Three of the people on board the privately owned aircraft were members of the Atlanta-based gospel group The Nelons. 

• READ MORE: PC-12 Crash Claims Members of Prominent Gospel Singing Group

According to USA Today, those who died in the crash have been identified as singers Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, Nathan and Amber Kistler, and group assistant Melody Hodges.

The aircraft, a 2010 PC-12/47E single-engine turboprop, was registered to Haynie Enterprises Inc. It was piloted by its owner, Larry Haynie, who along with his wife, Melissa, was also killed in the accident.

According to a statement from the Gaither Management Group, the family was en route to Seattle to join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise in Alaska. It was noted that Autumn, the youngest daughter of the Kellys, and her husband, Jamie Streetman, arrived in Seattle by other means and are safe.

Flight History 

The PC-12 departed from West Georgia Regional Airport (KCTJ) around 9:30 a.m. EST Friday, stopping at Nebraska City Municipal Airport (KAFK) to refuel. The aircraft lifted off around noon, heading for Billings Logan International Airport (KBIL) in Montana.

Approximately two hours into the flight while cruising at an altitude of 26,000 feet, Haynie notified controllers there was a problem with the autopilot and he was losing control of the aircraft. The ADS-B data as recorded by FlightAware.com shows multiple turns and pitch changes. The ground speed varied from 173 to 319 mph, and at one point the aircraft was descending at 5,545 feet per minute. 

The ADS-B readout shows a series of descending turns before data is lost.

According to the Gillette News Record, the aircraft crashed near the town of Recluse, Wyoming, near the Montana state line, causing a small wildfire that was contained to about 38 acres. There were no injuries on the ground, although witnesses reported seeing the airplane circling and flying low before the crash.

Debris from the aircraft was found away from the main impact. One of the theories that NTSB investigators will be looking at is the possibility of an in-flight breakup, as the aircraft was not designed for such rapid and extreme altitude and airspeed changes.

• READ MORE: Authorities ID 2 Killed in Lancair ES Crash Near EAA AirVenture

According to NTSB spokesperson Keith Holloway, the investigation begins with the identification of the so-called “four corners” of the aircraft: the nose, tail and wing tips

“Part of the investigation will be to locate those sections,” Holloway told FLYING. “NTSB investigators have the experience and expertise to locate aircraft parts even from aircraft that are not quite intact. They have the knowledge of being able to locate aircrafts parts that may be unidentifiable to the average person. Unfortunately, it is not rare that NTSB investigators have situations involving scattered wreckage from a plane crash.”

When the wreckage is scattered over a wide area in a remote location, gathering it up takes time and is a painstaking but necessary process as each piece is considered evidence and part of a puzzle.

“With the use of the NTSB metallurgical lab and review of navigational devices and equipment, NTSB investigators are still able to put together the scenario of what probably happened and determine a cause of the crash,” Holloway said.

According to Holloway, the NTSB investigations involve three basic review areas: the pilot—notably their actions in the 72 hours prior to flight, as well as ratings and recency of experience—aircraft maintenance records, and the operating environment.

The agency will also listen to recordings of any ATC communications and review radar data and weather reports. If there are any witnesses to the event, they will be interviewed as well, Holloway said, adding that the NTSB will “look for electronic devices that could contain information relevant to the investigation and any available surveillance video, including from doorbell cameras.”

The NTSB preliminary report is expected to be available in a few weeks. The final report with the probable cause of the accident is several months out from being released.

The post NTSB to Focus on ‘Four Corners’ of PC-12 in Fatal Crash Probe appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to Pilatus Aircraft, its customers include air forces in Europe, Australasia, and the Middle East. The Swiss Air Force has used the PC-21 to train its future military pilots since 2008. One of the largest users of the aircraft is the Spanish Air Force, which purchased an additional 16 PC-21s and associated simulators in March 2023, making it the airplane’s largest operator in Europe.

• READ MORE: Spanish Air Force Buys 24 Pilatus PC-21s and Training System

“The PC-21 provides air forces with a highly efficient platform for military pilot training,” said Ioannis Papachristofilou, who was recently appointed vice president of government aviation at Pilatus. “Featuring state-of-the-art equipment and smart avionics, the training aircraft delivers a high level of performance. With the PC-21, training hours can be flown with substantially less fuel, making it an exceptionally cost-effective, sustainable, and intelligent training platform.”

Training With Pilatus

In addition to the actual aircraft, the integrated PC-21 training system includes mission planning and debriefing systems, training materials, virtual reality tools, and flight simulator to combine for the best educational experience.

More information on the PC21 and other Pilatus aircraft can be found here.

The post Pilatus PC-21 Reaches Milestone appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The company said the upgraded model now can achieve a maximum range of 2,000 nm while carrying six passengers.

• READ MORE: First Pilatus PC-24 With Commuter Configuration Lands in U.S.

