Singapore adds C510 simulators

The training school for Singapore Airlines’ pilots, Singapore Flying College, has welcomed the arrival of a new jet trainer aircraft and the launch of the first of two new flight simulators to its base at Queensland’s Sunshine Coast Airport.

“Singapore Airlines has invested more than A$40 million in a new fleet of five Cessna Mustang C510 aircraft and two state-of-the-art flight simulators,” said the Chairman of the Singapore Flying School, Mak Swee Wah. “This investment will continue to ensure the college is a superior training facility and reinforces our substantial and long-term commitment to Queensland and international aviation.”

Mak said the flying school had trained about 140 cadet pilots a year since its Maroochydore base opened in 2002. There are 30 staff employed at Marochydore where the SIA cadets spend three months living in the nearby community as they complete part of their Advanced Training Program.

The arrival at Sunshine Coast Airport of the first aircraft in the new fleet was greeted by a troupe of Lion Dancers from nearby Cabolture.

The flying school at Maroochydore has trained more than 1,000 pilots during the past eight years and is one of two Singapore Airlines pilot training bases in Australia. The other is at Jandakot in Western Australia.

Singapore Airlines flies three times a day into Queensland with new Airbus A330 aircraft. Singapore Airlines Cargo also operates in Queensland. In addition, Singapore Airlines markets Queensland overseas to the tune of $185,000 annually under an agreement with Tourism Queensland.

The five new Cessna Mustangs and two flight simulators will replace four Lear L45 aircraft and two simulators

Read the full article here: http://www.aviationrecord.com/SearchResults/tabid/37/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/2690/New-simulators-aircraft-for-flying-school.aspx

Bid to make charter jets ‘sound choice’

Original article by ROELAND VAN DEN BERGH – BusinessDay.co.nz

ANDREW GORRIE/The Dominion Post

VERSATILE: Vincent Aviation’s new Cessna Citation Mustang is ideal for taking passengers to several places on the same day, the company says.

Relevant offers

Wellington airline Vincent Aviation wants to rekindle the corporate aircraft charter market destroyed a decade ago by a high-profile government department charter and an air crash.

Vincent Aviation managing director Peter Vincent said charter aircraft became a “dirty word” after Work and Income New Zealand spent $165,000 hiring Ansett New Zealand planes to fly 140 staff to a training course at a Taupo resort in 1999.

Confidence in the corporate charter market collapsed four years later following the crash of an Air Adventure plane as it prepared to land at Christchurch Airport, killing the pilot and seven top staff from the Crop and Food Research Institute.

Chartering aircraft has been regarded as a “gross exorbitance” since those incidents, Mr Vincent said.

While some big companies still made limited use of air charters, there has been almost no work from government departments, with the exception of transporting visiting dignitaries.

Mr Vincent will use a new Cessna Citation Mustang light jet for the service. It is owned by Wellington property developer Michael Garnham.

The Mustang seats up to five passengers and can fly to almost any airport in New Zealand from Wellington in under 90 minutes at a cost of about $2500 an hour.

With a price tag of US$3 million (NZ$4.3m), the Mustang is an entry level jet, lacking the beds, bars and plasma screens found on board much larger top end luxury jets like film director Peter Jackson’s Gulfstream IV or businessman Graham Hart’s Global Express.

The Mustang’s interior is closer to a ministerial limousine with four opposing leather seats, pull-out tables and a drinks cabinet, Mr Vincent said.

“What we have got to try and do is convince people now that the Mustang is not an exorbitance, it is actually an effective and economic way for people to travel.”

The jet was aimed at company executives wanting to visit several places in a day. This could not be done using scheduled airline services or for the same price.

“It is the sort of machine where … they could go to Manapouri and have a meeting, then to New Plymouth and Gisborne and be back in Wellington that afternoon.

“If people’s time is taken into account, that is when aircraft really come into their own.”

Mr Vincent hoped to convince taxpayers that it was also an appropriate aircraft for cabinet ministers to use to visit the regions, and a cheaper option than using an Air Force King Air transport plane.

