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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 1680.PDF
EBACE SHOW REPORT EBACE MURDO MORRISON KATE SARSFIELD JUSTIN WASTNAGE The second European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE), which took place in Geneva from 28-30 May, has secured a niche as a forum where deals are struck and manufacturers, operators and customers debate issues that matter. These ranged from whether fractional ownership can take off in Europe to how business aviation is facing a new regulatory regime from Brussels. Events of the past 12 months have taken their toll: financially troubled Fairchild Dornier and struggling Farnborough Aircraft did not show. But with surveys showing the sector has largely weathered the economic downturn, and visitor and exhibitor figures both up from last year, the mood was upbeat. BUSINESS SHUTTLES PrivatAir in talks with A'rbus and BBJ to extend shuttle fleet by 10 Charter specialist in discussions with two unnamed North American airlines ahead of Lufthansa launch this month Swiss charter operator PrivatAir aims to finalise a deal this month with Airbus or Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) for up to 10 Airbus Corporate Jetliners (ACJ) or BBJs to cater for growing airline interest in sched uled business-class shuttles. PrivatAir will launch its first air line shuttle on 17 June with a six- times-weekly all-business class BBJ scheduled service between Diisseldorf and New York Newark for German flag carrier Lufthansa. The company is in advanced dis cussions with two North American carriers about wet-leasing aircraft for similar operations, says PrivatAir chief operating officer Greg Thomas. Industry sources sug gest one of the North American operators is Lufthansa's Star Alliance partner Air Canada. PrivatAir is talking to Airbus and Boeing-General Electric joint ven ture BBJ about meeting its 10-air- craft requirement over the next five years. A deal will be finalised this month, says PrivatAir vice-presi dent, marketing and business development, Dave Kinson. PrivatAir operates a fleet of three BBJs, one VIP Boeing 737-500 and a corporate Boeing 757. The opera tor had been expected to sign a deal for additional Boeing aircraft, but Kinson says that various air lines have requested the ACJ for fleet commonality reasons. Kinson says that the final choice "could depend on what [BBJ president Lee) Monson comes up with". Monson says: "Either aircraft could complete the mission, but if you've got a requirement for longer legs, then the BBJ looks better." In response, Thomas says that the ACJ's lower operating costs compensate for its shorter range. "Airbus has also solved the avail ability issues," he adds. Kinson says that although Lufthansa has ruled out using the BBJ on other routes, its flexible deal allows for expansion in other direc tions, such as a frequency increase. Lufthansa is using a dedicated gate at Diisseldorf Airport for the ser vice, close to the airline's frequent fliers' Senator lounge. These are the kind of logistics that other airlines are evaluating, Kinson says. PrivatAir says that the aircraft could also be used by carriers in 48- seat all-business configuration on scheduled services to destinations in the Middle East. "A once-daily service from Geneva to Jeddah would sell out," says Thomas. PrivatAir operates three BBJs but may turn to Airbus to expand its fleet REGULATIONS First FR single-engined aircraft flight approval likely in Switzerland The Swiss Federal Office for Civil Aviation (FOCA) is likely to be the first European regulatory body to approve commercial flights of sin gle-engined turboprop aircraft operating under instrument flight rules (IFR). The approval, expected later this year, follows the efforts of Pilatus to persuade European authorities to alter the existing rules after it became "exasperated" with the slow pace of progress by the Joint Aviation Authorities. Zurich-based fractional operator Lions Air, which operates Pilatus PC-12s, is to submit a proposal for an air operator's certificate (AOC) for charter operations within Switzerland only, which is expected to be granted by the FOCA. Lions Air, which operates aircraft for its hourly block owners under private operation regula tions, will spearhead a plan by Pilatus to get approval country by country in the JAA area. Each national aviation authority can define and apply national rules where no JAA rules exist. The JAA has been studying the certification of commercial IFR operation of single-engined aircraft for six years but has yet to publish its notice of proposed amendment to the regulations because several member states are opposed to any change. Pilatus, which formed the Single Engine Turbine Association with Cessna and EADS Socata to advise the JAA on the safety of new generation single-engined aircraft, says it will complain to the pan-European body, saying that it has "failed in its obligation to assess the safety of all aircraft". John Senior, Pilatus vice-presi dent of engineering, says that Europe is now out of step with other major aviation authorities, including those in Australia, Canada and the USA, which have all approved IFR operations. Pilatus has 10 letters of intent from operators stating their desire to use the PC-12 for charter opera tions once certificated. Pilatus is likely to use one of five German operators next to launch similar requests for AOCs in Germany. 22 4-10 JUNE 2002 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.fliqhtinternational.com
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