The changes boost the new PC-24’s full-fuel payload by 600 pounds, allowing operators to increase the PC-24’s maximum range by 200 nm with six passengers on board. The upgraded aircraft offers a full-fuel payload of a single pilot, and an additional 1,315 pounds, and a maximum payload of 3,100 pounds.

“The payload increase was achieved by refining both wing and fuselage structural elements to reduce the airframe empty weight while simultaneously increasing the maximum gross takeoff weight limit. It’s simply Swiss engineering at its best,” said Bruno Cervia, vice president of engineering for Pilatus. 

Pilatus said its engineers conducted flight tests “to expand the entire envelope for the higher design weights.” As a result, the PC-24’s balanced field length at sea level and maximum takeoff weight is 3,090 feet, which allows flights from runways that are very short and even unpaved.

• READ MORE: Pilatus PC-24 Super Versatile Jet Achieves Certification

Changes to the PC-24’s interior include reduced ambient sound and storage areas designed to maximize the available cabin space. Pilatus partnered with Lufthansa Technik to add an integrated cabin management system that includes a 10-inch touchscreen controller with a 3D moving map, four cabin speakers with an optional subwoofer, mood lighting, USB ports, and a media storage server.

The revised cabin also offers an optional side-facing divan that is 6 feet 6 inches long and can be turned into a bed in flight.

All PC-24s from serial number 501 onward will include a system for predictive services that will automatically send key aircraft data to Pilatus to be analyzed. If necessary, the system will make recommendations to the aircraft operator.

 “More range, greater payload, enhanced comfort, and increased operability were the primary focus of this major PC-24 improvement program,” said CEO Markus Bucher. “The PC-24 upgrade includes over 1,000 modifications throughout the aircraft. Yet again, we went all the way to the limits of what is possible, making maximum use of our engineering capabilities to deliver the best PC-24 ever.”

The first PC-24 showcasing the new convertible divan will be on display at the National Business Aviation Association’s Annual Convention in Las Vegas on October 17 to 19. Deliveries of the new aircraft begin in 2024.

The post Pilatus Announces Upgraded Performance, Comfort for PC-24 Jet appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The agreement includes CMC supplying the heads-up display, or HUD, and flight management systems as well as a GNSS receiver. The contract award follows Spain’s purchase of an additional PC-21 single-engine turboprops, bringing its total PC-21 fleet to 40 aircraft.

• READ MORE: CMC Electronics Partners with Sikorsky on FMS for Black Hawks

“CMC Electronics and Pilatus have had a longstanding collaboration spanning over two

decades, with more than 300 HUD subsystems as well as more than 500 FMS and 300 GPS already delivered to Pilatus,” said Brad Nolen, vice president of sales and marketing at CMC Electronics. “The selection of CMC Electronics for this contract demonstrates Pilatus’ continued trust in CMC’s avionics solutions.” 

• READ MORE: Spanish Air Force Buys 24 Pilatus PC-21s and Training System

CMC Electronics also said the contract agreement “further solidifies its position as a trusted provider in the industry” as it looks forward to delivering its avionics systems to support the operations of Pilatus and the Spanish Air Force.

The post CMC Electronics Signs Contract to Supply Avionics for Pilatus PC-21s appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The roots of Pilatus Business Aircraft, also known as PilBAL, sprouted with the help of Chris Finnoff, alongtime turboprop sales guru who founded Turbo West Aviation, and sold various types of aircraft before turning his focus on the Pilatus PC-12. The first PC-12 was brought to the U.S. in 1994—the same year it achieved both Swiss and FAA certification—and the Broomfield facility opened in 1996 as a parts and distribution source for North American dealers.

By 1997, PilBAL started interior installations, and in 2001, avionics options were installed in Broomfield.The capability allowed customers to make their final avionics selections later in the purchasing process, and, in those days, there was a wide variety of choices through field approvals.

When I first stepped foot in PilBAL’s facilities in 2017, the administrative offices were located in the airport terminal, while the avionics, parts inventory, flight operations, and interior fabrication and installation were spread across 14 hangars. Pilatus Business Aircraft clearly needed a new home. While the company considered other cities, the management settled on a piece of land across the runway, and the new facility opened its doors in 2018.

“A lot of us felt like fish out of water for a while having such a nice facility to work in,” said Mike Rector,vice president of production. “I worked on about six iterations of this building over a period of 15 to 16 years before we finally got the board convinced to build it herein this final configuration.”

When the PC-12 was first introduced, Pilatus expected a total production run of about 300 units. Finnoff’s vision and the continuous expansion in Broomfield have certainly contributed to Pilatus’ success in business aviation. The company will soon celebrate its 2,000th PC-12 and 200th PC-24 delivery.

