MEBA Convention News 12-8-14

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MEBA MUSEBusiness aviation prospects are looking promising for the Gulf region, despite economic and political obstacles. Demand is up, and the industry is optimistic.

MONDAY AINONLINE.COM

Bizav exodus to DWC stalls over cost concernsby Peter Shaw-Smith

Negotiations for the transfer of busi-ness aviation traffic from Dubai Interna-tional Airport (DXB) to Dubai World Central (DWC) have intensified over the past 12 months and it is clear that DWC representatives will have to overcome a number of obstacles before they secure the full buy-in of leading operators and service providers. Several FBOs have expressed concern to AIN that the next phase of growth at DWC, which is now

home to the MEBA show, does not lead to sharp cost increases, especially over land-lease costs for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities.

The closure between May and July 2014 of DXB runways for resurfacing helped speed up the move of business avi-ation away from the downtown airport, where slots are becoming harder to obtain and congestion is becoming a real issue.

Middle East would benefit from harmonized regulations

Business aviation in the Middle East needs good, consistent regulation if it is to remain efficient and competitive and to grow consistently, delegates at yesterday’s MEBAA conference were told by leading industry figures.

The key issue is that squaring the cir-cle of which regulatory regime to follow is a daunting challenge in a region where Saudi Arabia observes the FAA rulebook and the rest of the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries are now committed to developing business and general aviation

under an EASA framework. Pilot licenses, type ratings and MRO

accreditations are all areas where having six oversight regimes among the GCC civil aviation authorities, each with its own idiosyncrasies, can create daily prob-lems that could be avoided through a more cooperative and long-term approach.

Several GCC regulators, facing acute manpower shortages, have opted to treat general aviation as if it were identical to commercial aviation to avoid the challenge

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Continued on page 45 u Continued on page 45 u

Completions Aircraft Business Aviation Flight Training Ground Handling

GDC Boosts Engineering SkillsCompletions specialist GDC Technics will have full design organization approval capability following its acquisition of Germany’s PFW Engineering. Page 8

New Falcons Prepare to FlyDassault engineering teams are busy advancing the manufacturer’s two new large cabin business jets, the Falcon 5X and the 8X. 8

Data Shows Middle East GrowthLatest flight activity data from maintenance provider JSSI shows the Middle East leading worldwide growth rates. Page 22

Middle East Pilots Train at HomeMiddle East-based pilots no longer have to travel to other continents to get training now that training provicers are expanding their facilities in this part of the world. Page 28

New Saudi Support AvailableFBO group Jet Aviation has been granted permission to act as a handling agent at six more airports around Saudi Arabia. Page 41

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4 MEBA Convention News • December 8, 2014 • www.ainonline.com

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Convention News MEBA

®MEBA 2014 looks to be the biggest show yetby R. Randall Padfield

Organizers of the 2014 Middle East Business Avia-tion (MEBA) show expect this year’s show to be the biggest yet. As the show prepared to open for the first time at the new purpose-built venue at Dubai World Central, F&E Aero-space, which runs the show for the Middle East Business Avi-ation Association (MEBAA), confirmed that numbers of exhibitors, aircraft and visitors will all top the totals achieved at the 2012 event.

“With [more than 420] exhibitors coming from all corners of the globe, MEBA really is demonstrating its position as the place to explore opportunities in business avi-ation for new and existing users,” said Ali Al Naqbi, founding chairman MEBAA, which hosts the event. “With Dubai being strategically located at less than an eight-hour flight from two-thirds of the world, the show really is the place to meet and network with the world’s leading busi-ness aviation companies and view a multitude of available aircraft and leasing options.”

MEBA 2014 occupies 75,000 square meters (807,319 sq ft) in the exhibit hall, 26 chalets and up to 50 aircraft

on static display. It is the sixth MEBA (and the fifth three-day event on an airport), after starting with a one-day confer-ence in a Dubai hotel in 2005. MEBA 2012 had more than 7,000 attendees, 345 exhibitors and 34 aircraft on display.

The number of commercial airlines exhibiting and showcas-ing their executive aviation offer-ings at MEBA 2014 has also increased this year–from two to four–with Emirates Execu-tive and Etihad joining previous exhibitors Qatar Executive and Saudia Private Aviation.

“Over the years MEBA has grown in line with the busi-ness aviation market in the Middle East,” Al Naqbi said. He added that the industry in the Middle East has the potential “to reach predicted heights of 1,200 registered air-craft, 175,000 movements and a total sector value of $1.3 bil-lion by 2020.”

MEBAA, which was founded in 2006, is the offi-cial representative of the busi-ness aviation industry in the Middle East and North Africa as recognized by IBAC (the International Business Avia-tion Council). The association represents more than 225 com-panies within the region and

provides products and services to its members, including the MEBAA Aviation Insurance Scheme (MAIS).

On December 6, orga-nizers announced that from 2016, the biennial show will go by the name MEBAA. “We have MEBA the show and

MEBAA the organization, and they have both become well-known brands,” Al Naqbi told AIN. “To reduce confusion we are now brand-ing everything the same: the organization, the shows, the conferences, the training pro-grams, everything.” o

Middle East Business Aviation Association founding chairman Ali Al Naqbi (left)and F&E Aerospace managing director Michele van Akelijen highlight the new MEBAA show logo to be introduced for the 2016 edition.

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Falcon starts building new completions centerby Peter Shaw-Smith

Abu Dhabi-based business-jet and helicopter charter oper-ator Falcon Aviation Services is to host an official ceremony to break ground at its new com-pletions center at Dubai World Central (DWC) today.

“The groundbreaking cere-mony takes place on Decem-ber 8 in the presence of Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan and Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum,” Capt. Mahmoud Ismael, COO of Falcon Aviation Ser-vices (Stand 667), told AIN in an interview before the show. The new center will offer green aircraft completions, modifications and refurbish-ments for wide- and narrow-body aircraft.”

Dr. Sheikh Sultan is son of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa

bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and a board member of both the Abu Dhabi Executive Coun-cil and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Sheikh Ahmed is head of Dubai government conglomerate Dubai World, Dubai’s Civil Aviation Author-ity and Emirates Airline.

Falcon’s DWC facility will be the first completions cen-ter in the Middle East. “We are building a facility that includes a hangar able to accommodate widebody air-craft. When completed, this will allow us to launch oper-ations at DWC, in addition to our activities at Al Bateen. The facility in Dubai is slated to commence operations in 2015 Q4,” Capt. Ismael said.

Falcon expects to take delivery of its first

Bombardier CS300 in the first quarter of 2016. “Falcon will be the first to operate the VIP-configured Bombardier CS300 aircraft in the world and it will offer it for private individuals and businesses charter,” he continued.

“The first CS300 is set for delivery in the first quar-ter of 2016 and it will be received in ‘green’ configura-tion. We are developing the interior of the aircraft and the installation will be done by Falcon Aviation’s com-pletion centre at DWC.”

Falcon ordered one CS300, with another on option, in

February, for charter to indi-viduals and businesses. The company has provided air-craft management and exec-utive charter since 2006. “We manage a fleet of jet air-craft, including two Legacy 1000 and a Lineage 650 and VIP helicopters for high pro-file clients and corporations. We are an authorized ser-vice center for Embraer and Airbus Helicopter,” Capt. Ismael said, adding that the eventual withdrawal of the UAE military from Al Bateen was moving closer. “We are watching carefully for a con-firmed date.” o

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Al Naqbi makes the case for bizav move to DWCby Peter Shaw-Smith

The top business aviation official in Dubai believes that the transfer of general aviation to Dubai World Central (DWC), in the wake of runway closures earlier this year at Dubai Inter-national (DXB), is well under way, but concedes that costs for operators at the new airport are likely to be high.

In an interview with AIN, Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) founding chairman, Ali Al Naqbi, said the number of people involved, and the competing pressures for atten-tion, were complicating the deci-sion-making process regarding the transfer of business aviation to the new airport. He also made reference to key figures in Dubai’s aviation set-up, including DWC management and H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, head of the Dubai Civil Avia-tion Authority and chairman and CEO of Emirates Group.

While some operators have decided to stay at DWC after the runway closures, some others will still try to use DXB if pos-sible. Al Naqbi said, “There’s no room at DXB for general avia-tion. So what’s the [alternative]? I think the authorities have been clear. Sometimes there is pres-sure from different directions allowing some aircraft to land [at DXB]. There is flexibility in decisions. The move was done. Where are the FBOs now?”

Al Naqbi said the situation for business aviation at DXB partly depended on provision of MRO facilities by Jet Aviation and ExecuJet. “MRO facilities will continue until further notice. Sheikh Ahmed said that. For these two, MRO will continue.”

However, other general avi-ation flights will continue. “Sometimes there are flights that need slots at DXB. They will be allowed to land. You go to London Heathrow or JFK. Has general aviation ceased totally at these airports?

“Permanently? Officially? All business aviation is moving to DWC. There’s no return on this. I can assure you this has hap-pened. Sheikh Ahmed said that many times to me, and to the media. The media sometimes misinterpreted what he said in their own way. ”

Al Naqbi said that even for Dubai’s biggest business fami-lies, obtaining a slot to land at DXB was ‘very difficult.’ “It’s been given on a case-by-case basis. To get a slot, you have to follow the airlines’ [procedure]. I have talked to [the big fami-lies.] They prefer to go to DWC because they can land at the time they want.

“The other point is that peo-ple think DWC is ‘very far away.’ It’s not. DXB could be ‘farther’ than DWC. When there is traffic on the highway, it is on the DXB side, not the DWC side. ”

Costs on the RiseAl Naqbi agreed that costs

are going up substantially for those wanting to run DWC-based FBOs or MRO facilities. “Every-one has a difficult job in this situa-tion. I can only talk on MEBAA’s behalf. I really cannot [speak] for DWC. I concur with what [our members] are saying in this regard. MEBAA, as an associa-tion, is playing the role of media-tor between all the players.”

Al Naqbi said he didn’t want to see a situation where the international business aviation community regarded Dubai as “too expensive.” “It cannot be more expensive here than [else-where]. It will not work.

“We can assure all our mem-bers that we will not–we will not–agree or accept the fact that we are the most expensive center in the world. No, we will not accept it. From that perspective, we are open to discussions with HH Sheikh Ahmed, and with all the team at DWC. Yes, [each case is] different, [whether it’s ExecuJet], Jet Aviation, [or anyone else].”

Al Naqbi said MEBAA was helping the authorities to draw up a pricing structure for DWC.

“Together, we are helping to develop that. On land, on leases, on how long leases should be for: 15 years extendable, or 20 or even 30 years extendable. This is a sub-ject we brought to the table. DWC is trying to make the decision. We are part of it, but, at the end of the day, we can only suggest and only recommend, because we are not the decision maker.”

Do the DWC authorities admit that they might be setting price levels that are too high? “I am not sure that anybody will admit to that. They think that they are giving everybody a fair price. Now I have to prove to them that these charges are dif-ferent to other country charges or airport charges.”

Common QuartersOne issue complicating the

negotiations over the transfer of FBO operators from existing temporary quarters to permanent facilities at DWC is the question of whether standalone FBOs will be allowed. Al Naqbi explained, “Sheikh Ahmed has approved the layout of DWC overall. In that layout, there is a building which has four FBOs. One build-ing, with four isolated FBOs, which is no different than any other part of the world, where you can share the immigration.

“We at MEBAA too don’t like [the idea of single security, single immigration.] But remember, that decision was made by [Dubai ruler] Sheikh Mohammed [bin Rashid Al Maktoum]. He approved the layout, and that’s part of it.

“We are suggesting to DWC: is it possible to go back and change it… in the interests of

the business aviation market? I think it is better to be somehow separate. However, you have lim-ited access to be able to change the thing the way you want it.

FBOs Have Their Say“Every FBO [operator] has

been asked to comment offi-cially on that building. [DWC] tried to incorporate [that] in the design before they awarded the contract. So what is better than this? The building will not be… forced on the four opera-tors. DWC has asked for oper-ators’ thoughts; the FBOs have been asked to comment on that building. And they designed that building. That’s very good. We work together.

“DWC are saying they will complete [it] before the end of next year, before the Dubai Airshow [in November 2015].”

One FBO and MRO operator to emerge from the build-out at DWC in a fortuitous position is DC Aviation Al Futtaim, which does have a standalone FBO.

“DC Aviation have their own hangar and FBO. That hap-pened before the decision was made. They have the advantage of having made that decision three years ago, where the other people were still struggling and didn’t know what to do. In my opinion they made the decision at the right time. Had they come today, they would not be given [standalone status].”

Part of the estimated $32 billion total investment in the DWC complex is a project to build the midfield terminal at the airport, a critical piece of the jigsaw puzzle which will make

possible Emirates’ move there in around 2025 (the new terminal plan was announced in Septem-ber). Expo 2020 has given this added impetus, but observers wonder whether general avia-tion at DWC might be underpri-oritized compared to other sectors. AIN asked Al Naqbi if he was concerned.

“I think that’s a very good question, to be honest. We’ve raised that concern with DWC management and they assure us, with [their plans for] five runways… that there will be enough room at DWC for busi-ness aviation, and I have no rea-son not to believe that. If I look at the area dedicated to busi-ness aviation at DWC, I think they mean business. [This] is a huge area.”

Al Naqbi said his job at MEBAA was becoming more onerous and that the position would soon become full-time. He is studying the option of creating a business aviation hub at DWC headquarters. “Today we are talking about dedicating one of the buildings at DWC HQ to business avia-tion. I am here inviting every-body to join us in having an office there, a dedicated build-ing for business aviation.”

Al Naqbi is optimistic that DWC is on the right track. “So if [DWC] are agreed on that, if they are putting all the FBOs together, if they are doing all the MROs for busi-ness jets, I have no reason not to believe that they mean busi-ness and that DWC consid-ers business aviation as a very important player.” o


DUBAI’S ISLAND MAGIC

If there is one landmark most widely associated with Dubai, it is probably man-made Palm Jumeirah Island. AIN got this fantastic aerial view of this man-made marvel in a Cessna Caravan seaplane operated by luxury tour operator Seawings.�

Ali Al Naqbi, MEBAA founding chairman, at the association’s offices in Dubai during AIN’s interview last month.

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No matter how exclusive your wishes are, Lufthansa Technik VIP & Executive Jet Solutions can implement them. With our dedication to unrivaled perfection, we set new standards in interior completion. Our customers receive both the latest technical solutions and outstanding designs. It all adds up to VIP solutions that will leave you breathless.

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GDC’s PFW purchase adds engineering punchby Charles Alcock

Aircraft completions group GDC Technics has acquired engineering design specialist PFW Engineering Group. The deal, announced on Decem-ber 4 with an undisclosed value, includes Germany-based PFW’s subsidiaries in the UK, U.S. and Canada, as well as the group’s EASA Part 21J design organiza-tion approval.

“This is a strategic investment, which strengthens the compe-tent engineering resources in our portfolio,” said GDC Tech-nics general partner Mohammed Alzeer. “PFW Engineering pre-served irreplaceable intellectual capital, which gives GDC Tech-nics complete Level 1 and Level 2 capability to design and cer-tify major modifications up to an entire aircraft. This is a game-changer for GDC Technics. The strong expansion of our engi-neering and certification capa-bilities will benefit our customers and set us apart from other mod-ification centers especially with regard to next generation air-planes such as the Airbus A350 and the Boeing B787.”

PFW, which was founded in 1995, is authorized to approve supplementary type certifi-cate (STC) modifications as an EASA design organization. It

also produces various aircraft parts, handles repair approvals and provides technical publica-tions and other aspects of cus-tomer support. Its current STC projects include satellite com-munications and local area net-work upgrades for the Airbus A330-200, a Boeing 757 cabin conversion, camera installa-tions for the A319 and 747-8, and cabin components for a 767 VIP completion.

The company, based at Oberpfaffenhofen in Germany, has provided engineering services for the A380, A350, Boeing 787 and Bombardier Global 7000 and 8000 aircraft. It holds multiple FAA and EASA Part 145 main-tenance approvals and is certified to ISO 9001, AS9100 and AS9110 quality management standards.

In May, Alzeer’s MAZ Avi-ation group, which last year acquired the former Gore Design Completions busi-ness, renamed the San Anto-nio, Texas-based company GDC Technics. According to Alzeer, the rebranding reflects a new strategy of expanding the busi-ness beyond its VIP comple-tions roots to providing a broad range of aircraft modification services, including engineering solutions, STC development and

customized modifications on civilian and specialized platforms.

In February, GDC (Stand P5) started work in its first Boeing 787 green completion project, which it expects to take 36 months. “We look at the 787 as a gate to the future, with the challenges of a composite fuse-lage and digitized systems, and being on the forefront of that change is extremely exciting to us,” said Alzeer.

GDC is due to start work on a second 787 completion before year-end, having invested some $20 million to upgrade the San Antonio facility, including new Dassault Systèmes Catia soft-ware. It sent staff for training at Boeing in preparation for working

on an aircraft with a high propor-tion of composite materials.

Future plans call for GDC to open satellite facilities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to maintain more contact

with customers. The comple-tions specialist employs more than 500 people and its han-gars can accommodate three widebody and two narrowbody aircraft simultaneously. o


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HAECO PARTNERS WITH EMTEQ

China-based Haeco Private Jet Solutions (Stand 714) announced here at MEBA 2014 its recent partnership with U.S.-based Emteq, allowing Haeco to offer the latter’s eConnect portfolio of cabin man-

agement, inflight enter-tainment and connectivity products. Haeco will be involved in the integra-tion and engineering of the systems for its cabin completion and refurbish-ment customers.

Haeco was recently contracted to engineer and integrate a system incorporating a Router by eConnect and Wireless IFE by eConnect for what the company says is the first Boeing Business Jet based in Asia. The installation will

supplement the existing cabin management system as an add-on solu-tion, providing an economical and quick upgrade path.

IFE by eConnect enables passengers to stream media to existing monitors on an aircraft or on their personal devices. Router by eCon-nect provides access to a satellite communication system with advanced compression and acceleration. � n

Emteq’s eConnect Suite of Solutions offers economical upgrade options for connectivity, media streaming and cabin control.

SCULPTED SHAPES

When it comes to the luxurious curves associated with modern jets, we most often think of wings, tail surfaces and swooping fuselages. But sometimes the detail views of these aircraft reveal equally artistic looking images. Engine nacelles and fan blades, windshields and wing fairings all contribute to the beauty of an aircraft.�

San Antonio, Texas-based completions center GDC Technics now has access to the design organization approval capability of its new subsidiary PFW Engineering.

AFC offering a new financing modelFrançois Chazelle, a familiar

face at MEBA and trade shows worldwide through his years at Airbus Corporate Jets, is here at MEBA 2014 representing a new company, Dublin-based Aviation Finance Company, Ltd. (AFC). “It offers a new concept to finance aircraft, either commercial or business jets,” said Chazelle, now AFC senior vice president.

Christopher Condy, AFC managing partner, explained that while structures such as enhanced equipment trust cer-tificates are commonly used to finance aircraft, such tools

“usually were public and had to be large, and have a large number of investors. We take that structure and give a bigger piece to a select few investors [but using a smaller total invest-ment],” he said.

AFC completed its first transaction in June 2013 and has provided more than $2 billion in financing since then, according to the company, which recently acquired Volito Aviation Ser-vices of Sweden (and its Irish subsidiary). In October the com-pany announced forming a joint venture with Ittihad Interna-tional Investment LLC of Abu

Dhabi, Ittihad/AFC Aviation Consultancy LLC, to provide its finance and leasing solutions to the ME market.

Here at MEBA 2014, Cha-zelle and Condy are meeting with potential clients and seeking investment opportunities. –J.W.

Define your space. With five cabin zones that can be configured with a multi

cabin lounge, dining area and even a master suite complete with queen size

bed and walk-in shower, you can design your ultimate home away from home.

To contact an Embraer Executive Jets sales representative in your area,

visit EmbraerExecutiveJets.com/contact-us

TAILORED ELEGANCE.

