General Business Aviation News

Personal executive jet company JetLinx recently celebrated their 100th aircraft under their management. It is good news as this company is a major player in the States. In fact, it is the third largest (Part 135) management company in the United States at this point. Jamie Walker, president & CEO of Jet Linx said: “Surpassing 100 aircraft under management marks a milestone we are honoured and proud to celebrate with our valued aircraft owners, amazing team members and great industry partners. We set out 18 years ago to provide a more personalised approach to guaranteed private jet travel solutions, and this milestone is the ultimate validation of our business model. This achievement truly reflects the quality of our programs and the commitment by our people to provide the best service in the private aviation industry.”

Fitting out of this BBJ Demonstrator

The New England Patriots seems to have sorted its airline problem now. The team now has acquired not one but two Boeing 767 aircraft to use. One will be used as the main aircraft and the other will be a backup.

Photo from Darren Rovell IG page

A look at what goes on in making the VIP finishing touches you see on the Dassault Falcon jets.

XTI is looking to bring their XTI trifan 600 to the NBAA Convention in Las Vegas next month. It won't be a full-sized aircraft though but around the one-third scale mock-up type and size. It is a Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft. The start-up, based in Denver Colorado, began developing the TriFan in 2013, with the aim of creating an aircraft with business jet-like speed and the take-off and landing performance of a helicopter.

Completions company Flying Colours recently redelivered a pair of Bombardier Challenger 850s for an undisclosed company, said to be a fortune 500 company. One was handed over in July and the other last month. The airplanes are replacing two turboprop aircraft that served are corporate aircraft for the undisclosed company. The interior work included a complete remodeling of the cabin. Standard business class seats were fitted with USB ports for in-seat charging. The Rockwell Collins Airshow 500 is displayed via monitors at the front and back of the aircraft. To accommodate hot and cold drinks, the galley was modified to offer maximum storage, and two lavatories feature at the fore and aft of the cabin.

One of the most luxurious VVIP aircraft around is this Boeing 787 BBJ operated by Deer Jet. It can be seen on static display at the ongoing Dubai Airshow. Designed by Pierrejean Design Studio of Paris and completed by U.S.-based Greenpoint Technologies, the interior includes a forward master suite with bedroom, an expansive lounge area and in the rear and a guest cabin with first-class seating. Ensuring passengers arrive refreshed after journeys that may last as long as 16 hours, the composite 787 maintains a 6,500-foot cabin at its 43,000-foot maximum altitude. It can accommodate as many at 40 passengers with an endurance more than 8,600 nautical miles.

Monarch Air Group now accepts BitCoin

“In a world where the business aviation market is more of a necessity than a luxury, as an industry leader, Monarch, is among the first in line to evolve and accept the new currency,” said Rishi Maharaj, executive account manager for Monarch Air Group. “We at Monarch continuously enhance and streamline our booking process, with methods like digital contracts, live online quoting and no membership fee charter programmes.” The Monarch Air Group is located at the Fort Lauderdale International Airport.

ZettaJet secures $8.5 million dollars to finance restructuring. One of Zetta Jet’s lessors and customers will provide up to $8.5 million in loans to help it restructure and exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The loan has been provided by Scout Aviation, a lessor, owned by financier Nathanial Rothschild. Scout is now officially known as a stalking-horse bidder and will compete against other companies to buy Zetta Jet before it emerges from bankruptcy protection in February.

In an interesting turn of events, ZettaJet has folded up and ceased operations as of yesterday. We previously told you that the company was looking to secure approximately $8.5 million dollars to finance their restructuring. Apparently the court denied that which forced them to stop operations. This young company only started a few years ago and was seen as one of the fastest growing charter type companies.

GE Aviation has announced that it has run the Advanced Turboprop engine for the first time. The new engine is being built for Textron Aviation's brand Cessna and their new Cessna Denali model. GE Aviation has committed more than 400 million dollars into the development of this engine. The engine had its first start at the GE Aviation facility in Prague, Czech Republic. Certification testing will be this year for the new engine which will then allow the Cessna Denali to fly later this year. Paul Corkery, general manager for GE Aviation Turboprops, added: “The continued testing will generate valuable data from the engine and validate the aerodynamics, mechanics, and aerothermal systems. With the engine run and most of the individual component testing completed, early indications show that we will meet or exceed all the performance numbers we have quoted for the engine.”

