donate $250 to the 2011 National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Schedulers & Dispatchers (S&D) Scholarship Fund. Universal has long been a supporter of NBAA’s S&D Scholarship Fund, annually donating $5,000, according to CEO, Ralph Vasami.
“Universal feels it is vitally important to support the industry which supports us. One way we are proud to do so is by contributing to continuing education opportunities for aviation professionals such as schedulers and dispatchers,” said Vasami. “This new programme gives our clients the opportunity to get involved in supporting scheduler and dispatcher education, and while we will still guarantee our minimum $5,000 donation to the fund no matter how this programme performs, we expect that our clients will help us exceed the $5,000 amount.” read more
Prepare for the Vancouver Olympic Games The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics Games will begin this month in Canada. NBAA has compiled information from the FAA and other sources describing the security restrictions surrounding the event and outlining the procedures and steps that operators must comply with to fly to Vancouver International Airport (CYVR) and other airports in the Vancouver area. For complete details, visit NBAA's dedicated web site at: www.nbaa.org/olympics
EuroFPL extends Electronic Flight Plan filing capabilities to Canada, Greenland and Iceland EuroFPL.eu, the originator of online IFR flight plan filing and flight tracking for corporate & general aviation in Europe, now supports free internet flight plan filing for trips originating in Canada, Greenland, and Iceland in addition to full support for European airspace. EuroFPL founder Travis Holland explains that “... as a professional pilot, I was constantly in search of easy, fast, and cost-effective ways to file flight plans & obtain weather information outside of the U.S. What I found was that no central network with that capability existed – that’s when my team & I committed to building one.” Director Ed Oleksy adds, “In the past, pilots who wanted to file flight plans online with NavCanada had to submit a form for access to their system, and wait for a reply in the mail – the process took days. Now, users can file flight plans as soon as they sign on to EuroFPL. read more
ICG adds Jo Kremsreiter as new Western Region Sales Director International Communications Group has named Jo Kremsreiter, a veteran avionics sales executive, to serve as Western Region Sales Director for the company’s line of General Aviation aeronautical communications systems and solutions. “To take full advantage of his skill, knowledge and understanding of our technology and markets and to leverage his existing relationships in a very competitive environment, we’ve added Jo to our team and assigned him to handle the Midwest and Western half of the country,” said Scott Trainum, ICG’s Chief Executive Officer. “We’re pleased to have him join ICG after more than 2 decades of working in the aircraft avionics arena in both technical and marketing roles.” Kremsreiter most recently served as US Sales Manager for Iridium products for special use applications. He has also managed Green aircraft completion projects and refurbishments and served as an avionics department manager. His professional experience also includes avionics design and engineering. He will represent ICG in the Mid-West and Western States and be based in St. Louis, MO but will also work out of Denver, Colorado sales office.
Hawker appoints India-based Field Service Representative To better support its customers in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Hawker Beechcraft has appointed Hugh Waud to serve as the company’s Field Service Representative, based in New Delhi, India. An aviation maintenance professional, Waud will be co-located with HBC’s Authorized Service Center, InterGlobe General Aviation. “Hugh’s presence in India is an integral part of our commitment to provide world-class customer support,” said Christi Tannahill, vice president, Global Customer Support. “As this region continues to grow as a market for Hawker Beechcraft products, we will seek out additional opportunities to support our customer base in this important area of the world.” Waud has an impressive resume in aviation maintenance and customer support, having worked in the airline and corporate aviation sectors. A native of the United Kingdom, he started his career as a maintenance technician in the Royal Air Force. Most recently he provided maintenance support to a number of corporate Hawker customers in the Middle East, primarily in Saudi Arabia.
New addition to the Million Air Houston customer care team Million Air Houston, one of 26 FBO’s in the Million Air network announced that Reene Bradshaw has joined the Customer Service Team to focus on business development and enhancing customer relationships for the Houston Hobby location. Reene is no stranger to customer care. She brings a vast experience to the customer care team and will support the business development efforts for the Houston based facility. Brad Primm, General Manager for Million Air Houston said “Reene is 100% focused on customer development for Houston and I am confident she will bring new business to our award winning facility.” Giving her time for charity events has been a passion for Reene, and she has a proven to be a valuable asset for various charitable organizations. She has been extremely successful in previous efforts working with the Junior League of Galveston County where she was Auction Fundraising Chair and was instrumental in exceeding historical attendance totals. Reene is the mother of two sons, ages 7 and 9, and resides in Dickinson, Texas with her husband of 13 years.
