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2014 NBAA Static Display of Jet Aircraft

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  1. 2014 NBAA Jet Aviation Static Display
    Fueling the Need for Efficiency

    Showalter Flying Services hosted the 2014 NBAA for the 9th time since 1996. This year, nearly 100 jets decorated the tarmac ranging from transcontinental heavy metal to back country puddle jumpers. The diversity of both new and pre-landed jets is like binge-watching Wings. Tickets to this Jet-A event aren't cheap at $400, but if you're reading this on JetForums, you're on the A-list! On the subject of Jet-A, with fuel prices soaring, jet aircraft manufacturers have put more emphasis on efficiency and range. The latter has become increasingly important as some operators are bunkering to keep their fuel cards from maxing out; an effective way to reduce operating costs. For those who are topping tanks along the way, the latest crop of new jets are studies in computational fluid dynamics; justifying their costs with efficiency.

    The result of all this refinement are some very sexy jets that becomes eye-candy for shutterbugs. For those of you unable to attend the show, join JetForums photographer Tom Serio as he brings his D-frame perspective to our digital world and focused on a few select aircraft in this ground-based flotilla of turbines & technology.

    Captions by Carl Camper
    Photography by Tom Serio

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  2. Our first stop at Static was Bombardier's air-conditioned dome displaying the Canadian conglomerate's world of transportation. Bombardier's business aircraft portfolio includes LearJet, Challenger and Global, but this year's display showcased the addition of the Challenger 650 and its global launch partner NetJets. A special unveiling event took place during the 2014 NBAA that emphasized the Challenger 650's reliability and reduced operating costs; primary criteria for fractional and charter operations.
  3. Bombardier's crystal ball foretells fast flight...
  4. The Challenger 650 will feature Bombardier's Vision flight deck based on the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics system, originally designed for the Bombardier Global 6000. The Challenger 650 mock-up showcased the interior appointments and space utilization that should make it a popular choice in the business jet, frequent flyers club.
  5. Following a bankruptcy in 1990, Bombardier acquired Learjet and has subsequently diversified its Wichita-based offerings which are now the LearJet 70, 75 & 85; the latter being the first FAR Part-25 all-composite business aircraft. A signature design element in the LearJet line is an unmistakeable profile, maintaining the signature raked windshield and nose shape of the original Bill Lear designs.
  6. The LearJet 70 is based on the Learjet 40 & 45 airframe with some performance modifications such as canted winglets borrowed from Bombardier's Global series. The design may be long in the tooth, but the addition of Garmin's G5000 make this a competitive platform. Most notably, the old Dash 20BR's have been replaced with Honeywell TFE731-40BRs. With 3,850 pounds of thrust at hand (each), the LearJet 70 has about 10 percent more takeoff power slightly better fuel efficiency than the 40/45.
  7. Like handlebar streamers on a bicycle, the pitot tube covers on this LearJet 70 are to prevent foreign debris from entering the tubes; certainly a wise precaution at a public venue.
  8. Bombardier's LearJet 45 flanked the 70/75 in show of support; putting 'You First' with 13 trucks on the road in North America to provide resolution of unscheduled maintenance; the aviation correct term for fixing a problem. Recognizing that speed means everything when an aircraft is grounded, Bombardier has a 24/7 customer response team to deliver parts and technical expertise with hundreds of support professionals around the world.
  9. Thirteen trucks are strategically located throughout North America with this LearJet 45 on standby to deliver parts or people to North America, South America, Europe and the Middle East. N45YF is based at Chicago Executive Airport, close to Bombardier’s parts hub. Chicago stocks the bulk of Bombardier’s one billion dollar+ spare parts.
  10. The 'You First' program is Bombardier's answer to Gulfstream's global support program. The protocol is speed and it makes no difference to Bombardier how the parts are delivered. If the part can't be shipped overnight, they use a courier. If that's not fast enough, they spool up the LearJet 45. According to a spokesperson at the NBAA, Bombardier's customers don't pay extra for this. Parts and/or technicians are delivered by the Customer Response Team at no charge. The customer only pays for parts and labor, hence the two words that every business traveler thrives on...
  11. Bombardier's 111-foot long Global 7000 mock-up was on display along with an example of it's cargo capability. The Global 7000 is an ultra long-range corporate jet produced by Bombardier. It is expected to enter into service in 2016, boasting a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90 and a range of 7,300 nm on next-generation General Electric turbofan engines which will help haul 196 cubic feet of cargo, or in this case... Rimowa aluminum luggage, piled up like the DEA's prize catch!
  12. The Global 7000 will feature Bombardier's Vision flight deck with a head-up display, along with their Enhanced Vision System and Synthetic Vision System. The system includes Graphical Flight planning with weather radar and windshear detection. Complimenting the full scale mock-up above, this is the digital render of the proposed cockpit.
  13. Textron Aviation has three iconic brands in their hangar; Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker, which collectively account for more than half of all general aviation aircraft flying. Cessna recently added a Plus to their Citation X, making it the world's fastest business jet at 0.935 mach. The Citation X+ recently set several city-to-city speed records including Seattle to Miami, making the 2,375 nautical mile trip in 4 hours, 52 minutes.
  14. From root to wingtip, the wing on the Citation X+ is a work in CFD art. The obvious element is the highly swept wing used to increase the critical Mach number. The Citation X wing has 37 degrees of sweepback! The most distinct difference in the Plus version is the addition of winglets.
  15. Powered by two FADEC-controlled Rolls-Royce AE3007C2 turbofan engines, it will reach reach Flight Level 470 in 24 minutes with a ceiling of 51,000 ft., covering 3,429 nautical miles in oxygen deprived air. If the Citation X+ looks larger than it's predecessor, it's because the fuselage has been stretched by 15 inches.
  16. Accentuating the stinger atop the vertical fin in this classic Tom shot, the extent of applied aerodynamics with the Citation X+ becomes more clear as you study the design. The shape of this vertical tail cone promotes laminar flow near the root of the stabilizer, tapering slowly to a convergence point.
  17. The Citation X+ flight deck is centered on the Garmin G5000 avionics package with four full-color touch-screen LCD control panels and three 14-inch high-resolution displays, as well as fully integrated auto throttles to reduce pilot workload. Standard Garmin Synthetic Vision Technology on the primary flight displays gives the flight crew a virtual reality view of runways, terrain, traffic and obstacles.
  18. Introduced in 1964, the venerable Beech King Air is part of a line of turboprop aircraft produced by Beechcraft. Over the years, the King Air line has consisted of a number of models divided into two groups; the Model 90 & 100 were King Airs and the Model 200 & 300 series were labelled as Super King Airs. The King Air family of turboprops have outsold all of their competitors combined. This particular plane was the new King Air 250 powered by Pratt & Whitney PT6A's.
  19. The 'King has prevailed for 50 years as a premiere business tool partially due to its short field capability. With new composite props and airframe components, coupled with a new ram air system, the King Air 250 needs even less room to roll out than previous models. It rotates in 2100 feet and hits FL250 in just 15 minutes, cruising in the 300 knot range. Over 3500 units have been built and it remains an ever-popular choice in the pre-owned, medium range market.
  20. The latest King Air 250 includes a Collins Pro Line 21 fully integrated avionics suite along with the latest in safety enhancing equipment including IFIS, TCAS, EGPWS, and RVSM capability, a level of sophistication and systems integration usually found in business jets costing millions of dollars more. Most notable is the aircraft also has impressive one-engine-inoperative (OEI) takeoff performance.
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