Qatar Executive has taken delivery of its fourth Gulfstream G650ER. “The demand from our customers for longer-range private air travel continues to grow,” said Akbar Al Baker, CEO, Qatar Airways Group. “Taking delivery of our fourth Gulfstream G650ER executive jet, making Qatar Executive the largest single owner and operator of G650ER luxury private jets in the world, means we can continue to meet this demand.” Qatar Executive is also expected to be the launch customer for the Gulfstream G500.

Gulfstream is looking to display their G650ER and the all-new G500 that is on the verge of certification at the Abu Dhabi Air Expo next week. The G500 has been particularly busy especially N505GD as this one is being used to test real world functionality and reliability. It got back to Gulfstream HQ in Savannah, Georgia after flying from Lagos, Nigeria via Bridgetown, Barbados. It will now embark on flying to Abu Dhabi for the show which starts on Monday coming. The event will run for three days. “In addition to being well suited for our customers’ long-range and large-cabin needs, the G500 and G650ER are best in class,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. “Gulfstream’s presence at the Abu Dhabi Air Expo will be the perfect chance for business jet customers in the region to tour the new G500 and record-breaking G650ER.”

I know we do not do helicopters bu I just came across some general news about Bell Helicopters. This company will now be known simply as "Bell". They will also have a new mission slogan, "Above and Beyond Flight". “We're not a helicopter company, we're not a tiltrotor company, we're a technology company redefining flight,” Mitch Snyder, CEO and President said. “We needed something to portray that,” he continued. The logo also changes with the incorporation of a dragonfly.

Bombardier has a full-size cabin mockup of their new Global 7000 in Singapore...which will soon gain certification. That mockup is actually on tour around the world. It is currently on a tour of Asia area having been in Dubai, now in Singapore and then will move to China for the 2018 ABACE. Photo by Chen Chuanren.

Hong Kong Jet is set to expand its operations to Greater China. A subsidiary of HNA General Aviation Group and sister company of Asia’s largest business aviation company Deer Jet, Hongkong Jet will upgrade and expand its HKAR-145 maintenance capabilities to include approval to certify the Gulfstream G550 to 144MOS/12C level.

The Gulfstream G550, G650 and Boeing's BBJ1s are currently enveloped in the Trade War between the US and China. China instituted a 25% tariff on them in retaliation. According to AIN, it’s unclear if these tariffs are an increase of, or are in addition to, China’s existing 22 percent import tariff on business aircraft.

It appears that Qatar Airways is investing in JetSuite. The airline is continuing its global expansion not just in the commercial sector but also in business aviation. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said, "We are delighted to have the opportunity to invest in such unique business as JetSuite and JetSuiteX; we believe that both businesses are complimentary to Qatar Airways business and maintain the core values and customer focus of our own business. We believe that JetSuite and JetSuiteX deliver a truly class-leading service to the U.S. market with a huge potential for development, and we are very excited to invest in this opportunity alongside JetBlue and the other investors."

With the vanishing of ZettaJet in Singapore another business aviation company has popped up. It is called OJETS... sporting a similar concept symbol on the tail.
“We are honored to have closed with Minsheng Finance Leasing Co. of China as our finance partner and look forward to building our relationship as we expand OJets,” said Michael Ta, CFO, OJets. “We have implemented a growth objective to quadruple the size of OJets’ current fleet by the end of Q2. This growth is underpinned by US$350 million in equity and debt; and will establish OJets as a global operator with one of the newest fleets of long-range business aircraft in service.” With regards to the symbol, the Asian symbol 'ensō' has been used, which represents strength, elegance and infinity, and the infinity sign was used on ZettaJet's tail...interesting. The company is starting operations with a Global 6000 and Challenger 650 financed by Minsheng Financial Leasing.

OJets is growing at a rapid rate, we reported on this company in April and they started operations with A Challenger 650 and a Gl0bal 6000. Not too long ago, the company has now grown to around 25 aircraft. The reason for this is owned and managed aircraft from another company got absorbed. 25 aircraft owned and managed now exists since the integration of the Elit’Avia fleet. “We are very pleased with our growth in the short period since we launched OJets,” says Nick Houseman, CEO, OJets. “We are well-financed and continue to aggressively add aircraft to our fleet. We are very selective – only seeking the best long range and large business jets on the market, while also favoring aircraft no more than two-years-old. We believe that these high standards are necessary in order to deliver industry-leading service to our clientele – the most discerning business travelers in the world. All things considered, it would be difficult to grow the fleet much faster.”