AIN STAFF REPORT business Lightbusiness MAKING DO WITH LESS IS STILL A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVES aircraft

Looking to expand its franchise and better serve some of its mem- transportation to its practitioners, and will likely attract more interest bers, the National Business Aviation Association announced plans last as people and companies consider scaling back their transportation April to hold an event aimed specifically at the owners and operators costs in lean times. of light business aircraft, a category the association loosely defines as The eight people we profile in these pages operate a broad variety those weighing less than 20,000 pounds. In the intervening months of aircraft in the LBA segment, from a piston twin to turboprops and the world economy has been racked by convulsions, and NBAA’s LBA small business jets. These people all share two common attributes: exhibition & conference, scheduled for this month in San Diego, was they enjoy flying (most up front, a couple in the cabin), and they one of the victims, along with the association’s ABACE event in Asia recognize the huge advantage they hold over business travelers who slated for last month. drive or cling to the failing airline model and all its frustrations, The LBA event will be absorbed into the big annual convention inefficiencies and wasted time. We encourage you to pass this feature business and meeting, to be held in October in Orlando, and while the event on to anyone considering taking the plunge into business aviation, for the owner-flown crowd might have failed to stand on its own two just as these eight people took the step that launched their journeys feet this year, this segment of business aviation still provides unrivaled of a thousand miles (NBAA IFR reserves, 100-nm alternate). –N.M. aircraft

ANDY REARDON: attend to in those areas, so I had the need, engines, so I wanted a good, sound air- flight department and a member of the BARON 58 OWNER-PILOT and the desire, to get in and out of a lot of frame and I’d take it from there,” recalled FlightSafety board. “Both these guys went small towns.” It worked out “quite well” Reardon. It was a project. He stripped the to bat for me and vouched for me as a pilot and Reardon started by renting , airplane and put on two new IO-520s, with the company’s risk management but it wasn’t long before he developed an new fuel cells, Garmin GNS 530/430 department, and that helped me cut enduring allegiance to piston-powered coupled to the , and EGT moni- through some of the red tape,” Reardon Beech airplanes. tors. “I had had wonderful luck with recounted. “In a lot of companies that’s a In 1988, Chicago-based Reardon IO-520s and stayed with those rather than barrier. At TTX [the company from which bought an 11-year-old Bonanza A36 switch to the IO-550s. If you take good Reardon just retired as CEO] a couple of listed for sale in Van Nuys and kept it for care of the IO-520, it’ll go forever. I had the directors raised their eyebrows at my a year before switching in 1989 to a 12- flown other people’s turbos and had lis- flying, but I said, ‘Look, I’ll buy $2 million year-old Baron 58. “I had the 58 for five tened to their maintenance stories. Turbos in insurance coveragebusiness and have the com- years until Illinois Central was bought are great, but at annual time you have to pany pick up the portion of the premium out, then went back to an A36 and put in be prepared to pay for all that heat. The that I fly for business.’ Above $2 million it a new engine and prop. After that came a 58 is a great machine, and maintenance is was covered expressly by the corporate 1980 Baron B55 bought in 1995. Some- modest in the overall scheme of things.” travel and liability policy, so it dovetailed one from North Carolina saw it, liked it Reardon has always maintained his air- nicely with our company insurance.” aircraft and offered a modest premium over the plane to the highest standards: “I was Illinois Central’s main line was from price I’d paid. I took the offer and right acutely conscious of canceling a trip and away bought a 1977 Bonanza V35 in then having somebody say that maybe if I’d RAYTHEON 1996.” He had that for seven years, but flown the airlines I wouldn’t have canceled two things drove Reardon to hunt for out. If there’s a sniff of something wrong, I BARON G58 Like many owner-pilots, Andy Rear- another Baron: he and his wife had get it repaired. I depend on that airplane, Type 1+4/5-seat piston twin don had the passion for flying before he bought a home in Cape Cod in 2003 and and out of at least a thousand trips and Engines Two Teledyne Continental got the idea to fly himself to business decided they needed more power and about 2,800 hours as PIC, I’ve had to can- IO-550s, 300 hp each appointments. Reardon started flying more capacity; and one of TTX’s prime cel only one due to a maintenance issue.” Max cruise speed 202 kts while head of the law department for the facilities then was in Pontiac, Mich. “I Some companies frown on the notion of Max altitude 20,688 ft Illinois Central Railroad, got his license needed a good solid twin with de-icing a pilot-employee flying a small airplane on Max range 990 nm in 1986 and retired as CEO of railroad boots, hot props and a hot windshield to business travel, and Reardon encountered (NBAA IFR, 100-nm alternate) equipment leasing company TTX at the keep jumping back and forth over Lake this resistance initially at Union Pacific. Max takeoff weight 5,500 lbs end of last year after 33 years in the rail- Michigan year-round,” reasoned Reardon. However, he had two saviors in the com- Single-pilot capable? Yes road industry. They went looking for one with a pany: one was Jerome Given, “a great trial Takeoff field length* 2,300 ft “Given that Illinois Central had facili- great airframe and found a 1981 model. lawyer for Union Pacific with a wonderful Typical equipped price new $1.1 million ties all the way from Chicago to New “I’d had enough experience with other reputation out in Omaha,” and the other *Sea-level standard conditions, max takeoff weight Orleans, there was always business to people’s and other people’s was Curt Smith, head of Union Pacific’s

