HBC News

Beechcraft's AT-6 is appearing for the first time at the Paris Airshow

Beechcraft Corporation today announced during the Paris Air Show that it is offering the Baron G58 with Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The company recently delivered the first Baron G58 with an ISR package to the Fuerzas Unidas de Rápida Acción (FURA), an agency within the Puerto Rico Police Department that uses the aircraft for law enforcement surveillance missions within the region.

Beechcraft Showcases Commercial, Special Mission & Defense Aircraft at F-AIR Colombia

Beechcraft Corporation today announced that it will exhibit four of its commercial, special mission and defense products at the F-AIR Colombia event from July 11-14 at the International Airport José María Córdova in Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia. Beechcraft and its regional distributor, Aviaservice, will display a King Air 250 turboprop, a Baron G58, an AT-6 light attack aircraft and the company’s Special Mission King Air 350ER demonstrator at chalet #7.

For 51 weeks a year, EAA is an international community of more than 160,000 members that nurtures the spirit of flight through a worldwide network of chapters, outreach programs, and other events.

But for one week each summer, EAA members and aviation enthusiasts totaling more than 500,000 from more than 60 countries attend EAA AirVenture at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where they rekindle friendships and celebrate the past, present and future in the world of flight.

Beechcraft Corporation and its aftermarket service and support organization, Hawker Beechcraft Global Customer Support (GCS), today announced that its preferred fleet maintenance support agreement with Travel Management Company (TMC) has been in successful operation for the past six months and is expanding to include avionics installations. TMC is a privately owned, full-service air charter company based in Indiana that owns and operates a fleet of 67 aircraft strategically positioned throughout North America. TMC operates light and midsize jets, including the largest privately owned fleet of Hawker aircraft in the world. The companies began operating under the preferred fleet maintenance support agreement in January of this year. Under the agreement, GCS provides TMC with depot-level maintenance at Hawker Beechcraft Services in Wilmington, Del., as well as scheduled and unscheduled support at the entire network of factory-owned service centers.

“Our agreement with TMC has been in place since January of this year and has been an absolute success. In fact, it’s working so well that we are expanding our relationship,” said Christi Tannahill, senior vice president, Global Customer Support. “We’ve proven to TMC that our network’s expertise in pre-planning of maintenance events, as well as managing down time for optimum fleet utilization, allows their team to focus on flight operations. We’re proud to have earned the opportunity to be TMC’s preferred installation provider for Aircell’s Gogo Biz high-speed Internet service.” GCS will install Aircell’s Gogo Biz high-speed Internet system in the majority of the charter operator’s Hawker 400XP aircraft. TMC began introducing high-speed Internet and ground-quality voice systems in the company’s fleet of Hawker 800XPs last year and plans to have Aircell installed across its fleet completed by October.

Headquartered in Wichita, Kan., the GCS organization is dedicated to improving the value of both Hawker and Beechcraft aircraft by employing products and services to simplify aircraft ownership, reduce operating cost and increase resale value. GCS is comprised of five functional groups that include Support Plus (cost predictability/warranty programs), Hawker Beechcraft Parts & Distribution (genuine factory parts), Hawker Beechcraft Services (factory-owned service centers), Technical Support (Field Support Representatives, Hot Line specialists and Technical Publications) and Global Mission Support (parts, service, support and modifications for government, military and special mission operations).

Beechcraft deliveries rebounded in the second quarter, however, certification schedule slipped for a light jet upgrade programme. The 400XPR is delayed to Q4. Second-quarter aircraft deliveries totalled 56 aircraft - a 75% increase year on year, when the Wichita-based aircraft manufacturer was mired in a bankruptcy restructuring. Deliveries of Beechcraft's turboprop and piston-powered aircraft slipped slightly from the first quarter, when the company reported 59 aircraft shipments. The King Air 350i/ER types and the Baron G58 led the deliveries with 12 each, followed by 11 shipments of the T-6A/B/C. Beechcraft also delivered nine Bonanza G36s, seven King Air 250s and five King Air C90GTx aircraft.

