GULFSTREAM RENAMES G250
July 18, 2011
Move Reflects Company’s Sensitivity to Growing International Customer Base
SAVANNAH, Ga., July 18, 2011 — Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. announced today that it has renamed the super midsized Gulfstream G250 aircraft; the business jet is now called the Gulfstream G280. As demand for Gulfstream business jets grows around the world, the move was prompted by the company’s sensitivity to the varied cultures of its international customer base.
“Since introducing the Gulfstream G250 in 2008 and presenting it to customers around the world, we determined that G280 is a more amenable number sequence in certain cultures,” said Larry Flynn, senior vice president, Marketing and Sales, Gulfstream. “We value our international customers highly, and this change reflects our commitment to understanding the diverse cultures of our global business environment.”
The renaming will not affect any other in-production Gulfstream aircraft.
Gulfstream introduced the G280 during the NBAA Conference and Exhibition in Orlando in 2008. It offers the largest cabin and the longest range at the fastest speed in its class. The business jet is capable of traveling 3,400 nautical miles at Mach 0.80 and has a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.85. With an initial cruise altitude of 41,000 feet, the G280 can climb to a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet. Its 3,400-nautical-mile range means the G280 can fly nonstop from New York to London or from London to Dubai.
The aircraft features an all-new, advanced transonic wing design that has been optimized for high-speed cruise and improved takeoff performance. At maximum takeoff weight, the G280 can depart from a 5,000-foot runway.
In terms of passenger comfort, the G280 features the largest cabin in its class, with 17 percent to 35 percent more floor area than other large-cabin, mid-range business jets. The additional space provides for a larger lavatory, an improved galley and increased storage. The aircraft also features 19 panoramic windows, industry-leading sound levels, a vacuum toilet system and in-flight access to 120 cubic feet of usable volume in the baggage compartment.
The G280 flight-test program is well under way. The three aircraft in the test program have exceeded 1,400 flight hours over 525 flights. At the same time, manufacturing of the first non-test aircraft, S/N 2004, is complete, with production acceptance testing under way at Israel Aerospace Industries near Tel Aviv. Production of the interior furnishings has begun at Gulfstream’s mid-cabin completions center in Dallas, where the G280 will be outfitted and painted.
World’s first scheduled passenger biofuel flights commence
July 15, 2011
Lufthansa and Airbus make significant step forward towards sustainable aviation
Lufthansa has launched the world’s first ever daily commercial passenger flights using biofuel. The four return daily flights between Hamburg and Frankfurt will be the first in the world to use a biofuel blend using 50% Hydro-processed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA).This follows the approval for the use of this type of fuel by the world fuels standards body, the ASTM on July 1st and the publication of the approved standards on July 13th.
The aircraft is an Airbus A321, equipped with IAE engines (International Aero Engines). Airbus’ role is to provide technical assistance and to monitor the fuel properties. The daily flights will initially continue for six months as part of the ‘Burn Fair’ R&T project to study the long term impact of sustainable biofuels on aircraft performance.
“Lufthansa is the world’s first airline to utilise biofuel in daily flight operations. This is a further consistent step in the sustainability strategy, which Lufthansa has for years been successfully pursuing. We want to secure future sustainable mobility by conducting research and development work today,” said Christoph Franz, Lufthansa CEO.
“Fuel quality is a critical issue in aviation. Neste Oil’s NExBTL technology is very well-suited to producing aviation fuel that meets the aviation industry’s toughest quality standard,” says Matti Lievonen, Neste Oil’s President and CEO. “Being a pioneer in this area, we are very proud to co-operate with Airbus and Lufthansa. We believe that renewable aviation fuels have real potential for the future.”
“Airbus is proud of its role as catalyst in bringing together various stakeholders to speed up the commercialization of biofuels. These daily biofuel flights are a significant step forward in our industry-wide pursuit of a sustainable future for aviation,” said Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO.
The renewable aviation biofuel, is being provided by Finland-based Neste Oil and all of the renewable raw materials used to produce it (NExBTL) comply with the EU’s stringent sustainability criteria and are fully traceable back to their source.
Airbus’ alternative fuels roadmap aims to make aviation biofuel a reality by bringing together stakeholders in a ‘value chain’ to speed up its commercialisation in a socially responsible way. By providing technical expertise and data collected from a series of alternative fuel flights, Airbus has been at the forefront helping obtain today’s 50% biofuel approval.
The EC145 Shines in Colombia
July 15, 2011
Helistar, Colombia’s leading helicopter company, currently operates three EC145s to cater for oil companies, the first of these aircraft to be used in the country. After the successful startup of operations, Helistar is preparing to receive its fourth EC145 in the very near future.