ExecuJet eyes 2017 date for its big move to DWCby Peter Shaw-Smith

ExecuJet Aviation Group Dubai (Stand 575) hopes to complete a move to Dubai World Central (DWC) by 2017 in order to replicate its activi-ties at Dubai’s existing airport. “We are targeting January 1, 2017. That’s the date we believe we want to be fully operational [there],” said Mike Berry, vice president Middle East, ExecuJet.

ExecuJet’s Dubai office was set up at Dubai International Airport (DXB) in 1999, mak-ing it one of the first indepen-dent operators to offer business aviation services there. ExecuJet offers new and pre-owned sales, aircraft management, flight operations, FBO and main-tenance services. Berry said, “We have a broad spectrum of

customers in this region: govern-ment, royalty, individuals, and tourists coming into [the region] and passing through, as well as business travellers.

“We’ve got the traditional cus-tomer base, with very-high-net-worth individuals. Sometimes, it’s hard to differentiate between individual and company. That’s the traditional aircraft owner [here]. The customer base now incorporates tourists, holiday travellers from Russia or [else-where] coming through Dubai to various onward destinations. Now the shift is that businesses see the jet as a business tool–the efficiency it brings in time value.”

ExecuJet’s Middle East opera-tion is a joint venture with a local partner. “We found a very good

partner in [the UAE’s] Alpha Middle East Holdings Group. The region has developed over time. We manage everything for [owners],” Berry said.

The Big MoveTo date, the official stance

regarding the move of business-jet operations from DXB to DWC is not clear. It is generally recognized that the inexorable growth of scheduled commer-cial flights at DXB, and the availability of space at DWC, make it inevitable that bizjet operations will eventually trans-fer to the new airport. The DXB runway rehabilitation closures from May to July gave everyone a chance for a dry run at DWC.

Berry said, “[The authori-ties] have been very accommo-dating [over the DWC move]. We are still working on the tran-sition. But it’s going to happen and we’d rather work together in the interests of general avia-tion. It’s a complex situation for ExecuJet. We are going to try to

replicate what we have at DXB at DWC. We’ve got two mas-sive hangars and an FBO [at DXB] so there is a lot of plan-ning. Obviously, as general avi-ation still exists at both airports, we want to be at both airports.

“One can understand why [the move to DWC] was necessary. Yes, [the runway closure] was painful. Yes, it did impact our business. Luckily a lot of it was over the summer period when things are generally [less busy]. We had to think how we could

give scheduled maintenance sup-port to our customers.”

As an example of the grow-ing lack of space at DXB, low-cost carrier Flydubai today operates around 40 aircraft and has more than 100 on order. Its base at the airport’s Terminal 2 is only one mile along the air-port’s perimeter from ExecuJet’s existing base.

Berry said, “We don’t have as much parking available [at DXB] as we did prior to the run-way closure. We need to see how we are going to accept aircraft with limited parking availabil-ity. It’s all part of the strategy to start moving general avia-tion across to DWC. That is the long-term goal.”

He explained that some high-net-worth individuals would continue to push for services at DXB. “That’s always going to happen,” he continued. “The runway closure was an opportu-nity for us to have people experi-ence DWC, and that it isn’t really that far out, depending on which side of Dubai you are traveling from. Yes, the infrastructure’s not there yet because it hasn’t been developed, and people may come back here. [Many] peo-ple may wish to remain at DXB, but as I said, we are facing con-straints with parking. We have to make it attractive, from a service and pricing point of view, for passengers to go to DWC.

“[Compared to] prior to the runway closure, we are probably operating now at 60 percent of the parking capacity that [was previ-ously] allocated to us. With all the deliveries coming to Flydubai, and Emirates, general aviation has to give up space to accommo-date the bigger aircraft.”

Berry said ExecuJet has MRO accreditation for most of the Bombardier, Embraer and Hawker fleets, as well as the Gulfstream 150 and 200, and that this served as the initial basis for the company’s DWC MRO ser-vices. “We have full MRO capa-bility and line capability there. We have FBOs established and running there. We have just built a new FBO lounge alongside the existing common terminal, to [provide] additional capacity. We invested in creating another huge lounge for the capacity that we expect to go through DWC as this transition happens. ExecuJet is pushing and negotiating for a stand-alone facility. So yes, we’re here [at DXB], and with that said, even when general aviation goes [to DWC], we hope we’ll still be here.”

Berry said DWC has “got a way to go” to be ready. “The infrastructure for general avia-tion is being developed. Unfor-tunately, at this point in time, it’s only DC Aviation sitting out there in a custom-built facility. It needs the other players to go and establish now so that people can see more providers investing on the airport, putting up facil-ities to get this going. In three-to-four years’ time, you’ll see a very different DWC than what you see today.”

Saudi FBOsIn Saudi Arabia, ExecuJet

operations are limited to a Riyadh FBO, Berry said. “The Saudis themselves will admit that compared to other FBOs, Riyadh is a let-down in


ExecuJet’s FBO entrance at DXB.

ExecuJet has been in operation at DXB since 1999.

Mike Berry, v-p Middle East, ExecuJet Aviation Group

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Challenger 650 features updated cockpit, cabin, enginesby Mark Huber

Bombardier unveiled its new Chal-lenger 650 at the NBAA annual con-vention in Orlando, Florida, in October. The Canadian airframer (Stand A23) has chosen to refresh its classic, 10-pas-senger Challenger 600 series with a rede-signed cockpit, a new cabin interior and optimized GE CF34-3B MTO turbofan engines. The new powerplants will pro-vide additional takeoff thrust on a time-limited basis, allowing shorter takeoff distances, greater payloads and–of par-ticular interest for operators in the Mid-dle East–more range after departing from “challenging” airports during “hot and high” operations. Planned maxi-mum range of the new model is 4,000 nm (7,408 km) with six passengers and stan-dard NBAA IFR reserves.

Deliveries of the $33.35 million Chal-lenger 650 are due to start in the second quarter of 2015. Fractional-ownership provider NetJets is the launch customer with a firm order for 25 and options for an additional 50; NetJets plans call for its 650s to be completed to its standard Sig-nature Series configuration. The order converts a previous NetJets order, placed in 2012, for Challenger 605 “NG” aircraft.

GE Aviation’s 9,220-pound-thrust CF34-3BMTO engines have some 5 per-cent more takeoff thrust than the engines on the Challenger 605. The additional thrust is pilot selectable via a new perfor-mance thrust setting. The higher thrust setting does not impact engine mainte-nance, provided it is used no more than

10 percent of the time, explained Brad Nolen, Bombardier director of product strategy. He said the new feature would be particularly effective at airports in mountain areas, and that the extra thrust would not compromise the engines’ spe-cific fuel consumption.

Eric Martel, president of Bombar-dier Business Aircraft, said the 650 was “pushing the envelope” and would deliver the lowest operating costs in its class. The manufacturer claims that the new model will offer more than $1.5 million worth of equipment as standard items than is available only on an optional basis with its nearest rival, the Dassault Fal-con 2000. Features include the synthetic vision system and MultiScan weather radar in the cockpit, as well as a gal-ley pocket sliding door and a bulkhead monitor with a baseline audio/video-on-demand (AVOD) system.

The Challenger 650 will feature the Bombardier Vision flight deck, based on the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics system, originally designed for the Bombardier Global 6000. Vision incorporates 15-inch dis-plays and includes head-up guidance, synthetic vision, enhanced vision, Mul-tiScan weather radar and the Integrated Flight Information System.

The 650’s passenger cabin bor-rows design elements from the cabins of the under-development Learjet 85 and recently refreshed Challenger 350. Improvements include wider seats, a

galley with a temperature oven, more per-sonal storage in and around the seats and Lufthansa Technik’s niceHD cabin man-agement/in-flight entertainment system, which accommodates the latest technol-ogies, including HD and audio/video on demand. Styling cues from other Bom-bardier models include larger interior window cutaways to let in more natural light, bullnose accents that run the length of the drink rail, in-wall speakers and stylized passenger service units.

“We did this as a response to the great success of the Challenger 350 and the enhancements we introduced with that [aircraft],” said Nolan. The 650 will cost around $500,000 more than the current Challenger 605. o


The Challenger 650 has updated cabin, cockpit and engines. Among the cabin details are wider seats with expanded underseat storage space, bullnose accents on the drink rail and larger window cutaways allowing in more natural light.

standards. There is talk about new general aviation facilities. That’s what is needed. For now, we’ve got to work with what we have. We are doing whatever

we can do to try to upgrade the space, and improve standards.

“In Jeddah, the facilities are 100 percent better than Riyadh. You’ll find standalone facili-ties there, unlike the central ter-minal facilities in Riyadh. It’s difficult, because we are try-ing to raise standards and raise prices, because things are done

differently. We are trying to bring those standards and lift the whole mindset.

“We have no facility in Jed-dah. Part of the plan is ‘how we get into Jeddah.’ It’s a lengthy process. I think we need to be in both places to keep our cus-tomers happy. Saudi is a healthy market for massive heavy

machinery. It’s unusual. We are starting to see Saudi charter coming back [strongly]. [Many] Saudis are using business jets as a business tool.

“In each situation we try to assess who owns the aircraft. Is it for charter or is it private? For someone who owns a 757, he’s not worried about 200 hours’ charter a year to cover costs. For a sensible person who’s charter-ing, we see CEOs and others fly into the region commercially. They are then hiring business jets from us to fly through the region. Are they taking the biggest jet? No. There are ultra-wealthy indi-viduals in the region. We don’t know the extent of that.”

Elsewhere in the region, ExecuJet set up a new FBO in Istanbul, Turkey, in partnership with the local Bilen Air Service, in 2011.

MEBA 2014Berry praised MEBAA’s

efforts to improve the standing of regional business aviation.

“It’s a young organization. It is operating within a region that doesn’t have a full appreciation of business aviation. It is an uphill task, trying to get the reg-ulations in place.

“One of the issues concern-ing MEBAA is… board com-position. It is a mix of OEMs, operators and service provid-ers. A next step would involve trying to break up the man-agement companies and oper-ators to form subcommittees. [On] things like the grey market, OEMs may be interested, but that’s not really their concern. It is ours as an operator. That’s the next step.”

Berry said ExecuJet attended October’s annual NBAA show in Orlando, Florida infor-mally. “As ExecuJet, EBACE and MEBA are the two shows [where we exhibit] as a group. Both shows attract a lot of peo-ple. It’s a question of invest-ment and return. They are opportunities to meet with sup-pliers and customers.” o

ExecuJet eyes big move to DWCuContinued from page 10

ExecuJet has seen its parking ramp area reduced at its DXB facility.

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Eric Martel, the new president of Bombardier Business Aircraft, addresses a press gathering in front of the Challenger 650 cabin mockup. Bombardier launched the newest 600-series Challenger at NBAA 2014 in Orlando. Deliveries of the 4,000-nm-range business jet will start next spring.

UAS Expands Its Asian Footprint with Hong Kong Headquarters

A SPECIAL ADVERTISING INSERT PREPARED FOR UAS BY AIN PUBLICATIONS • MEBA 2014

UAS International Trip Support has been surpassing the expectations of clients world-wide for the past 15 years with a relentless fo-cus on operational excellence, global network support and technological innovation together with its customer-first approach to trip sup-port services.

The company’s network of continental headquarters and regional offices in more than 37 countries, along with ground-support supervisors in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America and the Middle East, guarantees quality assurance in every corner of the globe, even at the most challenging of stations.

“We are very proud of the wide diversity and experience of our employees and particu-larly our operations staff. Overall, UAS has people from more than 50 nationalities and cultural backgrounds and they speak more than 41 languages,” said Mohammed Husary, UAS Executive President and a member of the UAS Corporate Management Team.

“We hire experts who come from all

over the world and together have more than 4,000 years of experience. That’s a lot of ex-perience,” said Roman Stampoulis, Regional Director–Asia. “Each employee brings his or her own regional expertise to our global team. This gives UAS a unique world view which we use to the advantage of our clients.”

What Makes UAS Different?“Our goal is to provide the highest level of

service in the industry,” Stampoulis continued. “We strive to make our clients’ jobs easier and their trips more efficient by going above and beyond what is needed to get the job done. We constantly work with our clients to make sure we provide them with the highest level of service possible.”

UAS believes that a trip support company should be more than a vendor. “We strive to be an extension of our customers’ flight de-partments,” Stampoulis explained.

To provide customized trip planning UAS builds profiles for its clients based on their

individual trip preferences. Each client’s des-ignated UAS operations consultant carefully monitors these preferences.

The global company holds its employees to a high standard. “Prospective employees must go through intensive training programs,” Hu-sary said. The training relates to the specifics of their jobs with a strong focus on providing exemplary customer service. “This is what we call ‘The UAS Way,’” Husary explained.

“It is not easy to get a job with UAS,” he continued. “A person has to be exceptionally talented to be hired by UAS.”

“Our job is to solve our customers’ prob-lems,” Stampoulis added. “We don’t give up at the first obstacle. Our staff keeps looking for solutions to problems until they find a way.”

Expanding in Asia UAS recently opened its newest continen-

tal headquarters in Hong Kong.“Hong Kong was an obvious choice for a

number of reasons, not least its strategic location

UAS Expands Its Asian Footprint with Hong Kong Headquarters

• Five Aircraft to One Airport“A VVIP client needed to operate

five aircraft to the same location in Asia within 30 minutes of each other,” recalled Roman Stampoulis, Regional Director–Asia. “So we sent one of our best ground ops team members to the destination airport to coordinate an accurate and timely flight watch, interact constantly with the agent once the aircraft were on the ground and oversee a pre-agreed plan to tow the aircraft to remote stands after services

were completed. A similar effort was required for the departure. Careful tactical planning, close monitoring and working with reliable and reputable agents contributed to the successful result.

• World Cup Save“During the World Cup this year, we

handled a trip to Brazil for one of our clients; however, the flight crew did all the flight planning and got all the landing permits,” related Trey Clark, UAS Americas Lead Flight Planner, who

worked this trip. “After the airplane arrived in Manaus—its first stop in Brazil—ATC kept rejecting their flight plans. So the pilots called us. We were able to contact ATC with our own people who speak Portuguese.”

With the matter quickly resolved, the airplane took off in time for the passengers to make the kickoff of the World Cup football match they were attending.

“A lot of operators can do stuff on their own,” Clark said, “but with the World Cup everything was much more complex.

We have local people in the same time zone who have local knowledge and experience. We can get anything done for anybody anywhere.”

• No Parking in DohaA major oil and gas company

contacted UAS after another service provider told the company that aircraft parking was not available in Doha, Qatar, during an OPEC summit. The alternative was to position the company’s airplane elsewhere.

What happens when a client calls All UAS operations centers around the globe are manned

24/7 by true aviation professionals. “When a client calls, emails, or uses TMS—our trip management software—they interact directly with our operations centers,” said Roman Stampoulis, Regional Director–Asia. “There is no middleman.”

All client communications are acknowledged and ad-dressed in a timely and efficient manner. When new clients request services, UAS’s highly trained and experienced trip support specialists request all relevant data. This data is kept on file so it can be referenced in future service requests, which streamlines the process and enhances the customer’s experience. UAS even sends customers courtesy reminders when any licenses or certificates are about to expire.

After UAS receives the information from the client, the trip support specialist contacts the company’s local agents

in the area to obtain the latest information. A primary con-cern is whether the airplane proposed for the trip will be able to operate to and from the airports in question. Will the flights be safe? Will they be handled well?

UAS trip support specialists also carefully analyze the flight path and often provide customers with a choice of routes.

Stampoulis added, “Route and feasibility planning includes hotels and the level of service desired. We will provide a detailed cost estimate that we believe includes all the expenses, should a client ask for it. We provide a list of all the known charges, including things that others may leave off. If an airport’s ‘Follow Me’ car is standard or the client is subject to VAT, we include those fees on the cost estimate.”

A SPECIAL ADVERTISING INSERT PREPARED FOR UAS BY AIN PUBLICATIONS • MEBA 2014

Mohammed Husary, UAS Executive President

Roman Stampoulis, Regional Director-Asia

A SPECIAL ADVERTISING INSERT PREPARED FOR UAS BY AIN PUBLICATIONS • EBACE 2014

with fantastic accessibility,” Husary explained. “The Hong Kong headquarters enables us to have greater coverage in the entire Asia-Pacific region. Hong Kong itself is a major global busi-ness hub with existing sophisticated infrastruc-ture, so it is a very popular destination for our clients. By opening our headquarters there, we are able to give clients more support, which has always been our number-one priority.”

Now that UAS has a dedicated Hong Kong office, Husary makes this promise: “Our cli-ents will receive an even higher level of service from us. With local staff, speaking the local lan-guage and no time difference, we will be able to provide an immediate response to the needs of our clients.”

In the first quarter of 2015, the global com-pany plans to open a new regional office in In-dia. “We choose the locations of our headquar-

ters and other offices strategically, so we are best placed to serve our clients’ needs,” Husary said. “In fact, it is our clients themselves who drive our expansion. Wherever they are or fre-quently operate to, we want to be there.”

“Having headquarters and offices around the world is incredibly important,” Stampoulis add-ed. “The difference it makes to our clients is tan-gible. It enables us to gain a full understanding of the culture and idiosyncrasies of each location. We can gain insight and information instantly, as it occurs. Without a team on the ground 24/7, it can sometimes take a few days for critical in-formation to filter through.” He said that in the locations where UAS has opened offices, the company has seen a significant improvement in its quality service report (QSR) ratings.

Although the Hong Kong headquarters and Beijing regional office are new, it is important

“We called the airport authority, who told us the same thing,” related Ryan Frankhouser, Regional Direc-tor for the Americas.

“So then we called one of our customers, who is based there, and asked whether they had any ramp space available for a large-cabin airplane. They said, ‘Yes, when do you want to come?’ Within 10 minutes we called the oil and gas company and told them we had parking for their airplane in Doha.”

• Warnings about UkraineUAS’s headquarters offices around

the world immediately alerted their clients in early June about the dangers of overflying Ukraine as soon as government and other agencies issued warnings about the region.

One month later, on July 17, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was inexpli-cably shot down over Ukraine, killing all 283 passengers and 15 crew on board. (The cause of this diaster is still being disputed.)

Another characteristic that sets UAS apart is its commitment to technology and the use of innovation to deliver to its customers a more streamlined, enjoyable experience. The company’s new web-based portal––UAS TMS (Trip Manage-ment System)—is the first of many exciting technologies that UAS has developed.

TMS is a workflow-management pro-gram that is also accessible as a mobile

application. It provides real-time access to a suite of business aviation services. TMS saves clients time, gives them greater control over the status of service requests and enhances their ex-perience.

Protected by a username and password, TMS allows access to mission-critical information any-time, anywhere. It is like having a full operations department right on your smartphone.

Trip Management System brings UAS to your fingertips

The TMS app offers these benefits:• Real-time tracking of services and status

• Inventory of past flights and requests

• Real-time status of requested permits

• Access to all handling and fuel confirmations

• Online brief available for download or email

• “Push” notifications to alert the user of changes

A SPECIAL ADVERTISING INSERT PREPARED FOR UAS BY AIN PUBLICATIONS • ABACE 2014A SPECIAL ADVERTISING INSERT PREPARED FOR UAS BY AIN PUBLICATIONS • MEBA 2014

to remember that UAS has been operating in the Asia-Pacific region for 15 years.

“All of our staff within the offices are experi-enced aviation industry professionals and we have ensured that through continual training and devel-opment in unparalleled customer service,” Husary said. “Our staff constantly manages to surpass client expectations in terms of trip support services, such as arranging authentic Asian catering menus, pro-viding a supervisor who speaks the local language to meet and assist, billing in the customer’s preferred currency, providing a customized trip brief unique to their needs and incorporating their own quality and operational standards into our processes.”

Private Jet Travel in Asia“Our Asian clients travel all over the world, but

India, Singapore, Australia, Western Europe, Afri-ca and the U.S. are the most popular destinations,” Stampoulis said.

“Therefore, it is understandable that most of the business jets that we assist are long-range, wide-body aircraft, such as the Gulfstream G550, Global Express and BBJ,” he added.

