Category: BizJet

Kaman Composites – Wichita, Inc., an indirect subsidiary of Kaman Corp., announced the expansion of its composite repair services to the business jet aftermarket with industry leading MRO provider and distributor, C&L Aerospace, a C&L Aviation Group Company of Bangor, Maine. Kaman Composites named C&L Aerospace its exclusive distributor for composite structural repairs out of its FAA Part 145 Repair Station in Wichita, Kansas.

“Historically, Kaman Composites has provided structural repair exclusively for military programs,” explained Malissa Nesmith, senior director of Business Development for Kaman Composites. “However, this collaboration with C&L expands our repair services into the business aviation aftermarket, which we are looking forward to supporting.”

Kaman Composites and C&L Aerospace will be offering structural repairs for a variety of business jet platforms, including Textron and Bombardier platforms. Last year, Kaman Composites formed the Radome Center of Excellence, which provides not only radome production, but also design and engineering services. Radome repair will be one of the capabilities offered through C&L Aerospace.

“We are excited to collaborate on this program with a well-respected aviation supplier like Kaman Corporation. This partnership will allow C&L to expand our product offerings,” said Brad Vieux, director of Business Development, C&L Aerospace. “We can now offer customers structural repairs for customer owned units, or we can offer an immediate exchange. It gives our customers more options and we look forward to growing the program with Kaman.”

Lorin Industries released a new video resource for architects, product designers, and engineers highlighting the superior physical characteristics and cost efficiency of coil anodized aluminum versus painted aluminum. “Lorin Industries, Inc. Anodizing vs. Paint – Complete Compilation” busts nine myths about coil anodizing and is available now on Lorin Industries’ YouTube Channel.

The video provides information on the process of coil anodizing and the qualities of coil anodized aluminum—including durability and color consistency. Viewers may be surprised to learn of the low lifetime cost of coil anodized products and the material’s exceptional performance in coastal conditions. Viewers will also discover just how small the environmental footprint is of coil anodized aluminum production and use.

Coil anodizing is not like a layer of paint; instead, it is an electro-chemical process that grows the aluminum oxide layer from the base aluminum, bonding it to the aluminum at the molecular level. Highly durable aluminum oxide is in the same family of gemstones as sapphire, second only to diamond in hardness. Therefore, unlike painted or coated products, Lorin Anodized Aluminum will not chip, flake or peel.

Global AVX, a digital auction platform for transparent aircraft transactions, has begun preparations for its first online aircraft auction on 10 December 2020. Dedicated to supporting international aircraft sales and two years in the making, it is the brainchild of corporate lawyer Robert Bourke.

The concept was conceived to enable bankruptcy professionals to adequately address their disposal obligations and duties by ensuring the distressed aviation assets were receiving a fair market price. The platform addresses this critical need by establishing an independent market-based price through a global auction process. Combined with Global AVX’s industry-first full transparency report, bankruptcy professionals can now deliver complete accountability to all of their transaction stakeholders

Global AVX says the online mechanism supports aircraft transactions between motivated aircraft brokers, as well as direct sellers, and international purchasers in a transparent, accountable and trustworthy online environment. With travel restrictions limiting physical sales negotiations Global AVX notes an increased interest in high-value deals being conducted online and is now acting as a market driver stimulating aircraft sales internationally.

The technology aims to complement and enhance traditional broker activity and is already attracting professionals seeking new and innovative ways to promote, market and sell aircraft assets to a market which has seen a spike in business and corporate aircraft ownership interest as a result of the pandemic.

Calgary, Alberta and Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Hopkinson Aircraft Sales is the debut broker looking to maximize the opportunity presented by Global AVX, listing a 1997 Cessna Citation Ultra aircraft for auction.

To eliminate time wasters, Global AVX says they vet all potential bidders, while looking to also deal with qualified acquisition consultants on behalf of proposed purchasers. This pre-qualification is further enhanced by anti-money laundering interrogation, and a validation of adequate funding. Each potential purchaser is also required to place a certain percentage of the minimum reserve price in an escrow account prior to becoming a qualified bidder.

Bidders and/or their acquisition consultants, are then given access to the Global AVX secure data rooms where they are encouraged to examine the aircraft specifications and relevant documentation including airframe logbooks, flight manuals, interior manuals, maintenance tags, and technical information about the engines which are supplied by the broker. Buyers remain anonymous, the auction is automated to ensure fair bidding, and lasts for a period of two days to ensure all genuine global bidders have the opportunity to participate. The sale must complete within two months of the auction taking place.

“We want brokers, owners or operators to see this as a viable medium which extends their global capabilities for aircraft transaction activity. We are focused on helping them achieve the deal no matter where the aircraft is parked. Our aim is to seamlessly integrate into the business aviation community with our innovative new technology platform,” explains global sales director, Stephen Kelly. “Our process also eliminates the tire-kickers and ensures the aircraft for sale are qualified by professional data reports. In essence we are a Software as a Service platform enabling aviation transactions between willing buyers and sellers at prices determined by peer to peer interaction.”