New Flight Crew Recruitment website goes live FLIGHT CREW FINDER.com a UK based internet business connecting flight crew and potential employers, hit the world wide web on 1st February, 2010. The specialist recruitment website delivers aircraft operators direct access to qualified flight crew from a wide range of fleets, allowing operators to locate and hire the most appropriate crew at the click of a mouse. During the initial launch phase the first 300 flight crew subscriptions will take advantage of a 50% annual discount, giving access to the site for just €30 per year. Aircraft operators access the site free of charge. The company has been established by Richard Yeomans, a current airline Captain with experience in the recruitment sector and web design specialist, Karen Smallwood. The two first worked together in the British Army and developed the idea to help the struggling market in October 2009. “There’s no doubt that the whole industry, and particularly flight crew, are facing tough times. For less than a price of a sandwich FLIGHT CREW FINDER.com gives users access to a wealth of employments resources and most importantly allows them to connect directly with active employers,” said Richard. read more
New Year, New Job? VistaJet is a fast growing private jet company offering revolutionary business aviation solutions. We are rapidly expanding and the company's fleet will soon be comprised of approximately thirty medium to ultra-long-range, state-of-the-art jets with an average age of less than two years. As part of our expansion programme, we are currently seeking:
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weekly executive aviation newsletter
Coventry Airport to re-open soon? Coventry Airport may be open again soon. Having closed on December 9th 2009 after the previous operator was faced with a High Court winding-up order over unpaid tax bills, Swiss-based investment company, Airport Development Partners SA, looks likely to take it on. Airport Development Partners SA is a Swiss private airport investment and development company headquartered in Geneva and dedicated to the development of regional airports across Europe. The company is a subsidiary of Westcore Properties, a real estate and public infrastructure Investment Company headquartered in San Diego, USA.
Bluesky: “What are the future plans for Coventry?” Frankl: “Our main focus is currently to make the airport operational for General and Business Aviation as well as for cargo. I can assure you that we are very confident and determined about developing Coventry into a major hub. We have a clear vision of where we want to go, but we are also open to suggestions and will consider any opportunity. However, it is too early to make any firm statements. No one is served by speculations and rumors.” Bluesky: “In recent media reports Coventry was referred to as a future major hub and you’ve mentioned cargo and passenger potential. You’ve made us curious . . . .” read more
Bahrain's Billion Dollar Airshow The inaugural Bahrain International Airshow, held at the Sakhir air base, has proved to be a resounding success for the aviation industry as a whole and for the Kingdom of Bahrain. The event hosted 40 participating companies, 94 aircraft and visiting delegations from 25 countries. Early indications suggest that deals worth somewhere in the region of one billion dollars were signed at the event with the attending companies from all over the world and thirty thousand visited the public and trade areas over the three days. Amongst the major deals announced at the show were Yemenia’s (Yemen’s national carrier) purchase of ten A320 planes from Airbus; Bahrain’s purchase of nine Blackhawk-M helicopters from US manufacturer, Sikorsky; Gulf Air’s preliminary agreement to lease two Embraer 170 jets; Selex’s award of $15 million contract by the Bahrain Civil Aviation Authority for a primary surveillance radar and two Mode-S secondary surveillance radars at the Bahrain International Airport, Bahrain’s talks to purchase two airbus planes and Boeing’s announcement to deliver 1,700 aircraft in the next 20 years to the Middle East. Further strengthening Bahrain’s business and aviation credentials in the region, the UK’s Aerospace Defence and Security organisation, A|D|S, has announced they are to choose Bahrain to act as the central hub for the Middle East. And in further news, Gulf Aviation Academy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company was launched and will play a key role in the development of Bahrain's air transport training and infrastructure. read more
Evergreen and Elbit assist with unique technology in Haitian relief Evergreen’s long history of providing humanitarian relief continued this week with its donated missions to survey rural orphanages in Haiti employing Elbit Systems' Skylark® I LE Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. The team flew missions from the mountains of Haiti at 5,200 feet in the vicinity of Port-au-Prince. Contact with many Haitian orphanages has still not been established because of the remote locations of the facilities. An incredible need still remains for humanitarian support in the area.