20aaAviation International News • March 2009 • www.ainonline.com JACK COOPER: lites, missile guidance systems, radar with him. “I had flown before I got my getting to the airport two hours early. I MERIDIAN OWNER-PILOT microwave and data processing systems. license, but of course I didn’t get to log use it as much as I can.” “I’ve got stuff on Mars, stuff in that,” he said. Cooper’s employees also enjoy the satellites, the space shuttle, all the Although he loved flying, Cooper was benefits, he said. When he and his Boeing equipment; pretty much any- forced to take a hiatus when his children engineers schedule meetings with the thing that flies, we have a part in were young. “We had children, and my Rockwell Collins engineering group in someplace,” Cooper said. In addition wife decided that perhaps it was a good Cedar Rapids, Iowa, they often use the to the major OEMs, Rockwell Collins time for me to stop flying and get rid of Meridian to travel. “We leave in the and Lockheed Martin are among my motorcycle,” he said. “Then about 12 morning, we’re there in an hour and 15 HiSonic’s largest customers. The com- years ago I started flying again.” minutes, and we can meet with them pany has been supplying Rockwell His return to flying coincided with all day and come back, instead of Collins since 1962, and Lockheed some changes he decided to make in spending five hours on the road and Martin since 1980. the business structure of his company. having to spend the night,” he said. Cooper has been with HiSonic since “I had just gotten rid of my represen- “We also go to Dallas. That’s a pretty 1984, when he purchased the company tatives around the country, so I easy turn for us.” from the original owner, Wayne Bone- decided I was going to do all the sales Cooper said he might consider getting bright. Before the sale, he owned a myself,” Cooper said. At the time, an airplane with longer range and more Jack Cooper, a Piper Meridian share of Jack Cooper Transport, an auto HiSonic employed five sales reps. “I power sometime in the future, but for owner-pilot and president of Olathe, transport carrier that his grandfather went out and bought a 182. I now he’s content to keep his Meridian. Kan.-based HiSonic, describes the ben- founded in 1928. In the early 1980s moved up to a 182 retractable, a 210, “Time-wise and convenience-wise, the efits of his aircraft in one word: Cooper sold his share to an uncle. He and then I moved up to a Piper benefits are tremendous.” –J.H. tremendous. continued working for the company for Mirage. About a year-and-a-half ago, I Cooper flies his Meridian “at least a about a year, then began searching for a bought the Meridian.” PIPER MERIDIAN couple of times a month,” mostly for new business opportunity. Over the The Meridian “goes higher and business. “It just makes life a little eas- course of 14 months, he considered faster” than his previous aircraft, Type 1+4/5-seat turboprop single ier, especially for me since I do most of more than 50 companies before pur- Cooper said, and he intends to “hang Engine One P&WC PT6A-42A the sales calls,” he said. “Fortunately my chasing HiSonic. onto this one for a while. It certainly Max cruise speed 260 kts business takes me to a lot of nice The decision to purchase HiSonic has a much better reputation, and I feel Max altitude 30,000 ft places.” Most of his sales calls are in might very well have been a result of his a lot safer in it.” Max range 1,000 nm and California. interest in aviation. Cooper got his Although Cooper acknowledges that (NBAA IFR, 100-nm alternate) HiSonic has been developing and pilot’s license in 1968, right around the driving or taking the airlines to the vari- Max takeoff weight 5,092 lbs manufacturing electronic components, time he started working for the family ous sales calls would probably be less Single-pilot capable? Yes including transformers, inductors, filters business. Before getting his license, expensive, the benefits of having his Max baggage capacity 20 cu ft/100 lbs and magnetic assemblies, since 1959. A however, he had spent a number of years own airplane far outweigh the costs. “It Takeoff field length* 1,650 ft majority of the components are used in flying in the right seat of various air- saves time and it’s a lot more conven- Typical equipped price new $1.9 million aerospace and airborne equipment, craft. A friend of the family had been a ient,” he said. “And it’s certainly more *Sea-level standard conditions, max takeoff weight including avionics, power supplies, satel- corporate pilot and often let Cooper fly pleasurable than waiting in lines and

Chicago to New Orleans, with east-west transportation industry presents these KEN WOLF: fuel reserves] with the Solitaire. It’s got branch lines that didn’t make much unique opportunities for an airplane to MU-2 OWNER-PILOT 403 gallons as opposed to the -K’s 365 money. “We made our money north-south, shine: something happens in your network, gallons, so that adds another 45 minutes hauling UPS traffic, and we wanted to sell and you have to be there yesterday, more [of flight time]. It just made me a little the east-west lines,” Reardon said. “Sell- often than not in the middle of nowhere.” more comfortable knowing that if I was ing a railroad line is not easy–you have to While Reardon was running TTX, he coming in at night after flying 1,000 file in every county the railroad traverses. had to attend staff meetings at a plant just miles, I’d still have plenty of fuel.” As with selling a house, you have to go to across the river from Augusta, Ga., in As an eye surgeon, Wolf makes fre- the courthouse and refile the papers trans- North Augusta, S.C., and another plant in quent use of the aircraft for business, ferring from one owner to another. It’s a Jacksonville, Fla. “To do that commer- taking advantage of the time savings avia- process that has to be done efficiently and cially is really cumbersome: fly to Atlanta, tion offers, even occasionally to commute as close to instantaneously as you can. change planes, fly to Augusta for staff to work. “There’s an ophthalmologist in “The airplanes really helped, partic- meetings, stay overnight, back to Atlanta, New Hampshire, about two-and-a-half to ularly in the sale of the line from fly to Jacksonville, back to Atlanta, back three hours drive away depending on the Chicago to Iowa–we must have stopped to Chicago. TTX is something of an weather, and he doesn’t like to do sur- in 25 different counties through Iowa industry cooperative, owned by nine gery; he does medical ophthalmology. I and Missouri in a day-and-a-half.” North American railroad companies, and While the Mitsubishi MU-2 has had a fly over the White Mountains in about 15 Wrecks on a railroad are not uncom- every one of them has airplanes. It’s a ter- reputation as a difficult airplane to fly, it to 20 minutes once a month to do surgery mon, and it’s important that railroad rible waste of time not to.” is not without its passionate partisans, over there, and I’ll operate