Issue 26 June 2011 MARKET REPORT A PUBLICATION OF SAAB AIRCRAFT LEASING MESABA’S SAAB 340Bplus’ REBRANDED FOR US AIRWAYS EXPRESS SAAB 340 FLIES CARGO IN HAWAI‘I AND JAMAICA EMPIRE’S TIM KOMBEREC TALKS ABOUT SAAB MAINTENANCE WORKK SMR_May2011 cc.indd 1 5/31/11 5:03 PM MESSAGE FROM CONTENTS Michael Magnusson Saab re-delivers seven Saab 340Bplus’ in new US Airways Express livery. ...............................................3 Flexibility remains key to SAL’s success Pinnacle spreads its wings as long-time Saab 340 operator. .............................................................4-5 Here we are at a new year and a new decade of regional aviation business. Saab Aircraft Saab Profi le: Phil Trenary .......................................................5 Leasing concluded last year on a high note with 30 aircraft transactions including seven Pulling a Saab 340 in aid of the RNLI ......................................6 for Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (a contract for US Calm Air moves Saab 340s to Bearskin Airlines ......................7 Airways Express). Total business included 10 sales and 20 leases. We conducted business SkyBahamas Airlines upgrades to a Saab 340B .....................7 in various countries: Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Germany, Mongolia, Sweden, Thai- Empire Aerospace adds the Saab 340 land, the UK and the US. For 2011, we expect to its maintenance portfolio .................................................8-9 activity to remain high. We began the year with one of the highest-paced deliveries we had in Saab Profi le: Tim Komberec of Empire ..................................9 a long time with nine Saab 340Bplus’ delivered in three months. Aloha Air Cargo features Saab 340 Hawaiian-style ...............10 Activity continues as we near the mid-year point with a number of interesting cam- paigns developing, some in places we have never done business before. This trend Nok Mini marks new routes in Thailand .................................11 again shows the ever-changing nature of our business and its customers. SAL hopes to announce agreements later in the year. Exec Direct fi lls cargo niche from Jamaica hub .....................12 World events affecting the industry Vincent Aviation upgrades fl eet with two Saab 340Bs ...........13 At the same time, we are also reminded once again of how vulnerable our business is to political and other events in the world. Obviously developments in the Middle East Saab Destination: and North Africa are creating uncertainty that has pushed oil prices to $110/barrel Syracuse, New York .............................................................14 which in turn have already caused some of the major US airlines to cut back activity for Support Centers offer Saab operators worldwide service ......15 2011. We have seen the tragic events in Japan unfold which forced us to relocate our Tokyo offi ce to Bangkok until things stabilized. Political and fi nancial pressures in some Saab Supplier: European countries are affecting the value of the Euro, and in the US, we watched an Geven seats introduce new level of comfort ..........................16 intense budget debate play out on Capitol Hill that put pressure on the dollar. For- tunately, unemployment is dropping and consumer spending is on an uptick, both of SAL announces much improved activity for 2010 .................17 which are vitally important for the recovery of the US economy. Saab at Aero India 2011 .......................................................18 As we look at the higher fuel prices, less travel demand and the fl uctuating exchange rates that have all affected our dollar-based business, it’s easy to see how unpredict- Saab 2000 operators to meet for 2011 conference. .............19 able and challenging the airline business can be. I don’t envy airline managers trying to predict 2011 or even 2012. Flexibility is the key word. Mark your calendar ...............................................................19 Of course this can be good for us at SAL, since our business is previously operated, Saab operators map... ....................................................................... 20 fuel-effi cient turboprops. It is no secret that used aircraft can be a low-risk option in uncertain times when fuel effi ciency is more important than ever. Even though there Cover photo: Paul Bryson Saab Aircraft Leasing has quickly are challenges, we can see that our largest customers, Rex and Pinnacle, are doing delivered seven Saab 340plus’ quite well and adapting to the market realities. Their large fl eets of Saab 340s are back to Mesaba, which are now in part of that fl exibility. US Airways Express livery. Having a hand in this refurb job was Tim On the Saab 2000, we see how our long-time customers such as Eastern, Golden and Komberec’s Empire Aerospace of OLT are using the aircraft both on scheduled services, as well as meeting a wide variety Coeur d’Alene, Idaho (in featured circle). of charter opportunities. All three operators are also using the aircraft to fl y on behalf of outside contractors, whether