Every location in the world has its own characteris-tics depending on local rules and regulations. The lead times and processes may be slightly different, but, all in all, dispatching an aircraft is a similar process any-where in the world, Stampoulis explained. UAS rou-tinely conducts site visits in advance of aircraft opera-tions to assess and coordinate all the services required so the arrival is as seamless as possible.

“Your local partner with global reach.” For UAS employees, “Your local partner with

global reach,” is not just a slogan, it’s a way of life, a way of doing business.

UAS has set a precedent for the trip support its clients receive, and it ensures that all of its clients experience and enjoy the same standard of quality whenever they fly.

“We opened our continental headquarters in Hong Kong and a regional office in Beijing to bet-ter support our clients within Asia, as well as our international clients with flight operations into Asia,” Husary said. “This includes a full-fledged operations center with a team of multilingual aviation experts who speak Mandarin, Cantonese and English.”

UAS clients enjoy uninterrupted service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with no time zone or linguistic barriers, said Stampoulis. “Most im-portant, our local staff in Asia have full ramp ac-cess, which means our clients also benefit from on-site supervisory services to ensure their mis-sion goes as planned, equipment requirements are met, safety is not comprised and services are delivered on-time.”

Although UAS is a global company, employees strive to ensure that customers receive the level of service and attention they would expect from a local partner.

And the company has plans for the future, with announcements coming in the next 12 months. “Watch where UAS lands next,” Husary said. o

The Global Company That Doesn’t Act Like a Global Company

Billing matters Business is business and upon the completion of

a successful international trip, it’s time to pay your trip support provider.

UAS International Trip Support strives diligently to make client billing transparent, unambiguous and accurate, recognizing that many of its customers are cost-sensitive, dislike bills they can’t understand and become unhappy when they receive invoices months after a trip is complete.

“Our billing departments throughout the world, like our operational staffs, are tasked to provide un-paralleled customer service to our clients and related vendors,” explained Tareq Husary–Senior Director of Finance for UAS. “This has allowed us to establish trustworthy and reliable partnerships around the globe. And due to our massive economies-of-scale, we are able to provide our clients with some of the

lowest costs of goods sold in the industry.”Husary said UAS’s goal is to deliver accurate,

clear and transparent billing regardless of the length of the trip or the size of the aircraft.

Recalling a client who asked to be billed after the completion of each leg of a month-long, multi-ple-flight trip, the UAS Senior Director of Finance said, “Our staff worked diligently with agencies around the world to provide an accurate overview and expedite the billing process. Our team was able to adapt and quickly make adjustments, not only meeting the client’s request, but also making the overall billing process more efficient.

“The goal of UAS worldwide is to provide a per-sonal touch and to handle each request, not as your service provider, but as your business partner,” Husary concluded.

Middle East HeadquartersUAS Building, DAFZA,P.O. Box 54482, Dubai, UAETel: +971 4 299 6633Fax: +971 4 299 6777SITA: DXBWZ7XEmail: [email protected]

Asia-Pacific Headquarters17th Floor, 88 Lockhart RoadWanchai, Hong KongTel: +852 3975 3975Fax: +852 3576 3553Email: [email protected]

Africa HeadquartersPostnet Suite #112, Pvt Bag X21Johannesburg, 2021, South AfricaTel: +27 11 514 0755Fax: +27 11 514 0545SITA: JNBWZ7XEmail: [email protected]

Americas Headquarters2000 West Loop South, Suite 1500Houston, TX 77027 USATel: +1-281-724-5400Fax: +1-281-724-5410SITA: HOUWZ7XEmail: [email protected]

Amac focuses on VVIP but other roles expandby James Wynbrandt & Ian Sheppard

With strong ties to the Middle East, Swiss-based completions, refurbishment and maintenance provider Amac Aerospace, here at the MEBA show (Chalet A13), is highlighting the impending completion of a head-of-state/VVIP-configured Boeing 747-8, performed for an undisclosed customer in the region. By the end of this year, the company’s Basel facility will be starting work on its third green VIP Boeing 777 completion.

The 747-8 project is “now in the final installation phase of the interior,” according to Amac Group COO Bernd Schramm, with work expected to conclude by year’s end. This is the com-pany’s first 747 completion, but Amac has widebody experience from Boeing 777-200 and -300 finishings, Schramm told AIN.

Though Amac has a complete design shop, in this case the 747-8’s owner provided the design package and specifications for the project and requested a proposal. “We understood how to translate what the customer wanted into production drawings and engi-neering data,” Schramm said of the company’s winning bid.

Amac previously performed an Airbus ACJ319 completion and maintenance services for the 747 customer, which led to the current project. The com-pany likely hopes that history repeats itself as it also nears completion of a green ACJ319 with an interior featuring “quite a bit of carbon fiber” for a cus-tomer in Asia, Schramm said. Amac spent months search-ing for and testing materials for the project. “You have so many

different kinds of carbon suppli-ers, but it’s very difficult to find the quality that meets our expec-tations,” he said. Delivery of the ACJ319 is planned in the second quarter of 2015.

Founded in 2007, Amac has almost 700 employees and is led by group executive chairman and CEO Kadri Muhiddin. Facilities at its EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse headquarters include two 90,000-sq-ft (8,400-sq-m) hangars, each able to hold two widebodies, and a 48,000-sq-ft (4,500-sq-m) han-gar. A fourth hangar is about to start construction with sched-uled completion in late 2015. It is slightly smaller than 90,000-sq-ft, and will be able to accom-modate one widebody or two BBJ/ACJ-size jets. The hangar roofs are of wooden construc-tion, as it is cheaper than steel. As of the first quarter of 2015, Amac will have delivered 12 bizliner completions.

An ACJ319 completion costs from about $35 million to $45 million, depending on com-plexity, options and layout, said Schramm. A widebody like a 747 with an interior about four to five times larger costs a com-mensurate amount more.

In addition to green com-pletions, refurbishments and interior upgrade projects also keep the facility busy, along-side MRO work, which tends to focus on supporting the comple-tions/refurbishment business.

Amac also has maintenance approvals from Boeing for BBJs, the 747 and 777, and from Air-bus for ACJs, and 330/340-series airliners, as well as approval as a

continuous airworthiness main-tenance organization (CAMO). For painting Amac uses Ruag at Oberpfaffenhofen in Germany and QAPS in Holland.

‘On Time and on Budget’During a visit to its facilities in

mid-November, it was clear that Amac is far busier now that two years ago, when AIN attended the opening of the second large hangar (third overall). Eric Hoe-gen, sales and key account man-ager for Amac’s completions activities, claimed, “Amac is one of the few facilities to deliver on time and on budget,” which he says is why customers come back.

According to Hoegen, Amac also performs completions and refurbishment projects on “smaller aircraft such as Global Expresses and Gulfstreams [usu-ally carried out in the smaller, original hangar],” and he added, “We have just delivered a fully refurbished Global. It’s the first Global we did using our own internal design capability.” But Amac is “focused on the VVIP market,” he noted.

Waleed Muhiddin, vice pres-ident strategic operations and business development, indicated that another 747-8 completion could be close to being under contract, and also said the com-pany would definitely not look at providing modular comple-tions solutions similar to those introduced by Airbus and the likes of SR Technics in the past couple of years. In his view, this approach is not right for the VVIP market, and he suggested that such concepts were ill-con-ceived, given the demands likely from customers during proj-ects, which could cause them to make costly alterations anyway.

Pilatus DealershipThrough Amac Aerospace

Turkey A.S., the company has a hangar at Istanbul Ataturk Air-port for its PC-12 and Dassault Falcon maintenance work; the Turkish operation is the exclu-sive distributor for Pilatus Air-craft in the region, and is an authorized service center for Falcon Jet.

In October Amac announced it will take delivery of two PC-24 twin-engine jets in 2019 for use as demonstration aircraft (one it ordered as part of the orders

announced at the EBACE show in May, while the second has been added since).

In addition to its Basel facil-ities, the company has an office in Zurich for aircraft manage-ment and charter service. The company has some 16 aircraft under management, from a PC-12 to MD-80 and ACJ A320 executive airliners. The char-ter is brokered, which Schramm describes as “a convenience for customers;” managed aircraft are not available for char-ter. The company also has a regional sales office for Pilatus aircraft in Beirut, currently idle due to the country’s unstable political situation.

Amac operates on two prin-ciples, Schramm said. First, having complete in-house capa-bility for all interior design, fabrication, testing and certi-fication work, which gives the company complete control over its projects. The second is that, “we have flat hierarchies in our company. The doors of man-agement are open to everyone. We want to run it like a family business because, in the end, it’s the people on the hangar floor [that are responsible for the company’s success].” o

www.ainonline.com • December 8, 2014 • MEBA Convention News 13

Amac is about to start construction of a fourth hangar at its Basel,

Switzerland, headquarters.

Amac has just finished an extensive refurbishing of this Bombardier

Global Express aircraft.

Satcom Direct provides international trainingby Charles Alcock

U.S. company Satcom Direct (Stand 765) is seeking to boost knowledge of satellite commu-nications and connectivity tech-nology with a series of training programs aimed at aircraft

operators. The Satellite Beach, Florida-based company is arranging classes and seminars in Dubai, Farnborough, Geneva and Hong Kong with a view to boosting technological awareness in growing international markets.

The courses include an over-view of industry trends, an intro-duction to the Inmarsat and Iridium satellite networks, hard-ware configurations and trou-bleshooting techniques. Classes, running from one to three days,

can be held at customer loca-tions on request. They are led by trainers certified by the Inter-national Air Transport Associa-tion, and participants receive a certificate on completion.

“These courses enable partic-

ipants to speedily troubleshoot complex satcom configurations with ease by providing theoreti-cal and practical modules,” said Satcom Direct’s head of train-ing, Sanaa Saadani.

The classes cover all networks used for aviation communica-tions. The Foundation course focuses on troubleshooting and satcom schematics. The Inmarsat aviation course provides train-ing on legacy and next-genera-tion Inmarsat systems. The IP and Voice course concentrates on introducing maintenance and operational professionals to troubleshooting Internet pro-tocol networks. According to Satcom Direct, likely class par-ticipants would include pilots, maintenance technicians, sched-ulers and dispatchers, as well as sales people.

“Training is so important to Satcom Direct that we consider it a core value, along with inno-vation and support,” said presi-dent David Greenhill. ” o


GlobalVT for Worldwide VoIP

At the recent NBAA show in Florida, Satcom Direct launched a new version of its AeroV voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) sys-tem that allows satcom users to use smartphones and personal numbers for voice calls and SMS messaging. The new GlobalVT system offers connectivity anywhere in the world, using a variety of satellite systems, and at all stages of flight. It is avail-able for aircraft equipped with the Satcom Direct Router, which was launched last year and is now fly-ing on nearly 50 aircraft.

With its Global One Number solution the company pioneered in-flight connectivity by allowing call-ers on the ground to reach airborne handsets through a single 10-digit number. Expanding the system to cover personal smartphone num-bers has been a challenge because of the various operating systems that are in use. Moreover, terrestrial networks also differ in the way they handle text and voice. Available as a mobile app, GlobalVT has over-come these challenges to provide a common service despite the var-ious protocols involved.

Satcom Direct is also adding a proactive security monitoring func-tion to its SkyShield solution, which is currently used to optimize airborne Internet usage by blocking unneces-sary traffic such as software updates. SkyShield’s security service will be available starting early next year. Any adverse events are detected and notified to the operator, includ-ing alerts to the flight deck. –D.D.

At CAE, safe operations are our first priority, as demonstrated by our excellent business aviation and helicopter flight training. But your other needs also deserve attention. That’s why we offer convenient and enjoyable locations, unsurpassed service, and tailored programs and schedules that meet your needs. So work with the people who work with you. CAE. Elevate your training.

TrainWithCAE.com Visit us at MEBA booth 830.

©2014 CAE. All rights reserved.

Gama’s star is rising at Sharjah due to bizav being squeezed at DXBby Peter Shaw-Smith

Based at Sharjah airport, aircraft management and char-ter operation Gama Aviation (Stand 470) added two aircraft to its managed fleet this year and is planning a new hangar for maintenance and storage. Gama has seen a windfall from operators leaving Dubai Inter-national Airport (DXB) due to the shortage of slots for busi-ness aviation at that airport.

Today, Gama has eight air-craft under management and two on charter. Two aircraft were added to the fleet this year, a Legacy 600 and a Challenger 605. “We now charter two Leg-acy 600s, and we are obviously very happy with that product. It has been very well received by the industry,” Richard Lineveldt, general manager, Gama Avia-tion Sharjah, told AIN.

Gama has three hangars at Sharjah International, and access to a fourth, if necessary, for parking. “We are in the final stages of planning a new main-tenance and storage hangar. It is of quite significant size, at 3,000 square meters [over 32,000 sq ft], and will take care of a lot of our needs going forward.”

Lineveldt said Gama had received UAE GCAA CAR 145 maintenance approval, as well as EASA line-station approval, and was able to maintain air-craft types including Bombar-dier’s Global and Challenger series. The next step was to obtain maintenance approvals for Embraer’s Legacy, towards the end of the year. “We are see-ing what the need is for mainte-nance based on aircraft moving over to Sharjah. Obviously, we

are looking to fulfill that need.”Gama’s new Sharjah FBO

opened this summer to positive reviews. Lineveldt said, “It is a three-pronged [approach]. The FBO facility is the primary draw to get aircraft over to Sharjah. The maintenance facility helps ensure that clients are comfortable and the aircraft can be taken care of over there. The third part is storage and hangarage in Shar-jah, as well as parking. We offer dedicated parking and a variety of hangar opportunities for cli-ents, ensuring aircraft are kept sheltered from the Middle East climate, especially during summer.

“We wanted to make Sharjah a viable option for business avia-tion in Dubai and the Northern Emirates,” he said.

Lineveldt went on to say that corporate aviation was on the

increase. “In general, we are very encouraged by the fact that we are seeing people talking about buying aircraft and bringing them into the region. A lot of this is coming from corporates.

“Some are non-UAE. Many of these aircraft are used by high-net-worth individuals who own companies. We are seeing some addition to that–corpora-tions buying for corporate use and expansion of the business. Attitudes to business aviation are changing.”

Slot Squeeze at DXBLineveldt then discussed how

general aviation is increasingly constrained at Dubai’s existing airport. “DXB is no longer con-ducive to business-jet travel. It’s no secret: if you want to sched-ule a flight to DXB today, sched-uling slots is difficult, and there is a limit to the amount of time you can spend on the ground. [It is often better] to reposition the aircraft out to another airport.

“Sharjah won’t be the solution

for everybody,” he admitted. “We are very comfortable we are getting a more-than-decent share of the local market…[but] we would be more than happy to operate out of DWC. We will continue to look at what oppor-tunities there are. We hope that with the continued expansion, there will be more business. The business proposition for us [then] becomes a lot clearer.”

On Africa, Lineveldt said that Nigeria was an increasing focus. “It is very evident that most of the hype is centered on Nigeria. We’ve made contact with some people there, to provide services. At the moment we don’t have specific intentions to move into Africa. We are keeping an eye on Africa as we appreciate there’s growth.”

Lineveldt said, “There is an increase in growth as business in the region picks up. There is an increase in new aircraft. It is important that the company is diversified, and we are ensur-ing [we are able to provide] FBO and MRO [facilities].” o


Farnborough, UK-based Gama Aviation is now reaping the benefits of opening an FBO

at Sharjah rather than crowded DXB.

ACSS avionics gear ready for upcoming mandatesby Matt Thurber

With the deadline for compli-ance with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) mandate for updated TCAS II comput-ers just a year away, Middle East operators who plan to fly in Euro-pean airspace beginning Dec. 1, 2015 will need to have the Change 7.1 software installed to meet that requirement. Aviation Com-munication & Surveillance Sys-tems (ACSS), the L-3 Aviation Products division that is 70 per-cent owned by L-3 and 30 percent owned by Thales, is at MEBA (Stand 480) encouraging opera-tors flying aircraft equipped with ACSS TCAS products to make plans for the upgrade before the deadline, to prevent any possible installation delays or restricted access to European airspace.

ACSS TCAS (traffic colli-sion avoidance system) products

include the TCAS II, TCAS 2000, TCAS 3000, TCAS 3000SP, T2CAS and T3CAS. These units are installed in a variety of busi-ness aircraft, including Bombar-dier’s Global 5000 and Learjet 40 series; Cessna’s Citation Mus-tang, XLS, Sovereign and X; Dassault Falcon 900, 2000 and 7X; Embraer Phenom and Leg-acy models; and Gulfstream G350 through G550.

L-3 Aviation dealers and aircraft manufacturers can install the Change 7.1 software upgrade. “Change 7.1 is a sim-ple software upgrade in most cases, so the process is quick and easy,” said Shane LaPlante, vice president of aftermarket sales for ACSS and L-3 Avia-tion Products. The European Change 7.1 requirement applies to aircraft with a maximum

takeoff weight of more than 5,700 kg or that can carry more than 19 passengers.

Five Years to ADS–B out

ACSS is also playing a key role in another significant avion-ics mandate, the requirement for Automatic Dependent Surveil-lance-Broadcast (ADS-B out), which is already in effect in some countries’ airspace, generally at altitudes starting at 29,000 feet and on certain airways. Com-mercial and business aircraft will be required to equip with ADS-B out capability by Jan. 1, 2020 in the U.S.

In European airspace, the ADS-B out mandate begins in June 2016 for new aircraft and June 2020 for in-service aircraft. Aircraft will need not only a tran-sponder capable of meeting the ADS-B out standards, but also a highly accurate GPS sensor wired to the transponder, to provide accurate position information.

ACSS’s NXT-800 and NXT-600 ADS-B out Mode S tran-sponders were certified earlier

this year, and they meet RTCA DO-260B and DO-181E stan-dards. The NXT-800 is aimed at the air transport market, while the NXT-600 is designed for the needs of business aircraft and helicopters. L-3 is also develop-ing the Lynx ADS-B out sys-tem for small general aviation aircraft, and this design incor-porates the GPS sensor and ADS-B out transponder into a single-box unit for easier instal-lation. The Lynx family will also interface with existing antennas and wiring, further simplifying installation and lowering costs for owners and operators.

Although it may seem as though there is plenty of time to install ADS-B out equipment, government officials are wor-ried that the pace of retrofitting ADS-B installations is lagging and that there will be a massive traffic jam at installation centers as the deadlines approach. “We encourage business jet opera-tors to get their upgrades in place for ADS-B out,” said LaPlante, “because they’ll need to take

the aircraft out of service for installation. In most cases, the upgraded Mode S transponder installations require new wiring between the GPS sensor and the transponder for retrofit aircraft.”

Gulfstream’s new G500 and G600 long-range jets will incor-porate two L-3 Aviation Products systems, the Genesis touchscreen standby system and FA5003 cockpit voice recorder/flight data recorder (CVR/FDR). Each G500 and G600 will be equipped with two Genesis systems, which are driven by external sensors and provide attitude, altitude, airspeed, heading, flight-guid-ance and navigation information on a five-inch touchscreen LCD with 800- by 480-pixel resolution.

Two FA5003 recorders are installed, with one acting as the CVR and the other as the FDR. The CVR stores audio data in its large-capacity digital mem-ory, converting it from analog audio signals to digital format. Working in the FDR configura-tion, the second FA5003 records Arinc 717 aircraft data. o

Part of Gama’s marketing strategy in drawing customers to Sharjah is this elegant FBO, which opened this summer to positive reviews.

Dassault is preparing new Falcons for flightby Thierry Dubois

Dassault is preparing to fly the Falcon 5X twinjet and the Falcon 8X trijet, both large-cabin business aircraft, in the first half of 2015 with five test aircraft expected to grace the company’s Istres, France ramp by the end of next year.

As the 6,450-nm Falcon 8X is a derivative of the in-service Falcon 7X, rather than being an all-new airframe, its devel-opment is moving faster and it is slated to fly within weeks of MEBA, in the first quarter of next year. The first test air-craft was assembled this sum-mer and its electrical systems were powered up in July, with first engine run in September.