The Main Event

Stepping through the entrance of the 118,000-square-foot main building, you’ll find offices for marketing, customer support, technical support, warranty administration, parts sales, engineering, and quality management. The office areas have a clean European feel, with a dominance of light wood and aluminum materials. Most exterior walls have large windows, bringing in natural light and providing stellar views of the rugged mountains to the west and the Colorado plains to the east. Around the open office spaces are several tall tables where impromptu meetings often lead to good ideas and solutions to problems.

While the main aircraft production is in Stans, Switzerland, all airplanes for North and South American customers are completed in Broomfield. The airplanes are ferried with bare cabins, so a lot of ballast is needed to keep them within their weight and balance envelopes. It’s a great opportunity for transporting equipment between the two headquarters, but other ballast is often used, as I’ll learn later in our visit.

Once in the U.S., the final avionics configuration is completed, with a lot of options for processing cards, software loads, entertainment and communications systems, and hardware. The airplanes then move on to the paint facility before the interior is installed.

An outside vendor produces seat frames and foam. Seat coverings for the worldwide fleet of PC-24s are completed at the Broomfield facility, while those of the PC-12 are outsourced. PC-12 and PC-24 customers have six design lines to choose from, with a mixture of neutral earth tones. Customers can choose a scheme, mix and match, or put their own stamp on the interior design, which can extend a project several months as materials have to meet regulatory requirements, said Marie Marschner, the director of sales administration, who is also a flight instructor. Also, the lines on the seats and sidewalls must remain consistent.

There are other restrictions as well. For example, the lower sidewalls in the cabin in the PC-12 can be covered with leather; however, the PC-24’s can’t. “The cows aren’t big enough,” said Marschner. Attention to detail with the leather materials is extremely high. Every square inch of a hide is carefully examined before putting it into the Zund cutting machine—another Swiss piece of perfection that maximizes the use of each hide. Then the pieces are meticulously fitted around the seats.

Despite the diligence that goes into each stage of the process, several inspections are conducted before the customer is brought in for the official delivery, accounting for why most airplanes have zero squawks.

Continuing the European theme, there is a large focus on sustainability. Tom Aniello, vice president of marketing at Pilatus Business Aircraft, said there are plans to power the buildings completely with solar. The cabinetry is transported from a company in Austria in large wooden containers specifically designed to minimize damage. Those containers are shipped back and reused. Leftover aluminum from production in Stans is used as ballast and then sold to recycling companies. “It pays for our company holiday party,” said Aniello.

Paint Facility

The newest phase of PilBAL is the paint hangar, which opened last year, with the first painted airplane rolling out at the end of October. PilBAL previously outsourced the paint projects to two shops. While the company was happy with the finished product, the outsourcing required additional project managers and pilots to fly the airplanes back and forth. So, bringing the process in house made sense.

The base coat is painted on prior to the transatlantic ferry flight. It is generally white, but it doesn’t have to be. Stripping down and repainting the base can take five to six weeks, said Marschner, so it’s best if the preferred base color is applied in Switzerland.

The final design is completed using CAD software. The 3D design is applied to each side of the airplane with a laser system, ensuring perfect symmetry. Paint technicians tape each line before applying the paint. “Even with the laser, there is still a fair amount of artistry that comes into bending tape,” said Marschner. For example, lines might have to be modified where there are interruptions in the fuselage, such as air vents.

The paint that covers the walls in the three paint bays can be peeled off as dirt is introduced. Every six months, the paint on the walls is replaced to ensure total cleanliness. Filtration systems also keep dust out. A mixing room will soon be available for mixing colors on-site rather than buying each particular color.

Just as with the interior completion, attention to detail is high. Any blemishes are sanded down and fixed. “We’ve had a very high expectation, setting the bar for what Pilatus aircraft look like when they come out of the paint shop,” Marschner said. “It’s a completely different standard than some of our competitors. So, with the new paint shop, we’re trying to achieve close to perfection with a very new shop, a new team, and new procedures. They’re doing a really outstanding job.”

This article was originally published in the March 2023 Issue 935 of  FLYING.

The post Behind the Scenes: Pilatus Business Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The company said its fleet leader, a PC-12 based in Canada, has flown more than 35,000 hours, while 71 PC-12s have logged more than 20,000 hours of flight time each. Altogether, the PC-12 fleet has logged more than 9.3 million landings, with four aircraft reporting more than 50,000 landings. The aircraft was certified in 1994.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Pilatus PC-12 NGX

“When the PC-12 was launched, this milestone seemed light-years away in the future,” said Ignaz Gretener, vice president of Pilatus’ Business Aviation division. “You must give credit to the engineers who designed this incredibly robust airframe, the production team that builds outstanding quality into each unit, the sales team that found so many markets eager to adopt this versatile aircraft, and the support team so dedicated to keeping them in the air.”

Pilatus said it delivered 80 new PC-12s during 2022, and plans to increase production to meet higher demand this year. The latest model, the PC-12 NGX, is the third major variant and it of the type and has benefitted from a number of improvements over the original PC-12. These include more power, speed, gross weight and payload capacity and upgraded interiors. In 2019 the aircraft received Pratt & Whitney’s electronic propeller and engine control system, or EPECS.