all day and hop people show up on scene promptly. “I Did Reardon ever think of moving up perhaps none more fervent than Ken Wolf in the airplane and come back home. That would jump in the airplane and head out to to a turboprop, maybe a TBM 700/850 of Lewiston, Maine, who founded the saves me five or six hours of traveling and wherever we had to go. One time we had a or King Air? “Yes, I thought about it, but MU-2 Owners Association by hosting its makes the whole thing feasible. It would terrible injury down in Madisonville, Ken- if I was going to buy a new airplane first meeting at his home in 1994. An be impossible to spend that much time tucky, and I was there within three hours today, I’d get a Baron 58 again. It’s a ophthalmologist and FAA medical exam- traveling and do seven or eight hours of of the accident. Another time we had a tor- wonderful machine.” iner and former Air Force flight surgeon, surgery. I’ve been doing that since the nado hit a moving train in an old town Reardon is also doing something Wolf has been a pilot for more than 45 early 1980s.” called Horn Lake, Mississippi, south of about his favorite airplane’s taste for years and his MU-2 Solitaire is “probably Wolf often uses the MU-2 as a de facto Memphis, and I was on site down there avgas at a time when its continued avail- the last airplane I’ll own.” He has oper- corporate transport for his practice, which within three hours. It was our best cus- ability is in question. Early this year he ated MU-2s since 1994, starting with a employs 29 people. “At professional tomer, UPS, and the tornado knocked the joined the board of advisors of Swift -K that he owned for five years before meetings and when people in the office train off the tracks, a one-in-a-million shot Enterprises, in Lafayette, Ind., a company trading it in for a Solitaire for “more fuel, have to be trained, we hop in the airplane. back in 1988. If I didn’t have an airplane, I spawned by Purdue University. “We have more range, more speed, more of every- We’ve gone to Atlanta for the American couldn’t have been there as quickly. A found a biofuel to replace avgas, and thing,” he said. “Some of my missions are Academy of Ophthalmology meetings, chartered airplane probably wouldn’t have there’s just one more FAA test ahead of 1,000 nautical miles, and I could do them and I took the technicians with me when gotten me there until the next day. The us for approval.” –N.M. in greater comfort [as regards time and Continues on next page u

www.ainonline.com • March 2009 • Aviation International Newsaa21 business Lightbusiness aircraft aircraft Hersh, who puts about 100 hours a year relative ease and speed of private aircraft feet anyhow,” said Abrams, “and the best riding in the back of his King Air E90, transport took on a more serious aspect. He fuel economy is between 18,000 and GEORGE HERSH: based at New Century AirCenter in Olathe, might be shipping everything from motor 22,000 feet.” KING AIR E90 OWNER-PASSENGER Kan., in support of the nationwide trucking sport vehicles and crews and household With the airplane based at Olathe, business he runs. His companybusiness offers cus- goods all over the country by ground, but Abrams will typically pick up Hersh at tomized semi-trailers for the transport of managing all those assets required personal Philip Billard Municipal Airport near his sport vehicles, motorcycles and water-aircrafttravel by air. home in Topeka, Kan. He and Hersh travel craft. Major subsidiaries also transport The first airplane was a Piper Malibu “to both coasts and pretty much anywhere household goods and provide business bought in 2004, and it quickly proved inad- there’s air,” but most trips are not more relocation, as well as professional records equate. According to pilot Robert Abrams, than two hours. “The typical requirement is businessmanagement and real-estate interests. The who joined Hersh that same year, the dis- to get out and back in a day,” said Abrams. company has many locations in cities and patch rate left something to be desired. Abrams added, “The fact is that most townsaircraft no longer served by the airlines. “Even with all-weather capability there people really don’t want to be in an air- Now 48, Hersh has had a fascination were situations with which I wasn’t com- plane, any airplane, more than about three with airplanes that began when he was 22. fortable,” said Abrams. “Flying over the hours. The airplane really shines on trips That was in 1987, the year he began taking Rockies at night in a single-engine airplane that require two or three stops a day,” the lessons, and the same year his father had a wasn’t beyond the Malibu’s advertised pilot explained. talk with him regarding his responsibilities capabilities, but it was beyond what I felt Said Hersh, “If I have a trip to Dallas, as a new father. The flying lessons were was safe.” we’ll leave Topeka in time to get there by An aircraft may not be the perfect travel canceled, but as time passed and Hersh’s “All airplanes are a compromise,” he eight a.m. for a nine a.m. meeting and I’m solution for the businessman, but it cer- various GMJ Company ground transport explained. “But we were crossing the home by five p.m. I also make an occa- tainly beats the alternatives. That’s the services expanded well beyond the Rockies a half-dozen times a year, and as sional trip to the East Coast that includes position taken by entrepreneur George City headquarters, his recollection of the compromises go, that was too much. We three, four, maybe five stops,” said Hersh. needed something more, not just in terms “Commercially, I can’t do that in less than of the number of engines, but in terms of a week, but with the King Air, it’s two uContinued from preceding page so I’ll chug on down,” he said. “Non- performance.” days, three at the most.” we went there. If I’m flying the airplane, I stop it’s three hours 35 minutes from There was also the matter of space, The entrepreneur admits that he has–on might as well take some other people.” here to Jacksonville with no wind.” according to Hersh. “I’m six-foot-six, and occasion–talked with Abrams about learn- Wolf’s Solitaire is configured with a Home base for Wolf is Auburn-Lewis- there aren’t a lot of airplanes I can fit into.” ing to fly, but he adds, “I’ve always been three-place bench in the back, a two- ton Municipal Airport, where he was the The answer, a year later, was a used comfortable letting Robert fly the airplane. place bench on the entry side, a chairman of the airport’s board of direc- King Air E90 with about 8,000 hours I sit up front once in a while, but I