Beechcraft secures order from Wheels Up for next installment of King Air 350i aircraft

EBACE 2015 clearly indicated on the return of ‘business as usual’

Falcon 2000LXS on Dassault Aviation static display

EMBRAER Legacy on static display at EBACE 2015

Hondajet makes its European debut at EBACE

King Air 350i from Textron Aviation

Embraer Legacy 650 business jet contract with Air Hamburg at EBACE 2015

Gulfstream G500 massive contract signed at EBACE 2015 by Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways and Larry Flynn, President of Gulfstream Aerospace

The 2015 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE 2015), which concluded recently in Geneva, Switzerland, has been truly an industry event, egging the community to get out of its slumber and return to ‘business as usual’ and not what it is now, a flat performance. Jointly hosted by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), EBACE has been a signature event of the business aviation segment and things that happen over here have significant impact worldwide. Despite the flat growth in Europe, there has been excitement in showcasing newer products and this year, among the many new products and solutions on display, EBACE debuted five aircraft which is such a plus in this environment.

The EBAA CEO Fabio Gamba said: “As we marked this 15th year of EBACE, it was clear that the event has always been and will continue to be a trade show featuring new products and cutting-edge technologies. It will be a premier venue for networking and for the latest information about the trends shaping this dynamic industry.”

NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen agreed, stating, “EBACE remains a forward-looking event, which is why it will always be a can’t-miss-show on the industry’s calendar.”

Bolen and Gamba also noted that this 15th EBACE offered an opportunity to consider the show’s phenomenal growth since the first edition of the show, held in 2001. For example, that inaugural EBACE featured 200 exhibitors and about 30 aircraft on static display. This year, the event drew nearly 500 exhibitors and nearly 60 aircraft on display. EBACE 2015 attendees came from more than 100 countries, from the European region and beyond.

The next EBACE will return to Palexpo and Geneva International Airport from May 24 to 26, 2016.

Bombardier’s Market Forecast

Bombardier Business Aircraft released its annual 10-year forecast for the private aviation market which states that the market is showing encouraging signs of improvement. Macroeconomic indicators for 2014 were generally stable with growth in 2015 projected to be similar to the previous year. In 2015, the world GDP is expected to grow by 2.7 per cent with higher growth expected thereafter.

“With 9,000 business aircraft deliveries expected in the next 10 years, the private aviation industry continues to grow stronger,” said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Vice President, Strategy and Marketing, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “Bombardier continues to be well positioned for long-term market leadership and remains at the forefront of innovation and technology with the industry’s widest portfolio of business jets, including the Challenger 650, Global 7000 and Global 8000 aircraft.”

Bombardier expects to deliver 210 business aircraft in 2015. Industry deliveries are expected to increase slightly in 2015 from 2014 based on the delivery guidance of manufacturers and new aircraft programmes. Bombardier predicts North America will account for the greatest number of new business jet deliveries between 2015 and 2024 with 3,900 aircraft, followed by Europe, which remains the second largest market with 1,525 deliveries between 2015 and 2024.

Five New Aircraft

Five new business aircraft made their first appearances at EBACE and they included the Cessna Citation Latitude, Bombardier Challenger 650, HondaJet, Embraer Legacy 450 and Quest Kodiak, while Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) unveiled new winglets and Airbus Corporate Jet launched the ACJ-320neo family.

BBJ’s New Winglets

Boeing Business Jets announced that Split Scimitar Winglets are now standard on new BBJs. The new winglets designed, developed and certified by Aviation Partners Boeing will also be offered for retrofit. “We are very excited to offer the Split Scimitar Winglet for our current BBJ family,” said BBJ President David Longridge. “It is another example of our dedication to continuous improvement for the BBJ family, and we think our customers will enjoy the increased performance and design.”

The Split Scimitar Winglet gives the BBJ family up to an additional 2.2 per cent of range capability on a 6,000 nautical mile mission, providing customers increased performance and flexibility. The Split Scimitar Winglet takes the existing blended winglet and adds a scimitar tip and downward strake.

Cessna Citation Latitude Debut

Cessna’s newest private jet, the Citation Latitude, took pride of place on the Textron Aviation display. It’s the first time for the Latitude in Europe and is Cessna’s largest aircraft, until the bigger Longitude follows in a few years.

Key features of the Latitude include a flat cabin floor and six feet (1.83 metres) of cabin height, Garmin G5000 avionics, and two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D engines with autothrottle capabilities. Cessna’s Clairity cabin-technology system ties into the Latitude’s avionics to provide connectivity to each passenger through personal electronic devices.

The Cessna Citation CJ3+ business jet was also on show. It had a Garmin G3000 flight deck, enhanced interiors and advanced Clairity cabin connectivity. Besides, a Cessna Grand Caravan EX featuring all-new standard interiors wowed the visitors.

