Buisness aviation news
Week 27 2024 almost exactly matched Week 27 2023, with variable geographic trends, the US seeing a bump up, in contrast to declines in June, and was especially strong in Part 135 and 91K operations, most notably in Texas. Europe saw a 3% slide, mainly in private and corporate activity. Germany and the UK are seeing stronger YOY activity, tied directly to the draw of major sporting events.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. marks 100 days since the all-new Gulfstream G700 received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification on March 29 and subsequently entered into service. Additional certifications, steadily increasing flight hours and deliveries around the world along with continued city-pair speed records demonstrate unparalleled program maturity for the G700.
Pilatus and Synhelion are about to launch a strategic cooperation aimed at accelerating the scaling of solar fuels for the aviation industry. Pilatus intends to use Synhelion’s solar fuels for its own operations and also offer them to its own customers in the medium-term. With that in mind, Pilatus has become a shareholder in Synhelion, underpinning its commitment to proactive defossilization of air traffic.
The new sanctions package approved by the European Union on June 24 for the first time specifically targets Russia’s business aviation sector, but the industry seems to have adapted to the wartime restrictions since 2022.
Airbus Helicopters officially opened its new logistics hub at Albacete, Spain, on Tuesday (2nd July) which is equipped and operated by Daher as the lead logistics partner.
The first half of 2024 shows bizjet utilisation tapering slightly on 2023 but still well up on 2019. The US market is just 1% weaker than last year, with Florida, super midsize jets, and Fractional ops looking robust. European bizjet demand is strengthening this summer, notably in Germany. The Middle East is seeing weaker bizjet usage this year, especially in Saudi.
The Finnish company, Helsinki Citycopter, has been offering helicopters for charter flights for many years and has now added a CJ4 to its fleet at the beginning of 2024.
Air Seychelles is proud to announce its partnership with ExecuJet, a leading global business aviation company, to provide exclusive VIP Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) services in the Seychelles. The Air Seychelles owned FBO is the only full service FBO on the island, offering unparalleled services to meet the needs of discerning travellers.
In Week 25 (17th – 23rd June), total global business jet activity measured by number of sectors flown fell 4% compared to Week 25 in 2023, compared to the last 4-week trend of 2% decline. Part 135 & 91K bizjet activity in week 25 fell 3% compared to last year. Year to date 2024, bizjet sectors have fallen 1.4% compared to last year, with flight hours falling 1.9% behind. Respectively for sectors and hours flown, the market is 2.8% and 3.4% behind comparable 2022. The active bizjet fleet this year is 2.5% larger than in 2023, up 8% on 2022.
EHang Holdings Limited, the world’s leading urban air mobility (“UAM”) technology platform company, announced it has received full payment for the initial batch of 30 units of EH216-S passenger-carrying pilotless aircraft and has delivered 27 units to Wencheng County Transportation Development Group Co., Ltd. in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. It drives Wencheng’s comprehensive layout in the low-altitude economy industry.
Comlux Malta Ltd. has recently achieved EASA Part-145 certification from the Civil Aviation Directorate of Malta.
The National Business Aviation Association is questioning the rationale for a government plan to develop far-reaching new regulations, on alleged safety grounds, for certain on-demand public charter carriers that are often key to aviation service in small communities.
As the summer comes into view, especially with the Olympics in France, we would expect to see an uptick in international arrivals into Europe. Sure enough, total transatlantic bizjet flights from the US to Europe are up by 5% this month, and into France up by 26%. We’d expect the high-end tourist demand to be a strong stimulus for the European charter market, lifting a sector which has otherwise sagged this year.
Bombardier and F/LIST have announced the opening of a contemporary, 700-sq. ft. Material Lounge at Bombardier’s London Biggin Hill Service Centre located at the London Biggin Hill Airport. The new Material Lounge is the largest, most comprehensive portfolio of interior materials, fabrics and components that Bombardier has housed at one of its international service centres. It is also the first time that F/LIST, the Austria-headquartered pioneer in the production and generation of innovative luxury interiors for exclusive business and private jets and residences, has created a dedicated space showcasing its product portfolio outside of its headquarters.
ArcosJet, the exclusive authorized dealer for private sales of the Lilium Jet in the UAE, Israel and Cyprus, is seeing high customer acceptance of the eVTOL concept and technology and expects the emerging new market niche to provide the strongest impetus for the development of related technologies, services and businesses in the near future. The announcement was made at the Revolution.Aero industry conference, which is taking place June 18-19 in London.
ExecuJet MRO Services South Africa, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dassault Aviation, is poised to set a new record this year for airframe heavy maintenance checks.
Textron Aviation announced the successful flight of its second Cessna Citation Ascend flight test article (P1) as certification momentum builds for the newest Citation business jet. The milestone flight follows the Ascend prototype, which completed its first flight in 2023 marking the P1 aircraft the first conforming production flight test aircraft. The Citation Ascend business jet was unveiled during the 2023 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE), and the aircraft is expected to enter into service in 2025.