can get a rear-facing seat, plus the pilot and tors for 18 years. Since 1970, with the logged. Abrams manages the airplane from lot of work done in the back, and most of another passenger in the copilot seat. exception of a span of three years, Wolf his Advanced Aviation FBO. He also sees the time I have a group with me and we’re “You can get eight in there and still carry has owned at least one aircraft, starting to operation of an Internet availability pro- occupied with work.” enough fuel to go 400 to 500 miles easy.” with a Piper Tri-Pacer. Wolf had planned gram for three or four companies that use Hersh has been tempted to buy a jet, but Wolf cited another example of how to trade in his latest MU-2 for an Eclipse the seven-passenger twin turboprop under agrees with Abrams that it doesn’t make using the airplane actually allowed him and was an early position holder for the a dry-lease agreement when it isn’t in use economic sense for the kind of flying to save money. When he purchased VLJ, even appearing in some of the com- by Hersh. The program adds 250 hours a they’re doing–multiple stops, and often at some new medical equipment, “It pany’s promotional materials. “One of year to the logbook. airports that can’t accommodate a jet. “I’ve turned out to be cheaper to take four those Eclipse ads said, ‘Vision has played Abrams is Hersh’s regular pilot but got nothing against jets,” he said. “I like techs in the MU-2 to free training at the an important role in my life, especially occasionally flies for one of the dry-lease the speed. But not the cost.” factory. If the factory had had to send when it came to investing in an Eclipse users. “I always provide them a list of Abrams figures there are certain things somebody out [to us] for a week it 500 jet,’ and it showed an eye surgeon sit- pilots I’ve qualified in the airplane, but I that qualify a company for ownership of a would have charged an arm and a leg.” ting in front of an operating microscope. end up doing a lot of the flying,” he said. business aircraft the size of a King Air E90 In addition to his practice, Wolf uses That was me,” said Wolf, who soon had a The airplane is operated under Part 91 and and flying the kind of missions he flies, and the MU-2 in conjunction with a real- change of heart. “I realized that although is not offered for charter. annual revenues of about $20 million are estate investment he has in another part my MU-2 goes 50 to 60 knots slower it’s Dry lease helps defray the cost of own- among them. of the state. “Maine is all back roads. got the range I need to get to places, ership, but at $600 an hour it doesn’t He also points out that too many indi- It’s a couple of hours to drive there, so I whereas in the Eclipse I’d have to stop on exactly pay for the airplane, said Abrams. viduals acquire a company airplane with just get in the airplane and fly over to many of my flights. Fortunately, I wound Including current fuel costs and ramp fees, the expectation of some kind of direct pay- Rockland in 10 or 15 minutes.” up selling my Eclipse position a year-and- the cost to the customer comes closer to back. “But there is no direct payback, not Not content to restrict the turboprop a-half ago.” $1,000 an hour. That’s based on a formula in the way that a charter airplane generates twin to short regional hops, Wolf flies it Like all U.S. MU-2 pilots, Wolf is that requires 300 to 400 hours a year, “and direct revenue.” down to Florida too. “I’ve got a couple now subject to the special federal avia- we’re not quite making that.” On the other hand, he re-iterated what of trusted [business] consultants, one in tion regulation (SFAR) that requires Hersh agrees. “The dry-lease program everyone business aircraft owner knows: Jacksonville and the other in . annual recurrent training for the type, has helped, but not as much as we’d like.” time is money. “If time is the potential deal- These are people who used to be closer but he sees only positives in the edict, The problem, he added, is that many of the breaker, that airplane becomes a deal-maker, but they have moved south. Every once which he believes will help erase the dry-lease partners find a private aircraft so and that’s where a company airplane earns in a while I need to sit down with them, airplane’s tarnished image. convenient that they end up buying one of its keep.” –K.J.H. “The airplane is superb, but the their own or a fractional share, “so we’re MITSUBISHI record for a while was pretty atrocious. always looking for someone new.” KING AIR E90 MU-2 SOLITAIRE People would buy this airplane, take Abrams said the boss has made only a Type 1+6-seat turboprop twin Type 1+6/7-seat turboprop twin four or five hours of training and off few additions to the airplane since it was Engines Two Honeywell TPE331-10s they’d go. And they’d kill themselves purchased, among them a handheld Garmin Engines Two P&WC PT6A-28s Max cruise speed 320 kts because it’s a different sort of airplane. 496 with moving map, terrain avoidance Max cruise speed: 240 knots Max altitude 31,000 ft You fly it differently. It’s not harder, it’s link and XM weather, as well as power out- Max range 1,300 nm Max range 1,405 nm not easier; it’s just different,” he said. lets at the seats to accommodate passengers (NBAA IFR, 100-nm alternate) (NBAA IFR, 100-nm alternate) “For the money you spend on the air- with laptops. “Otherwise,” Hersh added, Max altitude 27,500 feet Max takeoff weight 10,470 lbs plane, it’s crazy what a bargain it is, and “it’s pretty much the way it was when I Max takeoff weight 10,100 lbs Single-pilot capable? Yes like everything in life, if it’s a bargain, bought it.” Single-pilot capable? Yes Max baggage capacity 43 cu ft/574 lbs there has to be a catch. The catch is you Hersh and Abrams discussed an RVSM Max baggage capacity 48 cu ft/350 lbs Takeoff field length* 3,420 ft have to train. You’ve got to be good at (reduced vertical separation minimums) Takeoff field length* 4,400 feet Typical used price $600,000 this thing, but if you’re well trained you upgrade for the King Air but concluded Typical used price : $500,000 *Sea-level standard conditions, max takeoff weight can have your cake and eat it too.” –C.E. that the advantages for them were mini- *Sea-level standard conditions, max takeoff weight mal. “I couldn’t get the thing up to 28,000

