B/CA Show News - NBAA 2007 Day 2 - (Page 10)

N BA A 2007 Surf’s Up at AirCell, Where Gulfstream Means Warm Business Waters, Dude We’re all riding the business jet wave at NBAA 2007 and it’s a large wave indeed. AirCell (Booth 1630) is promoting its airborne telecommunications chops, specifically its role as a turn-key provider of equipment, service and technical support. AirCell reported here that its AirCell Axxess cabin communications system has been chosen as standard factory equipment for the entire family of Gulfstream large-cabin business jets. “The announcement comes during a period of extraordinary growth at AirCell, and adds to the more than two dozen factory aircraft programs where AirCell equipment is offered as standard or optional equipment,” The company said here. AirCell notes that its relationship with Gulfstream began in October of last year when Gulfstream selected the AirCell Axxess EZ system as its aftermarket MagnaStar replacement. AirCell is launching a new broadband service dubbed “In Touch, In Flight” next year, too. “Business aircraft travelers will soon have the option to connect using their own WiFi laptops, PDA’s and dual-mode Smartphones in the cabin at broadband speeds,” said AirCell president and CEO Jack W. Blumenstein, “greatly transforming their travel experience.” —Rich Piellisch FirstFlight Expands Its Teterboro Sales Office FirstFlight, an aviation services company involved in aircraft charter, maintenance and FBOs, is expanding its Teterboro office and relocating it to the Atlantic Aviation’s TEB. The company has a charter sales force of six professionals led by Toni Drummond. The company began as an aircraft brake and wheel service shop that started in 1987 in a small trailer in Horseheads, N.Y. It has grown into an operation employing more than 100 people with operations in Elmira/Corning, N.Y, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pa., Garden City, Kan., and Teterboro. Mixed Cessna Bag for Japanese Dealer Japan Aerospace, a subsidiary of Itochu, has placed a substantial mixed order with Cessna for three CJ2+, one CJ4, one Encore+, one XLS+, three Caravans and three piston-engined Skyhawks. “Our relationship with Japan Aerospace Corporation and its preceding organizations spans more than 50 years,” said Cessna’s international sales director Todd Duhnke. “As our authorized sales representative, they have helped make the Cessna Citation jets the most widely used business jets in Japan.” A Caravan on show at NBAA 2007 is shown here. Ocean Sky Takes Off in UK Ocean Sky Aviation, a new name for many, is a private jet company with aggressive ambitions. It has already opened an FBO at Prestwick in Scotland, and a few weeks ago it bought out Manchester’s Northern Executive Aviation FBO and business jet maintenance base in a multimillion-dollar deal against stiff opposition. The company, with offices in London, Moscow, Munich and Zurich, hopes to buy another six or seven European operations. Its jet charter fleet is growing fast with plans for 10 aircraft, including the Gulfstream 450 and G550, for charter by year-end. A Global Express is due in early 2008 and a BBJ in 2011. Raisbeck and AMI Team Up Raisbeck Engineering (Booth 2606) has formed a strategic alliance with Analytical Methods, Inc. to provide preliminary design consulting services on upcoming product development programs. AMI has hitherto provided consulting services for Raisbeck on an ad hoc basis, but now the companies have entered into a formal multi-year contract for a number of future aircraft performance improvement programs. AMI is at Booth 7324. Gulfstreams Get EASA ETOPS Nod The European Aviation Safety Agency recently granted engineering approval for all current Gulfstream large cabin models—G350, G450, G500 and G550—to fly routes up to 180 minutes from an emergency or diversion airfield. The approval translates into an additional 380 nmi that the aircraft can fly from the nearest airport, and affirms that they can operate on Extended Twinengined Operational Performance Standards (ETOPS) routes. “This EASA finding leads the way for Gulfstream charter operators in the European Union to fly more direct intercontinental routes, thereby reducing travel time and fuel consumption,” commented Gulfstream svp Pres Henne. Gulfstream is at Booths 3425 and 3552 and at the static display. New Control Capability from Collins Surf’s up in Georgia! Although AirCell is based in Colorado, it’s tapped a couple of Californians to help get its message across. Show News ran into Christian Billings and Lorie Rojas as they were paddling to work at Booth 1630. They assure us that they’re real surfers from Orange County, where the waves can be gnarly indeed. Rockwell Collins has developed software programmable switch panels for managing of cabin and entertainment applications. The switches can also offer integrated real-time flight information such as time to destination and ground speed when accompanied by Airshow system moving maps. The switch panels offer a full-color organic electroluminescent display (OLED) that provides a high contrast ratio and wide viewing angle. The switches also control cabin environmental settings, entertainment sources, DVD players, XM radio receivers, satellite TV and other features. 10 September 26, 2007 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of B/CA Show News - NBAA 2007 Day 2

Contents Spectrum Stresses Freedom Adam Shows A700 Cabin User Fee War of Words Execujet Boosts Services Saab's Got Your Back CAE Covers the Field London Airports Roundup Pratt & Whitney Canada Another Show! A More Digital Jeppesen CMC Rides Bizjet Wave Thales Weighs In We Fly the Eclipse 500

B/CA Show News - NBAA 2007 Day 2

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