Beechcraft Corporation announced that a new chalet at the 10th annual Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (LABACE) will feature four products from its line of commercial piston and turboprop aircraft, along with a special mission King Air 350ER. Beechcraft is partnering with its regional distributor, Líder Aviação, for the event that runs Aug. 14-16, at Congonhas Airport in São Paulo, Brazil.

Beechcraft Corporation today announced the completion of the inaugural flight of its first production Beechcraft AT-6 light attack aircraft. The company commemorated the event at its headquarters in Wichita, Kan., with employees and dignitaries. With more than 1,600 hours already logged in AT-6 test aircraft, Beechcraft is offering the AT-6 to U.S. partner nations in need of light attack air support for the most demanding scenarios

extention on that warranty for select aircraft...

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Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group acquires Beechcraft’s European MRO business, Hawker Beechcraft Ltd


Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group (Marshall ADG) announced today the purchase of Beechcraft’s flagship European MRO business, Hawker Beechcraft Limited. At its Broughton location in the UK, the site, also known as Hawker Beechcraft Services Chester, has provided a full range of maintenance, modification, paint and upgrade services to owners of Hawker and Beechcraft aircraft for over 50 years. The business will be known as ‘Marshall Aviation Services.’ Announcing the deal, which was signed on 30th August 2013, Steve Fitz-Gerald, CEO of Marshall ADG comments: “We are committed to a strategy of building our civil aerospace business and I am delighted that Hawker Beechcraft Limited has become part of Marshall Aviation Services. This is our second business aviation acquisition this year and demonstrates our ambition to grow and become a major player in the business and commercial aviation marketplace.”

Marshall ADG will continue to provide a vital service and support role for Beechcraft throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa and has been granted Authorised Service Centre status for Hawker and King Air aircraft. Christi Tannahill, Senior Vice President, Hawker Beechcraft Global Customer Support, said: “We view the transition of our service facility to Marshall as a positive development for customers, employees and the aviation industry in the region. We are confident Hawker and Beechcraft owners and operators will continue to receive world-class support through this newly designated Authorised Service Centre. We consider the employees to be one of the facility’s greatest assets and are pleased the Marshall team plans to capitalise on those valuable resources.”

Marshall Aviation Services also plans to broaden the range of aircraft types supported at Broughton and leverage its design and integration expertise to provide aircraft manufacturers, governments and specialist operators with innovative engineering and support solutions to satisfy special mission requirements. Steve Jones, Managing Director of Marshall Aviation Services, comments: “This exciting acquisition will enable us to focus on developing a ‘Centre of Excellence’ for business aviation. The company’s workforce, hangars, interior workshop and customer facilities, along with its established onsite design engineering office, engine bay and state-of-the-art paint facility, are a great platform for us to build on.”

As part of its increased focus on the Indian market, Beechcraft Corporation today announced that it has appointed a new sales distributor for the country. Arrow Aircraft Sales and Charters Private Limited (ARROW) has been named Beechcraft’s sales distributor in India, promoting its range of piston-engine aircraft and King Air turboprops across the country.

“We are pleased to announce ARROW as our exclusive sales representative for India,” said Richard Emery, Beechcraft president, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. “In terms of growth potential, India represents one of the most exciting countries for business aviation in the world. This is why we are strengthening our presence in the region with this appointment, enabling us to better serve both existing and new customers.” ARROW was founded in 2009 and has quickly developed into a significant provider of business aviation services, including sales, charters and operation management. The company serves its customers from its headquarters in New Dehli, as well as offices in Mumbai, Kolkata and Sharjah in the UAE.

“The Beechcraft King Air is a popular aircraft in India and leads the market share in the business turboprop segment,” said Samir Gupta, ARROW director and partner. “ARROW, with its positioning at the heart of the Indian aviation industry, is ideally poised to enhance the King Air’s already strong position in India, and we are very excited about working with Beechcraft.”The two companies will be kicking off their new partnership with a King Air 250 regional demonstrator tour this month. Sanjeev Choudhary, ARROW senior vice president, Business Development, says, “We will be showcasing this superb aircraft to our customers as we fly it throughout India from Sept 16-23. This will really bring to life the capabilities of the King Air and underline why it is well suited to the Indian market.”

