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Bombardier attending Aviation Expo/China 2013​

Bombardier Aerospace, the global leader in business aviation and the world’s third largest civil aircraft manufacturer, will attend Aviation Expo/China 2013 to meet current and potential customers, further strengthen its long-term relationships with partners in the growing Chinese aviation industry and showcase its innovative range of aircraft and services.

Over the next 20 years, Bombardier forecasts 2,420 business jet deliveries in Greater China, driven by the gradual removal of barriers to business jet ownership and operation, the acceleration in the opening of airspace for civil aviation and significant investments in airport infrastructure...

Bombardier’s CSeries Aircraft Completes Historic First Flight​

Under perfect weather conditions, Bombardier Aerospace celebrated the successful first flight of its CSeries aircraft today, a major milestone in the company’s highly anticipated development program that will provide operators with an all-new family of aircraft specifically designed for the 100- to 149-seat market segment. The maiden flight marks the start of the CSeries aircraft’s flight test program leading up to the first customer delivery, and was also the first flight for Pratt & Whitney’s new Geared Turbofan™ PurePower engine as part of an aircraft certification program...

Beechcraft Displays Two Aircraft at Russia’s Jet Expo 2013​

Beechcraft Corporation today announced that it, along with its local sales distributor, Premier Aviation, will display a King Air 350i and King Air C90Tx at the Jet Expo 2013 event in Russia. The seventh annual international business aviation show will take place Sept. 12-14, at the Vnukovo-3 Airport near Moscow.

“The King Air product line is evident in this region and we continue to experience a growth in deliveries to the Russian and CIS markets,” said Scott Plumb, vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa...

Cessna Announces Major Order For 79 Skyhawk 172 Aircraft​

Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, today announced an order for 79 Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft, one of the largest orders on record for the aircraft, at Moscow’s JetExpo 2013. Moscow-based ViraZH, plans to use the Skyhawks for training purposes at various flight schools throughout western Russia. The order is part of a multi-year agreement between Cessna and ViraZH, with all 79 aircraft set to be delivered by the third quarter of 2014. On completion of the final delivery, ViraZH will have one of the world’s largest fleets of Skyhawk 172 aircraft in operation...

Cessna Celebrates First International TTx Delivery​

Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, is celebrating the first international delivery of the new Cessna TTx, the world’s fastest commercially produced and certified fixed-gear single-engine aircraft, to a customer in Thailand. The TTx was certified in July and enters the global marketplace as Cessna’s all-composite aircraft designed specifically for comfort, speed and luxury...

Embraer Releases China Executive Aviation Market Outlook 2014-2023​

Embraer Executive Jets presented its China Executive Aviation Market Outlook 2014-2023 during the press conference held today at the Chinese International Business Aviation Show (CIBAS) 2013, in Beijing, China. The Company forecasts that a total of 805 executive jets will be demanded by the Chinese market over the next decade. The large-cabin business jet class is expected to represent 51% of this demand, accounting for 78% of the total value of deliveries...

Dassault-Falcon to display at this month's Jet Expo​

Dassault Aviation will be present once again at Jet Expo 2013, in the heart of one of the industry’s most vibrant markets. The three-day event, Russia’s largest executive aviation show, will be held at Vnukovo Airport, September 12-14. The Dassault presence will reflect the Falcon fifty year anniversary which was celebrated in May this year. Two Falcon aircraft, the 5,950 nm top-of-the-line Falcon 7X and the 4,000 nm Falcon 2000LX, will be on display...

Piper to Deliver Jepp Data with New Aircraft Purchase​

Piper Aircraft Inc. will provide Jeppesen flight data to purchasers of new Piper airplanes, effective immediately. The flight data will simplify access to flight information for Piper aviators. Delivery of new Pipers will include Jeppesen NavData® and digital charts onboard and ready for use in flight. New owners of Piper aircraft equipped with Garmin G1000 avionics will receive a PilotPak data bundle that also includes supplemental databases, including obstacle, terrain, SafeTaxi and airport diagrams, in addition to Jeppesen navigation data...

Flexjet, LLC places orders for up to 245 Bombardier business aircraft ​

After 18 successful years as Bombardier’s fractional jet ownership division, Flexjet today announced a definitive agreement for its purchase by a group led by Directional Aviation Capital through a newly-formed entity, Flexjet, LLC. With support from its new investors, Flexjet is placing the largest private aviation order in its history valued at approximately $5.2 billion for up to 245 Bombardier business jets. The transaction for the sale of Flexjet is expected to close by the end of the year...

Comlux becomes first to take delivery of an Airbus ACJ321​

Comlux has taken delivery of the first Airbus ACJ321, the newest private jet from the world’s most modern aircraft family, which means that it will become the first to have operated every corporate Airbus A320 Family version. The Airbus ACJ321 is now being outfitted with VVIP cabin by Comlux America in Indianapolis, and is due to be completed in 2014. Like the Airbus ACJ318, ACJ319 and ACJ320, the ACJ321 will have the widest and tallest cabin of any business jet and, because of its stretched fuselage, it will also have the longest. Additional centre tanks will also give the ACJ321 extra range...

