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EBACEby Curt Epstein Report The European H S O T N I C M D event is bigger I V A D than ever New and Improved While announcements of major new The European Business Aviation Con- airframe designs were sparse at EBACE, vention & Exhibition (EBACE) is growing a number of manufacturers announced stronger. At the show’s inception in 2001 upgrades to current models. there might have been some who doubted Amid the buzz at EBACE over the re- the viability of an annual European busi- cently certified Falcon 7X, French airframer ness aviation show along the lines of the Dassault announced an upgraded version of firmly established NBAA event in the U.S., but the 2007 edition, held May 22 through its popular twin-engine Falcon 2000. The 24 in Geneva, weighed in as the biggest and new Falcon 2000LX, featuring Aviation Part- best so far in the show’s seven-year history. ners blended winglets, will add 200 nm to With a record-breaking 11,000 visitors the range of its Falcon 2000EX predecessor, and 354 exhibitors (up a healthy 18 percent for a total of 4,000 nm at Mach 0.80 and from last year), the event faced a sold-out 41,000 feet. Dassault expects certification Hall 6 at the Palexpo Convention Center, for the upgrade by the end of this year. The forcing organizers to relocate many high- LX will replace the 2000EX starting with end airframe exhibitors with large display 2010 deliveries. Customers already holding booths to Hall 7, adjacent to the static 2000EX orders scheduled for delivery in display. The 61 aircraft on display were a 2008 and 2009 can get the winglets as an testament to the fact that Europe’s signa- option for an additional $550,000. The 66- ture business aviation event–and the over- inch-tall winglets add 6 feet 9 inches to the seas market–is thriving. Indeed, the show wingspan of the Falcon 2000 and 275 promises to become even more cosmopoli- pounds to its empty weight. With the tan than its American cousin, with many 2000LX’s longer legs, more non-stop city N U.S. exhibitors realizing that as the global I pairs such as New York to Moscow or Paris A B business aviation market expands, they R E to New Delhi are now within its reach. G could reach a wider international audience O R Piaggio Aero Industries, which pro- at EBACE. Drawing visitors and exhibitors duces the Avanti II, announced that the air- from Western and Eastern Europe, the CEO Taher Agueel says the deal is crucial The 11,000 visitors who descended on Geneva’s plane will be getting even faster. The Middle East and even Asia, the show is to the future plans of his company, Saudi Palexpo set a record in EBACE’s seven-year history. company received EASA approval for in- climbing in clear skies and is scheduled to Arabia’s only licensed private aircraft oper- stallation of Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6- take place in Geneva through 2012. ator. Gulfstream went on to add another conversion as air ambulances, while newly G450 sale to UK charter operator London formed Prestige Jet–part of the Al Yasi 66B engines, giving the twin pusher a top Manufacturers Log Big Sales Executive Aviation. When that aircraft is group–plans to use a pair of SPns for VIP speed of 402 knots (Mach 0.70). Piaggio Emblematic of this growth are the sales delivered in 2009, it will be the first G450 service as well as shuttle operations to the says it holds orders for 85 Avanti IIs worth deals announced on the EBACE stage. Net- on the UK charter market. group’s steel factory in Oman. more than $550 million. Jets Europe on the first day of the show Another major transaction saw Cessna While the brisk sales pace, coupled with Four of those are destined for fast grow- inked a deal worth more than $700 million closing a deal worth $280 million with the length of the OEM backlogs, reflects ing, but inaccurately named, European tur- with Hawker Beechcraft for 32 Hawker Austria-based JetAlliance. The purchase the current vitality of the business aviation boprop operator Jetfly. The Avantis are part 4000 super-midsize business jets and their includes one CJ1+, six CJ2+s, five CJ3s, market, the absence of significant new air- of an order of new aircraft that will more maintenance. The fractional operator said three XLS+s, one Sovereign, two Citation craft launch announcements at EBACE than double Jetfly’s fleet. The company said its European customers had been clamoring Xs and seven Citation Mustangs. According could be seen as a sign of caution among it favors turboprops because they are well for an entry-level stand-up cabin aircraft, to JetAlliance CEO Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer, airframers. (See box at right for a list of suited to the European environment. Said and the 4000, which received its type