Aviation Week Show News - November 12, 2007 - (Page 14)

BUSINESS AVIATION D U B A I 2 0 07 Le Bas Touts Carbon-Zero JetCard Air Charter specialist Le Bas International (Stand W16) is promoting “Carbon-Zero” flying on all charter flights globally at no additional cost to its JetCard members. The Carbon-Zero JetCard eliminates 100% of the carbon footprint produced by jet aircraft by offsetting carbon emissions through a partnership with TerraPass (which funds environmentally positive, carbon replenishing projects like forest planting and wind energy production (www.terrapass.com). “As part of our corporate responsibility initiative we intend to neutralize all carbon emissions produced by our charter aircraft by December 2007,” said CEO Peter Le Bas. “Additional initiatives include utilizing wind power to produce electricity for our operations centers and eliminating the use of paper whenever possible.” After each trip a certificate stating that the carbon emissions were offset will be presented to each client. The company notes too that its Carbon-Zero JetCard can be used to charter aircraft ranging from turboprops to large jets without the inconvenience of acquiring credit approval or transferring funds prior to departure. “We are very proud of our impeccable reputation for attention to detail, speed of locating the correct aircraft and of course our customer care,” said COO Tracey Deakin. “Our team has the experience to instantly recognize what type of aircraft best suits our clients’ needs and the knowledge of where to find it.” T erraPass CEO Erik Blatchford said that Le Bas is sending “a message that combating climate change is not a luxury, but a necessity… to excel in Book a trip with this card and carbon offsets are free. today’s marketplace, international families and businesses to balance business must have the vision to out the global warming impact of their flying, driving and home face global problems.” Le Bas is headquartered in San energy use. TerraPass customers Luis Obispo, California and has have offset more than 420 million a European operations center in pounds of carbon dioxide emissions by funding clean energy and GHG Ireland. T erraPass, Le Bas says, is the lead- reduction projects throughout the ing consumer retailer and marketer U.S., including wind farms and erraPass greenof greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction biomass energy. All T programs. More than 65,000 Terra- house gas reductions are certified by Passes have been sold to individuals, an independent auditor. Pilatus Enjoys Strong Sales, Looks to New Aircraft A Twin-Engine Pilatus? Plans for a new business aircraft as “a move-up from the PC-12,” are being reviewed, according to Fred Muggli, Pilatus marketing manager for civil aircraft, who wouldn’t be drawn on whether the aircraft would be single- or twin-engined. The Swiss company may be looking at a twin jet configuration, possibly to combat the Grob SPn Utility Jet which, Grob says, was designed to take over from where the PC-12 leaves off. This is exactly the thinking of U.S. fractional operator PlaneSense which already has a fleet of 30-plus PC-12s (and more on order), and ordered 25 Grob SPns at the NBAA convention in Atlanta in September. That move underscored the fact that Pilatus cannot delay too long on a decision. The Pilatus PC-12 turboprop is sold out until at least 2010. Pilatus (Stand W438) can’t meet demand for its Pilatus PC-12 turboprop, as even with a ramp-up from 90 per year to 110 by end 2008, production is sold out until 2010. Despite this waiting time, Fred Muggli, Pilatus marketing manager for civil aircraft, is optimistic for sales in the Middle East and cites the success of six PC-12s already operating as business aircraft in India. The New Generation (NG) PC-12 is on track for year-end certification with the first delivery scheduled for April next year. Production of the NG, which has 14 Honeywell Primus Apex avionics, a more powerful Pratt &Whitney Canada PT6A-67P engine, and new interior designed by BMW Designworks USA, will come on stream early next year. The basic cost of the NG is $3,350,000, and around $4 million for the BMW Designworks USA model. Two of the 23 PC-12s for Moscow’s Dexter air taxi have been delivered, a third is due by year end, and the rest at five per year. —Mike Vines Pilatus’s Fred Muggli (at center) and the cockpit of the (new) Pilatus P-12. November 12, 2007 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.terrapass.com http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Aviation Week Show News - November 12, 2007

Aviation Week Show News - November 12, 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.