its airlines, Airbus or oil companies. Market Report is published by We just attended the “spring” ERA meeting in Malta, where we caught up with many Saab Aircraft Leasing of our European operators. In the US, we attended the 36th Annual RAA Convention Editor: Kelly Murphy in Nashville mid-May. In what is becoming an annual routine, we were able to meet Emerald Media many customers and catch up in a relaxed atmosphere. We will also exhibit the Saab [email protected] 2000 at the Paris Air Show. This follows a very successful exhibition at “Aero India” in Europe: Alison Chambers February with both the Saab 340B and Saab 2000. Emerald Media [email protected] In closing, you can see that SAL’s fl exibility enables us to lay the groundwork for a solid 2011. Design and Layout: Aeris Graphic Design [email protected] Printed in USA June 2011 ©2011 Saab Aircraft Michael Magnusson President and CEO, Saab Aircraft Leasing SMR_May2011 cc.indd 2 5/31/11 5:03 PM MARKET REPORT SAAB RE-DELIVERS SEVEN SAAB 340Bplus’ IN NEW US AIRWAYS EXPRESS LIVERY WHILE IT’S NOT EXACTLY RARE FOR AN Pinnacle and Mesaba defi ned a workscope each of these facilities oversaw and monitored AIRLINE TO LEASE AN AIRCRAFT THEY package of maintenance tasks to be completed the workscope completion. HAD PREVIOUSLY RETURNED, SAAB on the aircraft before they were scheduled for RECENTLY SEALED A UNIQUE DEAL TO delivery. Th ree separate Maintenance, Repair All aircraft feature fresh paint in US Airways RE-DELIVER SEVEN FORMER MESABA and Overhaul Centers (MROs) undertook the Express livery, with either new, or deep-cleaned SAAB 340Bplus AIRCRAFT BACK TO work including Embraer Aircraft Maintenance interiors, and include newly painted sidewalls MESABA – BUT THIS TIME IN US AIRWAYS Services in Nashville, TN, C & L Aerospace in and new carpet. Th e livery work was handled EXPRESS LIVERY. ORIGINALLY THE Bangor, ME and Empire Aerospace in Coeur by Embraer Aircraft Maintenance Service’s SAAB 340Bplus LEASES WERE HELD BY d’Alene, ID. A Saab representative stationed at paint shop and Allied Painters in Everett, WA. NORTHWEST AIRLINES, THEN BY DELTA AFTER THE CARRIERS MERGED, AND DURING THE OVERALL PROCESS, MESABA WAS ACQUIRED BY PINNACLE AIRLINES CORP. IN JULY 2010. With US Airways launching expanded service at New York’s LaGuardia airport on April 1, Saab organized a fast-paced delivery of the aircraft to Mesaba with fi ve in February and the remaining two in March. MARKET REPORT | June 2011 3 SMR_May2011 cc.indd 3 5/31/11 5:03 PM MARKET REPORT PINNACLE SPREADS ITS WINGS AS LONG-TIME SAAB 340 OPERATOR “I’ve been a IN JUNE 2007, SAAB erator worldwide and will fl y the Colgan in 2007 and Mesaba in FEATURED PHIL TRENARY turboprop in numerous major July 2010. Pinnacle now operates AND MIKE COLGAN ON THE carrier liveries. a total of 59 Saab 340s. real believer COVER OF MARKET REPORT GIVING READERS AN INSIGHT Adding Colgan and Mesaba to “We’ve had a long-term relation- in turboprop ON HOW TWO LONG-TIME the Pinnacle family has allowed ship with Saab, and they have SAAB 340 OPERATORS FOUND the company to reach its end been good partners and friends. aircraft for a CREATIVE AND STRATEGIC goal: two strong operators with We look forward to continuing SOLUTIONS TO GROW THEIR one fl ying turboprops and the that relationship,” says Trenary, long time. It AIRLINES WITH PINNACLE’S other regional jets. “I’ve been underlining that the Saab 340 is ACQUISITION OF COLGAN. a real believer in turboprop an economical and fuel-effi cient does a job no aircraft for a long time. It does turboprop with one of the stron- Fast-forward four years, Pinnacle a job no other aircraft can do,” gest support service programs in other aircraft now operates feeder service for outgoing President and CEO Phil place, even though the aircraft is Delta, United/Continental and Trenary shares with SMR. no longer being manufactured. can do.” US Airways through its Colgan and Mesaba subsidiaries with a Marriage made in heaven Having recently completed a Phil Trenary fl eet of Saab 340s and the larger With two aircraft turboprop pilot agreement with all three Bombardier Q400s. models in his fl eet—the larger carriers, the next step is to physi- Q400 and the Saab 340, Trenary saw cally move the headquarters of With over 7,700 employees and the “marriage made in heaven” the three carriers and its three a combined fl eet of 202 regional when the company purchased cultures to one location. Down- jets and 79 turboprops, Pinnacle two long-time Saab operators— town Memphis was selected, is now the largest Saab 340 op- 4 MARKET REPORT | June 2011 SMR_May2011 cc.indd 4 5/31/11 5:03 PM MARKET REPORT SAAB PROFILE: Phil Trenary PHIL TRENARY’S PASSION FOR AVIATION BEGAN WHEN HE WAS 15-YEARS-OLD GROWING UP IN OKLAHOMA. HE DREAMED ABOUT BEING AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC BECAUSE “WORKING ON AIRPLANES WAS BETTER THAN WORKING ON TRACTORS.” HIS UNCLE, WHO OWNED A 1946 TAYLORCRAFT IN DISREPAIR, SAID “IF YOU CAN PUT IT BACK TOGETHER, YOU CAN KEEP IT AND LEARN HOW TO FLY.” AND SO THE YOUNG TRENARY DID JUST THAT AND OBTAINED HIS PILOT’S LICENSE.