Beechcraft Bags Additional Wheels Up Order

Beechcraft Corporation, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc, announced that Wheels Up has exercised its option to purchase the next 35 King Air 350i turboprops from its initial order placed in 2013. The additional aircraft will help expand the membershipbased private aviation company’s fleet throughout the United States.

Nearly two years ago, Wheels Up made the largest order in history for general aviation turboprop aircraft, encompassing up to 105 King Air 350i aircraft and including maintenance, service and support. The company took delivery of its first King Air 350i at NBAA 2013 and immediately began service. To date, Wheels Up has taken delivery of 31 of its initial order of 35 King Air 350i aircraft. Deliveries of the additional 35 aircraft, which will be outfitted with the new Pro Line Fusion avionics system, are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2016. The private aviation company also has taken delivery of 10 factory-custom refurbished Cessna Citation Excel/XLS aircraft.

“The Textron Aviation family is proud that Wheels Up not only chose the King Air 350i to launch its revolutionary company, but that we can now offer them the industry’s widest range of aircraft solutions to support their growth,” said Scott Ernest, Textron Aviation President and CEO. “We look forward to expanding our relationship for years to come as Wheels Up continues to grow its membership.”

Embraer’s Legacy 450 Grabs Attention

The Embraer Executive Jets’ newest mid-light jet, the Legacy 450, made its European debut at EBACE. The development of the Legacy 450 is advancing on schedule, with its entry into service expected in the fourth quarter of 2015. The aircraft is performing very similarly to the midsize Legacy 500, which was certified last year with all its design goals having been achieved or surpassed.

“The Legacy 450 and the Legacy 500 break paradigms in business aviation, offering premium comfort with a stand-up cabin, flat floor and outstanding performance,” said Marco Túlio Pellegrini, President & CEO, Embraer Executive Jets. “The Legacy 450 has the largest cabin in its class and is the first jet in its category to replace conventional controls with digital full fly-by-wire technology. This aircraft is a flawless combination of technology and design, which defies every definition of a mid-light jet.”

Embraer also showcased its entire aircraft portfolio on static display, which comprises the entry-level Phenom 100E, the Phenom 300 light jet, the mid-light Legacy 450, the midsize Legacy 500, the large-cabin Legacy 650 and the ultra-largecabin Lineage 1000E. The company sold its first midsize Legacy 500 jet to the national carrier of Lebanon, Middle East Airlines (MEA) to be delivered in late 2015.

Firm Orders for 30 Gulfstream Jets

Qatar Executive, a subsidiary of Qatar Airways announced the addition of ten additional Gulfstream aircraft to their October 2014 order. The order will include a combination of both of Gulfstream’s new clean-sheet, wide-cabin aircraft, the G500 and G600 and the flagship G650ER. The charter service airline will take delivery of its first G650ER in the fourth quarter of this year and has announced that it is going to fly into China.

Airbus Corporate Jet bags Acropolis Order

Airbus has launched the ACJneo Family with an order for an ACJ320neo from Acropolis Aviation of Farnborough, near London, which is the first to order the new aircraft. Delivery of Acropolis’ ACJ320neo, which will seat 19 passengers, is planned for the fourth quarter of 2018. Cabin outfitting details and engine choice will be decided later.

Airbus’ ACJ320neo features new, more efficient engines, wingtip-mounted sharklets, and a more comfortable cabin. Together, these improve fuel burn, range and performance, while delivering an even better ride. The ACJ320neo will be able to fly 25 passengers 6,000 nautical miles (11,100 km). Airbus’ ACJ320neo will be complemented by a new ACJ319neo, also with new engines, sharklets and a more comfortable cabin, which can fly eight passengers 6,750 nautical miles (12,500 km).

Signature Series Challenger 350 Unveiled

NetJets Europe, a Berkshire Hathaway-backed company, unveiled the company’s first European Signature Series Bombardier Challenger 350 aircraft. Jordan Hansell, NetJets Chairman and CEO, and Alain Bellemare, President and CEO, Bombardier Inc, reaffirmed the company’s steady performance in Europe over the past 12 months and talked of the upcoming aircraft deliveries and fleet renewal plans for 2015 and beyond.

“NetJets announced it was to be the launch customer for the Challenger 350 aircraft at EBACE back in 2013,” Hansell said. “We have 75 firm orders planned and an additional 125 optional orders available. These deliveries alone are worth $5.4 billion, cementing our position as a market leader in fractional ownership business aviation and reinforcing our commitment to continue investing for our clients. We already have 11 Challenger 350 aircraft operating in the US and Europe will receive a total of four this year. These are proving to be a very popular choice of super midsize aircraft for our customers and we are selling shares at a fast rate. The market is continuing to show signs of improvement in Europe.”