• READ MORE: Blackhawk to Offer Pilatus PC-12 Upgrade

“The PC-12s past, present, and future success boils down to its appeal to a wide range of operations, its solid reliability, and its proven outstanding safety record,” said Pilatus CEO Markus Bucher. “As an additional benefit, these attributes have resulted in PC-12 owners enjoying one of the highest levels of value retention among all business aircraft,” he added.

The post Pilatus PC-12 Fleet Logs 10 Million Flight Hours appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Kyle Martin, vice president, European affairs for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), opened the conference by setting the scene. “I’m surprised to believe the rulemaking for what we’re going to discuss…started 30 years ago.”

“We’ve gone through a journey to where we are today—we have our regulatory regime in place, we have operations happening, but there’s definitely a massive untapped potential.”

The history of the rule—known as COM-SET IMC—began in 1993 with a meeting in Rome, Italy, and ICAO published the  initial standards and recommended practices—SARPs—in 2005. EASA and QinetiQ conducted a study that had an outcome supporting SET commercial operations with the appropriate safety mitigations in 2007, further paving the way. The rulemaking itself was launched in 2012, and the official proposed rulemaking was published in 2014.

In March 2017, GAMA celebrated at AERO Friedrichshafen the codification of the brand-new regulation—2017-363—and operators could ostensibly move forward, utilizing it to guide single-engine turboprop flying for commercial purposes, unlocking that potential. Six years on, that’s only very partially true.

Defining COM-SET IMC

The U.S. has allowed for the operation of single-engine turboprop aircraft—such as the Pilatus PC-12, TBM series, and Cessna Caravan—in instrument meteorological conditions since the publication in August 1997 of a simple and clear update to FAR 135.163 (62 FR 42374) stating the equipment requirements for single-engine turbine aircraft operating under IFR on a Part 135 air operator’s certificate (AOC). Canada secured its approval even earlier, under Policy Letter 80 in 1993. Until 2017, there was no correlating approval under EASA regulatory framework. 

However, that final rule contains requirements beyond what has been required by the U.S. and Canadian aviation authorities. It includes:

• the requirement to use routes or operate within areas “where surfaces are available that permit a safe forced landing to be exceuted”
• the need for proof that “an acceptable level of turbine engine reliability [has been] achieved in service by the world fleet for the particular airframe-engine combination”
• specific maintenance instructions included in the operator’s maintenance program, plus the need for an engine monitoring program or automatic trend monitoring, and “a propulsion and associated systems reliability program”
• flight crew composition and training/recurrent check program
• special operating procedures, including in-flight shutdown (IFSD)
• a “safety risk assessment” 
• a list of required equipment significantly longer than that in FAR 135.163

While these requirements may sound generally reasonable, in practice it has been a different story with operators who might seek compliance, but instead find alternate means to conduct business.

According to the folks at GAMA, with the EU’s larger population (739 million) and aggregate economy ($16.6 trillion) larger than the U.S. (314 million and $15.7 trillion, respectively), the disconnect is striking. At the time of the publication of the EASA rule, there were only 12 single-engine turboprops operating under EASA exemption, versus a fleet of 673 in the U.S.—many of those Cessna Caravans delivering cargo for FedEx, DHL, and other entities. Following EU implementation, that number has risen—to a mere 60 aircraft.

Yet the single-engine turboprop market has been a strong driver of growth in the industry overall, selling well with updated, more efficient models entering the mix, in high demand. Innovation surges throughout the turboprop segment as well, with advancements such as autothrottles, digital data management, and safety protocols like Garmin’s Autoland. So there appears to be a discrepancy between the fleet numbers and those on commercial operating certificates: “Only a small fraction of that [fleet] is actually working in the commercial IMC market,” said Martin, where their efficiency, reliability, and improvements to safety can benefit the public. One example: JetFly, represented at the SETOps conference, has 40 PC-12s in its fleet, yet not on an AOC. Contrast this with Tradewind Aviation, based in Connecticut, which just took delivery of the first of 20 more PC-12s to bring its fleet to 38 of the turboprops. All of those Tradewind aircraft have flown safely across the north Atlantic Ocean from the OEM’s production facilities in Switzerland.

As it turns out, the restrictions placed within the regulation are archaic and constrain the true potential of the modern single-engine turboprop fleet. “Operators are essentially not able to take full advantage of the high efficiency and reliability of the PC-12, and other single-engine turbine aircraft,” said Martin. “ They have to do strange routings to keep within a distance of landing sites, they have to go through an extensive bureaucratic process with their national authorities to get those routes approved, reviewed, questioned—it’s taking a lot of extra effort for no added [value].”

