Maintenance

16.07.2010 2:00

Skyjet Online

Bombardier has extended its Skyjet online booking service for charter passengers to southern California for flights within a 1,750km (945nm) radius of Los Angeles. Skyjet, which was launched in the New York area earlier this year, will offer internet bookings for customers chartering Bombardier aircraft at airports in Van Nuys and Santa Ana - the USA's fourth and fifth busiest business aviation airfields. Customers will also have access to Flexjet fractional ownerships held at these airports. [Read more]

16.07.2010 2:00

Light Delivery

Kemble airfield, near Gloucester has taken delivery of the UK's first Flight Design CT-2K hybrid microlight. The two-seater aircraft has a range of 1,500km (810 nm) at 3,000m (9,850 ft). Its delivery followed 12 months of extensive flight testing late last year. The fixed-wing aircraft, which has a maximum take-off weight of 9,850ft (3,000m), will be used by the airfield's flying school as part of a redevelopment plan for the military airfield. [Read more]

16.07.2010 2:00

Cargolifter lands maglev deal with CL160 airship

Cargolifter has won the contract to provide airborne heavy lifting services for Pennsylvania's 75km (47 miles) Pittsburg magnetic levitation public transport system with its 175t payload CL160 airship. The German manufacturer has become a 12.5% shareholder in the project as part of the deal. Cargolifter has recently been recapitalised by €10.1 million ($8.9 million) to a total of €40.5 million, for the development of the smaller 100t capacity CL75 AirCrane. Construction of the first CL160 (prototype left) will start early next year at the manufacturer's plant near Berlin and will be completed in less than two years. The prototype CL75 AC is undergoing tests at Cargolifter's Berlin facilities. [Read more]

16.07.2010 2:00

UK giants withdraw from corporate jet ventures

JUSTIN WASTNAGE / LONDON British Airways and Virgin Atlantic blame economic uncertainty on cancelled plans The two largest UK carriers have pulled out of business jet operations, citing economic uncertainty. British Airways has withdrawn from its deal with corporate aircraft charter broker Air Partner, while Virgin Atlantic has put on hold plans to launch a first-class transatlantic corporate service. The Air Partner service in association with BA, called Business Jets, was suspended late last month due to increased marketing costs, BA says. The UK flag carrier says that whilst customer demand for the service has been strong, an increased focus on core business following the downturn triggered by the terrorist attacks in the USA has forced it to "stop making the service available". The service, launched in April, had been set to run for one year before BA re-assessed the market for providing its European passengers with the ability to charter a corporate air [Read more]

16.07.2010 2:00

AB139 production starts

Bell Agusta has started final production of the AB139 corporate helicopter at its Cascina Costa plant outside Milan. The production line has moved to full capacity following successful test flights late last month of the third prototype. The helicopter has a useful load of 2,500kg (5,500lb) and a maximum range of 750km (405nm) with no reserve at a maximum speed of 167kt (310km/h) when configured in six-seater VIP version. [Read more]

16.07.2010 2:00

Biometric smart card tests begin

The US trade group representing air taxi and fixed-based operators is to start testing abiometric smart card to speed up security at airfields. The National Air Transport Association (NATA) is testing the SkyD system, which matches fingerprints with data held on file for "trusted" passengers. SkyD has been developed by Lockheed Martin Information Systems and several software companies including Microsoft. A more advanced version of the card, SkyGuard, uses iris scanning and could also be issued to flight crews, ground workers and flight-school students. NATA president Jim Coyne says the trade group's motivation is in reopening Washington National and other major airports to general aviation traffic, which has been restricted since 11 September. NATA members have lost $400 million since the terrorist attacks, he says. Coyne also sees the card as a way to restore public confidence in private aviation. Major airlines, through the Air Transport Association, ha [Read more]

16.07.2010 2:00

Avolar in Airbus Corporate Jet marketing agreement

GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC JUSTIN WASTNAGE / LONDON The deal will have sales benefits for Airbus and financial benefits for Avolar parent United United Airlines' fractional-ownership subsidiary Avolar is to market the Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) in North America. The deal with Airbus is structured so that Avolar will never own the aircraft, but will operate them on behalf of customers using mainline United pilots, with maintenance provided by the airline's United Services division. The agreement covers up to 15 aircraft, and is not linked to Airbus delivery deferrals announced by United after the 11 September terrorist attacks. Customers will be able to buy a whole ACJ or share ownership, with Avolar operating the aircraft under US Part 121 regulations. Airbus will continue to sell the A319-based ACJ directly to North American customers, who will be able to contract with Avolar for management of the aircraft. The agreement meets Avolar's n [Read more]

16.07.2010 2:00

Gippsland to triple GA-8 production as sales soar

Australian light aircraft manufacturer Gippsland Aeronautics will boost production of its GA-8 Airvan three-fold next year from 12 per year, with a target of 50 units annually by 2005. The company says that demand for the GA-8 has convinced the company to enlarge its facilities at Latrobe Valley regional airport outside Melbourne from 420m2 (4,500ft2) to 745m2. Managing director Michael Hall has talked with potential Indian and Chinese subcontractors. "We'd start them out on relatively basic components we're likely to see the transfer to more advanced components over perhaps a five year phasing-in plan," he says. The eight seat GA-8, priced at around A$600,000 ($310,000), already in service in Australia for tourist operations. Gippsland is also developing a stretched ten-seat turboprop military version which will be powered by Allison 250 or Pratt Whitney PT6A 400hp (300kN) engines, which it expects to be flying by the end of next year. [Read more]