CESSNA CELEBRATES CITATION ENCORE+'S FIRST FLIGHT
The newest addition to Cessna's Citation bizjet stable took off for its first flight last week, marking a major milestone on the way to FAA certification. The event continues Cessna's relentless, machine-like ability to announce, certify and deliver to customers new airplanes on a pre-defined schedule. In the case of the Encore+, the type was first announced last November at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) convention in Orlando. Cessna said at the time that deliveries would start in February 2007, and the March 23 first flight indicates that, once again, the company is right on schedule. Cessna continues to expect FAA certification of the airplane in the early fourth quarter of this year. “We’ve set an ambitious certification schedule since we announced the Encore+ only five months ago at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) convention. We are pleased this first flight adheres to our schedule, marking a major milestone that moves us toward on-time customer deliveries in the first quarter of 2007,” said Lynn Young, Citation Encore+ program manager. More...

GULFSTREAM, ROCKWELL COLLINS GET WIRED
Some say there are two kinds of people: those who want to be able to check their e-mail or AVweb's latest news while at FL450 over Kansas, and those who don't. Until recently, the technology to access the Internet was both slow in coming and slow in operation -- it probably had something to do with dragging all that telephone cable aloft. Nowadays, however, if you have the physical space and the payload capability to install the necessary hardware, just about any aircraft can be equipped for broadband Internet access. Most recently, two companies -- Gulfstream Aerospace and Rockwell Collins -- announced government approvals for their respective broadband technologies and have hit the streets trying to sell them. For example, Gulfstream this month announced that the GIV, GIV-SP, G400 and G300 bizjets can be retrofitted with the company's ultra-high-speed Broad Band Multi-Link data system, or BBML for short. The BBML has already been available under a supplemental type certificate (STC), in the G450/G550 and G550/500, as well as in the GV. The FAA on March 16 granted the company an STC for the additional models and says the latest approval also includes VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) capability. Meanwhile, Rockwell Collins said this week it had received Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval to offer its eXchange broadband data and live TV solution for installation and full operation on a customer aircraft in the United States. This FCC action follows an experimental license granted to eXchange in 2005, which allowed for the initial deployment and testing of eXchange. More...

EMBRAER GOES PAPERLESS, COMPLETES PHENOM 100 DEFINITION
Earlier this month, Brazilian airframer Embraer announced it and the company's prime component suppliers had completed the initial design and engineering phase for the Phenom 100 light jet announced last year. Embraer calls this progress "completion of the Joint Definition Phase," which the company said was largely conducted without paper on a conventional drafting table. According to Embraer, the process involved a multidisciplinary team of more than 300 Embraer engineers collaborating with suppliers to finalize the Phenom 100's design. The process also involved certification authorities to ensure their requirements can be met. At the end of the JDP process, the Phenom 100 team completed the Preliminary Design Review and developed a digital mock-up of the aircraft, which was then used to create a full-scale physical mock-up at BMW Group DesignworksUSA. The digital mock-up also provides a platform for engineering experts to complete structural and aerodynamic analyses, design production planning through digital manufacturing, and determine assembly logistics. More...

JET AVIATION COMPLETES MIDCOAST AVIATION ACQUISITION
Swiss-based Jet Aviation Group said last week it had completed the acquisition process for its purchase of U.S.-based Midcoast Aviation from the Sabreliner Corporation. Terms of the acquisition, which was first formally announced in January and finalized on March 20, were not disclosed. Midcoast Aviation is a well-known and well-respected full-service corporate jet aircraft maintenance, modification and completion provider employing some 875 professionals. It has operations at St. Louis Downtown Airport and Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, both in the St. Louis, Mo., area. The company specializes in service and support for top-tier aircraft and is an authorized service center/facility for Dassault Falcon Jet, Raytheon Corporate Jets and Bombardier Aerospace. “Jet Aviation and Midcoast Aviation strategically complement one another and as a group we will now also become a major provider of completions, modification and maintenance services in North America,” said Heinz Köhli, CEO of Jet Aviation Group. “We are pleased that this deal has been finalized and will continue working with our majority shareholder, Permira Funds, toward additional global expansion.” More...

PWC DELIVERS FIRST PW615F CESSNA CITATION MUSTANG ENGINE
Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) on March 16 delivered the first PW615F engine to Cessna Aircraft Company for the new Citation Mustang business jet. The engine will be installed on the first Citation Mustang to be built at Cessna's assembly facility in Independence, Kan. The PW615, rated at 1,350 lbs. of thrust and featuring a dual-channel Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC), offers the latest technology in a bizjet engine and, according to PWC, optimum value and performance with significantly reduced ownership costs. It was selected in January 2003 to power the Citation Mustang. "This is an exciting milestone for both Pratt & Whitney Canada and Cessna Aircraft," said Alain M. Bellemare, president of PWC. More...