Performance-based rules should allow the operator to follow the intent of the rule and gain some ease of compliance. “But the inspector level at authorities,” added Martin, “they like to ask for paperwork, documentation, and justification—and re-justification. So there’s a mass of uncertainty out there.” Small operators feel that burden acutely, as they don’t have the staff to deal with the extra workload.

Some within EASA recognize that the industry suffers from over-regulation, a feeling that representatives from the agency revealed on Thursday at AERO during a report-out. The timing provided an opportunity for the assembled members of the SETOps conference to come up with specific, actionable recommendations to take to EASA to help streamline the current regulations and make them more workable.

In-Flight Shutdowns and Safe Landing Sites

Ralph Menzel spent 33 years flying as an operator and pilot prior to joining EASA in 2005. He served as the PCM for Pilatus, among other contacts with the segment. Menzel pointed out several pain points that he’d observed, including the difficulty in identifying landing fields outside of aerodromes and “getting them discussed with the national authorities.” These landing spots are significant, as, per the rule, an operator must be generally within gliding distance of a previously-deemed-suitable spot to land at all times along the route.

But achieving the needed improvements through another rulemaking Menzel feared would take “another 30 years. The easiest task is to [make the updates] through a safety promotion, interpretive material—things that we can put together right now.”

In-flight shutdown procedures form another critical area of needed clarification and work, along with safe forced landing site selection. A working group centered around the Luxembourg civil aviation authority, DAC-LU, has begun, with “good discussions already,” according to Menzel. 

For example, some countries are imposing operating weather minima on safe forced landing sites, regardless of the fact that when the engine-out approach is to an airport or aerodrome, the standard approach minima cannot be used because the aircraft is not following the published approach path. Conversely, if the safe forced landing site is not an aerodrome, no weather minima exist in the first place—and there’s typically no observation provided.

To counter this, DAC-LU conducted a study putting flight crews through a series of 50 IFSD approaches while wearing view-limiting goggles simulating IFR conditions and determined that with proper training, pilots could make the approaches safely in all weather conditions. The plan is to produce special guidance materials and an NPA for the next update to the rule.

Another problem surrounds the availability and suitability of the flight simulators for use in the required initial and recurrent training for COM-SET IMC approval, with only one available previously—a Cessna Caravan sim in Wichita, Kansas. “To take an aircraft out of revenue service, first to do a class rating course and the ACC, I probably need the aircraft out of service for six days, seven days—versus the simulator. Look, I’d love a full flight simulator based in [London] Gatwick—brilliant—but we need to be realistic,” said Edwin Brenninkmeyer, CEO of Oriens Aviation, Pilatus, and Tecnam sales and service for the British Isles.

What’s Really Happening Here

But we all know what happens when excessive regulation strangles business—the clever ones create workarounds. Nicolas Chabbert, senior vice president of the Aviation Division at Daher, has been involved in the process heavily for at least the last 15 years, and Daher has supported those operators seeking AOCs under the 2017 rule. Chabbert pointed out this “elephant in the room” during the technical discussion of the rule in practice: Operators may be using aircraft to provide shared “rides” outside of the AOC to avoid the onerous burden of the rule, or while waiting for mitigations to take place.

“The reality of the [reported] numbers that we are talking about, it’s a very small fraction of people that are using the TBM in commercial operations,” said Chabbert. “We see that we have a lot of other types of activity that are coming from—[flight sharing] apps, you know, fractional [operations]—we can have some type of usage, that is shared between people, and separation between the aircraft they are renting, and the rental.”

The complex regs have done nothing to advance safety—which should have been the point—in Chabbert’s view. “Today, there’s no safety objective that has been achieved. This is a lie in Europe. We have a roadmap, we have the safety analysis, we have the technology, we have the motivation from the operators. We just need to make sure that what we are going to apply makes sense and is not going to destroy what we think is an addition to the wealth of those in the nation, of the [transportation] choices that we have in Europe.

“I was involved for those 30 years, and in fact, for real for the last 15 years, [and hoped] that I would see, as we speak today, a large majority of operations under SET. This is not the case. What can we do to make it a real goal, and how long are we going to give ourselves so that instead of looking at the facts today where it’s a minority that is under SET, it becomes a majority? Do we need two years? Five years? Fifteen years? What we need is to basically set objectives so that we can have a very simple way to operate, and make sure that the market will then grow, and that operators can make money.”

The Takeaway

With the right correction—implemented in a timely fashion—there’s much to gain as the GA industry sits at a unique tipping point, able to provide an answer to sustainable, efficient transportation solutions while maintaining a high degree of safety. At the same time, there can be clarification between private and commercial operations instead of the shades of gray prevalent today.

The industry has demonstrated its ability to drive towards greater efficiency—with a 2 percent gain as targeted since 2009—and a commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The broader acceptance and distribution of sustainable aviation fuel to more and smaller GA airports underscores this promise, along with the early implementation of alternative energy sources. Add to this a commercially viable program, and it’s clear the potential this market segment has for growth in the future as well as today. GAMA plans to consolidate the outcomes from the meeting into recommendations to EASA, and it will publish the results.

