PUBLICATIONS Vol.50 | No. 3 $9.00 MARCH 2019 | ainonline.com In a shock announcement on February 5, Boeing has partnered with Aerion on the AS2 supersonic business jet and also made a “significant investment” in the Reno, Nevada company. Government Legislators agree on FAA funding page 12 Training Pilot learns to fly behind a desk page 24 Safety NTSB sharpens focus on Part 135 ops page 16 Industry AERION CORP. Super Bowl draws traffic to Atlanta page 42 Boeing-Aerion link-up a big step Air Transport Airbus ending A380 by Chad Trautvetter production page 50 Boeing announced a partnership with invested several hundred million dollars for The move also resulted in a major Aerion Corp. on February 5 and further an approximate 40 percent share in Aerion. shake-up of Aerion’s board of directors, made a “significant” investment in the This replaces Lockheed Martin as Aerion’s with Boeing now holding two of five seats Reno, Nevada-based supersonic business aircraft manufacturing partner for its Mach and the departure of billionaire backer, and jet (SSBJ) developer that aims to “accel- 1.4 AS2 SSBJ—a development that, when now former chairman, Robert Bass. (Bass erate technology development and aircraft announced in December 2017, displaced Airbus remains a “very committed and enthusias- design, and unlock supersonic air travel from this central position. Under last month’s tic investor” through Aerion Partners Ltd., for new markets.” While financial terms of agreement, Boeing will provide engineering, Aerion executive v-p of marketing and com- the deal were not disclosed, sources with manufacturing, and flight-test resources, as munications Jeff Miller toldAIN .) knowledge of the deal told AIN that Boeing well as strategic vertical content, for the AS2. continues on page 36 Read Our SPECIAL REPORT GAMA: deliveries up in 2018 Schedulers & by Kerry Lynch Dispatchers Business and general aviation fixed-wing Global fixed-wing airplane shipments Now in its third decade, NBAA’s annual aircraft and helicopter deliveries edged up increased 4.7 percent overall from 2,325 event continues to attract schedulers across the board last year, marking the first units in 2017 to 2,443 units last year. Piston and dispatchers for its educational and time since 2013 that all shipment catego- and turbine helicopter deliveries, mean- networking opportunities. ries showed improvement, the General Avi- while, combined for a 5.4 percent increase ation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) from 926 in 2017 to 976 in 2018. Since page 20 reported on February 20 during its annual Leonardo has not yet reported its full-year State of the Industry update. continues on page 36 DIFFERENT BY DESIGN. DISRUPTIVE BY CHOICE. Unprecedented performance. Industry-leading technology. Exceptional comfort. Introducing the new midsize Praetor 500 and the super-midsize Praetor 600 – the world’s most disruptive and technologically advanced business jets. A record-breaking best-in-class range. Enviable performance in challenging airports. Full fly-by-wire with active turbulence reduction. Unparalleled comfort in a six-foot-tall, flat-floor cabin. Ka-band home-like connectivity. Power the future. Take command. Lead the way. Learn more at executive.embraer.com. INTRODUCING THE NEW DIFFERENT BY DESIGN. DISRUPTIVE BY CHOICE. Unprecedented performance. Industry-leading technology. Exceptional comfort. Introducing the new midsize Praetor 500 and the super-midsize Praetor 600 – the world’s most disruptive and technologically advanced business jets. A record-breaking best-in-class range. Enviable performance in challenging airports. Full fly-by-wire with active turbulence reduction. Unparalleled comfort in a six-foot-tall, flat-floor cabin. Ka-band home-like connectivity. Power the future. Take command. Lead the way. Learn more at executive.embraer.com. INTRODUCING THE NEW As We Go To Press Flexjet sues NJASAP for 2018 AVIONICS SALES Eviation. Siemens and Eviation will work on REACHED A RECORD $2.7B propulsion-system integration, including ‘intimidation’ in union vote Worldwide business and general aviation electrical integration, fly-by-wire system avionics sales increased 17 percent year- connectivity, thermal-management system by Chad Trautvetter over-year in 2018, reaching a record $2.7 development, and mechanical mounting. billion, according to the Aircraft Electronics Alice will be displayed at the Paris Air Flexjet said its lawsuit against the Net- Association’s year-end Avionics Market Show and is slated to achieve first flight Jets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots Report. This total, which was up from $2.3 later this year. Certification is scheduled (NJASAP) and NetJets pilot Jeffrey Stein billion in 2017, includes some $1.5 billion for 2021, with deliveries to follow in 2022. will move forward now that a Cuyahoga in retrofit sales and more than $1.1 billion County (Ohio) common pleas judge has Flexjet in forward-fit. North America accounted JET AVIATION COMPLETES denied the defendants’ request to dismiss chairman for nearly 78 percent