At a mid-October press brief-ing, the Falcon 8X program was described as close to complet-ing ground vibration tests at Dassault’s Bordeaux Mérignac factory. During a visit to that facility, AIN learned that the first aircraft will be dedicated to flight-envelope expansion, according to chief test pilot Philippe Deleume. The second Falcon 8X, scheduled to fly in the second quarter of 2015, will focus on performance. A third example, while not a test air-craft, will help with cabin sys-tems and preparation for entry into service.

The Falcon 8X campaign will total 550 flight hours in 200 flights over 14 months, with certification planned for mid-2016 and initial deliver-ies in the second half of that year. Dispatch reliability at entry into service is targeted at 99.97 percent.

Also at the Bordeaux Méri-gnac factory, the airframer is close to completing the final

assembly of the first 5,200-nm Falcon 5X. The first test of the fuel system was performed in September and the first engine run is planned for this month or early January. This means the ground-test schedule has slipped slightly. Nevertheless, Dassault (Stand A11, Chalet P4) is confident that the first flight will take place in the sec-ond quarter of next year.

At its Saint-Cloud head-quarters near Paris, Dassault engineers are making intensive use of the “Falcon simulation bench.” In addition to fly-by-wire control and autopilot devel-opment, it serves as a tool for preparing flight-test campaigns. Dassault and EASA even use it to perform some otherwise dan-gerous certification tests, such as the autopilot’s minimum- use height.

On the Falcon 5X, fly-by-wire software has been designed from scratch, although it retains the 7X’s software philosophy. “But we have some new control laws, due to the new control sur-faces,” an engineer explained. The Falcon 5X’s flaperons will combine the roles of ailerons and flaps. One expected benefit is creating drag without spoiling lift, thus keeping a lower angle of attack in the approach and landing, the engineer explained.

Falcon 5X development will use three test aircraft, Deleume said. The first will be for flight-envelope expansion and the second for performance and systems evaluation. The third, meanwhile, will be dedicated to cabin-system tests and extreme-weather campaigns, thus pre-paring the aircraft for entry into service.

The Falcon 5X campaign will total 1,500 flight hours in 500 flights over 20 months, accord-ing to Dassault. Certification is anticipated in late 2016 with entry into service in mid-2017.

For the Falcon 5X, Dassault has taken a fresh look at man-ufacturing, especially for the wings. Version 6 of Dassault Systèmes’ Catia design tool has allowed further progress. At the Bordeaux Martignas factory, which specializes in wings, the area dedicated to the Falcon 5X will stay relatively small because wing panels are added on a ver-tical jig. Assembly is also faster because, thanks to Catia v6, the stringers and panels fit perfectly. “We checked this on three Fal-con 5X wing shipsets, and this was a nice surprise,” a produc-tion specialist told AIN.

5X CabinDassault is also focusing

closely on cabin design. At its Little Rock completion facility in the U.S., the new dedicated Falcon 5X building will feature a cabin mockup where cabinets will be checked before instal-lation. These inspections will be both for checking interfaces and aesthetics.

In addition, in May Dassault opened a new showroom at Le Bourget airport where customers now have 5,400 sq ft where they can not only see Falcon cabin interior amenities in virtual real-ity, but also touch and feel veneer, carpets, tableware, seats, displays, sound systems and so forth. The company sees it as a major com-plement to the Falcon 5X cabin mockup and the airframer’s three demonstration aircraft–one Fal-con 7X, one Falcon 900LX and one Falcon 2000S–are housed in a neighboring hangar.

Feedback from Falcon-oper-ator advisory board members prompted Dassault to design the new showroom. “They told us, ‘You need to do something about it,’” said Rémi Bachelet, director of aircraft specifica-tions and design.

In the new layout, a central conference room features a large display for walk-through cabin configuration and photograph-like renderings. The data the new “configurator” uses is extracted

from the design engineers’ 3-D mockup, from Catia v6. Dassault’s entire digital process is now integrated from specifica-tion to production, a spokesman said. En-suite rooms dedicated to materials, tableware, galley equipment, seats and so forth surround the virtual reality area.

About 85 percent of cus-tomer choices are made from Dassault’s catalogs; more exotic options account for the remain-ing 15 percent, said Bachelet. “Sometimes we tell the customer that we can do what he wants, but we make him aware of pos-sibly undesirable consequences; for example, installing two sofas that convert into a bed in the aft lounge is doable but makes the aft lavatory less accessible,” he explained.

Dassault opened a similar, slightly smaller showroom in Teterboro, N.J., in September. As with its sister facility in Le Bourget, it should help with Falcon sales, too, by bringing the customer closer to the whole process. o


As a more direct derivative of the in-service Falcon 7X, Dassault’s Falcon 8X is progressing more quickly than the all-new 5X. With five aircraft earmarked for the flight-test program, the first takeoff is scheduled for just weeks from now, early in 2015.

On the Falcon simulation bench at Dassault’s Saint-Cloud headquarters near Paris, Dassault engineers and pilots (here with chief test pilot Philippe Deleume in the right seat) have been developing the Falcon 5X’s fly-by-wire controls.

Falcon 900s to Aid AOG Customers As Dassault’s two new aircraft, the Falcon 8X and Falcon 5X, move closer

to the first-flight stage, Dassault Falcon Jet has launched a new AOG (air-craft on ground) response initiative, announced in October at the NBAA show in Orlando, Florida. The customer-support program will use two company-owned Falcon 900s as rapid-response aircraft; one based at Teterboro in New Jersey and the other at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, France.

The Falcons will be used to transport Dassault Go Teams of technicians, parts and tools and, if necessary, transport customers to their destinations while their aircraft are being serviced. Customers will be billed only for the direct operating costs for these flights, which will be operated for the airframer by an independent operator under air charter rules (FAA FAR Part 135).

In addition to the rapid response aircraft, Dassault is embarking on var-ious other service-related improvements, including building a new 77,000-sq-ft MRO facility in Bordeaux, France; increasing the number of parts for “right-sizing” price reductions; significantly increasing its spare parts inven-tories; and hiring more service personnel.

Dassault says that it currently has a 98.5-percent parts-availability rate–meaning that is the percentage of the cases where a customer receives parts on the day they are needed–and that in most cases, parts pack and ship within 30 minutes to one hour of order placement. –M.H.

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Titan is adding to its fleet at 10-year anniversary mark by Peter Shaw-Smith

Dubai-based Titan Aviation has added three new aircraft to its privately man-aged fleet as it celebrates its 10th year of operations. It has added a Hawker 900XP, Learjet 60XR and Embraer Legacy 650 to a fleet which now incorporates seven business jets and one helicopter, based in the Middle East, India and Europe.

The fleet already includes Embraer

Legacy 600s and Embraer Phenom 100s. “Two of the managed business jets are available to the charter market,” Titan said in a statement. The company offers cus-tomers new and pre-owned aircraft sales, aircraft operations and maintenance, air-craft management and charter services from the UAE, India and worldwide on its Cayman Islands-registered fleet.

Its dedicated regional HR service places pilots, crew, type-rating examin-ers and instructors, and sales and mar-keting managers, in aviation companies in the Middle East. “We… mark our 10th anniversary by adding three new aircraft to the managed fleet. We also have a fur-ther four managed aircraft in the pipeline, so the business has real momentum,” said Captain Sakeer Sheik, managing director of Titan Aviation.

“It’s been an eventful 10 years in which we have seen the regional pri-vate aviation industry consolidate and mature, and Titan has played a role in this process by offering all the benefits and advantages of aircraft ownership without any of the burdens such as reg-ulatory issues, operational coordination, maintenance and administrative mat-ters, and crew,” said Capt. Sheik.

“We have also sold over 35 aircraft in this period, helped make aircraft profit-able for owners, and developed a unique regional aviation HR service,” he added.

Titan claims to have placed 450 pilots as well as other crew and trainers in the region for executive travel involv-ing general, corporate and commercial aviation. “We are always on the look-out for talented professionals and are now looking ahead to the rise of low-cost airlines, and expect to be working with more specialists in this field in the future,” he said. o


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Titan Aviation’s fleet includes this Legacy 600.

IACOBUCCI SHOWCASES NEW SEATS AND GALLEY INSERTS

At October’s NBAA show in Orlando, Florida, Iacobucci HF Aerospace (Stand 520) of Ferentino, Italy, showcased its new line of high-quality seats and galley inserts, which it is also highlighting here in Dubai. The Ital-ian-style seats come in five different 16-g design lines, and can be installed in a variety of aircraft models and cabin configurations.

Iacobucci’s galley products, like its line of espresso machines, coffee mak-ers and the “Gusto” oven, help bring a five-star dining experience to the skies, according to the company. All are specif-ically designed for business aircraft. As a safety bonus, the Gusto oven doesn’t get hot during operation, due to its patented induction technology. –J.W.

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Bizav to be ‘in the zone’ at Singapore Airshow by Ian Sheppard

The next biennial Singapore Airshow (February 16-21, 2016) is promising to be even bigger and better than this year’s event and will for the first time feature a Business Aviation Zone.

“The Asia Pacific region is leading the way in aviation indus-try growth and Singapore, with its strategic location at the heart of Asia, provides an ideal plat-form for international companies to springboard into this thriving region,” Leck Chet Lam, manag-ing director of organizer Experia Events, told AIN. “To date, 80 per-cent of the exhibition has already been booked,” he said, adding that this bears testimony to “the rele-vance and importance of the show as a must-attend event in the indus-try’s global calendar. We are confi-dent that [the] Singapore Airshow will maintain its standing as the premier platform for companies to grow their business in Asia.”

The show is one of a handful around the world that combines military and commercial aviation in one event, and few could dis-agree with the organizer’s asser-tion that it is “Asia’s largest and one of the most important aero-space and defense exhibitions in the world” and that it has been “successful in bringing together a large number of high-level mil-itary delegations and leading industry players from national airlines, airport operators, related industries and top-level govern-ment officials in the Asia-Pacific.”

The 2016 show will be the fifth Singapore Airshow run by Expe-ria. Previously, the event was billed as Asian Aerospace, which was first held back in 1981.

Following on from the Sing- apore Airshow 2014, the 2016 event will be further expanded to

include an “Aerospace Emerging Technologies Zone” and, of great interest to MEBA attendees, the Business Aviation Zone. In addi-tion, the Aviation Training Zone will be expanded to include the military sector as well as commer-cial aviation, and will be known as the Training and Simulation Zone.

Experia pointed out that the Asia Pacific region has now overtaken Europe in terms of the size of its commercial air transport fleet and “the busi-ness aviation sector is estimated [by ICF International] to enjoy robust growth.”

The company added that, “In the Asia Pacific region alone, between 2013 and 2023, the forecasted CAGR for busi-ness aviation fleet growth over the next decade is 6.4 percent, more than double that of the global [Compound Annual Growth Rate] of 2.7 percent.

“Long-time exhibitors at the Singapore Airshow such as Bombardier and Cessna have also projected strong demand

in the long term,” said Experia. “Over the next two decades, Bom-bardier forecasts approximately 1,000 business jet deliveries in Asia Pacific while Cessna has set up a joint service facility with sis-ter company Bell Helicopter at the Seletar Aerospace Park in Singapore to support the South-east Asian business aviation fleet.

“In light of this trend, Sin-gapore Airshow will launch the Business Aviation Zone located at the static display area. It will allow aircraft manufacturers to showcase their products and ser-vices to top business leaders and other purchase decision-makers attending the event.”

Singapore Airshow 2016 will also feature once more an Avia-tion Leadership Summit and the Asia Pacific Security Conference.

The 2014 Singapore Airshow, held in February this year at the Changi Exhibition Centre, was the biggest yet with the largest num-ber of exhibitors in the show’s history–over 1,000 participat-ing companies from 47 countries/regions” and “deals announced worth $32 billion.” A study by Kadence International estimated that the event contributed S$319 million to the Singapore economy in 2014, a 25 per cent increase over the 2012 show. o

Experia Events managing director Leck Chet Lam is introducing a new Business Aviation Zone at the next Singapore Airshow in 2016.

Air Culinaire localizes diverse in-flight menusby Mark Phelps

Living up to its company name, Air Culinaire Worldwide (Stand 410) recently announced a series of new, diverse local menus now available at several of its locations in the U.S. and Europe. A division of Univer-sal Weather and Aviation, Air Culinaire prepares haute cui-sine catering that is optimized for serving in the cabins of busi-ness jets. Roger Leeman, senior v-p of culinary operations said, “While we have a global foot-print, each kitchen team has deep knowledge of the flavors and ingredients that make their local cuisine unique. We capture the essence of each region’s cui-sine, and ensure that each item is properly adapted for safe stowage and reheating on board the aircraft.”

For example, Michelin-star-trained executive chef Herve Bourdon and his team at the Air Culinaire Paris kitchen spent months testing and devel-oping new dishes and culinary trends “that will provide our

clients a great in-flight cater-ing experience.” One highlight is Lobster a l’Armoricaine, con-sisting of locally-caught lob-ster roasted in butter, flambéed

in cognac and soaked in lob-ster broth. Bourdon’s team also developed Filet de Sole Bonne Femme; fish cooked lightly in a creamy white sauce–a tradi-tional dish from the famous French chef August Escoffier.

“All of our products are farm-to-table, such as the free-range poultry that are raised locally, or the fresh-caught sea-food from the local fish market,” said Bourdon. The new menus are available through May 1, 2015, when a newly refreshed series will take their place.

Air Culinaire has 20 wholly owned and operated kitchens throughout the world. It also coordinates with hundreds of

associate catering partners span-ning six continents. “Food is a very personal experience,” said Leeman. “So we want to ensure our clients are presented with a variety of the latest food trends and long-standing favorites.” o

The static display at the next Singapore Airshow in 2016 have a dedicated business aviation section known as the Business Aviation Zone.

This tempting kibbeh with yogurt dip is one of many local specialty dishes prepared by Air Culinaire chefs around the world.


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GULFSTREAM’S NEW FLAGSHIP

Making its first MEBA appearance, Gulfstream’s G650ER features not only greater max range (7,500 nautical miles), but also more flexibil-ity. It can go 6,400 nautical miles at its max cruise speed of Mach 0.90.

Royal Jet to announce new partnership todayby Peter Shaw-Smith

Royal Jet, Abu Dhabi’s lux-ury air charter operator, is expected to formally announce what it called a ‘significant partnership’ on first day of MEBA 2014.

As the operator of the world’s largest BBJ fleet (based on the Boeing 737), speculation has continued to mount over whether the VIP charter operator will continue to be a Boeing operator, since for some months the board has been expected to make an announcement on a major fleet replacement program, due for completion in 2020.

Company officials who spoke to AIN in the past six months did not rule out the possibility that major orders could be placed with Airbus or Bombardier, although a Royal Jet board member told AIN last year that Boeing was still the likely candidate.

A change at the helm at the company complicated the orders when it was announced on Octo-ber 23 that Capt. W. Patrick Gordon had been appointed as acting president and CEO of Royal Jet (Chalet A4/A5). On November 23, Etihad Airways

announced the appointment of former Royal Jet CEO, Shane O’Hare, as its senior vice presi-dent, marketing.

In his last interview with AIN, on September 15, O’Hare said that Royal Jet was giv-ing the Bombardier option a serious look. “We think the CSeries is a very interesting air-craft. It is a brand-new technol-ogy from the ground up. That’s what’s exciting for us. And we’re thinking 12 years out. Of course it’s a serious contender,” said O’Hare.

However, he added, “All opera-tors who are going to make major commitments to new technology are cautious these days. They have to be. It’s a big investment.”

Royal Jet’s chief commercial officer, Fahad Wali, told AIN in July that the replacement of six existing BBJs with seven new bizliners, as well as light and mid-size replacements, would likely take place in December. He said he expected the fleet to grow to 11 aircraft from the current 10. O’Hare told AIN in late Febru-ary at Abu Dhabi Air Expo that he expected the orders to be com-pleted by July. o


JSSI’s latest data demonstrates Middle East bizav is on the riseby Charles Alcock

Business aviation flight activity in the Middle East is growing faster than in any other region of the world, according to data for the third quarter of 2014 released last month by hourly-cost maintenance provider Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI). The data showed 13.5 percent quarter-over-quarter growth in Middle East flight activity and 15.5 percent growth compar-ing the first nine months of 2014 with the same period in 2013. By comparison, worldwide activity increased by just 2 per-cent in the third quarter and by 2.2 percent over the first three quarters of this year.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, JSSI (Stand 848) has been expand-ing its presence in the Middle East since 2000. The U.S.-based group provides hourly-cost based maintenance support covering most business aircraft, engines and APUs, under its Tip-to-Tail program, and has an office here in Dubai.

ExecuJet Middle East has been a JSSI customer since 2007 and has several of its managed aircraft covered by the Tip-to-Tail program. According to the Dubai-based operator’s continuing airworthiness manager Matthew Withers, it chose the program due to the competitive hourly rates and the scope of the work covered.

“This matched and in most cases exceeded the coverage being provided by the traditional OEM programs and, with

the added benefit of being a ‘one-stop’ shop, meant we could streamline our month-end reporting and invoicing pro-cess,” Withers explained. “This was par-ticularly important for us with multiple aircraft types in our fleet.

“We have been particularly impressed with the customer service JSSI provides and on the odd occasion when a dispute is raised, it is dealt with quickly and effi-ciently,” he added. “A welcome addition

to the customer support provided by JSSI was the basing of a representative within the Middle East region. This has helped our operation immensely and shows JSSI’s com-mitment to its customers in this region.”

JSSI, which supports 340 different types/variants of aircraft, has engine and airframe technical advisor William Khouri and business development direc-tor Gregory Olympios based in its office at Dubai International Airport. From the company’s international headquarters at Farnborough in the UK, client rela-tionship manager Oliver Newton and his team provide 24/7 access to support ser-vices to operators across the Middle East. In some cases, providing support for a product might involve JSSI having to coordinate the efforts of up to 10 differ-ent service providers.

According to JSSI president and CEO Neil Book, it is increasingly necessary and beneficial for operators to support their aircraft and engines under hourly plans. “One of the market shifts we are seeing is that a lot of lenders are now requir-ing operators to have an engine program and so a broader group of operators are now opting for this,” he told AIN. “We are competing primarily with the [air-craft or engine] manufacturer and they are tough competitors, so we challenge ourselves every day to be new and innova-tive. We do this by having an independent approach and having the best turnaround [times] and service.”

Earlier this year, JSSI announced a new Tip-to-Tail program for Boeing Business Jets. It already supports other long-range aircraft that are popular in the Middle East, including the Gulfstream G650. o

JSSI president and CEO Neil Book says the hourly-cost maintenance provider works hard to offer a competitive, independent alternative to OEM support programs. Growing business aircraft activity in the Middle East has seen JSSI boost its presence in the region.

African Maintenance Initiative Gets Support from JSSI

The African Business Aviation Associ-ation (AfBAA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with hourly-cost main-tenance provider JSSI that aims to raise awareness of the need for operators in the region to adopt best practices. Under the agreement, AfBAA members will receive financial, educational and business bene-fits when enrolling aircraft onto JSSI sup-port programs. The partners anticipate that, by encouraging operators to adopt hourly-cost maintenance programs, the perception of business aviation as a safe and efficient mode of transportation will be improved.

“We are delighted that we have reached this agreement with JSSI,” said Tarek Ragheb, AfBAA’s founding chairman. “This type of arrangement underlines AfBAA’s commitment to providing its members with tangible bene-fits whilst at the same time encouraging the adoption of best practice for the African busi-ness aviation industry,” added Ragheb. “We believe this will serve to enhance aircraft val-ues, reinforce a positive perception of the value of African aircraft and will provide operators with an additional layer of expertise in main-tenance planning and performance. This is all invaluable for the African market.” –C.A.

Capt. W. Patrick Gordon, acting president and CEO of Royal Jet.

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BELL ON WHEELS

It was at the November 2013 Dubai Air Show that Bell announced its plans to offer a wheeled version of the Model 429. Wheels enable the light twin rotorcraft to maneuver on crowded airport ramps.

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Top bizav training providers boost Middle East presenceby Rick Adams

At last, the provision of training for business aviation in the Middle East looks set to increase to meet demand, with a range of new initiatives from both leading international providers and local companies.