TODD SIMMONS NAMED EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, SALES AND MARKETING AT CIRRUS AIRCRAFT
July 14, 2011
Duluth, MN (July 14, 2011) – Cirrus Aircraft today announced that Todd Simmons has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing. In his new role, Simmons is responsible for managing the Cirrus Aircraft brand globally and for all sales and marketing activities for the world’s best-selling line of high-performance personal, small business and training aircraft.
“Todd is an energetic leader with a depth of experience and a proven track record of growing the business,” said Brent Wouters, Cirrus President and Chief Executive Officer. “Todd’s new position and the global responsibilities that come with it coincide with our new partnership with China Aviation Industry General Aircraft, Co., Ltd. (CAIGA).”
Wouters continued, “With the CAIGA merger complete, Cirrus is in a unique and enviable position to change our growth trajectory as we come out of a challenging few years. Todd’s appointment today is a key step in realigning existing resources and making new investments in our worldwide sales and marketing organization to better serve current and future Cirrus Aircraft owners and to support new products and services we have in development.”
“I’m grateful and excited for the opportunity to lead our global sales and marketing efforts and to manage the most compelling brand in general aviation,” said Simmons. “Cirrus has an unparalleled record of innovation. Our family of light piston aircraft is the safest, highest performing and most technologically advanced in the world today. And with the Vision Jet just around the corner, we have the opportunity to transform personal mobility and transportation again. As a passionate pilot and aviator, and as a marketing and sales professional, I’m thrilled at what the future holds for Cirrus Aircraft employees, our customers and for general aviation overall.”
Simmons joined Cirrus in early 2008 as Vice President of Marketing and during his tenure has led a number of innovative growth initiatives aimed at both the current owner community and at new segments. In spite of challenging overall economic conditions during these efforts, the SR22 remains the best-selling four-seat aircraft in the world and its worldwide market share has grown to an all-time high.
With more than 20 years of experience in sales, marketing and business leadership, Simmons has held positions in marketing development, international marketing communications and revenue management at a range of companies from boutique firms to Fortune 500 companies. His aviation experience includes work at Delta Air Lines and at CubCrafters where he led sales and marketing efforts and later presided over the company.
Simmons holds a Bachelor’s of Industrial Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Award-Winning X2 Technology™ Demonstrator Takes its Final Flight
July 14, 2011
Program paved the way for upcoming S-97 Raider™ helicopter
July 14, 2011
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.’s X2 Technology™ demonstrator has flown for the last time, the company announced today. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).
In an early morning demonstration flight conducted from the company’s new Sikorsky Innovations Center within its Development Flight Center, the X2 Technology demonstrator gave invited guests one last look at its technology in flight before officially being retired and transitioning to its first application, the S-97 Raider™.
It was the twenty-third test flight of the award-winning X2™aircraft, which flew approximately 22 total hours and achieved a maximum cruise speed of 253 knots in level flight at its peak point in the program. That milestone, an unofficial speed record for a conventional helicopter, was achieved on Sept. 15, 2010.
“This flight is the culmination of a five-year, internally funded program to expand the operational envelope of helicopters,” said Sikorsky President Jeffrey Pino. “The results of this program speak to the success of a rapid prototyping environment, where a small empowered team was able to meet a specific number of very challenging goals. We met these within a small budget and a compressed schedule.
“The X2 program also has helped to develop the next generation of Sikorsky engineers, including some who are now in key positions on the S-97 Raider™ program and the Firefly™ electric helicopter program. Today, the entire Sikorsky workforce stands proud of this accomplishment and what it means for the future of rotorcraft aviation,” Pino said.
The S-97 Raider helicopter program is the follow-on program to the X2 Technology demonstrator initiative. Sikorsky Vice President of Research & Engineering Mark Miller said the S-97 Raider program will design, build and fly two prototype light tactical helicopters to enable the U.S. military to evaluate the viability of a fast and maneuverable next-generation rotorcraft for a variety of combat missions. A number of Sikorsky’s military and commercial customers were on hand to observe today’s final X2™ flight.
“This program will produce two prototype assault/attack aircraft with six passenger cabins and the ability to carry armament,” Miller said. “In addition to the superior speed and maneuverability of X2 technology, these aircraft are designed to be capable of 10,000-foot hover out of ground effect on a 95-degree day. The future awaits this technology, and today we can say that we see it on the horizon.”
The X2 Technology program began in 2005 when Sikorsky first committed resources and full funding, ultimately $50 million, for the program’s development. Earlier this year, the X2 Technology™ demonstrator team won the 2010 Robert J. Collier Trophy, awarded annually to recognize the greatest achievements in aeronautics or astronautics in America.