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In fact, we are already doing it, according to key industry leaders from ZeroAvia, Daher, Textron eAviation, Pilatus, and Elixir, at the General Aviation Manufacturers Association’s luncheon. “GA is the solution to this,” said Kyle Martin, GAMA vice president of European affairs.

The event focused squarely on illuminating that message so that those who were there could spread it beyond the walls of Messe Friedrichshafen—and beyond the confines of the general aviation industry into the greater world that needs to understand it. Rather than being an easy target for blame under the auspices of climate change, GA already demonstrates the innovative answers that are possible. Stopping flying is not the answer—flying in better and more sustainable ways will be.

Eric Hinson, GAMA chairman for 2023 and president and CEO of Simcom International, kicked off the lunch with his observations. “I’m going to begin by talking just a little bit about the importance of GA—and I think that’s an important message that we in the industry need to do a better job of communicating. [GA] is basically a connectivity tool that connects people, product, and services.” Those not in GA see it through a myopic view—the high net-worth individual who gets out of a jet—and not for the intrinsic value it provides to nearly everyone in some way.”

Those companies working on solutions in both short- and long-range segments include, according to Hinson, GAMA members and others which are “working on hydrogen-powered solutions…[and] working on electric propulsion to replace fossil-based fuels—and so I’m very confident that over the next 10 to 15 years we are going to see significant advancements in our capability to replace fossil-based fuel for short-range flying. That’s happening here in Europe as well as in the United States. 

“The other area that is equally important is really focused on long-range flying, because we’re always going to have a power-density problem for some time to come—so the long-range solution there is a lot tougher. And of course, the answer there is sustainable aviation fuel.”

There are several legitimate concerns about the current implementation of SAF both in Europe and North America. The first lies in its composition—what biosource it’s derived from, and whether corn-based, cooking oil-based, or various silage-based processes. A second concern lies in how “green” the process of making the fuel is—such as the source of electricity for the manufacturing plant—and how much energy is used in delivering the fuel from its production facility to the distribution points on airports. As Martin would sum up later in the program, in pointing out the value of the book and claim system that allows operators to take credits for SAF entered into the fuel stream: “Trucking tanks of SAF from a Neste factory in Finland to the south of Spain is not the most sustainable approach.”

A corollary to this lies in the current state of electric propulsion, which we have seen this week in several spots on the show floor at AERO—Pipistrel and H55, for two examples—but both directed at short-hop training flights and perceived by some as having limited value to the marketplace.

It’s easy for naysayers to throw rocks at these efforts, but the fact is we won’t get to a solution unless we work on the problems and try new things.

The State of GA in Europe

Martin followed Hinson at the luncheon with his insights into the status of the general and business aviation industries in the EU and UK, including the recovery post-pandemic and political elements affecting both that return to “normal” and moving forward.

“The great news is that we are powering through the COVID recovery,” said Martin. “We are showing growth across all four main product sectors, whether it’s piston airplanes for the training market, turboprop airplanes for the transportation and air services market…the business jet market is growing and coming back—it’s being held back a bit by supply chain constraints, but many new products are coming to the market and that will help boost numbers in the years ahead. And the helicopter market’s finally coming back.”

In addition, traffic numbers reflect the normalizing of the GA industry, with 2022 IFR traffic numbers showing “strong growth versus 2021,” as Martin noted.

Martin also emphasized the value of GA in sustainability problem solving: “Our industry is absolutely the incubator and the growth engine for sustainable and safe aviation technology.” Yes, it’s simply easier to innovate and iterate using small aircraft—we witness all the time how new tech in our GA cockpits “trickles up” to larger platforms until it makes it onto a Part 25 transport category jet a decade—or more—later. At Oshkosh this summer, you’re certain to see an airline captain gazing wistfully at the instrument panel on an RV-series. The most innovative solutions will happen first in the skunkworks of our GA manufacturers, the labs of small but feisty aerospace startups, and in the hangars of our kitbuilders. The first applications may be limited in scope—but that’s the point. You want to test things on a small batch first.

Industry Panel on Workforce, Energy

In parallel to the discussion of sustainability is attracting the workforce that will develop it. To this end, the discussion turned to an industry panel led by Cate Brancart, GAMA’s manager for European operations and safety. 

The panel featured:

• Cyril Champenois, co-founder and CMO of Elixir Aircraft
• Nicolas Chabbert, senior vice president of Daher’s Aircraft Division
• Jane Lefley, strategy associate for ZeroAvia
• Rob Scholl, president and CEO of Textron eAviation
• Urs Thomann, director of technologies and processes, Pilatus Aircraft

Scholl’s organization—newly formed to consolidate Textron’s efforts in several future-leaning sectors—represents well the human energy derived from a company’s dedication to innovation. “We are seeing a lot of people express interest in coming to work for our organization,” said Scholl, “because everything that we’re doing right now—as you see from this group on stage—is new…For those people who want to take on the challenge in this exciting industry, these projects offer a unique opportunity to really get into something that no one in the world has done before.”