RAYTHEON UPGRADES LEADERSHIP
Raytheon Aircraft Company (RAC) this week said it named two existing employees to new positions as it backfilled a newly vacant slot. Under the changes, Randy Groom has been appointed president, Global Customer Service and Support, and Brad Hatt assumes the role of president, Global Commercial Sales for Beechcraft and Hawker aircraft. The changes come in the wake of a vacancy in leadership of the company's customer service and support organization; Ed Dolanski, who previously held the slot now occupied by Groom, is taking a key position with another business unit of Raytheon Company. “Five years ago we set a goal to provide the finest service and support the industry has ever seen. And from the perspective that matters most – our customers’ – we have made wonderful progress toward that objective. The changes we are announcing today will allow us to build on this progress, while even further deepening our company-wide commitment to this critical objective,” said Raytheon Aircraft Company Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Schuster. More...

SINO SWEARINGEN TAPS STEVENS AVIATION FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE NETWORK
Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation (SSAC) last week announced it selected Stevens Aviation as the provider of the company's first North American Authorized Service Facilities for the SJ30-2 business jet. The SJ30-2 -- which is close to FAA certification -- is a high-performance light jet with a range of more than 2,500 nm and a cruise speed of Mach .83. Stevens Aviation is a full-service, FAA-certified repair station offering heavy airframe and engine maintenance, advanced avionics installation and repair, paint and interior refurbishment, and parts sales at five locations nationwide. Stevens Aviation also has an aircraft sales/research division and charter operations. Stevens Aviation has more than 50 years in the industry and maintains recognized facilities located in Colorado, Ohio, Tennessee, and South Carolina. More...

GULFSTREAM NAMES NEW PRE-OWNED AIRCRAFT SALES DIRECTOR
Gulfstream Aerospace earlier this month hired James S. Ross as director of its pre-owned aircraft sales operation in the western U.S. and Canada, Central and South America, Australia and Asia. Ross most recently served as a regional vice president for TAG Aviation. Prior to that service, he was the senior vice president for ExcelAire Service in Islip, N.Y., specializing in air charters and aircraft management. He began his career with Bombardier Aerospace, working his way up from marketing coordinator to a sales director for the Western United States and Canada. “Jim’s experience in this industry is a great asset,” said Matt Hartnett, vice president, Pre-Owned Aircraft Sales, Gulfstream. “He brings over 25 years of aviation sales expertise to assist in our sales effort. He worked as a sales director for new and pre-owned business jets and has even helped launch a fractional ownership company.” More...

SIGNATURE OPENS NEW FACILITY AT INDIANAPOLIS
Signature Flight Support this month celebrated the grand opening of its new executive terminal at Indianapolis International Airport (IND), just in time for the NCAA Final Four basketball tournament, which is being held in that city beginning April 1. "Indianapolis has the reputation of being an elite city for hosting world-class events, and Signature's new terminal will certainly give visitors a great and lasting first impression of Indianapolis," said Indianapolis Deputy Mayor Steve Campbell, who helped cut the ribbon on the new facility. The new FBO facility has already received numerous parking reservations for the event. According to Signature IND general manager Dennis Provo, the FBO is well-prepared for the influx of teams and supporters the tournament will bring. Provo and his staff handle hundreds of aircraft arrivals and departures during the city’s three major professional car races each summer. More...

EUROPE GETS NEW HELICOPTER CHARTER CARD
Charter "card" programs, allowing customers to pre-pay for their travel in exchange for reduced rates and other services, have grown very popular among companies and individuals with the need to fly but lacking the resources or the will to buy their own business aircraft. Most charter brokers offer them, as do many of the fractional operations, as another way to establish and maintain brand loyalty. Recently, the idea has migrated from fixed-wing aircraft to rotary-winged charters and, this month, French helicopter and business jet charter company Aviaxess launched Europe’s first helicopter card, the Corporate Helicard, and plans to expand it throughout the region if demand grows. Paris-based Aviaxess has established operator members in 12 European cities, says president Frederic Aguettant, giving the company access to 35 helicopters ranging from the Eurocopter AS350 light single to the Sikorsky S-76 medium twin. The Helicard is available in 25- and 50-hour blocks at a fixed price throughout Europe. Pricing for 25 hours aboard an AS350 costs $31,800, although a customer who uses the helicopter for half a day “will only be charged for one hour,” according to Aguettant. More...

WATCH YOUR INBOX...
...the next issue of AVweb's BizAVflash will be e-mailed to you on April 12. More...

AVwebBiz is a twice-monthly summary of the latest business aviation news, articles, products, features, and events featured on AVweb, the internet's aviation magazine and news service.

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