In addition to winning the 2010 Collier Trophy, over the past two years the X2 Technology demonstrator received numerous accolades including the 2010 Hughes Award from the American Helicopter Society and Aviation Week ‘s “One of the Top 10 Technologies to Watch” for 2010. In 2009, it won a Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Innovator Award, and a Popular Science “Best of What’s New” award. It also was named “One of 2009’s Best Inventions” by Time.
Like the X2 Technology demonstrator, the S-97 Raider helicopter will be designed to feature twin coaxial counter-rotating main rotors and a pusher propeller that enables an X2-designed helicopter to cruise at 220 knots. Other innovative technologies include fly-by-wire flight controls, hub drag reduction, active vibration control, and an integrated auxiliary propulsion system.
The X2 design is scalable, opening up a variety of potential mission uses including joint-multi-role such as combat search and rescue, armed aerial scout, medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), attack, VIP transport, and offshore oil.
The X2 Technology demonstrator combines an integrated suite of technologies intended to advance the state-of-the-art, counter-rotating coaxial rotor helicopter. It is designed to demonstrate a helicopter can cruise comfortably at 250 knots while retaining such desirable attributes as excellent low speed handling, efficient hovering, and a seamless and simple transition to high speed.
Among the innovative technologies the X2 Technology demonstrator employs are:
· Fly-by-wire flight controls
· Counter-rotating rigid rotor blades
· Hub drag reduction
· Active vibration control
· Integrated auxiliary propulsion system
Latin America was the region with the fastest growth in May
July 14, 2011
According to Airports Council International (ACI) while total air traffic grew 6.6% in the month of May, Latin America and the Caribbean recorded the greatest growth with a 15.3% increase over the same month last year. North America passenger traffic grew 5.1%, with Europe up 8% and Asia Pacific grew 5.9%.
Triste Aniversario
July 14, 2011
La mayor pena que puede tener una aerolínea es tener sus aviones en tierra, la imposibilidad de elevar el vuelo es un sentimiento que hay que ser aviador para comprenderlo, las líneas aéreas no son sólo un negocio, son una gran familia compuesta por mucho personal de tierra y de aire, administrativo y operativo.
La pregunta que nos debemos hacer siempre, en los tiempos buenos y en los malos, en especial empleadores y empleados, es hasta donde es posible estirar las cosas, las demandas y las exigencias, por que todas pueden ser muy justas, sin embargo, la quiebra perjudica a todos y esta ronda a Mexicana de Aviación, quien ha cumplido 90 años desde su creación y hoy está en tierra celebrando un triste aniversario. Es de esperar, que los nuevos administradores o quien se haga cargo de ella, puedan tener la visión y la comprensión para sacar adelante una empresa con mucha historia, tradiciones y con deseos de emprender nuevamente el vuelo.
ALTA WELCOMES FOUR NEW MEMBERS WITH A STRONG LATIN AMERICA PRESENCE
July 13, 2011
Air Lease Corp., Holland & Knight, ILFC and Travel Guard Join
as Affiliate Members
MIAMI (July 13, 2011) – Air Lease Corp., Holland & Knight, ILFC and Travel Guard were welcomed as the newest affiliate members of ALTA (Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association). With the addition of these new members, ALTA’s affiliate membership represents 44 of the region’s leading organizations in aviation across a broad spectrum of areas.
“Each of these organizations offers valuable new opportunities for the industry in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Alex de Gunten, Executive Director of ALTA. “We are proud to be partnering with companies that provide such proven expertise in their respective areas and are dedicated to the progress of the aviation industry in the region.”
“Joining ALTA signals Air Lease Corporation’s commitment to the aviation industry in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said John Plueger, President and Chief Operating Officer of Air Lease Corporation. “We support the growth of the region’s airlines by providing strategic business solutions and access to the most modern, fuel-efficient aircraft.”
“We are delighted that Holland & Knight has been named an affiliate member of ALTA. The firm has both a strong airline practice and presence in Central and Latin America markets, and we see ALTA as a valued and natural partner in our efforts to assist airlines in the region,” said Anita Mosner, deputy chair of Holland & Knight’s aviation practice. “ALTA has a terrific team, and we look forward to working with and supporting them over the coming years.”
ILFC Chief Executive Officer, Henri Courpron commented, “Our affiliation with ALTA represents a further commitment by ILFC to be actively engaged with aircraft operators in an important and developing region of the industry. Latin America represents growth and opportunity. We are proud to work with ALTA and their member airlines.”
“We are delighted to be an official ALTA member. As such, we would like to approach the member airlines to help them increase their bottom line and customer loyalty, through the sale of Travel Insurance. More than 40 airlines have trusted Travel Guard as their partner worldwide, including several prestigious airlines in Latin America,” said Roberto Miranda, Travel Insurance Regional Manager, Travel Guard Latin America.
