EBACE Show News - May 22, 2008 - (Page 19)

EBACE 2008 DeCrane-PATS is installing long-range saddle tanks on CRJ200s Tailwind Capital Rebuilds CRJ200s as Business Jets Many have noticed similarities between Bombardier’s Challenger 850 business jet and the rows of 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 regional jets laid up in the desert. But few have done anything about converting the airliners into Challenger 850 look-alikes. MJET (Booth 1435) is getting ready to roll out its first airliner-tobusiness jet conversion. And very close behind it is the Hemisphere 200XR from Tailwind Capital and the Global Principal Finance Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Merrill Lynch. Tailwind has quietly been converting and completing its first CRJ200 at DeCrane’s PATS in Georgetown, Delaware, to be delivered to Solid Air in the Netherlands for charter work at the end of June or early July. “We bought five 2003-vintage, low-time (10,000 hours) CRJ200s from Comair,” Tailwind capital Joel Hussey told Show News. “The first is nearly finished, and the second is 40 days behind.” He believes there are sufficient aircraft parked in the desert to complete four to six aircraft per year. The first five are contracted to DeCrane for conversion and interior completion. The PATS long-range saddle tanks are the same as those used in the Challenger 850, fitted under PATS’ STC. PATS also holds a license from Bombardier for the plumbing and fuel system modifications for aftermarket aircraft, so the whole conversion can be done quickly without the need for any flight testing or further FAA approvals. Hussey says his aircraft differ from other people’s conversions in that they are comparatively young and can transition easily into the corporate market without needing extensive maintenance and rectification work. The cockpits, he notes, are the same as in the Challenger 850. Not surprisingly the Hemisphere 200XR has exactly the same specs as a Challenger 850 (including cabin volume of 1,900 cu ft, and a fourpassenger range of 3,091 nm), but is priced almost $10 million less at $19.25 million— vs. $29.10 million. Tailwind Capital is here with DeCrane at Booth 375. —John Morris and is fitting the formerly mothballed Bombardier jets with deluxe interiors. Jet Aviation Plans Midcoast MRO, and FBO, at Ogden, Utah Jet Aviation has signed a letter of intent with Kemp Development Inc. for a new Midcoast Aviation MRO facility and state-of-the-art Jet Aviation FBO at Ogden-Hinckley Airport, Utah. Jet Aviation Ogden is expected to commence operations in fall 2008, to augment the company’s Midcoast Aviation facility in Cahokia, Illinois, and newly acquired Savannah Air Center in Savannah, Georgia. “This brand new Jet Aviation facility will allow us to offer complete coast-to-coast MRO coverage for the U.S. market,” states Jim Ziegler, Jet Aviation’s COO for the Americas. “This facility is ideally located to serve western U.S. business aircraft operators with premium MRO and FBO services.” Under the agreement, Jet Aviation is to assume the existing FBO operations of Kemp Jet Services. Jet Aviation Ogden is to comprise some 70,000 sq ft (6,500 sq m) of maintenance hangars and workshops. It will be focused on mid-to large-cabin business aircraft and provide heavy maintenance, component repair, refurbishment and painting. Discussions with major OEMs to obtain service center designations are underway, and approvals are expected by the end of 2008. The facility also offers a complete suite of both pilot and passenger amenities such as an executive terminal, fueling, pilot snooze room, pilot lounge, weather and flight planning and an onsite restaurant. The FBO executive terminal, hangars and offices consist of 51,000 sq ft (4,739 sq m). All is strategically located 30 miles from Salt Lake City, Utah, and within 45 minutes of major ski resorts such as Park City, Utah. May 22, 2008 19 The present Kemp Jet Services fixed base operator will become Jet Aviation Ogden. www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EBACE Show News - May 22, 2008

EBAA Bestows Awards Honeywell APUs Gain DayJet Not Hurting Eclipse Airbus Cabins in China Lisa Flies Its Akoya Single P&WC Service Boosts AMAC Aerospace Debuts FirstCall Telemedicine First Lineage to Prestige The TBM 850 is All New A Far Larger DC Aviation Midcoast for Falcon Work Tailwind Offers CRJ200 Jet Aviation for Utah

EBACE Show News - May 22, 2008

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