However, he concedes that last week’s revelations over ministerial credit card spending abuses, including a $1292 charter flight by former Labour minister Shane Jones from Kaitaia to Tauranga to deliver “a key sector speech”, will have set back the chances of getting the Government back on board.

Mr Vincent’s biggest operation is in northern Australia where it flies from Darwin to mining towns using a fleet of 10 turboprop aircraft.

FlyMustang announces new base in Blackbushe

First class catering on board

FlyMustang under a special agreement with Aeronorte are proud to announce a new base in Blackbushe (BBS).
We now have a new jet based at Blackbushe and the demand is high. The interior of our aircraft is very plush and we have a surprise for people switching from other operators to us. Fluffy Cushions, cosy blankets, and extremely good value catering sourced from the Farnborough based Landings restaurant which recently won the Gold Toptable award.

For more information about The Falcon Hotel go to www.falconfarnborough.com

FlyMustang under a special agreement with Aeronorte are proud to announce a new base in Blackbushe (BBS).
We now have a new jet based at Blackbushe and the demand is high. The interior ogf our aircraft is very plush and we have a surprise for people switching from other operators to us.

New Citation Mustang Operator in France

France, June 2010
A new French operator Astonjet has launched Mustang services

Very little is known at this time othe than they are based at Le Bourget, Paris, France.
The company is owned by Groupe Air & Compagnie which is controlled by founder Charles Clair.

http://www.astonjet.com

Business jets worth $170 billion to be sold in 10 years

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 As the impacts of the economic turmoil are gradually diminishing on aviation, a rally has started in the business jets market. The sector will keep its stable growth after 2012. The sector will sell 11,933 aircraft worth $170 billion within the upcoming 10 years. The economic crisis, which started in September 2008 with the collapse of Lehman Brothers, has hit business jets most in aviation. Orders were either cancelled or delayed and companies facing financial troubles sold planes for less than their actual value. The crisis hit sales of planes with small- and medium-sized body, worth $4 million to $24 million, the worst. Due to the cancellation of orders, contraction reached 42.8 percent. Manufacturers were dismissed thousands of workers and new plane projects were suspended until the recovery of the market. The disruption in large-body, long-range aircraft worth more than $25 million was less than expected. The cancellation of orders to international companies with better financial situations remained at just 4 percent. Planes such as Gulfstream G550, Global Express, Falcon 7X could find customers over their actual value in second hand. Propeller planes, which normally see lower sales compared to jets, drew high interest due to the crisis. The companies flying in short distances and abstaining from the high costs of jets oriented to turboprop engine planes such as King Air, Piaggio P180 and Cessna Caravan. The sales rose 10 percent. The research revealed that the bad days are now over. As of 2012, the sales will reach the level of golden years of 2006 to 2008, with an average of 1,300 planes delivered annually. As of 2014, the figure is expected to climb to 2,000 planes annually. Within the upcoming 10 years, a total of 11,933 planes worth $170 billion will be sold. Light business jets draw highest demand. In this market, the total sales of Cessna Mustang, Embraer Phenom 100, Honda Jet models will reach 2,929 units. The sales of medium and larger body group such as Challenger 300, 605, Embraer Legacy 600/650, Falcon 2000, 900, Citation X, Gulfstream G250 will reach 2,184 units. From passenger to business jet Meanwhile, there is an activity in the market consisting of the business jets converted from former passenger planes. Once new planes such as Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 start operations at airlines, the delivery of their business jet models will also start. Businesspeople traveling with a crowd and need larger spaces, particularly Arabs and Russians, are among the top customers for these planes. In smaller body, there are business jets such as Brazilian Embraer’s Legacy 600, Lineage 1000, converted from regional aircraft. Moreover, Avro’s planes in RJ and ATR series, which airlines sell for cheap, are purchased for $3 million to $4 million and turned into business jets with slight costs. This market is closely monitored by the businesspeople that would like to own large planes with less cost. Private plane and helicopter manufacturers competed at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, or EBACE, which was more active compared to the previous two years. There were 486 companies with 74 planes in the fair on its 10th year in Geneva. The Turkey representatives of the manufacturers were also at the EBACE. Turkish companies Gözen Group and Arkas were also among the participants. Having overcome its financial problems, Eclipse has started production again. The manufacturer, whose name is now Eclipse Aerospace, aims at partnerships with Turkish companies to produce parts. The Turkish market is getting more active with the new aircraft to be delivered in the upcoming term, such as Gulfstream G550, Global Express XRS, Falcon 7X, Challenger 850, Challenger 300, Phenom 300 and Cessna Mustang