Business aviation training market leader FlightSafety International is mak-ing its long-anticipated foray into the Middle East region, ending the monopoly

that the Emirates-CAE Flight Training joint venture has enjoyed for more than a decade. The new $6.8 million Flight-Safety-supported Abu Dhabi Aviation “learning center” is scheduled to open next September in the Khalifa City area of the UAE capital. Rival training provider CAE (Stand 320) announced less than two months ago that it is building a Bell 412EP flight simulator for Abu Dhabi, which will now be delivered to its rival’s facility.

New York-based FlightSafety (Stand 645) announced earlier in the year its first helicopter flight simulator for a Middle East customer, a Sikorsky S-92 model, destined for the new ISS Aviation Acad-emy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In addition, FlightSafety will operate the $267-million ISS facility for the first two years.

“We’ve looked at this market for a number of years. We’ve been looking for the right opportunity,” FlightSafety senior vice president David Davenport told AIN. “In Abu Dhabi Aviation and ISS, I think we’ve found the perfect partners.”

The new Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA)-FlightSafety building will initially accommodate up to eight flight-simula-tion training devices (FSTDs). A future second phase would increase that to 17

devices, as well as advanced technology classrooms. The first two simulators will be the Bell 412EP and an AgustaWestland AW139 Level D device, also built by CAE (Stand 320). Davenport asserted that at least some of the additional flight simu-lators will be developed by FlightSafety, and the training curricula will feature FlightSafety programs.

Latest Simulator Technology The new Bell 412EP simulator being

built at CAE’s Montreal, Canada head-quarters is a 3000 Series model equipped with a Tropos-6000XR visual system and electric motion/vibration platform. The simulator features a roll-on/roll-off cock-pit design, which enables multiple cock-pit types to be used. When a cockpit is not used in the full-motion simulator, it can be used as a fixed-based trainer for systems procedures and maintenance training.

Though helicopters are the current training theme (ADA is the largest com-mercial helicopter operator in the Mid-dle East, flying 61 rotorcraft), Davenport said, “The fixed-wing market is some-thing we’re in discussion with ADA about. We’re exploring what are the best programs to develop.” One possibility is the Gulfstream 500, ordered by Qatar Airways; FlightSafety is the authorized training provider for the G500.

Davenport noted, “The ISS project is specific to Saudi needs, but Abu Dhabi is more for the region.” In addition to train-ing pilots for ADA, the new Abu Dhabi facility will train UAE armed forces and police, as well as pilots from Saudi Ara-bia, Oman, India, and Africa. Accredi-tation will be sought from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in addition to the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

The ISS S-92 simulator and two-bay facility are both in the building stage with a ready-for-training target of mid-2015. The primary customer will be the Saudi

Ministry of Interior, and training will be provided for both civil and military pilots. ISS is a unit of Alpha Star Avia-tion Services. FlightSafety has previously provided training for Saudi Arabian Air-lines, Aramco and other Saudi clients.

FlightSafety is also the authorized training provider for the new Dassault Falcon 8X aircraft, which will be unveiled December 17 in Paris.

About 80 miles northeast of Abu Dhabi on the Sheikh Maktoum Road/Sheikh Zayed Road E-11 coastal high-way, the Emirates-CAE Flight Train-ing (ECFT) center is in the Garhoud area near Dubai International Airport (DXB). Opened in 2002 with two simu-lators, ECFT now features 11 simulators, and a new Bombardier Global Express with Global Vision cockpit will come online in January.

CAE global business aviation leader Camille Mariamo said, “There will be more aircraft types we will be adding into Dubai, but I’m not at liberty to say which types right now.” Mariamo is new to the bizav role this fall, reporting to CAE civil aviation president Nick Leontidis.

Mariamo is no newcomer to the Gulf market, having managed CAE’s Middle East/India region, including the ECFT center, a few years ago. “We were first to market in Europe and the Middle East, and we will continue to build on our strengths on the international scene,” Mariamo told AIN. “We’re going to con-tinue to invest in business aviation train-ing in line with the market.”

Gulf customers tend to operate larger business aircraft fleets, he noted. “In many instances, they require some cus-tomized training, tailored to their oper-ations. This may involve scenarios such as taking off in Jeddah and landing at London City airport. Or approaches to Innsbruck, Austria or Chambéry in the French Alps. Or Dubai-to-Doha hops.”

Mariamo emphasized that the Middle East and Asian markets are more customer-service-oriented than some other regions, so ECFT provides a comprehensive, concierge-type service. “We take care of everything. We tell the customer, ‘Just book your train-ing.’ We’ll book the ticket, the hotel, send a chauffeured car to the airport to pick them up. They don’t have to worry; all they have to do is show up for training.”

CAE is also making its first business-aviation foray into Africa, agreeing to provide training-center operation services for six years, beginning in mid-2015, for Caverton Helicopters in Lagos, Nigeria. The six-bay facility will initially include a CAE-built AW139 flight simulator, as well as a Boeing 737NG simulator.

“Our pilots have been training with CAE and in helicopter training centers in the UAE, Qatar, the U.S., Brazil, Italy and Norway over the past few years due to the unavailability of the required facilities in the region, and we are very excited to be building the first-ever commercial aviation training center in Lagos with CAE as our partner,” said Adeniyi Makanjuola, chair-man of Caverton Helicopters.

TRU Simulation + TrainingTextron (Stand A19) companies Bell

Helicopter and TRU Simulation + Train-ing plan to open a Bell training cen-ter in Valencia in eastern Spain early in 2016. The first training will be for the Bell 429. The Textron Aviation Service Center already in Valencia also features training for business aircraft from OEMs Beechcraft, Cessna Citation and Hawker.

“This collaboration is just the begin-ning of our plans to bring in-region pilot and technical training to custom-ers worldwide,” predicted Eric Cardinali, executive vice president, Bell Helicopter Customer Support and Services.

In addition to type-rating and recur-rent training for bizjet and rotary air-craft, there’s an uptick of ab initio pilot training and maintenance training in the Middle East and Africa. Royal Jor-danian Air Academy (Stand 665) added an ALSIM-ALX jet engine glass cockpit simulator last year. RJAA trains cadets to the ATP(A) Integrated level.

Starting this month, Aviation Austra-lia, in partnership with Shamal Invest-ments, plans to process up to 2,500 aircraft maintenance students at its new Riyadh College of Excellence at King Khalid International Airport. Also exhibiting at MEBA is the South Africa Flight Training Academy (Stand 920), which offers a 10-12 month professional pilot course in the rural town of Heidel-berg, Gauteng, near Johannesburg. o


CAE’s 3000-series full flight simulator can be used for pilot training and also for maintenance techs.

CAE’s AgustaWestland AW139 simulator executes a “cyber” approach to an offshore oil rig.

FlightSafety International placed the first of its S-92 simulators in the Middle East with ISS Aviation Academy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Flying Colours expands Middle East capabilityby Ian Goold

The Middle East region ranks high alongside Asia and North America as key markets for Cana-dian completions specialist Fly-ing Colours, which characterizes MEBA as “the perfect event.” Making its third appearance here, Flying Colours (Stand 452) is not showing an aircraft, but has a customized exhibit to promote its completions, refurbishment, and maintenance services.

The company hopes to receive United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) maintenance-service approval

next year, according to sales and marketing executive vice-presi-dent Sean Gillespie. Its applica-tion for such follows recent receipt of Qatar CAA approval to offer base and line maintenance on Qatar-registered business aircraft and earlier similar clearances cov-ering machines registered in Saudi Arabia, Cayman Islands, and Isle of Man. The QCAA status enables it to undertake continuing airworthiness and maintenance work on aircraft, including all those under its Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) approval, among which are the Bombardier Challenger and Global Express, and Dassault Falcon families.

Flying Colours is currently performing maintenance on a Qatari Bombardier Challenger,

the second of several aircraft for a charter operator in the region, which follows earlier work on a Global Express that was com-pleted in July. Gillespie declined to provide details of the overall work package or schedule, but made no secret of the company’s desire to provide heavy main-tenance, cabin interior, paint, and avionics services sufficiently competitively to “lots of custom-ers” to justify Middle Eastern aircraft being flown to Canada.

Elsewhere in the region, Gil-lespie said that Flying Colours is

talking to “a number” of opera-tors that could become customers for business-aircraft special-mis-sions role conversions. It has deliv-ered a special-missions Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) ExecLiner conversion to Eagle Aviation in Sharjah (UAE), following a four-month refurbishment to convert the ex-U.S. airline aircraft, which now offers dedicated or com-bined VIP-charter and medevac options. Gillespie claims “great feedback” from Eagle Avia-tion about the aircraft’s first 12 months’ service: “It’s doing well.”

The executive said that the past 12-18 months has seen bet-ter trading conditions in the Middle East region: “The previ-ous five years, the services mar-ket had been up and down. Now,

we’re having more discussions that we’re hopeful will continue.”

Africa also represents a “very active” region for Flying Colours. “We get a lot of inquiries, mainly from [operators in] Nigeria,” for which the company has already re-configured a Challenger 604 and a Learjet 35. Most recently, it has had a Nigerian contract for heavy maintenance and major refurbishment on a Challenger 604 and also has been working on CRJ that will be “re-deliv-ered” to the west African coun-try by year’s end.

Engineers WantedFor Flying Colours, the spe-

cial-missions epithet mainly covers VIP, commuter, or medevac ser-vices or “combi” mixed-role oper-ations. It recently recruited more engineers for its U.S. design cen-ter in St. Louis to consider Chal-lenger-, CRJ700- and 900-, Global Express-, and Learjet-based mod-els that could be offered to meet military requirements. Defence variants could see Flying Colours adding exterior modifications to its cabin-interiors portfolio, with aircraft configured for, say, mar-itime surveillance operations, according to Gillespie.

Earlier this year, the company completed the first part of a three-phase expansion plan that added a [U.S.] $3.5 million, 20,000-sq-ft hangar extension at its Ontario, Canada headquarters. “Com-pletion of this first phase under-pins our international strategy for growth,” explained Gillespie. The space can handle avionics instal-lations and upgrades, full interior completions, and heavy-mainte-nance and refurbishment projects.

Subsequent phases are planned for 2015 completion, the extra 45,000-sq-ft capacity incorporat-ing an additional hangar, increased maintenance and interior work-shop space, and new paint facili-ties. This will allow Flying Colours to accommodate Airbus ACJ, Boeing Business Jet, and Bom-bardier CSeries aircraft. Next, the company plans to explore expansion options at St. Louis. The company performs all Chal-lenger 850 “green” completions on behalf of Bombardier and has delivered more than 20 examples of its CRJ200 ExecLiner corpo-rate conversions. o


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Earlier this year, Flying Colours added a US$3.5 million, 20,000-sq-ft hangar extension at its Ontario, Canada headquarters.

Flying Colours has delivered a special-mission Bombardier CRJ200 ExecLiner conversion to Eagle Aviation in Sharjah (UAE). Following a four-month refurbishment, the converted aircraft now offers dedicated or combined VIP-charter and medevac cabin options.

World Fuel is offering a special FlyBuys dealby Curt Epstein

World Fuel Services (Stand 605) has launched a special pro-motion here at the MEBA show in Dubai for new members who enroll in its FlyBuys Rewards program, through which oper-ators earns points from retail fuel purchases, World Fuel Ser-vices contract fuel transactions, Avcard usage, and services pur-chased from the company’s BaseOps flight support divi-sion. Points can be redeemed for merchandise, travel rewards and charitable donations.

Participating FBO members of the World Fuel Services net-work can also offer bonus points at their discretion for fuel uplift incentives and promotions for customer loyalty. In its latest promotion, new members who enroll in the FlyBuys program between the start of this week’s MEBA show and the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in May 2015 will receive 1,000 bonus points, as well as a chance to win a trip to the UEFA Cham-pions League soccer final to be held in Berlin on June 6. The

prize Game Day Getaway pack-age which will be awarded at EBACE, includes two round-trip airline tickets to Berlin, a pair of tickets to the game, and a three night stay at an area hotel.

According to World Fuel Ser-vices, FlyBuys is different from other business aviation loy-alty programs in that it is not intended only for the benefit of pilots. Instead, the rewards are available to schedulers, dispatch-ers and entire flight departments. Customers can earn FlyBuys rewards at more than 7,600 loca-tions worldwide.

Avcard purchases earn Fly-Buys Rewards two times faster at FBOs within the World Fuel Services network and four times faster at its Air Elite Diamond Service FBOs. The following Air Elite FBOs are exhibiting at the MEBA show: Royal Jet (Abu Dhabi), Business Aviation Cen-tre Cologne (Germany), Har-rods Aviation (London Stansted and Luton airports) and Jet Avi-ation (Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh and Medina). There are 34 Air- Elite locations worldwide. o

INTENSIVE CARE

Display aircraft at MEBA get special treatment in preparation for the show. Armies of green-vested movers and cleaners converge on the static dis-play area to position and polish aircraft until they sparkle.�

Jeppesen and Company celebrated its 50th anniversary last week. It was very exciting and emotional. I got some really good licks in for FlightSafety.”

– Jepp Jeppesen, from a letter to FlightSafety founder Al Ueltschi, 1984

Building trust over time, and continuing to earn it each day, is FlightSafety’s promise and commitment. Aviation professionals from around the world trust FlightSafety to continuously provide the highest quality training and outstanding service they expect and deserve since 1951. Today more than 1,800 highly experienced professional instructors deliver aircraft and mission-specifi c courses, using FlightSafety’s comprehensive training systems and advanced-technology fl ight simulators designed to enhance safety. Trust your training to FlightSafety. You’ll see why so many of yesterday’s and today’s aviation professionals have made the same choice.

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A Legacy of Trust

FLIGHTSAFETY JEPPESEN TRUST AD - AIN CONVENTION NEWS - SABRY CONTACT - MEBA 2014 - Trim: 10.8125” w x 13.875” d Bleed: 11.0625” w x 14.125” d PDF/X-1a VIA EMAIL

ELREY B. JEPPESEN Navigational Aviation Pioneer

Aviation pioneers Elrey “Jepp” Jeppesen and Al Ueltschi started out as barnstormers and went on to become industry leaders and icons. They were close friends and business colleagues who led industry-changing efforts to make aviation safer.

Their correspondence, now housed in Seattle’s Museum of Flight, illuminates their mutual respect and goals. In 1962 Ueltschi wrote in a letter to Jeppesen, “If we can provide the fi nest instruction and equipment, our Company should continue to grow even more.” Jeppesen shared how he actively promoted FlightSafety, whether at aviation events or in one-on-one interactions. As a longstanding member of FlightSafety’s board of directors, Jeppesen was directly involved in the business. Al and Jepp discussed such milestones as ferrying the fi rst Falcon aircraft across the ocean and the arrival of FlightSafety’s Gulfstream, Falcon and JetStar simulators.

The company Jepp founded in 1934 continues to help aviation professionals worldwide reach their destinations safely and effi ciently. Al’s commitment in 1951 to provide the very best training and simulators remains at the core of FlightSafety’s mission to enhance aviation safety around the world.

Boeing’s 737 Max upgrades boost single-aisle BBJ salesby Mark Huber

Boeing Business Jets (Chalets A9/A10) is at MEBA hoping that the new Max model’s dramatically better fuel econ-omy and range, coupled with attrac-tive pricing and faster and less expensive completion options, could rekindle slug-gish single-aisle BBJ sales. But this will only happen if customers can step into the middle of a flood of airline orders and pry aircraft off the assembly line.

Driven by the airlines’ desire to cut costs and increase fuel efficiency, Boeing announced the 737 Max program in 2011 after contemplating–and ultimately rejecting–a completely clean-sheet-design replacement for its 737 twinjet. Even

before Boeing could finish the details of the Max’s design, the airlines, eager to boost earnings, began placing massive orders. Although Boeing won’t deliver the Max until late 2017, as of August it already had more than 2,200 orders for the airplane. The first BBJ Max is expected to be delivered (without an interior) in 2018 to California’s AvJet, on behalf of a pri-vate client who already owns a BBJ.

Boeing largely completed the Max’s design last year. It will be 14 percent more fuel efficient than current production 737s, thanks to new CFM International Leap-1B engines with a larger intake fan tip diameter–a healthy 69.4 inches–that are

mounted farther forward and higher on the wing and connected by new and more aerodynamic engine-mounting pylons.

The new jet also features newly designed winglets as well as a more aero-dynamic vertical stabilizer. To provide adequate ground clearance for the larger engines, the landing gear will be length-ened so the airplane will stand a little taller on the ground.

The Max will employ limited fly-by-wire controls to the wing spoilers. Other planned changes include the addi-tion of four 15.1-inch Rockwell Col-lins flight displays in the cockpit, the same displays that are on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Maintenance on the Max also will be easier, as fault data, once collected by instruments in the forward equip-ment bay, will now be available for main-tenance technicians and pilots on the cockpit display screens.

The Max will also hold more main-tenance data on its enhanced onboard network system and network file server, doubling the maintenance data avail-able during flight and transmitting it live to ground stations so that issues can be quickly resolved either in flight or shortly after the airplane lands. This should fur-ther enhance the aircraft’s dispatch reli-ability; the current-generation 737 has a 99.7-percent dispatch rate. o


BBJ By The Numbers

The BBJ emerged from a 1996 part-nership between Boeing and General Elec-tric, a manufacturing partner on the CFM-56 series of engines for newer-generation 737s. The original BBJ took components of two 737 models, the 737-700 airframe and the larger 737-800 wing, landing gear and cen-ter fuselage section. Anywhere from three to ten auxiliary fuel tanks can be installed in the belly of the airplane, giving it a maxi-mum range of 6,196 nm (eight passengers), equating to 14 hours in the air.

A stretched version called the BBJ 2 has 25 percent more cabin capacity, but at the price of slightly reduced range. Boeing fielded an even larger version, designated the BBJ 3, in 2005 based on the 737-900ER airliner that seated 189 passengers in coach. More than 150 of the 737-based BBJs have been sold.

The Boeing Business Jet variants of the Max are designated Max 8 and Max 9. They’re based on the current BBJ 2 and BBJ 3, respectively, and have significantly more range. The Max 8 will see a 14.6-percent range improvement and the Max 9 should post a 16.2-percent range jump over current aircraft. The BBJ Max 8 will have a range of 6,325 nm, an increase of more than 800 nm over the BBJ 2. It will share the same cabin size as today’s BBJ 2, offering customers a 19-foot longer cabin and three times the cargo space of today’s BBJ1.

The BBJ Max 9 is expected to offer a 6,255-nm range with the same cabin space as today’s BBJ 3. While the BBJ single-aisle market has been soft of late–Boeing deliv-ered just seven last year–BBJ president Steve Taylor expects that to change. “We expect a large demand for the BBJ Max, particularly for those BBJ owners who want to fly farther and more efficiently and still maintain the exceptional comfort of a BBJ,” he said in October.

Germany’s Lufthansa Technik already has designed a VIP pre-customized modu-lar cabin concept for the BBJ Max 8 (it also can be installed on new or used BBJ 2s) that it claims will shave 25 to 30 percent off the typical completion time and cost, with prices starting at $20 million. –M.H.

Lufthansa Technik offers modular cabin designs for the BBJ Max 8, saving installation time and cost on new and retrofit interiors. BBJ Sales Looking Up

Steve Taylor, president of Seattle-based Boeing Business Jets, had a lot of solid news about sales and deliveries at NBAA in October. “We’ve seen double-digit sales [10] this year for the first time since 2008,” he said in Orlando.

Sales included four BBJ 737s, three BBJ 777-300ERs, one BBJ 787 and two BBJ Max 8s. “Our cus-tomer has a new aircraft on order, and this one is for sale,” he said.

Taylor was optimistic that sales would continue to increase and was confident that sev-eral MOUs would be in hand by

MEBA. “I hope these orders are a sign that the market is turning a corner,” he said. He added that the first VIP 747-8 is expected to roll out

of its completion center and into service before the end of the year and that several other 747-8s are expected to join the flight line shortly thereafter.

Taylor also an nounced that after five-and-a-half years’ lead-ing Boeing Business Jets, he was about to become chief pilot of the Commercial Airplane division. His replacement at the BBJ division has not yet been announced. –A.L.Steve Taylor

One new option for BBJ buyers is this panoramic cabin window, giving passengers an unparalleled view of the outside landscape.

