Aviation Maintenance Centre Concept
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Appendix 7: Maximally Productive Use - Aviation Maintenance Centre Concept The Kingston Turbo Concept as originally presented during the study process has been broadened by the staff to include the potential for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre; broadening the scope to MRO centre will expand the potential market beyond turbo props to various other types of aircrafts, thus widening the market size and opportunities. No changes were made to the following sections 7.1 and 7.2 which include research from year 2016 focussing on turboprop. 7.1 An Introduction to Turboprop Aircraft Definition Turboprops (short for turbo propeller) aircraft utilize a gas turbine engine to drive a propeller rather than relying on jet thrust to move the aircraft forward. Such engines are powerful enough to propel business/private aircraft, but also military, agricultural and regional airliner aircraft. As a result, depending on the intended uses, a number of turboprop models are available. Fixed-Gear, Utility-Class Singles Fixed-gear, single-engine turboprops are particularly suitable for utility missions in the wild because of their size, range and payload capabilities. Popular models include the Cessna Caravan series or the Quest Kodiak. Single engine turboprops can usually seat from 8 to 14 people. They can easily make for reliable, flexible operations on water by swapping out the gear for floats. High Speed Single Engine Cruisers This category of single-engine turboprops is more speed-oriented, allowing high dispatch reliability valued by owner-pilots, businesses and charter companies. Popular high speed models include the Pilatus PC 12 or the Piper Meridian, with a cabin capacity ranging from 6 to 9 passengers. 154 Multi-Engine Turboprops Multi-engine turboprops offer more comfort, reliability and capability than single engines. Although Beech’s King Air aircraft can seat from 8 to 10 people only, most twin engine turboprops tend to be larger aircraft offering more seating. Because of their capacity, twin turboprops are particularly popular among regional airlines. As an example, Air Canada Express’s fleet is comprised of 17 Beech 1900 (seats approximately 19), 28 Bombardier Dash 8 (seats 50) and 24 Bombardier Q400 (seats 74). Compared to pure-jet aircraft, turboprops, on average, fly slower. For example, a King Air 250 will cruise at 310 knots, whereas a jet (turbofan) powered Embraer Phenom 300 cruises at 453 kts. Consequently, the King Air will take an hour longer than the Phenom to complete the same 1,000 mile trip. That being said, there exists a variety of turboprops with different speed performances that somewhat compete with turbofan aircraft. Regardless, turboprops have distinct advantages driving their popularity. Key Benefits for Operators Short Runway Requirements Turboprop aircraft are capable of operating into smaller airstrips than jets, which can be important for many business users who need to visit smaller airports. For instance, a King Air 250 can operate into a 2,400 ft. runway, whereas a Citation CJ4 requires a third more runway length. Similarly, turboprops can access grass fields and gravel airfields, when turbofan jets require a concrete runway for takeoff and landing. As a result, turboprops can get passengers to more remote locations than other aircraft, which is also why they are one of the most popular choices as an air ambulance. Fuel Efficiency and Lower Costs Turboprop engines can be operated under more efficient and economical conditions at low and medium altitudes, and they retain these two qualities at low aircraft speeds. As a result, turboprops burn less fuel and have an overall lower cost of operation than turbofan jets. For example, with an Avanti, an operator can save $195 per hour in fuel 155 compared to a Citation CJ3. With such figures, for flights of less than around 500 nautical miles, the shorter time spent in the air with a turbofan jet is insignificant compared with the fuel savings to be made by flying a “slower” turboprop. Some other expenses such as maintenance costs per flight hour, and sometimes insurance, also tend to be lower for turboprops. 