22aaAviation International News • March 2009 • www.ainonline.com business Lightbusiness aircraft aircraft To prepare to fly his new jet, which At the time, Eclipse S/N 39 was sched- wasn’t delivered until August 2007, Lebel uled to go to Albuquerque for the upgrade, JIM AND BETSY FROST: RON LEBEL: bought a Piper Seneca II in 2002 and but the owner of that jet decided he didn’t PHENOM 100 OWNER-PILOTS OWNER-PILOT earned his commercial certificate and need the work done right away, so he multiengine rating, logging anotherbusiness 400 agreed to swap the slot with Lebel. When hours in the twin. Lebel enjoyed the utility it appeared that his upgrade would not be of a high-performance airplane so muchaircraftcompleted in time for the Alaska trip, that he and a partner bought a Westwind Lebel leased another jet. jet. Flying as second-in-command in the Not long after his Eclipse was upgraded, Westwind, Lebel learned about jet opera- company president Vern Raburn was fired, businesstions in preparation for flying his Eclipse. and amid continuing financial problems, When that time finally came, Lebel ran Eclipse stopped all customer upgrades and into aaircraft few problems familiar to Eclipse eventually filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy owners such as training delays due to protection. “I made the right decision,” R E T

scheduling problems, airplane discrepancies Lebel said. He still is out about half the T E V and weather. Before training in Albu- money he prepaid for the JetComplete main- T U A R T

querque, Lebel spent some time in focused tenance cost-per-hour program, and like D A

instruction in his Seneca, under the tute- other Eclipse 500 owners he is still owed the H lage of Eclipse expert Ben Marcus, who is known-icing and Garmin 400W upgrade. C cofounder of management firm jetAviva, Lebel has flown his Eclipse 500 through- Being the launch customer for any new in Van Nuys, Calif. Marcus and Cyrus out the Americas, including Alaska and Baja aircraft is not for the faint of heart. These Sigari are former Eclipse employees who California. The jet has been “pretty reliable,” customers often take delivery of an aircraft launched jetAviva to help new Eclipse and he said, and he’s never been stuck due to a that for the first few months might spend If any owner of an Eclipse 500 could other VLJ owners operate their aircraft and maintenance problem. His Eclipse has had more time in the shop than in the air, at be said to be lucky, it’s Ron Lebel, who also to assist with deliveries. windshields replaced, and pitot/angle of least until the major bugs can be worked bought S/N 40 of the iconic . Lebel admitted that as a pilot his strong attack probes were replaced twice. out of the new design. Lebel’s Eclipse is not only one of the ear- suit is procedures. “I’m not strong in stick- In general, Lebel prefers runways at But there are some benefits, as well. liest models to be built to the latest and-rudder skills,” he said. “I’m a technol- least 5,000 feet long, although he would Launch customers have considerable user aerodynamic standard, but also has the ogy guy.” One of the problems in early consider 3,500 feet (with a decent head- input into the new airplane, including such most modern cockpit of any non-factory- Eclipses with the original Avidyne avionics wind) as a minimum. The Eclipse 500 things as cabin and cockpit layouts, owned Eclipse 500, the Avio NG system was the lack of an autopilot. Lebel found can’t be flown with a full load of five peo- through their involvement with customer with the Innovative Solutions & Support that he was using most of his energy ple and full tanks, he said. “But I’ve been design committees. Not least, they also get glass panel. Just two additional upgrades focusing on hand-flying the glideslope and flying general aviation airplanes for 25 to to be the first to have the hottest new air- separate Lebel’s Eclipse from what should localizer on an ILS approach, for example, 30 years, and I’m used to tradeoffs.” Typi- plane that is sure to turn heads at every be the latest configuration standard, the and there wasn’t much brainpower left to cally he flies the Eclipse with two people, airport visited. flight-into-known-icing package and the apply to the necessary procedures involved and with full tanks he normally plans 800- Jim and Betsy Frost of Houston have Garmin 400W navigators. in flying a jet. At the time, the Eclipse 500 nm legs or 900 to 1,000 nm in good taken on this job with great gusto and While Lebel is lucky that his Eclipse is simulators were not ready, so Lebel had to weather. Although southern California enthusiasm. The husband and wife owner- relatively up-to-date, like all other Eclipse do all his training in the airplane. controllers rarely offer a climb straight to pilots are the proud owners of N82DU, the owners he is facing the prospect of owning Lebel had another constraint; he had the Eclipse 500’s 41,000-foot maximum first customer Phenom 100. They an airplane with no factory to provide sup- taken the ATP written test in anticipation of altitude, it happens occasionally, and the took delivery of S/N 008 on December 23 port, depending on the outcome of the sale obtaining his type rating and ATP shortly jet can make it directly to FL410 unless the and by the end of January they had already of bankrupt ’s assets to after taking delivery of his jet, but time was temperature is much hotter than standard. made more than a dozen flights, despite newly formed EclipseJet International, a running out on the two-year window for the While Lebel is happy that he was able to some technical glitches, an AOG situation process that remains ensnared in the courts. written test. Finally, after running into get his Eclipse upgraded with the new and a one-week downtime while paint According to Lebel, what made the problems on his first type-rating attempt avionics and performance modifications, he stripes were added at Duncan Aviation in Eclipse 500 attractive in 2000 when he and switching to another instructor, Lebel isn’t holding out any hope that Eclipse’s Lincoln, Neb. placed his order was that, “It was so earned his Eclipse 500 type rating and ATP new owners will be able to offer free The N-number of their new airplane affordable.” He liked the speed and in January 2008, just in time for the writ- known-icing and Garmin 400w upgrades. tells a little history about the couple. They range characteristics as well as the ten-test deadline. After that, he spent Lebel is participating in an ad hoc owners met while attending Duke University, and promised “whiz-bang, high-tech cock- another 12 to 15 hours flying with a mentor committee that is trying to carve out some they both graduated in 1982. Jim has been pit” and the highly integrated electronics pilot to meet insurance requirements. reasonable settlement as part of the Eclipse flying since