Boeing’s Max upgrade to its 737 line, wildly popular among airlines, could revive sales activity for its Boeing Business Jet line, too.

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Jet Aviation evaluates options in upcoming transfer to DWCby Peter Shaw-Smith

As one of the leading business avia-tion service-providers in the region, Jet Aviation (Stand 610) has succeeded in maintaining a position as a market leader in the UAE and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Recently, however, it has faced a lack of clarity from UAE authorities over the final nature of the transfer of general aviation from Dubai’s existing airport, Dubai International (DXB) to its new aerotropolis, Dubai World Central (DWC).

Hardy Butschi, vice president and general manager, Jet Aviation Dubai, said, “Dubai has very good infrastruc-ture to support business aviation and has become a busy place for FBO traffic and MRO support at both Dubai International

and Dubai World Central. We also offer off-site aircraft-on-ground (AOG) sup-port, as well as simple line maintenance services at Sharjah, Al Bateen (Abu Dhabi) and other airports in the region on a weekly basis. Going forward, the business climate is very positive.”

Jet Aviation Dubai’s MRO and FBO location at DXB was established in May 2005 as a joint venture with the Al Mulla Group of Kuwait. The facil-ity has more than 45,000 sq ft of han-gar space, a workshop area of almost 11,000 sq ft and a two-story FBO build-ing 11,300 sq ft in size.

The facility holds EASA maintenance approval and is an FAA repair station. It also holds approvals with the civil avia-tion authorities of Bahrain, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, India, San Marino, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Jet Aviation Dubai said it was an authorized service center for maintenance and warranty support for Boeing BBJ air-craft, the Gulfstream G150, G200, GIV and GV, G450, G550 and G650 series, the Dassault Falcon 900 and 2000 series and 7X, and full service capability for Hawker Beechcraft 800/900 series, Air-bus ACJ series and the Embraer Legacy family, including L4 and L12 inspections.

The company expanded its VIP han-dling service to Al Maktoum International

Airport at Dubai World Central (DWC) in December 2012. “We expect that gen-eral aviation will gradually move from DXB to the new airport at DWC,” said Stefan Benz, vice president of Jet Avia-tion MRO and FBO operations, EMEA & Asia. “In light of expected changes, we are in discussions with both airports to prepare our transit and define our future footprint.

“Regardless of what medium- to long-term developments transpire, we fully intend to maintain our strong position as an FBO and MRO service provider in Dubai and expect to further expand our service portfolio for the benefit of our customers. Dubai is and will remain our hub for the Middle East,” he added.

“We are in discussions with both orga-nizations–the Dubai Aviation City Cor-poration as well as Dubai International Airport–to ensure a seamless transition, subject to the overall guidance from both organizations,” Butschi said.

Jet Aviation is likely to complete the transfer of FBO and MRO services to DWC within the next three years, but to maintain a presence at DXB. “We currently continue to operate our FBO facilities from both locations, while our MRO services are provided from our hangar facility at DXB,” Butschi told AIN. “Assuming the transition from DXB to DWC will take place during the next three-year period, we aim to con-tinue our current business set-up at the new location.”

Base maintenance for its approvals is performed at DXB, but some approvals are valid for work off-site, limited to sim-ple defect rectification, line maintenance and AOG support. Additional approvals are added in accordance with customer and market demand.

Jet Aviation also announced a new approval with the UK’s Rolls-Royce in May. “We are part of a group-wide agreement with Rolls-Royce to provide on-wing sup-port, including engine changes on BR700-710A-10, BR700-710C4-11, BR725, Tay 611-8 and Tay 611-8C,” said Butschi. o

Jet Aviation’s MRO facility in Dubai

Innovation Driven by ExperienceExcellence Driven by Commitment

AIRCRAFT COMPLETIONS AND SUPPORT

GDCTechnics.com

New Gulfstream models find favor in the regionby Charles Alcock

By aviation industry stan-dards, Gulfstream Aerospace’s launch this past fall of its new G500 and G600 aircraft was a well-kept secret, espe-cially since the programs have already been in the works since 2009. According to Lor Izzard, Gulfstream’s director sales support and technical market-ing, the new designs will deliver unmatched high-speed range when they enter service, respec-tively in 2018 and 2019. The two new aircraft, which have already achieved orders in the Middle East (see story below) build a bridge between the G450 and G550 models and the G650 flagship.

Pricing for the first 50 serial numbers has been set at $43.5 million for the G500 and $54.5 million for the larger G600. By comparison, the G650 is now priced at $66.5 million and the rates for the G450 and G550 are, respectively, “in the mid 30s and lower 50s,” according to Gulfstream.

The airframer’s core challenge in product definition has been the classic trade off between deliver-ing a leap ahead in terms of air-craft performance, balanced against superior cabin comfort. The result is a pair of aircraft with a wider cabin cross-section than the G450 and G550, but not quite as wide as that of the G650.

Nonetheless, the length of the passenger “living areas” equals that of the G650, and the new designs also boast the G650’s large windows, its 6.25-feet high main entrance door, its cabin altitude (4,850 feet at FL510 and 3,000 feet at FL410), as well as 100 percent fresh air.

“The aircraft are bigger in all dimensions to the G450 and 550,” said Izzard. “We didn’t want a cabin so large that it would be to the detriment of performance. This is the right cabin [size] for us to be able to produce the perfor-mance our customers want.

Flexible Cabin OptionsThere will be significant flex-

ibility in cabin design options since the galley can be situated either in the forward or rear sec-tions, and customers can choose from a variety of living-space options. It will also include a fully certified crew rest area and 175 cubic feet of baggage space.

The G500 at its normal cruise speed of Mach 0.90 will deliver range of 3,800 nm, rising to 5,000 nm at Mach 0.85. Simi-larly, the G600 will have range of 4,800 nm at Mach 0.90 and 6,200 nm at Mach 0.85.

The two new aircraft will fea-ture a new, high-speed wing, based on that of the larger G650 and with the same 36-degree sweep. The G600 wing will be eight feet



Striking a balance between improving both passenger comfort and performance, Gulfstream’s developmental G500 and G600 borrow from the G650 in many ways.

New, larger windows, oval-shaped, of course, are part of the new designs. The cockpit is all new-tech, including, for the first time in a Gulfstream, sidesticks.

Qatar Executive signs for 20 G500-600 bizjetsby Peter Shaw-Smith

Qatar Executive’s order for 20 new Gulfstream aircraft, announced at the NBAA show in the U.S., has positioned it firmly as the region’s leading owner and operator of business jets.

David Edwards, executive vice president, Qatar Executive, said, “We [made a] recent ground-breaking announcement on the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. for the purchase of up to 20 aircraft. This marks the beginning of a new relationship between Qatar Executive and Gulfstream and establishes the initial agreement for Qatar Airways to order up to 20 Gulfstream aircraft, includ-ing firm orders and options for the…G500 and the…G650ER.”

The company said two new Bombardier Global 5000 Visions were also added ear-lier in the year. It also grew its

aircraft management and char-ter portfolio and strengthened its footprint in Asia, where it serves a growing customer base with the Bombardier Global 5000. It relocated its head office to the site of its future FBO at Hamad International Airport, which is set to open during 2015.

“The past 12 months have been marked by fleet expan-sion, solid business growth, and a significant boost of our ser-vice portfolio. It’s been a busy year and we are looking forward to even more exciting times ahead,” Edwards said.

Qatar Executive (Stand 537) has tripled its fleet in five years. “To date, we operate a total of eight wholly-owned all-Bom-bardier aircraft: four Global 5000s–among them two Global 5000 Visions–three Challenger 605s and one Global XRS. We also have a growing aircraft

management portfolio,” said Edwards. “With [the Gulfstream MoU], the fleet will be expanded with aircraft that meet the needs of our guests, and which [meet] market demands.”

Edwards said the com-pany was also able to source larger aircraft such as the Air-bus A320 and the Boeing 787 through parent Qatar Airways. “We also support customers who require large aircraft with VIP configurations, as our sales team have profound knowl-edge of the market and are well-experienced in arranging large group-travel packages on the occasion of large family gather-ings, weddings or hunting trips, which are very popular here in the Middle East region.”

Maintenance BaseQatar Executive’s main-

tenance operation in Doha has grown significantly in the past year, as the company has upgraded its MRO portfolio and subsequently also grown its maintenance sales team.

“With our existing Qatar Civil Aviation Authority [QCAA] and EASA-Part 145 Line and Base

certifications to support Euro-pean- and Qatari-registered Bombardier aircraft, we are well positioned to serve private jet owners and operators from the region, as well as visiting jet owners who can make effi-cient use of their stop in Qatar by having repairs carried out,” Edwards said.

The company said it makes it a practice not to disclose growth figures or reveal its busi-ness forecasts, but said that fleet expansion and infrastructure investment were indicators of “significant growth.”

“Qatar Executive [positions]

Qatar as a center of excellence in business aviation and will con-tinue its expansion to deliver a consistent, sustainable future. That we have become a market leader in the field of global lux-ury travel in such a short space of time demonstrates that we have the right approach to service, our product-offering, and the value we offer,” Edwards said.

“Countries such as China, India and regions such as South East Asia and Africa are already providing the next wave of growth for private aviation and we are set to leverage this positive market trend,” he concluded. o

Gulfstream G500

It has been 25 years since we at Jet Support Services, Inc. opened our doors and became the business aviation industry’s first independent provider of hourly cost maintenance programs. Since that day, we have enrolled more than 10,000 engines, airframes and APUs on our broad offering of programs. Today, JSSI enhances resale value and provides cost predictability and world class service to owners and operators of over 340 makes and models of business jets, turboprops and helicopters. As we continue to expand our business, it is important for us not to lose sight of those who have supported us along the way and made our 25-year anniversary possible.

WWe want to thank Boise Cascade Corporation for being the initial customer to take that leap of faith to enroll on a JSSI program. It required foresight, an open mind and the willingness to take a chance on a new concept and a young company. We thank you, our loyal customers, who have entrusted us with your aircraft over the years. Thank you to the OEMs, who have worked hand-in-hand with us as we developed innovative programs like Tip-To-Tail®, the industry’s only single-source maintenance plan. And thank you to all of the maintenance providers that have worked alongside our technical advisors to deliver outstanding service.

AllAll of this begs the question, “Where do we go from here?” Stay with us throughout this, our 25th anniversary year, and we’ll share some of our future plans. Because, thanks to you, even after 25 years, we’re just getting started.

larger to accommodate 10,000 pounds of additional fuel capac-ity. They will have a new tail, again based on the G650 in terms of aerodynamic shape and systems, but using new composite mate-rials. Both aircraft will carry less fuel than the G450 model, but will be able to fly farther and faster.

Power by P&WCGulfstream has also made a

significant shift in powerplant selection, opting for Pratt & Whitney Canada’s new PW800 turbofan series. The 15,144-pound-thrust PW814GA will power the G500, while the 15,680-pound-thurst PW815GA will be used for the G600. Pratt & Whitney Canada is responsible for delivering a completely inte-grated powerplant system. This will feature an aluminum-Kevlar fan case and a nacelle developed by Nordam, which is aiming to deliver a thrust reverser that will be 50 percent more efficient than existing equipment.

The manufacturer has had nine engines involved in the development program, which

has so far accounted for more than 1,720 operating hours, 2,786 cycles and 4,400 hours of core testing. More than 35 hours of flight-testing has been com-pleted and Gulfstream pilots have participated in some of these tests. PW800 certification from the U.S. FAA is imminent.

All-new Flight DeckThere is to be even greater

innovation in the cockpit. The fly-by-wire G500 and G600 will be the first Gulfstreams to fea-ture active sidestick controls. According to Mark Kohler, Gulfstream vice president for advanced aircraft programs, the airframer was unwilling to make the shift to sidesticks until BAE Systems adapted technology originally developed for fighter aircraft for civil use. “The sys-tem’s active force feedback pro-vides a classic airplane feel, and it simulates the feel of mechan-ically linked sticks,” explained Izzard. In addition to BAE Sys-tems, Thales, Parker Aerospace and Moog are contributing to the flight control/fly-by-wire systems for the new models. Thales is building on its work in providing the system for the G650. The French avionics maker also provides the FBW

system for Gulfstream’s flagship ultra-long-range G650ER.

The flight deck is based on Honeywell’s Primus Epic suite and is being branded as Gulfstream Symmetry. The avi-onics manufacturer’s PlaneView system is used on existing Gulfstream aircraft. For the G500 and G600 it is also provid-ing the APU, the environmental control system, cabin pressure system and most of the touch-screen control panels for all cabin systems.

The new Gulfstreams fea-ture no fewer than 10 inte-grated touchscreen control panels in the cockpit. Since pilots can easily switch their

configurations in case of fail-ure, the aircraft will be able to be dispatched with just three of the screens functioning. Backup flight displays will be provided by L-3. Esterline group subsid-iary Korry is contributing the three overhead displays.

An enhanced vision system (featuring higher resolution and an increased field of view) and synthetic vision for the primary flight display will be standard equipment for the new air-craft. Both will feature the same Rockwell Collins head-up dis-play as the G650.

Overall, the G500/600 pro-gram will result in a 50 percent reduction on line replaceable units (LRUs) compared with the G650. For instance, the flight controls will require just eight control units (compared with the G650’s 16).

The maintenance interval between major inspections will be 750 flight hours. Gulfstream has used 3-D virtual reality technology to optimize access to systems for maintenance, which will follow the MSG-3 task-orientated programs. The new aircraft will have a high degree of systems commonality with the G650.

Program’s ProgressAll wind tunnel testing for

the G500 and G600 is now complete, and engineers have embarked on iron bird test-ing of the airframe and cock-pit systems integration. The first flight-test aircraft are already under construction with a view to achieving a first flight for the G500 in 2015 and for the G600 in 2017. Critical design review for the G500 is already complete and this stage should be reached for the G600 imminently.

When it comes to long-range flying, the cabin’s where the VIPs ride. Gulfstream’s G600 mockup, on display at the NBAA show in Orlando, Florida, shows off its spacious dimensions and airy feel.


New Gulfstream Data ComparisonG500 G600 G650 G650ER

Interior [ft]

Total interior length 47’ 7” 51’ 3” 53’ 7” 53’ 7”

Cabin length 41’ 6” 45’ 2” 46’ 10” 46’ 10”

Height 6’ 4” 6’ 4” 6’ 5” 6’ 5”

Width 7’ 11” 7’ 11” 8’ 6” 8’ 6”

Cabin volume (cu ft) 1,715 1,884 2,138 2,138

Usable baggage volume (cu ft) 175 175 195 195

Exterior [ft]

Length 91’ 2” 96’ 1” 99’ 9” 99’ 9”

Height 25’ 6” 25’ 3” 25’ 8” 25’ 8”

Overall span 87’ 1” 95’ 0” 99’ 7” 99’ 7”

Weights [lb]

Maximum ramp 77,250 92,000 100,000 104,000

Maximum takeoff 76,850 91,600 99,600 103,600

Maximum landing 64,350 76,800 83,500 83,500

Maximum zero fuel 52,100 57,440 60,500 60,500

Basic operating 46,600 51,440 54,000 54,000

Maximum fuel 28,850 38,760 44,200 48,200

Maximum payload 5,500 6,000 6,500 6,500

Maximum payload/Full fuel 1,800 1,800 1,800 1,800

Engines

(Number) type 2 P&WC 2 P&WC 2 R-R 2 R-R

Model PW814GA PW815GA BR725 A1-12 BR725 A1-12

Thrust rating ea. (lb) 15,144 15,680 16,900 16,900

TBO (hrs) 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000

Performance

Normal cruise (Mach) 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9

Long-range cruise (Mach) 0.85 0.85 0.85 0.85

Mmo (Mach) 0.925 0.925 0.925 0.925

Typical passenger payload 8 8 8 8

Range @ normal cruise (nm)* 3,800 4,800 6,000 6,400

Range @ LRC (nm)* 5,000 6,200 7,000 7,500

Takeoff distance (ft)** 5,200 5,700 5,858 6,299

Landing distance (ft)** 3,100 3,100 3,000 3,000

Initial altitude (ft) FL410 FL410 FL410 FL410

Maximum altitude (ft) FL510 FL510 FL510 FL510*(Typical pax, ISA, NBAA IFR reserves) ** (SL, ISA, MLW)

Gulfstream’s “iron bird” version of its new models shows off the new cabin cross-section.

Gulfstream selected UTC Aerospace as the landing gear subcontractor.

The G600 cockpit mockup features a good look at the Primus Epic-based Symmetry touchscreen-controlled flight deck. Sidesticks, new for Gulfstream, give pilots a clear view of the big display.

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New Gulfstreams find favor in regionuContinued from page 34


MEBA stand 415.

MEBA

The two models will have a common basis for flight certifi-cation and five test aircraft will be used for the G500 develop-ment program and four for the G600. One of these will be used entirely for evaluating cabin design and systems.

Two full-size static test arti-cles (including all flight controls)

are being used for structural tests that will include ultimate limit-load testing. The new test labo-ratory can process some 15,500 channels of data.

Much thought is already being given to devising a more efficient manufacturing process for the new models. This will involve the use of precision-build carts, increased automation, a new autoclave able to produce large composite air-frame sections, greater use of standard parts and various lean manufacturing techniques.

The G500 and G600 will have increased composite con-tent compared with existing Gulfstream models. Composites will be featured in the winglets, nose radome, horizontal stabi-lizer, elevator and rudder, engine cowling, floor boards, landing gear doors, wing-to-body fair-ings, spoilers, pylons, dorsal fin and rear pressure bulkhead.

Extensive construction work over the past two years at Gulf-stream’s headquarters in Savan-nah, Georgia, provided a visible clue that the manufacturer had

something big brewing. One new building completed in Septem-ber 2012 will be used to make the wings and tails for the new G500 and G600 models, and another facility opened last month will house fuselage manufacturing and final assembly.

The new buildings (each more than 400,000 sq ft in area) are part of a sustained wave of infrastructure investment by Gulfstream (Stand A15, A16). Next year, the company will also open a new 405,900-sq-ft parts distribution center.

Potential Buyers Gulfstream has closely

involved prospective buyers in helping to define key characteris-tics of the new models through its Advanced Technology Customer Advisory Team. This consulta-tion has resulted in more than 200 design changes, including

improved cockpit functionality and comfort, additional storage space, cabin layout revisions, a commitment to common type rat-ings for G500 and G600 pilots, as well as overall performance goals.

Gulfstream senior sales and marketing vice president Scott Neal insisted that recent prod-uct developments at major rivals have not been a significant driver of its latest plans. “We listen to the customer base and determine what to build,” he told AIN. “We have always led the market with our products and our behavior is not changed by what competi-tors are doing.”

Neal also stressed that Gulfstream remains commit-ted to the G450 and G550. Part of the company’s think-ing is that existing custom-ers of the smaller G280 model will be more inclined to upsize to these existing types. o


Gulfstream Delivers First G650ER Ahead of Schedule

Gulfstream has delivered the first fully equipped exam-ple of its new flagship, the ultra-long-range G650ER. The delivery, early last month, comes well ahead of its origi-nal schedule of early next year. According to the airframer, the new model, which will offer range of up to 7,500 nm, received complete certification in October.

Launched at EBACE earlier five months in May, the G650ER is a modification of the existing top-of-the-range G650 to accommodate an additional 4,000 pounds of fuel in the wings. The original design was schemed with suf-ficient internal space in the structure to allow for extra fuel capacity, negating the need for intrusive auxiliary fuel tanks in the fuselage, while the existing structure has ade-quate margins to handle the extra weight. Apart from some minor changes to the flight control and fuel management systems, the aircraft is otherwise unchanged, although the extra fuel does incur a penalty in balanced field length of around 500 feet.

Compared with the existing G650, the ER can fly far-ther at similar cruising speeds, extending the Mach 0.85

cruise figure from 7,000 to 7,500 nautical miles with eight passengers, four crew and NBAA IFR reserves. The high-speed (Mach 0.9) cruise figure rises to 6,400 nautical miles from 6,000. Alternatively, the extra fuel can be used to fly range-critical G650 city-pairs at a higher speed than was previously possible, or to carry greater payloads.