of 2018 sales, with SAN JUAN FBO PURCHASE the case on a technicality. Kenn Ricci other international markets accounting Jet Aviation has completed its purchase The complaint alleges that the NetJets leads the non- for the remainder. That compares with a of the former Pazos FBO at Puerto Rico’s pilot union “and its operatives” sent hun- union Flexjet breakdown of 74 percent North American Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport. It dreds of “vulgar, threatening, and mali- organization. sales and 26 percent international in had been operating the location under a cious mailings” to the homes of Flexjet 2017. The reported dollar amounts are management agreement since March 2017, company managers and employees who “We are pleased that the Judge is letting net sales price and cover all business when it was rebranded as Jet Aviation San spoke up in support of a May 2018 union the case go forward against these defen- and general aviation aircraft electronics Juan. It features a 12,500-sq-ft terminal, decertification election. “In at least one dants for their shameful behavior,” said sales for the flight deck and cabin. with an in-house U.S. Customs facility, instance, a recipient called a fire depart- Flexjet chairman Kenn Ricci. “Unions such passenger lobby, pilot lounge, flight- ment and explosives experts in response as NJASAP who were not at all involved with AERION NAMES SPIRIT planning area, showers, two conference to receiving a box full of plain white enve- the recent decertification election need to FUSELAGE PARTNER ON AS2 rooms, and large catering preparation lopes with no return address,” Flexjet said. understand they cannot do or say anything Airbus and Boeing supplier Spirit and storage kitchen. A hangar offering Although sent anonymously, a postal inves- they want without consequences. This AeroSystems will collaborate with Aerion 20,000 sq ft of aircraft storage and 2,500 tigation revealed the identity of the sender. was not campaign speech or meant to do Corp. on the preliminary design of the sq ft of office space will open in the first Flexjet’s lawsuit seeks damages for these anything other than maliciously threaten forward pressurized fuselage of the AS2 quarter to replace the small, older hangar “acts of menacing and intimidation.” The those who spoke up in favor of decertifi- supersonic business jet, the companies destroyed by Hurricane Maria in 2017. postcard mailings occurred during a 28-day cation. This is just another example of how announced on February 21. Wichita- voting period when Flexjet pilots were vot- unions such as NJASAP are completely out based Spirit—which manufactures the UK’S INFLITE BUYS ing on whether to decertify their union, the of touch with employees and why union forward fuselage of all in-production EXCELLENCE AVIATION SERVICES International Brotherhood of Teamsters membership continues to decline.” Boeing jetliners, including the composite UK-based Inflite The Jet Centre, which (IBT) Local 1108. Ultimately, the pilots voted NJASAP said it could not comment on 787 Dreamliner—said it expects operates an FBO and MRO at London 318 to 220 to reject union representation. pending legal action. n to immediately begin preliminary Stansted Airport, has purchased development. Aerion’s 12-passenger, Mach Bombardier aircraft maintenance specialist 1.4 trijet program has seen an uptick in Excellence Aviation Services (EAS). The development announcements in recent acquisition includes the Part 145 repair months, including a new partnership operation and continuing airworthiness with Boeing (see page 1). It expects to management organization, as well as the begin flight testing the AS2 in 2023. Excellence Aviation aircraft management business. This move allows EAS to DASSAULT EXPANDS expand its offerings from line service to CERTIFICATIONS FOR FALCONEYE full base maintenance for Challengers The FAA and EASA have granted and Globals, in addition to continue certification for operational credit for providing line maintenance at London low-visibility approaches to 100 feet in Oxford, Luton, and Farnborough Airports. Dassault Falcon 900LX, 2000LXS, and 2000S jets equipped with the FalconEye BIZJETS GET MORE combined vision system. The 100-foot HANGAR SPACE AT SUBIC BAY credit was certified last year on the Falcon Aviation Concepts Technical Services RECTRIX AVIATION 8X. FalconEye allows both infrared and (ACTSI) has signed a 25-year lease Ross Aviation’s purchase of Massachusetts-based Rectrix Aviation includes the low-light camera-based enhanced and with the Philippines’ Subic Bay company’s five-year-old flagship facility at Boston-area Laurence G. Hanscom Field as synthetic vision system imagery to be Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) for a well three others in the state and one in Sarasota, Florida. All will retain the Rectrix name. displayed at the same time on the head-up nearly 18,000-sq-m (193,750-sq-ft) display (HUD). Dassault expects to receive hangar at Subic Bay International certification of a dual-HUD FalconEye Airport for business jet operations.