BUSINESS AVIATION IN BRIEF
be delivered from the Melbourne facility in Q1 2017. Assembly of the larger Legacy 500 midsize jet at the plant will also commence this year.
Operators in the US will now be able to use an enhanced-vision flight system to descend all the way to the runway under certain conditions, following a final rule published by the FAA. For the rule to apply, pilots must be flying straight-in procedures on an instrument flight plan. Previously, enhanced vision could be used in lieu of natural vision only to 100 feet above the runway and under provided straight-in landing procedures.
Cedar Executive, the private-jet affiliate of Middle East Airlines, confirmed an order for an Embraer Legacy 500 super mid-size business jet. This is the company’s second purchase of a Legacy 500, with the first delivered in January 2016. Cedar Executive offers a range of services, including FBO and maintenance, from its base at BeirutRafic Hariri International Airport in Lebanon.
Beijing-based Deer Jet completed the acquisition of major shares of UAS International Trip Support. The deal makes UAS the flight support partner for the 90 aircraft that Deer Jet operates and manages, including a VVIP BBJ 787. “From an operational viewpoint, we’ve ironed out the finer points and are currently finalising our mid- to long-term business plan,” says Omar Hosari, UAS co-owner/ founder and CEO. The acquisition is the latest in a series of global expansion moves by Deer Jet, which founded Hong Kong Jet and previously acquired shares of Asia Jet and Hawker Pacific.
Lilium Aviation closed a € 10m series A funding round with London-based venture capital firm Atomico. The funds will allow it to continue developing the Lilium Jet, an electric vertical take-off and landing jet. A prototype is being built and is scheduled for flight-testing early this year. Atomico founder Niklas Zennström will join Lilium Aviation’s board.
To cut costs, the French government removed customs officials from around a dozen airports where they were not employed full time, including the airport at Saint-Tropez. The move resulted in prohibiting aircraft from outside the Schengen passport-free zone from landing at the airports. Saint-Tropez villa owners and frequent visitors who arrive by private jet have protested against the move, and offered remedies such as paying customs tax. An estimated 30 per cent of flights at the Saint-Tropez airport operate to and from Britain, Russia and the Middle East.
The São Paulo Stock Exchange announced the inclusion of Embraer in its 2017 Sustainability Index. All 34 companies on the index represent 15 sectors and together comprise 52.14 per cent of the total value of the companies that trade on the Exchange. Criteria for selecting companies for the index include economic efficiency, environmental balance, social justice, and corporate governance.
Flying Colours Corp., a North American MRO, completion and refurbishment company with offices in Canada, US and Singapore, delivered two CRJ 200 aircraft conversions to Resorts World of Malaysia. The regional airliners have been refurbished to provide a corporate shuttle for Resorts World customers. The converted aircraft offer room for 16 passengers, ample luggage storage, and an updated galley.
Exclusive, a Florida-based business jet management and charter company, became the first Part 135 operator to have crewmembers take breathalyser tests prior to each flight. The move was initiated on a voluntary basis and met with approval from pilots. The equipment used is the SoberLink breathalyser, which provides real-time results and identity verification on top of recording and transmitting blood alcohol levels.
Air Elite Network, which selects FBOs based on high airport, facility and service quality standards, added all eight Deer Jet FBOs in China to its global network. The FBOs are located in the international airports of Shenzhen, Sanya, Haikou, Guangxi, Xi’an, Hangzhou, Guilin and Changsha. Since its establishment in 2011, Air Elite Network has added 62 ‘diamond service’ FBOs located in five continents.