The G650ER made its airshow debut at the Africa Aero-space and Defence show at the Waterkloof Air Force base near Pretoria, South Africa. Gulfstream has found Africa a good market over the years, and the G650ER’s 500-nm range extension could be of significant benefit to the con-tinent’s operators. For instance, the extra range from Cape Town brings the eastern seaboard of the U.S., including New York, within reach. Much of Asia, including Seoul, and all but the northeastern tip of China are attainable in a sin-gle flight segment. High-speed cruise coverage from Cape Town covers all of Europe, South America and Australia.

The G650ER is available as a new-build aircraft, or as an upgrade to existing G650s, the modification work taking less than a week. –D.D.

New Gulfstreams find favor in regionuContinued from page 36

P&WC unveils PW800 series to power new G500/G600 jetsby Thierry Dubois

At the 2014 NBAA trade show in October, Pratt & Whitney Can-ada (P&WC) lifted the veil on its 16,000-pound-class PW800 engine. The new series of turbofans has been selected to power Gulfstream’s upcoming G500 and G600 large-cabin business jets, thus finding a new application for its Pure-Power family. The new Gulfstream mod-els have already found favor among operators in the Gulf region, with Qatar Executive having placed one of the launch orders. The engine manufacturer (Stand 635) contends that the PurePower engine brings major improvements in fuel burn and maintainability. The program is well advanced, as certification of the new turbofan is expected by year-end.

“We have nine engines in the develop-ment program,” Mike Perodeau, v-p of corporate aviation and military engines, told AIN just before the NBAA show. These engines have run a combined 2,500 hours. This can be added to more than 4,400 hours of experience with the core engine, as the PW800 shares its high-pressure spool–an eight-stage

compressor and a two-stage turbine–with the PW1500G that powers Bombar-dier’s CSeries. On the company’s Boeing 747SP flying testbed, the PW800 has run more than 250 flight hours in over 35 flights since April 2013, Perodeau said.

The 50-inch diameter fan is a tita-nium, single-piece design. Linear fric-tion is used to weld the blades to the hub. The turbomachinery is the same on the two variants: the G500’s PW814GA (15,100 pounds of thrust) and the G600’s PW815GA (15,680 pounds).

Asked how the new Gulfstreams’ high-cruise speed influences engine design, Perodeau answered that the engine has to provide more thrust in cruise. “Speed is a factor of thrust and drag,” he pointed out. This was one of the factors that led to Gulfstream’s choosing direct drive for the PW800, rather than the geared turbofan design used by other members of the Pure-Power family that are intended for commer-cial aircraft such as A320neo, Bombardier CSeries, Embraer E2 and Mitsubishi MRJ.

Perodeau noted that P&WC is in charge of the integrated powerplant

system and therefore has responsibility for nacelle aerodynamics.

Specific fuel consumption is reduced by “two digits” over previous-generation engines. The Talon X combustor yields “a double-digit margin” to anticipated CAEP/8 regulations for reduced nitro-gen-oxide (NOx) emissions. It provides “ultra-low” levels of unburned hydrocar-bons and smoke.

Pratt & Whitney Canada has designed the engine to be more efficient and ergo-nomic from a maintenance standpoint. The PurePower PW800 introduces a 10,000-hour time between overhauls, and scheduled maintenance requirements are reduced by around 40 percent. Scheduled inspections are reduced by 20 percent.

Ease of access was a key driver in the design, resulting in four large access pan-els being provided in the nacelle, which is

supplied by Nordam. Each panel is large enough for a technician to comfortably work inside the engine, and the lower pan-els incorporate steps for a safe foothold. It is also possible to remove the inner cowls for deeper access. Numerous borescope ports are incorporated in the engine for internal inspections. Engine accessories are placed singly around the engine, rather than being stacked, allowing one to be removed in a typical time of less than 30 minutes.

Furthermore, the PW800 features a new Fadec system that offers expanded recording of engine parameters, in turn allowing more sophisticated fault analy-sis and trend monitoring. P&WC has yet to finalize its engine support plans and how retrieved in-flight data will be pro-cessed, but it is working on this support aspect as the engine moves toward a 2018 entry into service. o

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Featuring a single-piece fan, Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW800 will power the Gulfstream G500 and G600.

Gulfstream’s G500 rolled out under its own power at the October 14 announcement.

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Empire Aviation Group plans to double its fleet by Peter Shaw-Smith

Empire Aviation Group is aiming to double the size of its fleet by 2020, the Dubai-based operator told AIN recently. “We’d like to double the fleet of 25-26 aircraft by the end of the decade,” Paras Dhame-cha, executive director, said in an interview earlier this month. “We see growth coming out of India, where we are in the pro-cess of obtaining a non-sched-uled operator AOC. That’s a few months away. We also have our base in Africa and hopefully [a] new base [in Asia], which we are going to be talking about shortly,” he continued.

“Asset management is the focus. This is what we do best. Fleet evolution has been inter-esting. In 2010-12, of 15 air-craft in the fleet, 10 were on charter. Today, only five out of a fleet of 25-26 are available for charter. The fleet and customer base has shifted.

“It is difficult to character-ize our customers. We deal with probably four-to-five of the top corporations in the UAE, at the principal level, the heads of the companies. Most are private individuals leading wholly-owned companies. In this region, business jets are held mostly by the benefi-cial owner with a traditional loan structure and in a lot of cases–wholly owned and paid in cash.

“We are the second-largest operator of the Falcon 7X in the region. We have got three of those. With [Dassault’s] new airplanes coming in, like the 8X and the 5X, and of course the larger Gulfstreams, it seems like everyone is graduating from the 7X and moving up,” Dhame-cha said. “We have a couple of Falcon 900s, Challenger 604s, Challenger 300s, a handful of Legacies, 600s and 650s.

“Last year, we flew around 5,000 hours on the fleet. Now

we fly an average of 40 hours per month, per aircraft. This is mostly [for] owners, but there is also some charter.

“It is no longer about Dubai only. It is part of our story, but we have operational bases in Muscat, Oman, where we have three aircraft, and Lagos, Nige-ria, where we have just put our sixth and seventh aircraft under management. We have aircraft going to Bangalore, India. That’s where we had our first customer in India–currently we

manage three aircraft at that base,” Dhamecha said.

Empire’s shareholders are Air Works of India, one of India’s largest MRO organiza-tions. Air Works is an aviation support company owned mainly by U.S. private equity interests involved in general aviation, airlines, aircraft and air liv-ery. Management is supplied by Steve Hartley and Dhamecha.

Dhamecha said market growth had been slow of late. “We have not seen a huge amount of growth here in the UAE over the last couple of years. But we have seen well in excess of 50 percent growth as a company year-on-year since we started.”

African Focus Africa is increasingly impor-

tant to Empire. “From what I understand, over 100 aircraft are based in Lagos,” said Dhame-cha. “We operate six aircraft out of Lagos. We have the seventh one going in [November]. We are already quite a scaled operator managing airplanes from Lagos. We intend to increase that as well. And we started putting the elements in place for that. It’s one of those markets that

we don’t necessarily want to go out and [take on too much] until that foundation is set up. So we are pacing ourselves.

“We are attending [MEBA]. We are not exhibiting. That’s a big decision we [made] several years ago. We are very conser-vative in the way we operate our business. We have always con-centrated our resources on the Dubai Air Show.”

Asked if he thought DWC could handle some 40,000 move-ments per year in the future, he said: “I have heard any number, from 10,000 to 15,000 move-ments [by] general aviation [in Dubai as a whole]. Certainly the latest number I heard from the likes of Jet Aviation and ExecuJet was around 10,000 between them. I guess ambition is always good. Where I have always been positive is that Dubai always does make things happen.

“I myself was born and raised in Dubai. I’ve seen the place grow. It’s had its quiet moments, but in the end, over-all, they make it happen. Will they get to those movements? Really, it depends on what the city ends up doing in the next eight to 10 years.” o

Paras Dhamecha, executive director, Empire Aviation Group

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Jet Aviation provides more Saudi supportby James Wynbrandt

Jet Aviation is extending its support services network in Saudi Arabia to an additional six airports. With the approval of the Kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation, Jet Aviation han-dling agents from its Jeddah and Riyadh facilities will now serve as handling agents at Abha Air-port AHB/OEAB), Taif Airport (TIF/OETF); Al-Baha Airport (ABT/AEBA), Najran Airport (EAM/OENG), Gizan Airport (GIZ/OEGN) and Rafha Air-port (RAF/OERF).

“Our goal is to continue grow-ing our presence and business aviation offerings where they add value to our customers,” said Alain Champonnois, v-p and general manager of Jet Avi-ation Saudi Arabia. “Many of our international clients traveling within Saudi Arabia needed addi-tional help at the smaller domes-tic airports where less English is spoken. We can now dispatch a qualified handling professional to an off-site facility to ensure they

receive support services that meet their discerning standards.”

The Swiss-based group lays claim to being the first company to establish an FBO in Saudi Ara-bia, which it did with local part-ners at Jeddah back in 1979. It has since opened two more full-ser-vice FBOs in the capital Riyadh (1983) and Medina (2012).

Jet Aviation also announced here at the MEBA show the recent addition of two aircraft to its man-aged fleet in the Middle East: a Gulfstream G450 and Gulfstream G550. That brings its fleet of man-aged aircraft in the region to 24.

“This fleet expansion high-lights the value our customers place on our capabilities, pro-fessionalism and integrity,” said Claudio Peer, v-p of sales for aircraft management and char-ter services in EMEA & Asia.

Global Fleet GrowingJet Aviation (Stand 610) now

manages more than 250 aircraft worldwide from its four flight

operations centers in Dubai, Hong Kong, Teterboro (near New York City) and Zurich. The company was recently named winner of the 2014 Baltic Air Charter Association Global Excellence Award in recognition of its outstanding performance and service. In other recent hon-ors, the company’s Basel Design Studio, known for its aircraft interior design solutions, was selected as being in the top 25 of 600 designers and architects featured in Design et. al.’s pub-lication, “The World’s Leading Design Names 2015.”

New ApprovalsJet Aviation’s Basel comple-

tions and maintenance facil-ity has also been adding to its already lengthy list of cer-tifications and approvals. The company recently received ISO 14001 certification in recogni-tion of its continuous improve-ment programs, and OHSAS 18001 certification for the qual-ity of its management systems for tracking health and safety risks. Neil Boyle, the facili-ty’s v-p and general manager, said the certifications “dem-onstrate Jet Aviation Basel’s commitment to the highest service standards.”

Meanwhile, Indian civil avia-tion authorities recently granted CAR 145 maintenance approval covering work done by Jet Avi-ation Basel on Indian-regis-tered Dassault Falcon 7X, 900 and 2000 series aircraft. In addi-tion to supporting Dassault

operators, the facility is also a factory-approved service cen-ter for Gulfstream, Bombardier, Airbus and Boeing. It holds U.S. and European repair sta-tion approvals, as well as certi-fication from 21 other national aviation authorities. o


Jet Aviation has three FBOs in Saudi Arabia, including Jeddah (above). The company has just added two more aircraft to its managed fleet in the Middle East.

Lufthansa Technik focuses on VIPsby David Donald

MRO and VIP cabin com-pletion specialist Lufthansa Technik is expanding its regional sales team by catering specif-ically for VIP customers and commercial services. Based in the Lufthansa Technik Mid-dle East Services (LTMES)

offices in Dubai, the new team is being established to handle key accounts with VIP customers to optimize services, support and contact possibilities.

“Lufthansa Technik Mid-dle East Services bundles all the contact partners for sales,

logistics, technical training and the component business, and makes them available in Dubai,” said Ziad al Hazmi, LTMES managing director. “Together with the sales colleagues who are responsible for VIP custom-ers we can offer our complete

product portfolio for commer-cial, private or head-of-state customers in the region. Soon we also will have product spe-cialists for line maintenance, airframe-related components [ARC] and overhaul on-site.” As part of the latter, LTMES is optimizing existing services for nacelle and ARC repair, and is evaluating the addition of fur-ther local repair capabilities. The company already offers the Cyclean engine ash system to regional customers.

One development that the German company is work-ing on is aimed squarely at the Middle East market. Designed by the VIP & Executive Jets Solutions division, the Fal-con Master is a platform that allows safe travel for falcons within the main cabin. Based on Lufthansa Technik’s Stretcher

NG platform, Falcon Master is a bird stand that takes into account hygiene and certifica-tion requirements. The unit fits standard seat tracks, with adjustable legs to cater for a vari-

ety of aircraft types. Designed for quick and easy installation, it can be installed above folding seats. The stand has stainless steel sides for cleanliness, and can incorporate a cage or trans-parent cover if required.

Earlier in 2014 Lufthansa Technik completed and deliv-ered a Boeing BBJ2 to ACM Air Charter, and the aircraft recently demonstrated its ultra long-range capability with a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Frank-furt, a 5,139-nautical mile trip. Lufthansa Technik’s ultra-mod-ern cabin uses lightweight mate-rials and is optimized to maintain an ideal center of gravity. As well as its state-of-the-art cabin man-agement and IFE system, which boasts a 65-inch high-definition screen, the cabin has innovative features such as a steam shower and open galley. o

Lufthansa Technik is proposing a device for transporting falcons in the main cabin.

Lufthansa Technik outfitted the interior of this Boeing BBJ2.

Bell is now zeroing in on VVIP marketplaceby Mark Huber

Bell Helicopter (Chalet A20) is continuing its strong focus on the corporate and VIP markets to drive new sales of its civil heli-copters. Since 2010, 40 percent of all single-engine Bell 407s and 45 percent of all 407GX mod-els have been configured for cor-porate customers. Meanwhile, 55 percent of new Bell 429 light twins are being sold into this mar-ket. And Bell has begun thinking about the corporate, VVIP and head-of-state market for its new 525 super-medium twin as well.

“The corporate VIP market has been a mainstay of our fleet,” said Chuck Evans, director of marketing and sales support for Bell’s commercial business. Evans said Bell is moving aggressively to “re-engage” that market with new products such as the 407GX and 429, and even the under-develop-ment 505 light single, by participat-ing in more international aviation conventions geared to the corpo-rate fixed-wing market, such as MEBA, the annual NBAA Con-vention in the U.S. and events in Brazil (LABACE) and Europe (EBACE)–along with events aimed at high-net-worth individ-uals such as the Monaco Yacht Show and the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. “We’ve got a good line of products and the right kinds of [interior] completions to go along with them,” Evans said.

Bell currently manufactures its civil helicopters at its plant in Mirabel, Quebec, and then either flies or ships them to its expan-sive completion facility in Piney Flats, Tennessee. “Piney Flats can do amazing things,” Evans said. “We have had custom-ers who want to match the inte-rior and exterior of their aircraft to their high-dollar sports cars.

Piney Flats can do that. There are almost limitless possibilities.”

There are also standard choices that offer a diverse and popular pallet of nine different leathers, three paint schemes and more than 100 exterior colors that customers can choose from. Passenger compartment config-urations range from four-to-five seats in the 407 and four-to-six seats in the 429. Seat cush-ion widths increase with fewer seats in both models. Luggage compartments in both helicop-ters can accommodate out-sized items such as golf clubs. Custom-ers also typically order high-visi-bility windows, air-conditioning and pop-out emergency floats, particularly for overwater oper-ations, such as in the New York corridor, said Evans.

Executive ConfigurationDepending on the options

selected, executive configura-tions can add between $200,000 and almost $500,000 to the $2.98 million base price on a 407GX and as much as $700,000 on a 429. Installation times vary, depending on complexity, but some standard packages can be fitted in as little as two weeks and even elaborate completions rarely exceed four months.

Bell has just started produc-ing the wheeled landing gear version of the 429–the $6.3 mil-lion 429WLG–and almost all of those customers are opting for executive interiors. Evans said interest in the 429WLG is par-ticularly high in Latin America, Europe and Russia.

Bell also is working with Mecaer to develop a VVIP interior for the 429. “When we have to, we can reach out to

companies like Mecaer to take [the Piney Flats work] a step or two higher,” said Evans. Mecaer approached Bell more than a year ago to develop the new inte-rior. The decision to ally with Mecaer was not particularly difficult, Evans added, while noting that Mecaer already pro-vides the landing gear for the 429WLG and the new 525.

“We’ve done very well with the private individual, corpo-rate and VIP segments, but the VVIP segment is an area where one of our competitors has been strong,” he explained. “With the 429’s bigger cabin and the Mecaer interior we think we will capture a larger share of the VVIP market. It’s a real differentiator. The Mecaer Silens interior cuts cabin noise to the point where passengers do not need to wear headphones

to have a normal conversa-tion.” Other advanced features include Mecaer’s iFeel in-flight entertainment system; electro-chromatic, dimmable windows; and little touches such as stow-age for umbrellas behind the seats, said Evans.

Bell is currently working with Mecaer to gain FAA STC approval for the new interior, which it hopes to have in hand early next year. A decision on where to install the new interiors–Mecaer’s Philadel-phia plant or at Piney Flats–has not yet been made.

Evans said Bell has received strong inquiries for VVIP and head-of-state variants of the up-coming 525 and is working on de-veloping interior options for those markets. “Stay tuned,” he said.

As appealing as Bell’s interior options are, Evans said that cor-porate and VIP customers are

even more attracted to the ad-vanced capabilities and increased safety offered by the new-gener-ation glass-panel avionics in the 407GX (Garmin G1000H) and the 429 (Bell BasiX-Pro), and Bell’s product support.

“We are focused on install-ing fully integrated glass cockpits into the products we have: it’s a big driver in terms of increased capabilities and safety–a prime concern for the corporate and VIP market. You can have a very well-appointed aircraft, but if it is not using the latest technology in terms of terrain and traffic awareness and enhanced navi-gation, it is just not good. These things are must-haves,” he said.

Similarly, pointing to product support, Evans said this sector of the market has little patience. “If an aircraft is parked it doesn’t do the customer any good.” o


Bell has its sights set on the corporate, VVIP and head-of-state market segments for its new super-medium twin, the Model 525. That customer base has been pivotal for Bell.

More than half of the Bell 429 light twins delivered have been configured for corporate VIP operations.

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GainJet touts its new G650 and FAI recordsby James Wynbrandt

Athens-based charter oper-ator GainJet Aviation (Booth 700) added a Gulfstream G650 to its fleet of long-range air-craft in October, and since then has been setting city-pair speed records on the aircraft’s char-ter flights. The brand new jet, registered SX-GSB, was deliv-ered fresh from the factory in Savannah, Georgia, making the 5,008-nm flight in eight hours, 26 minutes at a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90.

GainJet president Captain Ramsey Shaban, noting that the flight from Savannah to Athens required barely half the G650’s 14-hour endurance, said, “The acquisition of such a high per-formance and versatile aircraft is a major advantage for GainJet, especially when considering who our customers are and where in the world they wish to go.”

The GainJet long-range fleet includes a Gulfstream G550 and G450, and Boeing BBJs.

Since acquiring the new G650, GainJet has been demonstrat-ing its capabilities by establishing Federation Aeronautique Inter-nationale (FAI) city-pair records, setting three speed records in October in less than a week: The G650 flew from London Luton, U.K to Abu Dhabi, U.A.E, a distance of 3,401 miles (5,476 km) in 5 hours, 56 minutes; It next flew Abu Dhabi, U.A.E to Busan, South Korea, covering the 4,423-mile (7,119 km) flight in 7 hours, 56 minutes; Its third city pair speed record is for the Seoul, South Korea to Jakarta, Indonesia route, a 3,278-mile

(5,276 km) journey completed in 6 hours, 13 minutes.

“Setting these FAI city-pair records is an outstanding achievement, and I believe this is only the beginning of records that the G650 will set,” said Sh-aban. “There certainly will be more to come.”