certi- some of the aircraft will be used by Aus- upgrades that replaced new-model intro- company president Jacques Lemaigre du fication last November, fit the bill. The deal trian Business Jet, a new partnership ven- ductions in the spotlight.) One sight on the Breuil, “There are 2,200 airports in Europe, is in addition to the fifty 4000s already on ture between his company and Austrian show floor that did raise eyebrows was and if we operated jets our co-owners would order for NetJets’ U.S. operations. Deliver- Airlines that will carry business jet passen- Cessna’s mock-up of its large-cabin busi- be able to access only 700 of them.” ies will begin next year and continue gers from Eastern Europe to Vienna to meet ness jet concept. The design, which is Hawker Beechcraft revealed two new through 2016. The Wichita-based manufac- scheduled long-haul commercial flights. expected to accommodate nine passengers, upgrades to its venerable King Air line at turer tacked on another $30 million sale in Grob raked in orders for its SPn light has yet to be defined in terms of interior EBACE. The King Air B200GT will receive the form of a pair of Hawker 900XPs to jet. The company announced at EBACE arrangements, avionics or engines, but recently certified Pratt & Whitney Canada Spain’s Gestair Private Aviation, which will that it holds firm orders for its first two according to company chairman, president PT6A-52 turboprops that will boost its speed use them for European operations. years of production–amounting to more and CEO Jack Pelton, a firm decision on by 25 knots to a high-speed cruise of more Continuing the momentum, Gulfstream than 60 aircraft. The Swiss-German air- the future of the program could come by than 300 knots, while the King Air C90GTi netted a firm contract for three G450s framer broke through to the Middle East- the end of the year. will offer the Rockwell Collins Pro Line from Saudi Arabia’s National Air Service. ern market at EBACE, with orders from The very light jet category is creating as If the operator exercises options it took on two Abu Dhabi-based operators. The four much buzz in Europe and around the world avionics suite. Both derivatives are expected 17 more, the agreement could be worth SPns destined for Falcon Aviation Services as it has in the U.S. The much anticipated to receive certification later this year, with de- a potential $650 million. Deliveries will will be split between six-seat executive lay- Eclipse 500 made its second European liveries beginning in the fourth quarter. –C.E. begin in the third quarter of 2009. NAS out and 10-seat configuration suitable for Continues on page 20 u 18aaAviation International News • July 2007 • www.ainonline.com uContinued from page 18 Zhong Hong Tai General Avia- showing this year at EBACE tion Airlines of China signed next year. The improvements could be Embraer’s Legacy 600 has been (its debut was at the Aero 2007 for 50 Adam Aircraft A700s. NEWS a precursor to a European joint venture approved to operate at Cannes-Man- show in Friedrichshafen). The sale takes Adam’s order with Landmark Aviation. delieu Airport, one of the major With type certificate and pro- backlog to 377 aircraft. Hainan DIGEST Arinc Direct has added extended gateways to the French Riviera. The ap- duction certification finally in Zhong Hong Tai General Avia- twin-engine operations (ETOPS) route proval makes the aircraft the largest hand, Eclipse announced a 180- tion Airlines plans to sell the planning to its portfolio of flight sup- business jet authorized to operate from aircraft order–the company’s A500 and A700 for Adam Air- Shell Aviation is planning to port services for business aircraft. the airport. Located near the center of largest European order to date– craft and provide leaseback expand its Shell Card program to Arinc Direct will provide operators the city, the airport is engaged in a from Etirc, a start-up Turkish options to owners for air-taxi customers in Germany, France and with routes marked in conformance long-running dispute with local air-taxi operation to be head- operations, following delivery Austria. The card–currently available in with ETOPS requirements “at no extra government and community groups quartered in Istanbul. The order of the A700 next year. Adam the U.S., UK, Scandinavia and Switzer- cost” to customers. with regard to operations. includes firm sales of 120 aircraft hopes to achieve FAA certifica- land–promises easier transactions with Revue Thommen has announced Pratt & Whitney Canada announced and options on 60 more, and de- tion for its first jet by the end of quick and reliable online approval and that its AD32 air-data display with the launch of a new customer support liveries are expected to begin in the year, with EASA certifica- remote billing.