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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 1162.PDF
BUSINESS AVIATION FINANCES AeroCourier to step up turboprop funding effort AeroCourier Aircraft is to step up efforts to secure funding for its AeroCourier 10-seat single- engined turboprop concept. The Wichita, Kansas-based com pany is in need of an initial tranche of $1 million to complete the aircraft pre-design and a detailed cost analysis for investors. John Guernsey, co-founder of AeroCourier and vice president of engineering and certification, says: "The pre-design will give us a rough idea of how much the aircraft will cost to develop, cer tificate and manufacture and what the unit price might be." AeroCourier's six original founders planned in early 2001 to built and certificate the pro posed high-wing aircraft in Indonesia through a bilateral agreement between Indonesia and the US Federal Aviation Administration, says Guernsey. "But we later found out that the bilateral was dormant and in order to make the aircraft mar ketable in the USA following 11 September, we knew it would have to be built and certificated in the USA." Three founders dropped out of the programme last year and a decision was made to develop the aircraft in Wichita. Guernsey adds: "We estimate that $70 mil lion should fund the programme through to certification and first deliveries." AeroCourier is also targeting a unit price of under $1 million. He says: "It is extremely difficult to get funding due to the failures of so many start-ups. Investors want a quick return on their money so long-term finance is hard to find." The company's business plan is built around the growing pas senger and express delivery markets. Atlanta, USA-based charter company Airshares Elite placed a launch order for 20 aircraft "which still stands", Guernsey says. ONLINE SYSTEMS KATE SARSFIELD / LONDON Air Charter Guide moves to simplify online booking Overhaul comes in preparation for expected 'demand revolution' in internet business Air Charter Guide has revamped its online reservation system in readiness for what it believes will be a "demand revolution", driving the internet charter business to "new levels of sophistication and accessibility". Charter X 4.0 provides cus tomised access to buyers and sellers of business aircraft charter services. Meara McLaughlin, vice-president of Air Charter Guide's online divi sion says: "For the first time we have adapted the system to include the retail public, offering them simpli fied online booking and access to a global fleet of charter aircraft." It is the first charter system to use the internet-standard extensible mark-up language (XML) and Microsoft.net, says McLaughlin, and is unique in that it includes alliances with all leading providers of charter scheduling software. This delivers updated aircraft availability from individual charter operators directly into the system's booking engine. Charter X 4.0 also provides quotes for helicopter charter, empty leg, multi-leg and one-way trips. McLaughlin adds: "As more peo ple seek an alternative to airline travel, we want to make business aircraft charter as accessible as possi ble." A customer can enter their travel itinerary and, if they wish, preferred aircraft type, and receive a quote and make a reservation. "Charter X mirrors the emer gence of automated airline reserva tion systems such as Sabre in the mid-1960s," she says. The software covers 13,000 tur bine aircraft operated by every lic ensed commercial operator in 160 countries. Of these only 300 compa nies, operating around 6,000 aircraft combined, regularly post their avail ability and only 120 of these offer full pricing. "Ultimately we would like to sign up all operators and get updated availability on the 13,000 aircraft. By connecting the supply side with the customer demand we hope companies will no longer stand on the sidelines," says McLaughlin. PRODUCTION Legacy business jet production is to be ramped up by 50% this year Embraer tackles Legacy backlog Embraer is ramping up production and deliveries of its Legacy business jet this year by 50% as it seeks to work off a backlog of 74 orders. The Brazilian manufacturer also holds options for 92 aircraft. Sam Hill, vice chairman of the company's US subsidiary, Embraer Aircraft Holdings, says the Legacy Shuttle accounts for just under half of the type's orders. Six of the 18 air craft being delivered this year will be 37-seat Shuttle versions and the remainder Executive variants of the super mid-size business jet. "There is a growing market for the Legacy Shuttle, particularly in Europe where more companies have begun to consider the shuttle con cept as an alternative to airline travel," says Hill. Europe has seen five 13- and 14-seat executive ver sions delivered to date, three more aircraft than expected at this stage of the programme, Hill says. Embraer is to shortly receive app roval for an improved take-off ver sion of the Legacy. This will open up the corporate market for the com pany by allowing operators access to sought-after airports with short run ways. Embraer is due to receive approval in the fourth quarter to operate at London City Airport. APPEAL AOPA calls for Meigs Field reopening The US Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has called on the US government to reopen Meigs Field Airport in Chicago. At a hearing to discuss the changes to the system of air ports in the Chicago area, including the expansion of O'Hare International, AOPA argued that operations that used to be accommodated at Meigs Field "already con strain other nearby airports". It adds: "When considering the future of Chicago's air transportation system, you must not ignore the need to reopen Meigs Field." Chicago mayor Richard Daley forcibly closed the downtown lakeside airport during a night raid on 31 March. Construction crews carved Xs across the sole run way, stranding 16 general aviation aircraft. 28 20-26 MAY 2003 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.fligritinternational.com
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