SkyTaxi und Globe Air kooperieren: kostengünstiges Geschäftsflugreisen im Herzen Europas

Mittwoch, 14. April 2010 Bernhard Fragner, Globe Air, und Rolf Seewald, SkyTaxi (v.l.) Mit der ersten Citation Mustang in Österreich waren Renate Moser und Rolf Seewald Pioniere bei der neuen Generation der kleinen, leichten Geschäftsreiseflugzeuge. Jetzt wird der SkyTaxi-Jet in die Flotte des österreichischen Unternehmens Globe Air eingegliedert und mit vermarktet. Auf einer Pressekonferenz in Friedrichshafen stellten SkyTaxi und GlobeAir ihre neue Zusammenarbeit vor und präsentierten eines der fünf Flugzeuge aus der Flotte. Das gemeinsame Ziel: hochwertiges und doch kostengünstiges Geschäftsflugreisen im Zentrum Europas zu ermöglichen. Renate Moser, Rolf Seewald, SkyTaxi bei der Pressekonferenz Eigentlich war der Auftakt wie bestellt, denn nachdem die Vertreter von Globe Air mit dem Linienflug anreisten, weil ihre Flugzeuge ausgebucht waren, blieben sie auf dem Weg zur Pressekonferenz auf der unfallbedingt verstopften Autobahn stecken. Das wäre mit dem direkten Flug an den Bodensee nicht passiert. Renate Moser und Rolf Seewald überbrückten die Wartezeit, indem sie ihre Seite der neuen Zusammenarbeit erläuterten. „Mit der ersten Citation Mustang waren wir Pioniere in Österreich und haben das SkyTaxi aus Vorarlberg vermarktet. Das Interesse an dem neuen, kleinen Jet war groß und die Preiskalkulation machte seinen Einsatz attraktiv”, berichtet Renate Moser. „Doch gerade mit den Problemen in der Vermarktung nur eines Flugzeuges sind wir über rund 250 Flugstunden im Jahr nicht hinausgekommen, was deutlich unter der Ertragsgrenze liegt.” Rolf Seewald führte aus: „Ich habe mich schon immer für den neuen Jet interessiert und als einer der ersten in Europa die Mustang bestellt. Nach der Zulassung in den USA habe ich sie auch selbst nach Europa geflogen. Mit seinem Konzept war SkyTaxi etwas komplett Neues: mit einem deutlich günstigeren Preisniveau konnte man die Vorzüge eines exklusiven Flugzeuges genießen. Ab dem ersten Tag ihres Einsatzes operiert das Flugzeug problemlos und Cessna hat damit einen Jet gebaut, auf den man sich verlassen kann.” Rolf Seewald, SkyTaxi, und Bernhard Fragner, Globe Air (v.l.) „Globe Air ist seit über zwei Jahren auf dem Markt. Überall dort, wo unsere Kunden ablegen wollen, steht einer unserer Jets in der Nähe, damit fallen Leerflüge oftmals ganz weg oder minimieren sich.” Bernhard Fragner, der Chef von Globe Air, erklärte noch leicht atemlos von der gehetzten Anreise das Konzept seines Unternehmens, das soviel Anklang gefunden hat, dass man bald neue Flugzeuge der Flotte zu führen wolle. „Wir glauben an das Konzept einer einheitlichen Flotte und freuen uns darauf, jetzt fünf Mustangs im Einsatz zu haben. Durch die Zahlen sehen wir unsere Überlegungen bestätigt: bei den