the age of 23; Betsy caught that tied the aircraft systems together. Flying to ATP standards was a new asset sale, but he understands that the new the flying bug from husband Jim and has Many of the promised features, Lebel challenge for Lebel, and adding a variety owners “have to make a business of this,” been flying since she was 24. He has 2,700 conceded, fall in the category of “all the of instructors with different back- something that the original company was hours total time and about 40 hours in the things we haven’t gotten.” grounds, while a “great experience,” also not able to do. Meanwhile, “I haven’t been Phenom; she has 2,400 hours total time, Lebel was an executive in the high-tech made the process more difficult. Some of flying a lot since the bankruptcy,” he said. with nearly 50 hours in type. industry and a single-engine piston pilot the instructors and mentors had airline “If there is no support six months from Both of the Frosts have an ATP certifi- with 1,200 hours in a Grumman Tiger. “I backgrounds and thus much different now, we’ll be worse off, except we had the cate with instrument and multi-engine was attracted to the overall concept of expectations, he said. experience of owning a VLJ.” –M.T. ratings, as well as a single-pilot type rat- applying technology to make an efficient For his first solo flight in his new jet, ing in the Phenom 100. Betsy is also a airplane,” he recalled. After placing his Lebel flew from Van Nuys to Paso Robles, ECLIPSE 500 certified flight instructor in single- and order for Eclipse 500 number 22, Lebel’s Calif. “It was great,” he said, “especially multi-engine airplanes, as well as instru- serial number was pushed back to number after the struggle I had with the type rat- Type Five-seat twinjet ments. They swap seats every other leg 40 because orders for the DayJet air-taxi ing.” Like every pilot’s first solo flight, Engines Two P&WC PW610Fs when flying together. fleet needed to be inserted into the pro- Lebel found that his first Eclipse flight Max cruise speed 370 kts The couple describe their business as a duction line. The delay turned out to be “was awfully quiet.” Max altitude 41,000 ft “partnership” with real estate, oil and fortuitous because Eclipse had to redesign Since taking delivery, Lebel’s Eclipse Max range 1,125 nm other investments, though they declined to (NBAA IFR, 100-nm alternate) the tip tanks and make other aerodynamic has logged about 370 hours, and he has provide more specifics. Like many owner- Max takeoff weight 6,000 lbs modifications and an engine performance flown about 250 hours in Eclipse 500s. pilots, they use their airplane for both Single-pilot capable? Yes change to meet the promised performance Not all his flights were in his own jet, business and pleasure. Max baggage capacity 16 cu ft specifications. The Eclipse 500 assembly including a trip to Alaska last August “We started with a brand-new tur- Takeoff field length* 2,345 ft line in Albuquerque, N.M., switched over which Lebel had to fly in a leased Eclipse bocharged in 1995,” Typical equipped price new $2.15 million to the modified version with serial number 500 because his was at the Albuquerque *Sea-level standard conditions, max takeoff weigh Betsy said. While it was a good starter 39, just in time for Lebel’s jet. factory getting the Avio NG upgrade. Continues on page 26 u

24aaAviation International News • March 2009 • www.ainonline.com business Lightbusiness aircraft aircraft brand dating back to the 1970s. It was then that the elder Perryman, James Sr., bought FRANK PERRYMAN: his first airplane, a Beech Bonanza. Frank PREMIER IA OWNER-PILOT and James Jr. are both ATP-rated pilots with around 3,000 hours to their creditbusiness and, along The Perryman family shares a devotion with a company chief pilot, constitute the to the Beechcraft brand that spans not only flight department at Perryman Co., a manu-aircraft aircraft models but also generations. Frank facturer of specialty titanium products for and James Jr., brothers from Western Penn- the aerospace, medical and automotive sylvania who grew up riding in their father’s industries. Beech Bonanza, Duke and Baron, have con-businessFrank Perryman is president and CEO tinued the tradition, first by purchasing their of the family business. The Perrymans the brothers have gone from recreational our people in position to help our company own Beech piston singles and twins and later foundedaircraft the company in 1988 in Houston, pilots flying Bonanzas and Barons for fun grow,” he said. “It is a tool for improved pro- by moving up the line into Kings Airs and, Pa., a suburb of Pittsburgh. James Sr. to full-time pros who train at FlightSafety ductivity if ever there was one.” more recently, the Beech Premier I light jet. serves as company chairman and James Jr. International and take their secondary jobs Perryman said he and his brother looked “We bleed Beech,” said Frank Perryman, is COO. As the company has grown and as corporate pilots as seriously as their first closely at the Cessna CJ series when con- describing the family’s fondness for the expanded its operations to other locations, as entrepreneurs. templating the move from the King Air to Even though the Premier I is certified the Premier I, but in the end chose the Beech for single-pilot operations, all company product because of its better payload and uContinued from page 24 which had a front-page story on flying by the Perryman brothers is done range capabilities. “Nothing in its category airplane, they found the cabin wasn’t Embraer’s new Phenom 100 and 300. with the chief pilot present in the cockpit. can touch its speed. With the modifications quite big enough nor was the range “We immediately called Embraer to The company puts roughly 350 to 390 Beech has made from the Premier I to the long enough for their missions. The order a Phenom 100 after reading that hours a year on its Premier IA, based at IA, the airplane has only gotten better.” couple also wanted two engines for article,” he noted. Allegheny County Airport (AGC) near One of the big changes has been to the additional safety. The transition from the Bonanza to the Pittsburgh and maintained by Landmark lift-dump system, which the manufacturer In 1998 they traded in their Bonanza for King Air eased the transition to the Phe- Aviation in Leesburg, Va. changed from an automatic system acti- a new King Air C90. “We went with the nom, said the couple, who admitted that Most of the flying centers around cus- vated by the landing gear squat switch to a King Air because the model line had a long the King Air had been “a big step up.” tomer visits, either to bring Perryman Co. manual lever the pilot must reach down history,” Betsy explained. “We figured Jim and Betsy take their training seri- personnel to customer sites or in some and pull after touchdown. The change was there wouldn’t be any major problems with ously. To prepare for the Phenom’s cases to bring the customer to Perryman’s made after a number of high-profile run- the airplane because of this.” Garmin G1000-based Prodigy cockpit on factories in Pennsylvania. In the past three way overruns that hurt the Premier I’s That thinking was somewhat flawed. the Phenom, they bought the Cessna years Perryman Co. has built two new fac- image. The automatic lift-dump system The airplane spent so much time in the Citation Mustang G1000 training soft- tories in Western Pennsylvania, spending worked fine during certification testing, but factory service center at Houston Hobby ware and King Schools G1000 video and $40 million on each and using the Premier I posed problems for some pilots after the Airport that the Frosts were on a first- started using them almost daily in the six during construction to transport its engi- model’s introduction to real-world flying. name basis with the staff. According to months leading up to training at CAE neers to the site of its biggest equipment Betsy, one tech flight six months after SimuFlite. When they showed up to take supplier in Northern California. delivery–intended to find the source of their Phenom 100 type course in Novem- Headquartered in Ukiah, Calif., a tiny PREMIER IA an oxygen leak–ended with the on-board ber, “We were more than just familiar enclave in the mountains about 100 miles factory mechanic nearly kissing the with the avionics system,” Jim said. They north of San Francisco, the supplier is diffi- Type 1+6/7-seat twinjet ground after the door was opened. At passed the type course with flying colors. cult to reach relying on the airlines because Engines Two Williams FJ44-2As altitude, a grommet in the aft pressure While the couple liked being part of the of the long trek required after leaving the Max cruise speed 451 kts bulkhead blew, causing rapid decom- man-machine interface committee for the terminal at SFO. “It’s about a three-and-a- Max altitude 41,000 ft pression and a resulting emergency Phenom 100, they’re now enjoying their half-hour drive by car from San Francisco,” Max range 1,360 nm descent. The decompression also caused new jet, despite its relatively minor said Frank Perryman. “From Pittsburgh it’s (NBAA IFR, 100-nm alternate) the lavatory bowl–which had a closed teething problems. “So far, we had a fuel not an easy place to get to. Flying the air- Max takeoff weight 12,500 lbs valve–to fill with blue liquid. On pump fail and a minor hydraulic leak, lines you lose one full day getting there and Single-pilot capable? Yes approach back to Houston, the airplane along with a few CAS (crew alert system) a day-and-a-half getting home. With that Max baggage capacity 76.9 cu ft/750 lbs encountered severe turbulence, causing messages,” Betsy said. Another problem kind of travel and loss of time, we could Takeoff field length* 3,792 ft the fluid to splash all over the aft cabin, area is the flaps and what Betsy calls “the send only one or two people if we had to Typical equipped price new $6.2 million requiring installation of a new interior. nasty flap handle.” Software fixes to rem- rely on the airlines. With the Premier, we *Sea-level standard conditions, max takeoff weight Despite the teething problems with the edy a slight out-of-alignment flap issue and can send a whole engineering team, have King Air, the Frosts held onto it and flew the sensor limitations on the flap actuator them out there for two days and then send According to its operating logic, the sys- the airplane to the Caribbean and Alaska, were pending at press time, Embraer said. them straight back.” tem would deploy as soon as the main gear and everywhere else in between. Even with these minor problems with Perryman said his company saved a sig- touched down, planting the wheels firmly The insurance company that had had their Phenom, Betsy told AIN, “I love this nificant amount of money and time on each on the ground and aiding with braking. But no problems with the husband-wife crew airplane. It was made for me.” Husband of the factories because no unforeseen mod- if the pilots bounced the landing the system flying together in the Bonanza wasn’t Jim nodded his head in agreement. –C.T. ifications needed to be made to the plans would automatically stow itself. Or if the thrilled about them doing the same in the after construction began. “That was a case nosewheel did not touch down within 13 King Air. “We eventually convinced the EMBRAER of where the airplane paid for itself,” he seconds the system would assume a go- insurance company that we were profes- PHENOM 100 said. “We sent four or five engineers to Cali- around was imminent and automatically sionals while in the cockpit, not a fornia on a number of occasions to make stow. Pilots who landed too fast and then feuding couple,” they said. Type 1+4/6-seat twinjet sure everything for these new factories was tried to hold the nose off for too long got an Eventually the Frosts found that the Engines Two P&WC PW617Fs exactly right. We wouldn’t have done that if unwelcome surprise when those big spoiler King Air also no longer had the range Max cruise speed 390 kts our people had to fly commercially.” panels suddenly lowered as the end of the they needed and they realized their next Max altitude 41,000 ft The current Premier IA (RB-173) was runway rapidly approached. step should be to a small twinjet. While Max range 1,178 nm purchased new from Hawker Beechcraft in “You know what, I never had a problem the couple knew what kind of jet they (NBAA IFR, 100-nm alternate) January 2007. It is the company’s second jet with the lift-dump system to begin with,” wanted, they didn’t see anything on the Max takeoff weight 10,472 lbs after the Perrymans bought their first Pre- Perryman said of the change from auto- market that matched their needs. “The Single-pilot capable? Yes mier I (RB-75) in 2003. The majority of matic to manual spoiler control. “My Eclipse 500 was too small, and the Max baggage capacity 55 cu ft trips are to equipment vendors and customer analysis of it was that the system wasn’t was too slow,” Takeoff field length* 3,125 ft sites with mid-level employees on board, idiot-proofed enough. When you follow Jim said. “So we waited until the market Typical equipped price new $3.6 million Perryman said, emphasizing that the jet isn’t procedures, everything is OK. It’s when presented a solution.” That solution an executive perk, but rather a transportation people don’t follow procedures that they *Sea-level standard conditions, max takeoff weight arrived in the June 2005 issue of AIN, workhorse. “The airplane allows us to get Continues on page 28 u