Evergreen Helicopters donated airlift support to position both teams into the region. This pioneering effort between Evergreen and Elbit to respond to the urgent need of the Haitian people has proven that such technology can provide a life saving humanitarian service. Never before has a commercial operator of unmanned systems accomplished what was achieved this week by the Evergreen-Elbit team.
For 50 years, Evergreen has supported humanitarian efforts worldwide. Primarily providing aviation support for international relief projects, the company has partnered with other non-profit organizations, corporations and governmental agencies to assist developing countries. The organization has helped improve and deliver healthcare, eradicate disease and support economic development. These efforts have directly impacted vulnerable children and families worldwide. Evergreen Unmanned Systems, along with the entire Evergreen Family of Companies, is working diligently to provide support for the Haitian population and other relief agencies. For more information about Evergreen’s efforts in Haiti, please contact Laura Graham: laura.graham@evergreenaviation.com
ExecuJet Europe adds five wide-bodied aircraft to management fleet The ExecuJet Aviation Group has bolstered its European fleet with the addition of seven new aircraft. Over the past few months the company has added a Challenger 300, Challenger 850, two Global Express’, one Global 5000, one Falcon 2000 and a Gulfstream 100. These aircraft are based in London, Moscow, Kiev, and Nice. With more Global Express, Gulfstream and Falcons also in the pipeline for arrival in the next weeks this takes ExecuJet Europe’s management fleet to over 50 aircraft. Jean-Louis Cehovic, ExecuJet’s Europe newly appointed Director Aircraft Management Sales, notes that business jet owners are increasingly looking to earn revenue from their aircraft and are offering their jets for more third party charter flying this year. ExecuJet is also seeing more of their clients commit to full management packages, enabling them to benefit from the organisation’s buying power in terms of fuel, insurance, maintenance, crew training and other economies of scale. “At ExecuJet we have developed a unique aircraft management package that makes the switching of operator a seamless process. As most of the new customers we gain have been with previous operators it is important to keep the aircraft flying while we perform all the work required to get the aircraft under a new AOC and maintain the maintenance supervision continuity,” says Cehovic. Charter trends looking up read more
Cessna encouraged by market stability in Asia-Pacific Region Speaking on the first day of the Singapore Airshow at the Changi Exhibition Center, Cessna’s senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, Roger Whyte, said that he is encouraged by the stability of the general aviation market in the Asia-Pacific region. “This region has been one of the strongest for Cessna during the most recent downturn. It has been least affected by the economic climate and financing issues facing the rest of the world,” he said. “The strongest segments for Cessna in this region have been special mission and government orders.”
Hawker Beechcraft headlines Singapore Airshow with Hawker 4000 With the recent certification by the Civil Aviation Administration of China and deliveries underway in the region, the flagship Hawker 4000 is setting a positive tone in Southeast Asia for Hawker Beechcraft Corporation. HBC and its international dealer, Hawker Pacific, are displaying a Hawker 4000, along with a Hawker 750 and a King Air B200GT. It’s an exciting time to participate in the Singapore Airshow,” said Justin Firestone, president, Asia-Pacific Region. “We have the right products with the right capabilities to fit the needs of owners in this growing region. With deliveries underway, the Hawker 4000 continues to gain attention. It offers value and caters to those in the market for a large cabin aircraft. We look forward to continued interest in this revolutionary aircraft, in addition to that of our entire aircraft lineup.”
All three of the HBC aircraft on display in Singapore have recently achieved certification beyond the United States. The Hawker 4000’s Chinese certification is the latest in a list that also includes Bermuda, Honduras, India, Isle of Man, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The first delivery of the aircraft in the region took place in India in September 2009, with deliveries in China scheduled for the coming months. The Hawker 750 recently received certification in Estonia and Russia, and the governments of Pakistan, the Cayman Islands and the Isle of Man recently approved the King Air B200GT.