The G650 carries up to 16 pas-sengers and the seats can convert to flat beds (four singles and one double). “Athens as a primary base for the aircraft is strategi-cally located as a central point for our main target markets: Europe, the Middle East, and Africa,” said Shaban. “We’re sure it will be pop-ular in all these markets. So we feel Athens is an ideal position, right in the center of it all.” o

GainJet president Captain Ramsey Shaban, center, is pleased with the Greek company’s new Gulfstream G650. With him at last spring’s EBACE show are account manager Simon Roussos, left, and senior cabin crew member Evangelia Zervou.

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Honeywell sees demand for its service offeringsby Ian Sheppard

Honeywell Aerospace (Stand 562) comes to MEBA this year armed with some new contract announcements in business avia-tion and determined to promote the value of its support offer-ings to operators in the region. AIN spoke to the U.S. compa-ny’s regional sales director for the Middle East, Raghed Talih, last week and found him “opti-mistic about growth.”

“The aftermarket and con-nectivity are two areas where

we see growth,” enthused Talih, although he admitted the over-all picture was tending to show a slowdown, “Probably not sur-prising given the economic situ-ation and other tensions in the [MENA] region,” he added.

“The other interesting side is that the used jet market was very strong in 2014 with [increasing] importance of the market for services, retrofits, modifications and upgrades. Operators want to keep their aircraft up to date so we’re seeing huge opportu-nities, and we have a full team at our region head office in Dubai,” said Talih.

He also points to operators’ demands for more predictable maintenance, in both service lev-els and costs. “Having aircraft available 24/7 all year round is their top priority,” he noted.

Referring to the upcoming announcements at the MEBA show relating to support of Boeing Business Jets (see boxed story), Talih said “the popu-lation of BBJs [in the Middle East] is the highest in the world and there is a lot of excite-ment about deliveries, [but the] other story related to our sur-vey is that Honeywell has been

investing in bringing out prod-ucts to enhance performance and safety, the cockpit experi-ence and cabin experience. We have also come a long way in certifying retrofits, modifica-tions and upgrades, while man-dates and updating software are also big concerns for operators.

“Keeping aircraft flying in all the different airspace around the world is very high on our agenda, for example. More than any other region, Middle East operators go all over the world so need to be able to fly their air-craft anywhere.”

In the Gulf region, Jet Avi-ation ad Execujet in Dubai are both authorized Honeywell ser-vice centers. “On the mechanical side we have three major service centers,” said Talih (the other being Arabasco in Jeddah, who also act as avionics dealers for Saudi Arabia). “We also have SA MENA in Bahrain on the avionics side and another avi-onics dealer in Dubai, Hawker Pacific.” But it is the growth of the company’s local team sup-porting business aviation that is the main harbinger of increased support. “Just a couple of years ago it was just myself,” he said.

Connectivity IncreasesThe other area that Talih

is excited about is connectiv-ity. “Honeywell signed up with Inmarsat as the exclusive devel-oper of hardware for Ka band, and in business aviation we

have an exclusive deal on the service side, with resellers such as Satcom1.”

“One of the things that really influences buying [of air-craft] by Middle Eastern cus-tomers is range, but the number two criteria is cabin size and comfort. Number three is air-craft performance,” he added. But, in his view, connectivity is a major part of the cabin expe-rience and Honeywell is heav-ily involved with the Inmarsat SwiftBroadband and the move up from 432 kb/sec to 33 Mb/sec connection speed. “Certi-fication should be completed by mid-2015, so we’re look-ing at the launch for custom-ers and platforms now. The first to be completed will be an ACJ319, and also a BBJ–these are the two key ones [aircraft

types] but there are a number of other platforms.”

Talih added that, “Live TV, videoconferencing–the possibili-ties are unlimited when you have so much bandwidth, and consis-tency–not a patchwork like you get with air-to-ground.” The dominant factor in the Middle East, he said, was that with Ka band there would be a network of only three satellites “covering the entire world. So the Middle East in particular will be a really hot area [for demand].”

At MEBA, Talih said Honeywell has a “virtual real-ity seat” on its stand where it can put visitors in a virtual world “to experience all the technolo-gies Honeywell can put in an air-craft–cockpit, cabins etc. We’re very excited about it, we’ve not seen this at any other show.” o


Honeywell to Support Boeing APUs

Honeywell announced here at MEBA 2014 that an undisclosed Middle East operator had become the first customer to sign up for its Boeing Busi-ness Jet auxiliary power unit user maintenance plan.

The company’s APU Maintenance Plan (AMP) is an aftermarket warranty program for BBJs that “simplifies maintenance planning by providing access to fixed rate servicing, repair and spares for Honeywell’s 131-9B APU,” that is standard on all Boeing 737NG aircraft (which the BBJ 737 is based on).

“With its high proportion of BBJ operators looking for hassle-free, pre-dictable aftermarket support, the Middle East is an important market for AMP,” said Raghed Talih, Honeywell Aerospace director, Middle East, Turkey and North Africa for business and general aviation.

BBJ operators enrolled in the program are also able to extend the resale value of their aircraft by transferring AMP to a new owner at the point of sale, added Honeywell. AMP’s extended coverage includes complete on-condition unscheduled heavy maintenance costs such as inspection, lifecycle-limited parts and labor, as well as special AMP rates for temporary rental units from Honeywell’s APU bank and access to all major Honeywell service centers.

Other servicing and maintenance programs from Honeywell include the MPP Mechanical Protection Plan for cabin control systems on selected Gulfstream and Pilatus platforms, the MSP Maintenance Service Plan and the Honeywell Avionics Protection Plan (HAPP) covering avionics and satellite connectivity systems.

Honeywell announced here this week that Middle East construction and facilities management company Saudi Oger has become the first customer in the region for HAPP, which is designed to increase fleet availability for opera-tors while driving more predictable and manageable maintenance costs.

“Avoiding unplanned grounding and ensuring our fleet is available as it is needed is a top priority for us, as a grounded aircraft is simply 100 percent cost with no return,” said Saudi Oger’s director of maintenance Mahmoud Khatib. “This requirement, combined with the benefit of more predictable operations and maintenance, makes HAPP a cost-effective, easy-to-justify investment that can deliver an immediate positive impact on our bottom line.”

Saudi Oger will have full maintenance coverage of the avionics and satcom systems on its BBJ and its two Gulfstream G450 aircraft, which it has also enrolled in the program. In addition, Saudi Oger has also enrolled the two G450s in Honeywell’s Mechanical Protection Plan (MPP).

“MPP provides the same level of assurance and peace-of-mind as HAPP, but across the aircraft’s cabin control systems such as the air con-ditioning and cabin pressurization equipment,” said Honeywell. It is avail-able for Gulfstream G350, GIV, G450, GV and G550 and Pilatus PC-12/PC-12NG turboprop.

“Our agreement with Saudi Oger demonstrates that even the largest bizlin-ers can benefit from the cover our maintenance plans provide,” said Talih. “As the first HAPP-protected BBJ operator in the Middle East, Saudi Oger has taken a fresh approach to safeguarding against unplanned grounding and is making its maintenance costs more predictable in the process.” –I.S.

Raghed Talih, Honeywell’s regional sales director for the Middle East is optimistic about growth in the region and says supporting customers better is its main focus.

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

As part of its pre-show chores, the team from Ukraine-based Softex Aero lines up one of the engines of its V-24L display aircraft. The engines are mounted on pylons over the wings, with the propellers at the rear. Look for a detailed story on this unique twin-engine pusher in a later issue.�

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Crucial to the success of the process has been the entry of the established FBO players into agreement for the creation of common-user FBO in DWC’s general aviation zone, construc-tion on which is to begin shortly, and which is expected to be completed by November 2015. However MEBAA founding chairman Ali Al Naqbi told AIN that the Association has concerns about the common-user concept, given the privacy demanded by VIP clients (see page 6).

In addition to DC Aviation Al Futtaim’s long-planned facil-ity, DWC’s FBO market is today serviced by Jetex Flight Support, Jet Aviation and ExecuJet Avia-tion, operating out of a shared temporary FBO at DWC’s main passenger terminal. XJet is poised to enter as the planned common-user terminal’s fourth occupant in November 2015.

Only ExecuJet has yet to sign up the shared use of a planned per-manent executive terminal.

The entry of additional actors, once certain DWC-imposed traf-fic milestones are reached, could make the business even more competitive. Insiders said the movements market was “not that big,” with 5,500 a year at DXB, and a total of 12,000 in Dubai as a whole, last year.

Price War?“DWC says a lot of peo-

ple want to build a hangar for parking, but the market is only so big. There is a danger of a price war. We are not really run-ning a lucrative business. We are careful in making decisions on parking hangars with MRO. DWC also has quite high expec-tations on rent and concession fees,” said one FBO group’s representative speaking to AIN on condition of anonymity.

“Quality comes at a price. The big question is whether DWC is too expensive to do some-thing [to invest in new MRO and

handling facilities]. You need to see MRO and completions from a global perspective. And people still really prefer to go to DXB,” he added, expressing the concern that DWC’s expectations on rents might be excessive. “All in all, we are moving forward, but the

economics are the critical thing. If at DWC, the playing field is good for everyone, then we don’t mind competition. But the mar-gins are thin. This is not a multi-million dollar business,” he said.

Jetex Flight Support CEO Adel Mardini is happy to take up the subject of DWC. “We already signed an agreement with DWC to be part of the gen-eral aviation terminal. We will have the biggest lounge in the general aviation terminal, of around 1,000 sq m [10,764 sq ft],” he said. “After the runways reopened [at DXB] following the closures there, some custom-ers preferred to stay at DWC because they could land and fly any time. Emirates are adding almost two aircraft per month, or 20 per year, at DXB. Slots are becoming more and more diffi-cult. We believe DWC will be the major destination for private jets in the future.”

ExecuJet has yet to sign up for either the common-user FBO ter-minal or any kind of permanent

MRO facilities, and Mike Berry, vice president Middle East, con-tinues to express bemusement that the company’s preference for a standalone FBO facility seems to be falling on deaf ears. He is also saying that costs are an issue that cannot be ignored.

“We understand that the DWC or the Dubai Aviation City model is very different to what existed at DXB. What we do see is obviously the rates being very different to the rates that are available on DXB and we foresee that general-service pricing is going to have to go up to cover the cost increases that operators are going to be pay-ing,” said Berry.

“Generally you will find that DWC is going to be a more costly solution longer term than what DXB is at the moment. That’s understandable because the business models are differ-ent. The ground rents are higher than we are now paying. The cost impact of everything is going to increase our costs,” he said. o

Official Says DWC Costs are Not Excessive For Bizav

A senior official with Dubai World Central (DWC) has countered accusations that business aviation companies moving to the new airport are being asked to pay excessive fees. Tahnoon Saif, DWC’s vice president for aviation, told AIN the Dubai government had invested “billions” of dol-lars in business aviation facilities at DWC, and that if it were concerned solely with return on investment, tenant prices would have been 20 times higher.

Dubai Airports is coordinating plans for the move from Dubai International (DXB) to DWC. Saif said, “By 2017, forecasts are that 90 percent of operations will have moved to DWC. The remaining 10 percent at DXB will be for MRO [maintenance repair and overhaul] proposes.”

Saif said forecasts estimated that the number of gener-al aviation movements in Dubai in total would rise to 16,000 to 17,000 movements in 2017. “The forecast for 2020 is for

21,000 movements.” He predicted that the transfer of bizav operations to DWC will take five more years to complete.

Dubai Airports said general aviation is expected to see a total of around 16,400 movements next year, 75 percent of them at DWC. According to Saif, the two Dubai airports will eventually have capacity for some 60,000 bizav movements.

“We have one common-user facility and we also have DC Aviation-Al Futtaim,” explained Saif. “There is no plan for [further] standalone operators. This plan was devel-oped with the operators themselves. The preference is always to have your [own facility], but looking at value for money for operators, to attract them, we are offer-ing something common, with full privacy for VIPs, direct access to the apron and ramp, and reducing the [need for office space] on the operators’ side, in terms of customs, police and immigration.” –P.S.S.

of creating separate departments to deal with the specialist sector. However, the UAE is now leading the way towards implementation of European EASA regulations covering business aviation, in the hope that this will solve the diffi-culties operators face.

“The regulators are work-ing very hard in the region to create a common system for the industry rather than hav-ing fragmented rules and regu-lations governing aviation. We are trying to narrow the gap between commercial and busi-ness aviation. The ultimate

objective is to make this busi-ness safe, viable and secure,” said Ahmed Al Neham, acting undersecretary for Civil Avia-tion Affairs at Bahrain’s Minis-try of Transportation.

Business aviation realities often mean regulatory treatment, which sometimes breaks the let-ter, if not the spirit, of commercial regulations, and this is something the UAE GCAA is anxious to maintain to improve the opera-bility of business aviation.

“Until we implement EASA with more differentiation between commercial aviation and busi-ness aviation, operators can seek waivers or remove requirements. The risk exposure the operator is going to have with this risk is removed. We are still accepting

waivers and showing some degree of flexibility,” said Walid Al Rah-mani, director policy, regulation and planning, safety affairs, UAE GCAA, who added, “Operators, if you think this is unsatisfactory, please come forward with your [own] waiver request.”

“I believe that the relationship between the extent of regulation and safety records is a little more tenuous than some believe. In the U.S., Part 135 safety regula-tions are more onerous than Part 91. Most corporate operators under Part 91 have vastly supe-rior record over Part 135 Air Taxi. You have to conclude that more safety doesn’t mean [bet-ter airworthiness],” said Peter Ingleton, director, ICAO Liai-son Office at IBAC.

Pete Bunce, president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, said regulators had to introduce a component of risk into their assessments. He cited the exam-ple of how Chinese aviation reg-ulators, grappling with a new

sector, had drawn regulatory parallels between a light aircraft and a motorcycle, or a large air-plane to a car. “Whether you are paying money to hire a taxi or a limo, equate that to a stron-ger issue of regulation [in avia-tion],” he said. –P.S.S.

Bizav exodus to DWC stalleduContinued from page 1

Harmonization would help regionuContinued from page 1

While real estate and runway access are at a premium at DXB Airport, here at Dubai World Central (DWC) there is no lack of space for bizav. But is the price too high?

GCC regulatory panel (left to right) Ahmed Al Neham (Bahrain), Walid Al Rahmani (UAE) and Lasse Rungholm, CEO of Opmas.

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GDC to retrofit JetWave for Boeing, Airbus jetsby Charles Alcock

GDC Technics is to provide Honeywell’s JetWave satellite communications system for in-service Boeing and Airbus busi-ness and commercial aircraft under an agreement signed here in Dubai on Sunday. JetWave, which is due to be available from the second half of 2015, is Hon-eywell’s satellite connectivity hardware that exclusively sup-ports Inmarsat’s new Jet Con-nex (JX) WiFi service, which promises consistent, high-speed inflight Internet service for busi-ness aircraft worldwide.

San Antonio, Texas-based GDC Technics (Stand P5) will develop supplemental type cer-tificates (STCs) for in-service Boeing and Airbus aircraft, including Boeing Business Jets (BBJs) and Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJs), enabling them to be retrofitted with the JetWave equipment. It will offer STCs for Airbus A319, A330 and A340 aircraft as well as the Boeing 737, 747, 777 and 787. The com-pany will also market the STCs to other completions centers.

“High speed, consistent in-flight WiFi over land and sea is a technology game-changer for the industry. Through this agreement with Honeywell, bizliners and commercial air transport aircraft around the world will soon be able to access Inmarsat’s JX service,” said Mohammed Alzeer, gen-eral partner, GDC Technics. “In today’s always-on society the ability to stay connected while in the air is fast becoming

an expectation rather than a nice-to-have, making the JetWave hardware from Honeywell and JX service from Inmarsat an important differentiator for operators.”

“Through this agreement with GDC Technics, Boeing and Airbus operators will soon be able to easily upgrade their aircraft with one of the most advanced and capable in-flight connectivity systems on the market,” said Mike Beazley, vice president aftermarket sales, business and general aviation, Honeywell Aerospace. “Jet Connex will bring high speed, consistent global in-flight inter-net connectivity via WiFi to the cockpit and cabin and we expect to see significant demand for the technology, particularly for long haul commercial and busi-ness planes flying out of the Middle East.”

In May, Mohammed Alzeer’s MAZ Aviation group, which last year acquired the former Gore Design Completions busi-ness and then renamed it GDC Technics (see page 8), launched a partnership with Satcom1 to develop faster satellite commu-nications systems for the ACJ and BBJ family. According to the partnership agreement, the system will be based on Ka- and Ku- band solutions and will offer greater bandwidth for airborne communications. Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband and its safety services features will be used for cockpit com-munications needs. o

Mohammed Alzeer, general partner, GDC Technics (left) and Mike Beazley, Honeywell’s vice president for aftermarket sales for business and general aviation, yesterday sealed a deal under which the completions center will provide retrofits of Honeywell’s JetWave satellite communications technology.

Amac wins VVIP work on a pair of bizlinersby David Donald

Amac Aerospace has announced two more cabin inte-rior contracts that the company has received for its Basel-based MRO and completion cen-ter. Both are for Middle East customers. One is for a cabin reconfiguration of a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), and the other is a refurbishment of a VVIP Airbus A320.

Taking an aircraft currently configured as an airliner, the A320-200 refurbishment will apply a nose-to-tail VVIP con-version. Included in the modi-fication are a master bedroom, lavatory and shower. A state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system is to be installed, includ-ing video on demand and wire-less streaming.

In the BBJ, Amac (Stand A13) is converting the main com-partment into a VIP lounge with a separate club seating area. On each side of the cabin, the com-pany’s engineers and craftsmen are installing new side ledges and electric high-low tables. Berth-able divans are being added to increase the number of sleeping locations, while the rear of the cabin gains coffee tables. Amac is providing the design package.

Specializing in VVIP conver-sions, completions and refur-bishments, Amac has to date delivered 10 such aircraft. Air-bus aircraft completed so far comprise an A320, four ACJ319s

and an A340, while Boeing air-craft comprise a BBJ2, 777-200LR and 777-300ER. The company also has recently com-pleted a Bombardier Global Express, which is on display in the MEBA static park.

Currently in the hangar is a Boeing 747-8i that is due to be delivered to a Middle Eastern customer in the first quarter of next year, and an ACJ319 for Amac’s first customer in Asia. Next week the company is sched-uled to take delivery of a green Boeing 777-200 to begin VVIP completion work for a head-of-state client.

To cater for continuing growth, Amac has recently broken ground on a fourth hangar at Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg Airport (see page 13). The company expects the new hangar to be used primar-ily for wide-body MRO work, a growing area of the compa-ny’s business. “We see a lot of opportunity in the narrow- and wide-body maintenance sector, and as this has rapidly become an area of expertise for Amac we will be focusing more on this segment,” noted Group COO Bernd Schramm. “We expect to see the ratio of refurbishment/completion and MRO projects to shift from a 70:30 split to 60:40, as the new building will increase our capacity for maintenance.” o

BOMBARDIER TAPS INDAMER AS AN ASF

Bombardier Business Air-craft (Chalet A23) announced the appointment of India’s Indamer Aviation Private Lim-ited as an authorized service facility (ASF) for its Global family of jets. Indamer, founded in 1939, is the old-est maintenance, repair and overhaul company in India and is ISO 9001:2008 certi-fied. The company provides service from 14 locations across the subcontinent, and its Ahmedabad facility, occupying some 3,252 sq m (35,000 sq ft), has more than 40 technicians on staff.

The new ASF will be capa-ble of performing line mainte-nance for Globals, and brings Bombardier’s ASF network to more than 50 locations world-wide. Global operators also are supported by seven Bom-bardier-owned service cen-ters in North America, Europe and Singapore.

“The new addition to Bom-bardier’s expanding aftermar-ket network will provide out business aircraft customers with even more options for high quality maintenance ser-vices closer to home,” said Michel Ouellette, v-p, air-craft programs and customer service. “With its wealth of experience, we are confident that Indamer Aviation Pri-vate Limited can deliver first-class services to operators in the region.” –J.W.

LUXURY TRAVEL ON DEMAND

Dubai-based Emirates offers charter service on its VIP-configured Airbus A319 Corporate Jet. The airline rec-ognizes the opportunity to offer bizliner charter for customers who have the need for individual, private travel.

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