Flügen nehmen wir 1,5 Passagiere mit und die durchschnittliche Flugzeit liegt bei etwas mehr als einer Stunde. Damit ist das Flugzeug ein tolles Produkt für den europäischen Markt.” In ihrem Geschäftsmodell sind sich die neuen Partner einig: Skytaxi und GlobeAir bieten eine wirtschaftliche Alternative zu Linienflügen, welche sparsamen Managern hilft sowohl ihre Reisekosten als auch ihren Zeitplan zu optimieren. „Schon ab vier Personen sind die Preise vergleichbar mit denen eines regulären Businessclass Tickets, allerdings gepaart mit allen Flexibilitätsvorteilen eines Privatjets,“ rechnet Renate Moser vor, die im Marketing des Skytaxi viele Erfahrungen gesammelt hat. „Der Kunde bestimmt, wann und wo er abfliegen möchte oder ob er auf seiner Reise einen Zwischenstopp einlegen will. Dadurch ist es möglich, mehrere Termine an einem Tag wahrzunehmen, Mitarbeiterkosten und Spesen zu sparen und die Produktivität des Unternehmens zu erhöhen. Fragner, Moser Seewald (v.l.) Für die Zukunft ist Bernhard Fragner trotz der schwierigen Situation optimistisch: „Als österreichisches Unternehmen sind wir in einer sehr guten geographischen Position. Wir können ganz Europa bedienen, auch wenn gegen unsere anfänglichen Annahmen doch rund 80 Prozent des Geschäftsaufkommens aus Westeuropa kommt. Unsere Kunden erwarten von uns hohe Flexibilität, auch bei kurzfristigen Buchungen, und hohe Qualität, die wir mit einer einheitlichen Flotte besser bieten können. Es freut uns besonders, dass wir SkyTaxi von einer Zusammenarbeit überzeugen konnten. Es war eine tolle Chance, diesen neuen Partner gefunden zu haben. Seit wenigen Tagen ist die Mustang vom SkyTaxi nun komplett in unsere Flotte integriert.” Auf der Basis des anhaltenden Erfolgs wird die Flotte von Globe Air weiter ausgebaut. Im Juni kommen schon die nächsten zwei Mustangs und insgesamt ist der Ausbau auf 13 eigene Flugzeuge geplant, mit dem SkyTaxi könnten dann 14 Flugzeuge eingesetzt werden. „Eine finanzielle Verflechtung zwischen den beiden Unternehmen gibt es bisher nicht,” betonte der Chef von Globe Air. „Als Aktiengesellschaft haben wir einen Aufsichtsrat und wir haben die Einladung an die Familie Moser Seewald ausgesprochen, darin eine Position einzunehmen.” Janin Fischer im Cockpit der Citation Mustang Nach der Pressekonferenz konnte auf dem Vorfeld des Flughafens Friedrichshafen die Mustang von SkyTaxi auch besichtigt werden, währenddessen die bisherigen Betreiber und die neuen Geschäftspartner vor dem Business Jet für die Presse posierten. Natürlich wurden auch das Cockpit und der Innenraum mit seinen vier bequemen Sitzen besichtigt. Janina Fischer, frühere ‚Miss Intersky‘ und jetzt angehende Lufthansa Pilotin, setzte sich hinter den Steuerknüppel des kleinen Jets und war von seinem modernen Cockpit begeistert. www.skytaxi.at www.globeair.at

