While many prognosticators forecast last year as the beginning of a resurgence for business aircraft manufacturers, those hopes will have to move to this year, according to 2012 aircraft delivery numbers released this morning by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. While 2012 saw a modest increase in overall turbine aircraft shipments, the gains were solely in the lower-end, non-pressurized turboprop segment as overall billings decreased by nearly 1 percent from $19 billion to $18.9 billion year-over-year.
AINalerts » February 12, 2013
February 12, 2013 - 4:10pm
Aircraft manufacturers will deliver an estimated 9,400 business jets worth $253 billion over the next 10 years, according to a forecast released late last week by Montreal-based business aviation services firm Zenith Jet.
February 12, 2013 - 3:55pm
Newly formatted data from online charter portal Avinode gives a clearer impression of the fluctuations in charter aircraft demand and pricing.
February 12, 2013 - 3:47pm
Charter firms XOJet and Travel Management Co. (TMC) announced a new alliance yesterday to integrate the latter’s fleet into XOJet’s operations. The two companies have a combined fleet of more than 100 jets, though they will remain separate entities.
Elkhart, Ind.-based TMC operates a fleet of 24 Hawker 400XPs and 30 Hawker 800XPs, while XOJet operates Bombardier Challenger 300s, Cessna Citation Xs and Hawker 800XPs. Under terms of the deal, XOJet will sell all seven of its 800XPs to TMC and concentrate on expanding its fleet of super-midsize aircraft.
February 12, 2013 - 3:43pm
Italian police arrested the current and former CEOs of AgustaWestland on bribery charges this morning and raided the company’s Milan headquarters. Giuseppe Orsi, who served as the helicopter manufacturer’s CEO until December 2011 and is currently head of its parent company, Finmeccanica, was taken into custody, while current AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini was placed under house arrest.
February 12, 2013 - 3:35pm
Gulfstream senior vice president of programs, engineering and test Preston Henne will retire, effective March 31. Henne, who turned 65 last year, joined Gulfstream in 1994 and has since led the teams responsible for the design, development, test and certification of the Gulfstream V, G550 and flagship G650, among others. Dan Nale, Gulfstream’s vice president of advanced aircraft programs, will take over Henne’s position on April 1. Nale is a 10-year Gulfstream veteran who has overseen development of various next-generation aircraft at the company.
February 12, 2013 - 3:30pm
Aerobatic champion Patty Wagstaff has joined The Aviation Alliance as part of the Excalibur 421 leadership team. Wagstaff will be the demonstration pilot for the Excalibur 421 and will be responsible for overseeing the transition training program for clients, as well as pilot-in-command of several planned attempts at world-record flights for twin-engine aircraft.
February 12, 2013 - 3:25pm
Bombardier’s Montreal aircraft training facility received FAA level-D approval for its new Challenger 300 full-motion simulator for pilot and maintenance training, the company announced today. The simulator complements another Challenger 300 level-D flight simulator located at Bombardier’s Dallas training center.
February 12, 2013 - 3:15pm
Zurich, Switzerland-based ExecuJet Aviation announced it has sourced, secured and delivered a pre-owned Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) in what it claims is a record–less than six weeks. Approached by the client in December, ExecuJet was tasked with ensuring the aircraft was delivered by the end of last month. The company delivered the aircraft on January 28 and the BBJ flew from Europe to the owner’s base in South Africa on January 31. ExecuJet Europe is managing the BBJ on behalf of the owner.
February 12, 2013 - 3:10pm
The FAA has approved the Shanghai Hawker Pacific FBO as a foreign repair station, allowing it to support U.S.-registered aircraft in China. The company applied for the approval just a few days before the FAA stopped taking applications on Aug. 3, 2008, due to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s failure to introduce security rules for such facilities.