ALTA DA LA BIENVENIDA A CUATRO NUEVOS MIEMBROS CON UNA GRAN PRESENCIA EN AMÉRICA LATINA
July 13, 2011
MIAMI (13 de Julio de 2011) – Air Lease Corp., Holland & Knight, ILFC y Travel Guard son los nuevos Miembros Afiliados en ingresar recientemente a ALTA (Asociación Latinoamericana y del Caribe de Transporte Aéreo). Con la adición de estos nuevos miembros, los afiliados de ALTA representan a 44 de las organizaciones más importantes de la región en todo un amplio espectro de áreas de la aviación.
“Cada una de estas organizaciones ofrece nuevas y valiosas oportunidades para la industria en América Latina y el Caribe”, manifestó Alex de Gunten, Director Ejecutivo de ALTA. “Nos complace asociarnos con estas compañías de comprobada experiencia en sus respectivas áreas y dedicadas al progreso de la industria aérea en la región”.
“La afiliación a ALTA es señal del compromiso de Air Lease Corporation hacia la industria de la aviación en Latinoamérica y el Caribe,” indicó John Plueger, Presidente y Director de Operaciones de Air Lease Corporation. “Apoyamos el crecimiento de las aerolíneas de la región proporcionando soluciones estratégicas de negocios y acceso a las aeronaves más modernas y eficientes en el consumo de combustible”.
“Nos complace que Holland & Knight haya sido nombrado como Miembro Afiliado de ALTA. La firma tiene una sólida práctica y presencia de aerolíneas en los mercados centroamericanos y latinoamericanos, y consideramos a ALTA como un socio valioso y natural en nuestros esfuerzos para asistir a las aerolíneas en la región”, dijo Anita Mosner, Directora Encargada de la División de Aviación de Holland & Knight. “ALTA cuenta con un equipo maravilloso, con el que esperamos poder trabajar y apoyarlo durante los próximos años”.
Henri Courpron, Presidente de ILFC comentó, “Nuestra afiliación a ALTA es un nuevo compromiso de ILFC para involucrarse más activamente con los operadores de aeronaves en esta importante región en vía de desarrollo de la industria. Latinoamérica y el Caribe representan crecimiento y oportunidad. Para nosotros es un orgullo trabajar con ALTA y sus aerolíneas miembros”.
BAE SYSTEMS RESEARCH AIRCRAFT IN CANADIAN WILDFIRES STUDY TO IMPROVE AIR POLLUTION FORECASTS
July 13, 2011
A BAE Systems research aircraft is helping scientists analyse air pollution in the northern hemisphere caused by wildfires in Canada, in a bid to improve pollution forecasts.
The BAe 146 Atmospheric Research Aircraft (ARA) is on a three-week mission to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada where it is carrying a team of researchers who will use its on-board equipment to measure gases and particles emitted by wildfires. During the mission the BAe 146 ARA will be flown daily along the eastern coast of Canada chasing plumes of wildfire pollution
These emissions are transported across the Atlantic Ocean and may affect air quality in the UK and Europe. By helping researchers better understand how the chemicals from these wildfires disperse in the air as they are transported, this mission will help estimate the role of North American forest fires on air pollution in Europe and improve forecasting.
Such naturally occurring wildfires – sparked by dry, hot summer conditions – are likely to become more frequent amid changing climates and have a greater impact on air quality around the world.
The BORTAS scientific campaign (impact of boreal forest fires on tropospheric oxidants over the Atlantic using aircraft and satellites), consists of a team of scientists led by the University of Edinburgh and in collaboration with the Universities of York and Leeds and Dalhousie University in Canada. It is supported by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
Owned by BAE Systems and converted by BAE Systems Regional Aircraft into one of the foremost atmospheric research aircraft in the world, the BAe 146 ARA is a vital tool in the study of weather patterns, climate change and global warming, flying some 500 science hours a year.
The BAe 146 ARA is operated by Directflight in the UK under subcontract to BAE Systems while the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) manages the scientific tasking on behalf of NERC and the UK Met Office.
NERC and the Met Office task the aircraft largely on the basis of bids made by Universities or specialist departments of the Met Office, and arrange the necessary funding. FAAM implements the programme, arranging with BAE Systems Regional Aircraft the installation of new or different scientific equipment as demanded by each mission.
In addition to approving and engineering the role-change equipment required for BORTAS and all other missions, BAE Systems also is heavily involved with the scientific community in working out how to install ground-breaking new instrumentation on to the aircraft. For the BORTAS mission, a chemical ionisation mass spectrometer will fly on the aircraft and will measure, in particular, hydrocarbons, which are an important tracer for biomass burning.
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