Air taxis: Funding woes bring high ambitions down to earth

By Kevin Done Published: May 4 2010 00:07 | Last updated: May 4 2010 00:07 Many fledgling aviation ventures hatched during the heady days of the bubble economy have failed during the recession. Those still flying have been forced to rein in their ambitions and restructure to survive. High hopes were placed in particular on the start-up of low-cost private jet businesses – sometimes dubbed air taxis – seeking to exploit the arrival in the market for the first time of four-passenger very light jets. These ventures have proved to be among the most vulnerable, however, as sources of capital dried up and demand shrank. The latest notable casualty is Ireland’s JetBird, the most ambitious venture planned in Europe. Its failure to get off the ground has come as a serious setback for its founder and chairman, Domhnal Slattery, a leading Irish financier, and has robbed Embraer, the Brazilian aircraft maker, of its most important customer in Europe for its new range of Phenom 100 very light jets. JetBird appeared the most promising of the ventures setting out to make private jet travel more affordable at prices up to 50 per cent below those of existing charter operators. However, Stefan Vilner, chief executive of JetBird, says the business has been “put into hibernation”, after the launch was abandoned at the last moment. The pilots, hired and trained to fly the Phenoms, have been made redundant. The initial six aircraft built by Embraer for JetBird were never delivered and are being sold to other operators in North America. By contrast, Blink, a UK venture founded by two young former investment bankers, Peter Leiman and Cameron Ogden, which began revenue operations in June 2008, is still flying and reports a recovery in demand in the early months of this year. “We have seen a significant improvement since December,” says Mr Leiman. Inevitably, growth has been much slower than originally forecast, and Blink has been forced to defer deliveries of its chosen jet, the Cessna Mustang, due during 2010. Mr Leiman says that Blink is planning to resume capacity expansion in 2011, however. It expects to add three to five aircraft a year to its existing fleet of seven, as it gradually takes delivery of the 30 Mustangs it had placed firm orders for in mid-2007. All should be delivered by 2014, according to the present plan. Mr Vilner, previously chief commercial officer of Sterling Airlines, the former Danish low-cost carrier, says JetBird missed a number of planned launch dates last year, but was finally forced to abort the start of operations because of its inability to raise sufficient equity capital. Funds promised by an investor from Saudi Arabia, and announced as a done deal in September 2008, failed to materialise and left JetBird at risk of failing to meet key covenants in the aircraft financing deal it had prepared with United Technologies, parent company of Pratt & Whitney, maker of the Phenom engines. The Middle East investor was supposed to inject €10m ($13m) to secure a stake of 9.3 per cent, joining Mr Slattery, the leading shareholder, whose Dublin-based Claret Capital had previously led the initial fund raising that had brought in €21m in December 2007. JetBird was planned to be the first pan-European operator of very light private jets. It was one of the most ambitious ventures planned by Mr Slattery, formerly managing director of the structured asset finance business of Royal Bank of Scotland, who made his initial fortune in aircraft leasing. It placed a firm order in 2006 for 50 Phenoms with options for another 50, and had 15 due for delivery by December last year. “Things never work out the way you thought,” says Mr Vilner. “We were ready to launch, but finally we wanted to preserve shareholder funds until other investors were ready to put equity in.” The aircraft financing deal had included covenants on the minimum cash requirements for running the business and “we were not comfortable we could meet these requirements”, says Mr Vilner. “We decided it was too risky.” The JetBird business plan was based on reaching a significant scale quickly, and breaking even with a fleet of 18-19 aircraft. Staffing has been cut from 34 prior to the planned launch, to eight, who are concentrating on trying to find equity backing and on negotiating a revised deal with Embraer. The Brazilian aircraft maker says it is “currently discussing a new purchase agreement for aircraft deliveries in the future”. JetBird is not taking delivery of aircraft, says Mr Vilner. “We want to go out and do a thorough equity search. It is difficult right now. There are very few parties wanting to invest in private aviation. We would rather preserve our cash and keep a low profile.” Mr Slattery has decided to concentrate his efforts for the moment on more lucrative prospects back in his old field of aircraft leasing. Mr Leiman, one of the co-founders of Blink and a former UBS investment banker, has reasons for greater optimism. Blink was the first in Europe to test the very light jet model, and after nearly two years of operations it is still flying. It has gained its own air operator’s certificate and is learning to handle often extreme seasonality. It is experimenting with online pricing and booking, and in the London market it is working principally from low-cost Blackbushe airfield on the Hampshire/Surrey border in preference to the much more expensive nearby Farnborough. Mr Leiman says the biggest problem facing Blink is building awareness of the brand. “It is expensive. It depends on cash on the balance sheet and the return on the spend. That is the real question.”