Beechcraft’s King Air models are particularly popular in India as a result of their durability, reliability, fuel efficiency and ability to operate in even the most extreme conditions. These qualities have led to the King Air having a market-leading share of 81 percent of the Indian business turboprop market, with 69 aircraft. Furthermore, Beechcraft delivered 21 turboprops to the region between 2008 and 2012, making India the second largest purchaser of King Airs in Asia Pacific throughout this timeframe, only behind Australia (34 aircraft). Beechcraft’s King Air line of twin-engine turboprops began production in 1964 and is the best-selling business aircraft family in the world. To date, the company has delivered more than 7,000 King Airs to operators in 127 countries around the globe, and the worldwide fleet recently topped 60 million flight hours.

BLR Aerospace has appointed Premium Jet as Brazilian dealer for its winglet modifications for the Beechcraft King Air family aircraft. The Part 145-approved repair station, based at Afonso Pena International Airport in Curitiba, Brazil, is approved to sell and install winglets and LED lights for the King Air 90, 200 and 300 series twin turboprops. The performance-enhancing modification has already been approved by Brazil’s ANAC aviation authority. The BLR winglets are already standard equipment on the new King Air C90GTx and 250 models. Over 500 aircraft have been retrofitted with the enhancing equipment. It is said that the winglets can deliver overall savings of between 3 and 5 percent on the fuel bill.

The Raisbeck Swept Blade Turbofan Propellers for all King Air C90s will be available for deliveries from the beginning in January 2014.

Beechcraft is expecting to full certification their new $2.9 million Hawker 400XPR by November. 2013. Deliveries are expected to start in January for this re-engined and upgraded business jet. The advancement of the new jet was delayed by the bankruptcy restructuring that shut down production of new Hawker-branded jets. However, Beechcraft continued to work on certification of the 400XPr upgrades, says Christi Tannahill, senior vice-president of the company’s Global Customer Support.

United States-based charter operator Travel Management Company (TMC) has completed and activated ATG 2000 systems providing Gogo Biz in-flight internet service for their Hawker 400XP fleet. TMC is located in Indiana and is upgrading their Hawker 400XP fleet to better serve its customers. The Hawker 400XP fleet of 37 aircraft will be added to the already Gogo Biz WiFi fleet of 30 Hawker 800/850XP aircraft.

“TMC is committed to providing our customers with the best service and equipment,” says Scott Wise, President of TMC. “To be a leader in this industry it requires continual investment in your fleet. The popularity of Wi-Fi on our fleet of Hawker 800/850XP’s convinced us that adding Gogo Biz to the fleet of Hawker 400XP’s was the right approach to maintain consistency across our entire fleet. Now every flight on a TMC jet aircraft will include complimentary Wi-Fi service.”

Beechcraft Corporation today announced at the 2013 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition the appointment of Kalamazoo Aircraft, Inc. in Kalamazoo, Mich., as an authorized service center (ASC) for the company’s Baron and Bonanza products.

Beechcraft Corporation announced at the 2013 Dubai Airshow the appointment of South Africa-based Absolute Aviation as an authorized parts distributor for sub-Saharan Africa.

Teterboro-based Meridian Air Charter (Meridian) has added two business jets to its fleet. The company has added a new Hawker 900XP and a refurbished, repainted Cessna Citation VII. Both aircraft seat up to eight passengers and offer Wi-Fi access.

Companies operating Hawker midsize business jets have been warned by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that failure to maintain aileron control systems correctly could lead to wing and aileron oscillations that have the potential to eventually cause structural fatigue.

In a special airworthiness information bulletin published on 27 November, the FAA revealed it has received reports of wing/aileron oscillations from operators of 800XP and 850XP business jets, at altitudes above 33,000ft (10,100m) and at speeds over Mach 0.73. “These oscillations were not divergent, and when airplane speed was reduced and the airplane was flown at an altitude below 30,000ft, the oscillations ceased,” says the FAA.