Bombardier CSeries Aircraft Awarded Transport Canada Flight Test Permit​

Bombardier Aerospace announced today that the first CSeries aircraft – Flight Test Vehicle 1 (FTV1) – has successfully obtained Transport Canada’s Flight Test Permit, thereby clearing the way for its maiden flight, expected in the coming weeks. This follows a series of pre-flight tests including low-speed taxi runs. FTV1 will now proceed with high-speed taxi runs whereby the aircraft simulates speeds for flight take-off...

First China-Assembled Legacy 650 Successfully Completes Maiden Flight ​

Harbin Embraer Aircraft Industry Co., Ltd (HEAI), Embraer’s joint venture with Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), announced that the first Legacy 650 large executive jet assembled in China successfully completed its maiden flight today. Delivery of the first Legacy 650 is scheduled for the end of 2013. Embraer’s test pilots flew the aircraft for about two hours and thirty minutes, assessing its handling and performance characteristics. The aircraft’s systems were evaluated, including flight control, communication, and navigation...

First Production Citation M2 Takes Flight​

Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, celebrated as the first production unit of its newest business jet, the Citation M2, took its maiden flight out of the company’s Independence, Kan., facility. The M2 was announced in September of 2011 with a design driven by customer and pilot feedback. It is the latest in a succession of new Cessna aircraft to make its initial production flight, and type certification is expected this fall. “The aircraft performed exceptionally well today,” said Cessna production flight test pilot Terry Martindale. “We departed Independence and proceeded to an altitude of 17,500 feet...

Falcon 2000S Makes First Appearance at 2013 LABACE​

Unveiled in May 2011, the Falcon 2000S was certified in the first quarter of 2013 and is the new entry level jet in the Falcon family. Equipped with a full slate of standard features, including upgraded EASy II avionics, FalconCabin HD+ entertainment system and a brand new fixed-configuration cabin designed by BMW Group DesignworksUSA, the Falcon 2000S brings large cabin comfort to the super mid-size segment. “The Falcon 2000S is an ideal airplane for this market,” said Rosanvallon...

Cessna Completes First Citation Latitude Fuselage​

Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced today at the Latin American Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (LABACE) in Sao Paulo, Brazil that the company has completed the first fuselage for its forthcoming mid-size business jet, the Citation Latitude. The Latitude prototype is expected to take its first flight in early 2014, and a mock-up of the aircraft is on display at this week’s LABACE show. The aircraft is expected to have a range of 4,630 km (2,500 nm), permitting non-stop travel between São Paulo and Caracas, Venezuela, or from Santiago, Chile to Bogotá, Colombia...

Gulfstream's G280 makes debut at 2013 LABACE​

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.’s new super mid-size aircraft, the G280, has arrived in São Paulo, Brazil, this week to be part of the 10th annual Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (LABACE). It’s the first time the aircraft will be part of the airshow’s static display. “The G280 is well-suited to the Latin American market, particularly Brazil,” said Scott Neal, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, Gulfstream. “From São Paulo, the G280 can reach all of South America without refueling and can easily reach the U.S. and Europe with one stop...

Citation Sovereign, Grand Caravan EX And TTX Make LABACE Debut​

Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, is debuting three of its new aircraft to customers attending this week’s Latin America Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (LABACE) in São Paulo, Brazil. The Citation Sovereign, Cessna Grand Caravan EX and the Cessna TTx are on display at the company’s exhibit this week at Latin America’s largest aviation convention. The new nine-passenger Citation Sovereign has a range of 5,556 km (3,000 nm) and can fly non-stop from Rio de Janeiro to Panama City...

Gulfstream G650 Makes Its Latin American Airshow Debut​

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.’s newest aircraft, the ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range G650, made its Latin American debut today as part of the company’s static display at the 10th annual Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (LABACE) in São Paulo, Brazil. This marks the first time a G650 has been at the Latin American airshow.

“We’re pleased to showcase the G650 at LABACE for the first time,” said Scott Neal, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, Gulfstream...

Gulfstream Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary Of G550 Certification​

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. today marked the 10th anniversary of the large-cabin, ultra-long-range G550 receiving its type and production certificates from the Federal Aviation Administration. It was the first time in Gulfstream history that an aircraft received both certifications on the same day. “The G550, like its predecessor the GV, has been a history-making aircraft,” said Scott Neal, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, Gulfstream. “It was the first aircraft in civil aviation to offer integrated modular avionics through its PlaneView™ flight deck to improve pilot situational awareness...

Embraer Executive Jets Introduces New Features for Phenom 100​

Embraer Executive Jets now offers new standard and optional features for its Phenom 100, revealed at the 10th annual Latin American Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (LABACE) today. The new features include multi-function spoilers, 11 new interior collections and new options including a refreshment center, stowage space and premium seats. “The new block-point changes are exciting and reflect how we listen and respond to customers,” said Ernest Edwards, President, Embraer Executive Jets. “The Phenom 100 is already the fastest and roomiest in the entry-level class...