Surprise! VLJ activity climbed in downturn

By: ian SheppardMay 6, 2010 Business Aviation While the industry at large has suffered a severe downturn since 2008, very light jets (VLJs) have enjoyed a “secret boom,” according to German aviation consultancy Wingx Advance. The company based its conclusion on Eurocontrol data showing that over the past six months the number of VLJ flight movements in Europe grew by 100 percent compared with the same period a year earlier. “The best example of this is activity by the Cessna Mustang, which more than doubled its number of flights in the past 12 months and in March reached all-time high of 1,360 flights,” reported Wingx this week. These figures contrast with activity levels for aircraft such as the Learjet 40, Cessna CJ3/Encore and other light jets, which slumped by more than 30 percent. According to Wingx, the largest portion of customers for VLJs has come from the light-jet market segment. The analyst firm is suggesting that the upward trend in VLJ traffic has been somewhat masked by high-profile start-ups, such as Bikkair and Jetbird, which scrapped ambitious growth programs. However, at the same time more cautious approaches have started to pay off for operators such as Globe Air and Blink. Top airports for VLJ traffic have been Farnborough, Le Bourget, Luton, Rome Ciampino and Linz, Austria, according to Wingx. “In the light of lower operating costs, and thus more attractive charter rates, VLJs are becoming a serious alternative to scheduled flights for many business travelers,” said aviation analyst and Wingx managing partner Christoph Kohler. “We expect the trend to strengthen as fuel prices continue to rise and the modern technology behind a Mustang or Phenom 100 leads to even lower operating costs.”

Aviation Beauport acquires new Mustang C510

Aviation Beauport had added to its existing fleet with the recent acquisition of a new light jet, the Citation Mustang C510. The Mustang, which has a maximum range of 1,150 nautical miles, was the world’s first fully certified entry-level business jet and was hailed as the aviation industry’s ‘Product of the Year’ when first unveiled in 2007. Group chairman and owner Mike Bell said the arrival of the new Mustang, following on from the purchase of its flagship Falcon 2000EX in 2009, had further expanded Aviation Beauport’s range of charter options and that its latest addition was already proving popular with corporate and private clients flying to destinations such as London, Frankfurt and Geneva. Recognised as one of the leading executive jet operators in Europe and the Middle East, Aviation Beauport’s existing fleet of aircraft already offers a mix of short, medium and long range capabilities, allowing for fast and flexible private air travel to key destinations around the globe. “Having looked at all the different aircraft in its field, we believe the Mustang C510 is the perfect choice for small groups of up to four passengers seeking the ease and comfort of a private jet at an affordable price, without compromising on quality, service and performance,” said Mr Bell. Originally established in 1969 as a small air taxi service, Aviation Beauport is the only executive jet air charter company in the Channel Islands and now employs upwards of 30 staff. Last year, it handled approximately 5,000 aircraft movements, with passenger numbers in the region of 12,500. In addition to its successful air charter business, the company offers a professional aircraft management service to private owners, which includes the provision of crew, operational support and assistance with the administration of aircraft registration, tax and insurance. It may also be able to offset ownership costs by utilising the aircraft for charter purposes. Full handling and hangarage facilities are available in its executive FBO.

Cessna Rolls Out Its 300th Business Jet Built In SE Kansas

Proud Cessna staff with 300th Citation C510 Mustang Jet

INDEPENDENCE, KS — Cessna announced Thursday, the rollout of the 300th Citation Mustang at its assembly facility in Independence, Kansas.

Production of the $3 million aircraft was begun at its southeast Kansas facility in 2007.

“The aircraft continues to set the mark for entry level business jet operations around the world, and its demand has remained fairly resilient during the past year,” said Jack J. Pelton, Chairman, President and CEO. “It has found success in air taxi and charter operations, in flight departments, in training organizations as well as with owner-operators.”

The 300th Citation Mustang will be delivered later this year to a retail customer in Australia.

Cessna says the Citation Mustang is a fully certified entry-level business jet.