7.2 The Market Global Market Trends Turboprop aircraft have a solid place in aviation: they represent 40% of the regional aircraft fleet9 and accounted for 24.5% of worldwide general aviation aircraft deliveries in 201410. According to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, they constitute a healthy segment expected to grow continuously at a 1.6% CAGR in North America over the next ten (10) years. This prediction is consistent with the overall stable growth observed over the last ten (10) years, especially the 2011 resurgence. Figure A7-1: GA Turboprop Aircraft Shipments Manufactured Worldwide 2003-2014 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Turboprop aircraft make both economic and environmental sense. Unstable fuel prices, along with ever increasing pressure on airline costs and footprint, position these fuel- efficient aircraft as an attractive option for regional travel up to 1,000 miles. In 2014, 603 new turboprops were sold worldwide compared with 722 new business jets. While this is slightly down from the 2013 sales record with 645 new turboprops shipped, it remains a decent performance. The details of these deliveries indicate that single-engine turboprops account for 78.6% of the total (474 units), with 157 units being pressurized singles – predominantly the Pilatus PC-12NG (51 deliveries) and the Daher TBM 900. 9 Source : Regional Turboprops Market Outlook 2014-2033, ATR (2014) 10 Source : ibid 156 By acquiring Beechcraft and its line of King Air turboprop twins, Textron Aviation has emerged as the dominant industry force in the turboprop market with 221 combined deliveries of King Air twins and Cessna Caravans last year. Other top manufacturers are Pilatus, De Havilland and Piper. Canadian Market Turboprop Aircraft The Canadian Fleet of turboprop aircraft is principally composed of the aircraft listed below in Table A7-1. It should be noted that the list shows only the more common models, that is to say with 25 aircraft or more registered in Canada. The complete Canadian turboprop fleet, including private aircraft and older models of all kinds, is 1,823 strong. This information was compiled using the 2014 Canadian Civil Aircraft Register. Table A7-1: Canadian Fleet of Turboprop Aircraft, 2014 Manufacturer Model Quantity De Havilland Canada DHC-8 (aka Dash 8 or Q series) 245 /Bombardier11 Cessna 208 Caravan 125 Beech 200 Super King Air 128 De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 98 Beech 1900 Beechliner 110 Beech 100 King Air 77 Beech 90 King Air 61 Pilatus PC-12/45 44 De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Turbo Otter 104 Beech 300 Super King Air 45 Swearingen SA226 Metroliner 29 Pilatus PC-12/47 48 Fairchild SA227 Metroliner 35 De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Turbo Beaver 35 Air Tractor AT-502 44 Air Tractor AT-802 41 British Aerospace 3112/3212 Jetstream 36 Piper PA31 27 Total 1,332 11 Introduced by de Havilland Canada (DHC) in 1984, the DHC-8 aircraft are now produced by Bombardier Aerospace – who bought DHC – under the name of Q series. 157 Most of the aircraft listed in Table A7-1 are equipped with PT6A engine variants. Manufactured by Pratt & Whitney Canada, this engine is one of the most fuel-efficient on the market. For the purpose of this HBU Study, separate data for the provinces from Alberta to Quebec is presented, along with the neighbouring states of Michigan, Wisconsin, New York and Ohio. This provides an overview of the market that could be targeted from Kingston (see Table A7-2). From these figures, the Study Team then explored the market potential for each MRO market segment. 158 Table A7-2: Turboprop Market Overview in the Targeted Region Aircraft Engines U.S Engine States Total Aircraft Total Aircraft Type ON AB MB SK Total Types QC (targeted) Target Area PT6A PW 100 Beech King Air PT6A 34 49 65 32 31 83 294 588 - (100, 200 & 300) Beech PT6A 22 5 21 3 13 3 134 - 1900 67 Pilatus PT6A 46 25 1 2 142 142 - PC12 Family 6 62 Cessna PT6A 45 9 18 15 2 127 127 - Caravan 208 38 De Havilland PT6A 8 6 3 12 5 74 148 - DHC-6 40 De Havilland/Bombardi PW100/150 56 31 46 6 0 - 139 - 278 er DHC-8 (Q series) ATR 42 PW120 4 4 0 12 5 - 25 25 Totals 215 129 196 72 65 191 868 1,139 303 159 Maintenance Market Engine Maintenance It is unreasonable to think that all engine types/models being used in the targeted turboprop aircraft can be addressed, certainly not in the short term. The most attractive market in the immediate time frame, i.e. where there is sufficient potential for a business case, is the PT6A market. With nearly 1,000 PT6A engines in the targeted area, it is highly likely that a portion could be attracted to Kingston. Propeller Maintenance Propellers come from four different manufacturers; Hartzell, Dowty, McCauley and Hamilton Sundstrand. The maintenance requirements are between 2,400 and 3,000 hour periods or ten (10) years. Major Aircraft Components Overhaul (Landing Gear, Wheels and Brakes) Landing Gear: On average, landing gears have a MRO periodic cycle of 10,000 to 12,000 cycles, meaning that they need to go through the MRO process every 3-4 years. That provides an average of 400-450 overhauls a year in the targeted region. Driving factors are quality and cost. Wheels & Brakes: MRO cycles are similar to the landing gears. With an average $4,000 - $7,000 market cost, there is an opportunity for growth in this area if the cluster effect results in competitive prices.