That’s a key part of the GA story we need to tell, according to the panelists.

Specifically, bringing young people into GA OEMs is another goal—and one that Elixir seems to have done naturally, with an average age of 34 or 35, according to Champenois. “We are at a turning point in general aviation,” he said, regarding not only energy sources but the way aircraft are manufactured to reduce parts count and streamline processes. “We feel that [the younger generation] was kind of lost for the past 20 years because nothing was really moving.”

A market-based approach will provide the most practical solutions. “We all know that we have the difficult challenge [ahead] to transition to the alternative fuels,” said Chabbert. “This is something that is a ‘must.’ We all know that this is on our trajectory to become neutral by 2050—it’s a key element to our strategy. But…let’s go back to the roots. What is the market wanting? ‘Cause if we’re just about to propose a bunch of technologies, I think we’re probably going to miss the main thing that we’re doing, [which] is to address the market needs.”

As for attracting new entrants to the workforce, Daher relies upon its apprenticeship program. “We have renewed our workforce, and the way that we do that is through apprentices—we have doubled the number of apprentices about every year, so it is a growing number of new people to us.” The younger generation is environmentally sensitive, he added, “so I think they are also after a project that is going to rehabilitate Earth.” Of the apprentices they engage, 80 percent transition to full-time employment, according to Chabbert.

“Agility is one thing that is going to be important,” said Thomann. “If the workforce is agile in selecting their employers, then the employers have to become agile as well.” A diverse workforce is a critical piece too—and across the industry panel, they discussed how they are helping to grow the applicant pool so that the best and brightest minds get the education they need and become visible to the companies that need their talents. Pilatus has also recently implemented better compensation strategies to help attract and retain the people it wants in the organization—instead of keeping bonuses until the end of the year, they incorporate the higher pay rate in a much more transparent way so that its personnel can plan more accurately.

In order to ensure a diverse talent pool, Chabbert added: “We need to bring in schools—I mean, it is not new, it is nothing that has not been done, it is something that we stopped doing. We have to resume and get the schools into our plans so [the students] can actually practice, and get themselves exposed to the different jobs. With the kind of diversity that we’re talking about, it is data management with a technology-driven approach.”

Telling the GA Story

All of these topics circle back around to one critical concern: Many governments around the world appear to be moving against the GA industry, setting targets for carbon emissions that may not be realistic. If we don’t achieve those goals, will the rug be pulled out from under us? That question was the final one put to the panel—poignant at AERO because of recent movements in the Netherlands’ Schiphol Airport to propose a ban on business jets, and there’s legislation in France seeking to reduce or stop short-haul flights—or the insane idea we might ban flying altogether in order to achieve net-zero.

To combat this, we need to take control of the narrative. “We have to educate… we are not a victim…we have to be proud of saying our story—and say it loud and clear: that is what we do and why we do it,” said Chabbert. “We need to make our story and to praise it.”

Lefley concurred: “I agree with you—I think the industry faces an existential threat ultimately, which is why new technology like what ZeroAvia is doing is so critical. One of the things we need to do is to educate governments and the public about the fact that people are doing this already, and that it can be done safely.

“I think it’s easier to use technology than to force everyone to stop flying,” she concluded.

It’s a global story we must tell, and the examples set in the EU—making progress on regulatory coordination and public understanding—will provide a roadmap for the innovation of the industry to drive us forward.

The post General Aviation Has a Great Sustainability Story To Tell appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Sales in 2022 totaled $1.38 billion, with operating income of about $240 million and orders totaling $1.7 billion. The company said it improved on its 2021 performance with deliveries of 40 PC-24s, 80 PC-12 NGXs, 10 PC-21s, and 3 PC-6s in 2022, as reported also in the General Aviation Manufacturers Association annual deliveries report released last week.

• READ MORE: Pilatus Delivers First PC-12 NGX to Tradewind Aviation

Pilatus said its general aviation business unit entered a purchase agreement with U.S. charter airline and aircraft service company Tradewind Aviation for more than 20 PC-12 NGXs. The transaction nearly doubles the Tradewind fleet.

While successful overall, last year presented difficulties for the company including supply chain disruptions that had a negative effect on its production operations.

“Rarely has the company had to operate in such a geopolitically unpredictable period. Never before have we encountered such serious supply chain difficulties,” said Pilatus CEO Markus Bucher. “Pilatus has achieved a lot whilst also benefiting from exceptionally high demand for our unique aircraft.”