MRO Middle East conference to highlight region as aviation's gateway to global growth His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai’s Department of Civil Aviation, will officially open MRO Middle East, the second edition of the successful maintenance, repair and overhaul conference and exhibition. Running from 28 February to 1 March 2010 at the Airport Expo, Dubai, MRO Middle East will bring together top industry professionals from across the world to a region considered the gateway to aviation’s global growth, the theme of this year’s conference. Alison Weller, Director of F&E Aerospace, expressed her optimism for another successful MRO event. “The maintenance, repair and overhaul industry continues to thrive, even in the current economic climate, as both the civil and military aviation industries are bound to continue to maintain their fleet and equipment to the optimum operating standards." read more
Spotted on the exhibition floor . . .
Head of Customer Services at London Oxford Airport, David Surley, and his colleague Sarah Appleton joined over 300 exhibitors at last week's NBAA Scheduler's and Dispatchers Conference in San Antonio. Other UK representatives included Farnborough and Biggin Hill airports, OceanSky, Signature and Harrods Aviation.
Asian Aerospace 2011 set for move to March Asian Aerospace International Expo and Congress returns to Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld Expo at the earlier time of March 8-10, 2011 with a programme that promises to eclipse 2009’s event. Organiser Reed Exhibitions, working with key industry partners in Asia and media partner, the Flight Group, has been so encouraged by delegates’ response to its unique and integral conference programme that it is bolstering that element next year. It is also expanding and reshaping its business aviation content at the adjacent Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre. "Asian Aerospace is unique on the aviation calendar because it is a pure, independent commercial show. It is not aligned with any government and is a recognized b2b show with no flying display content,” said Head of Global Sales, Aerospace Group Richard Thiele. “This show is a brilliant foundation for commercial aviation businesses to take advantage of the massive growth that this region is set to enjoy and Hong Kong, with its easy access, vibrant hospitality and close proximity to China is the right venue for business to business networking.” Free Management Assessment from Bluebridge at BA-MEETUP Leadership assessment and development specialists, Bluebridge Management, have announced their participation in the forthcoming BA-MEETUP Conference at RAF Northolt, London and will be offering delegates a unique opportunity to receive a free and confidential assessment report.
This generous offer from Bluebridge Management, worth around $500, will be on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to register for the BA-MEETUP straight away. Full details: www.ba-meetup.com
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London Oxford Airport welcomes new IT partnership with Skyways of Sweden London Oxford Airport has signed a partnership arrangement with Skyways of Sweden agreeing that the expanding UK airport will be connected to the latter’s comprehensive IT network for passenger handling infrastructure and support services. Effective 16 January and in readiness for through-connecting flights to Rome (via Geneva) and the start of week-daily scheduled services to Edinburgh on 1 March, the airport will be linked with Skyways’ high-tech airline handling services and operations, known as DCS (Departure Control Systems). Oxfordjet customer services representatives completed their training on the system last week. London Oxford Airport duly becomes a ‘virtual destination’ on the Skyways network, with Stockholm-based Skyways operating Oxford’s DCS in the same way that any of its Swedish airports handling scheduled and charter flights would. “We will be utilising the Skyways DCS system to check-in and board passengers departing on all of our scheduled and charter flights,” said London Oxford Airport’s Head of Customer Services, David Surley. read more
Signature Flight Support and UK Border Agency trial immigration initiative at London Luton Airport The United Kingdom Border Agency and Signature Flight Support Corporation are trialling an innovative UK initiative at Signature’s London Luton Airport facility to enhance the border service for private and business aviation travelers. The UK Border Agency, Signature Flight Support Corporation and Technology Store are working together to develop VIP Cyber-Port, an IT solution that will enable the entry of international passengers into London Luton Airport to be processed 24 hours a day through Signature Flight Support’s executive business aviation terminal at the airport. read more
Embraer delivers 100th Phenom 100
Embraer delivered the 100th Phenom 100 aircraft, last Friday, to US-based charter company, JetSuite. The commemorative aircraft is the sixth delivered to this customer. “Delivering the 100th Phenom 100 jet just over one year after its certification represents an important achievement for Embraer,” said Luís Carlos Affonso, Embraer Executive Vice President – Executive Jets. “We are very glad to have delivered this commemorative plane to JetSuite and to contribute to their innovative and expanding business.”