26aaAviation International News • March 2009 • www.ainonline.com business Lightbusiness aircraft aircraft rules and procedures,” Perryman said. “You XM satellite weather and electronic Jepp that’s in the $13 million range, and I could uContinued from page 26 have to pay attention. It’s not a Cessna 182.” charts are available. “I absolutely love it,” get two Premiers for that,” he said. Instead, either get hurt or they screw something up.” The Perryman flight department spends a he said of Pro Line 21. “I will not switch to Perryman Co. will likely opt for the Pre- The Premier I, with its sharply swept week at FlightSafety each year,business alternating another airplane without it. It’s great stuff.” mier II when it’s time to trade in RB-173. wing, also demands strict adherence to air- between learning centers in Wilmington, As far as a potential move up into the Due for certification next year, the Premier speed control on approach. While airspeed Del., and Wichita to gain different aview-ircraftHawker line, Perryman said he dreams II will combine more powerful engines, management is not quite as critical in points from a variety of instructors. about making the jump to the heavier iron increased max weight and winglets, a straight-wing airplanes such as the King Air Like many Premier I pilots, Perryman but says that gains in cabin size and range 20-percent boost in range and a 15-knot or Baron, Premier I pilots are cautioned to says he has a special affinity for the air- aren’t justified by the steep rise in price increase in maximum cruise speed to 465 nail their approach speed every time. “Highbusinessplane’s Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 glass between the Premier and Hawker 750. knots. “That’ll be a good fit for us when performance demands a strict adherence to cockpit,aircraft especially in the Premier IA where “We’d really need to jump into something the time comes,” he said. –S.P. AN URGENT MESSAGE FOR YOUR AIRPLANE OWNER FROM AIN’s MANAGING DIRECTOR

directly with your stockholders. Don’t shy away from the subject–meet it head on. Defend the utility of your aircraft. Explain why it is mandatory that you have private air transportation at your disposal. This is a serious matter that should be addressed directly or indirectly by every single person reading this publication. The Wilson S. Leach business aviation community is currently The cover story in the February/March fighting issues in Washington that could edition of AIN’s sister publication, Business adversely impact your ability to use aircraft Jet Traveler, addresses one of the most effectively. In addition to user fees, there is a serious events ever to hit our industry: the proposal from the Transportation Security negative publicity that private aviation Administration that will encumber your continues to receive because of the public ability to operate any aircraft larger than a relations fiasco that resulted when Detroit’s light jet by imposing manifest and cargo Big Three auto CEOs traveled to Washing- restrictions on every flight. Congress–a com- ton by to plead for bailout ponent of which has been blatantly taking money. That negative publicity has debased advantage of the negative image of corpo- and now dogs private aviation. rate airplanes–will decide the outcome of Business aviation has suddenly become most of these issues in the year ahead. the whipping boy for many populist causes. In addition, we need your help to deliver The general media and many members of the message that the business aviation Congress are having a field day with this industry contributes significantly to our coun- issue. They have succeeded in completely try’s economic health. America invented the misrepresenting the value of business aircraft. business aircraft in the aftermath of World These aircraft, which are legitimate and War II. Today, corporate aviation is a vibrant, often indispensable business tools, have thriving business sector. Annual new-jet become synonymous with fat cats and exces- sales have been in the $20 billion range sive luxury. Never mind that congressmen during the past few years; adding in fuel, and other government personnel use private maintenance, charter and other related lift every day. Never mind that the presiden- activities puts the entire corporate aviation tial candidates could not have conducted industry well over $100 billion per year. their campaigns without private aircraft. What’s more, American companies Never mind that members of the general dominate the business, both in the U.S. press corps–which has played a huge role and internationally. Yes, there are worthy in distorting the industry’s image–regularly competitors from Brazil (Embraer), Canada fly on business jets themselves. (Bombardier) and Europe (Airbus and What to do. I realize that you have your Dassault), but U.S.-based Boeing Business own companies to run and are facing criti- Jets, Cessna, Gulfstream and Hawker cal decisions on a daily basis. These are Beechcraft are household names with huge perilous times and it would be easy to say market shares. All of these companies had that concerns about the image of corpo- record sales in 2008; what’s more, even the rate airplanes are low priority. But they “international” business jet manufacturers shouldn’t be–not if you want to avoid have massive service and maintenance becoming former business jet travelers. facilities in the U.S. employing tens of thousands of American workers. A Call to Arms This industry is the envy of the world To keep that from happening you must and an invaluable tool for American com- defend your use of corporate aircraft. Many panies. Let’s make sure our employees, of you run complex businesses and you must shareholders, representatives and fellow be able to travel to cities and countries with- citizens understand why. Let’s not allow out the time constraints of airline schedules. misguided groups to cripple it. You need safety, security and privacy to effi- ciently conduct your affairs while traveling. I welcome your thoughts via e-mail If you run a publicly held company, (wleach@ainonline. com) bring up your use of business aviation or by phone (203-798-2400 Ext. 24).

28aaAviation International News • March 2009 • www.ainonline.com