While aircraft deliveries account for a large share of the company’s results, its customer service business also grew by about 10 percent during the past year. Pilatus also grew through the acquisition of U.S. Pilatus dealer Skytech Inc. and its 93 full-time employees. Pilatus said Skytech will continue to sell and service PC-24s and PC-12s independently on the East Coast.

• READ MORE: Pilatus Aircraft Reports 2021 Sales Record of 152 Aircraft

“Our PC-12 NGXs and PC-24s were, and are, absolute bestsellers, our order books are full,” said board chairman Hansueli Loosli. He said he also felt there is more potential for trainer sales despite receiving no new orders in that segment during 2022. 

“I’m very confident that we will reel in an order soon,” Loosli said.

The post Pilatus Reports Improved Sales, Financial Performance for 2022 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Case in point: Bombardier. Though the Montreal-based company has contracted over the past five years through divestment of its Q400 and de Havilland product lines and shifted its focus away from commercial aviation, it appears to be coming through all right, having made sound decisions. The first delivery of the Challenger 3500 took place in September 2022, going to launch customer Les Goldberg, chairman and CEO of Entertainment Technology Partners. “As a previous owner of a Challenger 350 business jet, I can say with confidence that Bombardier has hit all the right notes in creating a next-generation aircraft,” Goldbergsays. “The cabin interior is spectacular, and I appreciate the added comfort and productivity that these new features will bring to our worldwide travels.”

According to the latest projection by Bombardier CEO Éric Martel, the company is taking advantage of the continued attractiveness of business aviation through Q3 2022 to both private individuals and corporations looking to avoid the squeeze of airline travel. In fact, the company expects to deliver more than 120 units by the end of the year.

The 3500 is distinguished by its auto throttle system—which received approval under TransportCanada in April—and the fact that Bombardier has published an Environmental Product Declaration for the model, making it the first of the super midsize jets to launch with this transparent life-cycle impact state-ment that outlines its projected potential for smog creation, ozone depletion, and water pollution.

Those key drivers—the pivot to business and personal travel by private aviation, the focus on sustainability, and the targeting of niche segments within the turbine market—are reflected in the owner-flown turbine segment as well.

Owner-Flown Mounts

Historically low interest rates recently have seen upward pressure, and those rising mortgage rates will surely slow the market as access to capital wanes. At press time, the federal funds rate bumped up to 3.25 percent, with an anticipated rise to up to 4 or 4.25 percent at meetings in November and December, according to kiplinger.com.

But Jim Blessing, president of AirFleet Capital—which writes loans on all models of owner-flown aircraft from pistons to jets—hasn’t seen the needle move just yet, though he admits it could change at any point. “It’s been a wild ride,” Blessing says. “Activity levels are still a little ahead of what they were in 2018,” even considering the interest rate cuts ahead of the COVID-19 crisis.

Though Blessing says that AirFleet’s activity overall is transitioning back to “more normal levels,” with fewer new transactions and more refinancing, there’s still a bright horizon. New aircraft make up 30 percent of AirFleet’s annual volume, and Blessing reports those activity levels are “a bit higher this year [in 2022]. Are interest rates going to upset buying habits?” Hard to tell, but Blessing says there is still ample cash out there earmarked for aircraft purchases. “Our biggest competitor [as a loan underwriter] is a cash buyer.”

If you want a new turbine mount, in most cases you’ll need to negotiate a substantial waiting list. Manufacturers, such as Textron Aviation, Pilatus, and Gulfstream, all register backlogs into 2024 or later—a point reflected in Blessing’s assessment: “We’re not seeing any inventory on the OEM side. Cancellations are an opportunity for the OEM,” allowing them to accommodate a new buyer at a better price than the one previously negotiated when material and workforce costs were lower.

What does this mean for the pilot or flight department that wants a new jet for the fleet, or to enter business aircraft ownership for the first time? You have a wide range of exciting platforms with incredible long-range, high-speed performance—and a “greener” signature—but you might have to plan carefully in order to secure one on your preferred timeline.

Fractional Fleet Updates

Another part of the jet market that has benefited from the continued development of niche turbine mounts are fractional jet operations. Volato, based in Atlanta, Georgia, recently announced that it would expand from its current fleet of 11 HondaJet Elites to add the Gulfstream G280. The company placed an order for four units in September.

With these incoming aircraft, Volato said it would be able to expand its business model to serve a wider share of the market. “When we launched Volato, our strategy was to initially target the largest segment of the market that was not being directly addressed: short-haul flights with only a few passengers,” Volato CEO Matt Liotta says.

“From listening to our customers’ needs and recognizing that our innovative business model is not just limited to light jets, we are excited to expand our model to larger aircraft,” Liotta adds. “This would also ensure that existing HondaJet customers would be able to fly their edge case missions that are farther or with more passengers.” The jump from six seats to the 10-passenger configuration in the G280 allows for that growth, making it the first company to operate the super midsized jet in a fractional model.

The post A Hot and High Market appeared first on FLYING Magazine.