“JetSuite is honored to accept this special aircraft from Embraer. We are delighted by our partnership, and are grateful for Embraer’s support and for the reliable, revolutionary jet they have produced,” said JetSuite Air CEO Alex Wilcox. “Our brandnew Phenom 100 jets make for a much better flying experience than our competitors’ older, less efficient aircraft, and often at half the cost. Our customers share our love for the Phenom. When they fly on it once, they come back again and again.”
JetQuik named Preferred Delivery Provider for Embraer Nashville-based JetQuik LLC has been named a preferred delivery provider for Embraer Executive Jets. The company will offer customers delivery of the complete line of Embraer Executive Jets ranging from the nimble six person Phenom 100 to the globe-spanning ultra-large Lineage 1000. JetQuik, LLC is an Embraer Executive Jet syndication specialist providing executive jet management services to individual and corporate owners. Specializing in charter offset management of Phenom 100 and 300 aircraft as well as the Legacy 450, 500, 600 and 650, JetQuik links aircraft owners with the on-demand charter market. The company will enhance current delivery programs, assisting Embraer’s global customers throughout the aircraft acquisition and delivery process. JetQuik offers factory on-site acceptance flights, inspection, verification, and closing services. JetQuik also provides aircraft purchasers with registration, exportation, importation bonding, customs clearance, and RVSM operations. Recent JetQuik deliveries include a Phenom 100 to a client in Leeds, UK. The aircraft is registered in Isle of Man. JetQuik, developer the of the Phenom Operating Experience Guide, provides Phenom owners with practical mentoring and aircraft transition services including the JetQuik PreQual® and PostQual® programs. JetQuik’s Pilot Mentoring Services ensure smooth transitions from light aircraft into the all-glass Prodigy cockpit of the Phenom family. JetQuik is an affiliate of CFM, a global aviation resources firm providing charter, aircraft management, maintenance, ground support, infrastructure development, aircraft sales, pilot training and financial services. CFM is based in Smyrna, Tenn.
InterGlobe General Aviation adds Dornier Seaplane Company to its portfolio InterGlobe General Aviation Pvt. Limited, a subsidiary of InterGlobe Enterprises, has added Dornier Seaplane Company to its growing aviation portfolio. InterGlobe General Aviation - currently the exclusive representative for Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, Atlanta Jet, Aircraft services Group and most recently Sikorsky Helicopter Corporation - will now also be responsible for the sales of the world’s most advanced sea plane, the Dornier Seastar CD2. Dornier Seaplane Company has introduced a brand new product, the Seastar CD2 amphibious flying boat. The new fully certified all composite, twin engine seaplane will be represented exclusively by InterGlobe General Aviation covering an expansive territory including India, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Mauritius.
Nigel Harwood, CEO, InterGlobe General Aviation said, “We are pleased to enter into this long term association with Dornier Seaplane Company which has a heritage of 100 years in seaplane design, development and engineering. InterGlobe General Aviation believes in representing the highest quality of products. “This further enhances our portfolio and compliments the fixed and rotary wing representations already in place“ read more
Pan AM International Flight Academy adds 2 B737-NG Simulators to its fleet Pan Am International Flight Academy announced today at the Singapore Airshow that it is taking delivery of two Level D B737-NG simulators. One sim will be installed at the Academy’s training headquarters in Miami, FL, while the second will be located at the Company’s training center in Las Vegas, NV. Both simulators will be available for training in the spring of this year. The simulator bound for Miami was manufactured by Rockwell Collins; the Las Vegas-based simulator was manufactured by Sim-Industries.
JETNET features new 'Views' for Evolution at Singapore Airshow Aircraft research and information provider, JETNET LLC, are featuring a series of enhancements to their flagship software interface, Evolution. The biggest change is a set of “Views,” or summary pages, that gather information from throughout the Evolution programme and compile it into single screens of well organized lists, graphs and tables for easy assessment of marketplace status and trends. They are also showcasing their unique partnership with ARGUS International, Inc. to offer direct links to ARGUS data from JETNET’s Evolution service pages, and a service to provide SMS Text Messaging for subscribers to receive instant notices when model or market updates are made to JETNET’s database. Better Views Subscribers to JETNET’s service can choose from a variety of Views, depending on their industry profession and particular needs. The Views package complements the popular Evolution interface rather than replacing it. read more
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