Duncan Aviation’s collaboration with Gulfstream Aeropsace resulted in the development of a full-equipment Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the Gogo Business Aviation AVANCE L5 Wi-Fi system for the Gulfstream G200 and Galaxy airplanes. The STC is the ninth that Duncan’s Engineering and Certification Services Department has developed for the AVANCE L5 system, and it covers the Wi-Fi certification and the full equipment and antenna installation for G200 aircraft. The AVANCE L5, developed by Gogo Business Aviation, is a complete Wi-Fi system that operates on the Gogo Biz 4G network.

The Engineering and Certification Services team developed the STC for the Gulfstream G200 in partnership with Gulfstream Aerospace in Savannah, Georgia. The STC for the G200 will be available through March 7, 2022, only for customers who install the system at any of Duncan Aviation’s full-service facilities (Battle Creek, Michigan, Lincoln, Nebraska and Provo, Utah) or any of its 27 Satellite Avionics Shops or Workaway stations or at Gulfstream Aerospace.

Duncan Aviation is extending the free-of-charge period for Gogo Text & Talk and Gogo Vision subscription services to one full year. Gogo Text & Talk lets an aircraft’s crew and passengers use their personal smartphones and devices to call and text in the air just as they do on the ground. Gogo Vision lets passengers enjoy blockbuster movies, hit TV shows, popular magazines, flight maps and more on their own devices during flight.

Currently, the Gogo AVANCE L5 system connects to the Gogo Biz 4G network and delivers faster speeds and enhanced network capabilities. Passengers can stream live video and audio, watch video conferences, use their personal smartphones, access data for cockpit apps in real-time, and perform remote diagnostics in-flight.

Etihad Engineering, the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) arm of Etihad Aviation Group, has accepted an order for 1.3 million facemasks to be manufactured at its newly established in-house face mask production facility.

During the next three months, the medical face masks will be distributed to staff across the entire Etihad Aviation Group from cabin and ground crew, to catering, cargo, engineering employees, and medical professionals.

The new facility operates fully automated machines that produce up to 20,000 masks daily. The masks are three layered and provide up to 98% filtration which ensures the highest levels of protection and safety.
Before initiating mass production, prototypes of the mask underwent a series of stringent tests where microbial cleanliness and bacterial filtration efficiency levels were thoroughly examined. After the successful completion of the testing phase, the face masks were medically certified by two certifying bodies, Laboratorio Analisi Tecnal (Italy) and CNTAC (China).

“Since the start of the pandemic, we witnessed consistent demand for face masks at the workplace. With the safety, health and wellbeing of our customers and employees our paramount concern and top priority, we saw an opportunity to be self-sufficient,” Haytham Nasir, VP Airframe Services, Etihad Engineering says.

Elliott Aviation has promoted Roger Woolums to engineering manager at their Moline Ill. headquarters (KMLI). He will lead and oversee the company’s in-house engineering department, as well as product development for the company’s manufacturing division, Elliott Technologies.

Woolums joined Elliott Aviation in 1998 after working in the U. S. Navy as an avionics technician on F/A-18 aircraft. He has worked as an avionics wiring technician, an avionics modifications team lead, and an avionics supervisor before he transitioned to the Engineering department in 2006. He was the lead certification engineer on all of Elliott Aviation’s ADS-B STC’s, which have been installed in nearly 750 turbine-powered aircraft worldwide. He was also the lead certification engineer on Elliott Aviation’s STC for the Mid-Continent MD302 installation in the Citation 560XL as part of the Garmin G5000 retrofit program, and in the King Air 200/300 series as part of the Garmin G1000 NXi retrofit program. He has also added 10 models of aircraft to Elliott Aviation’s Part 23 and Part 25 cabin WiFi STC. Woolums has also helped in the STC and production of Prizm aircraft lighting, which is manufactured through the Elliott Technologies division.

“Roger has successfully led our company to create several major STC’s,” said Mark Wilken, vice president of Avionics Programs and Operational Logistics for Elliott Aviation. “He has many leadership qualities that will position the Elliott Aviation and Elliott Technologies for growth.”

Determination, a group that works to promote inclusion of individuals with special needs and orphans.

The wheel chocks bear the Bee Logo, a distinctive trademark which designates the wheel chocks as products by people of determination.

Wheel chocks keep the aircraft and ground staff safe while they work on the ramp. Each aircraft needs approximately six wheel chocks placed close to the aircraft wheels to secure its parking position and prevent movement that could lead to accidents.

Initially, Etihad received two wheel chocks to evaluate and assess if they adhered to safety regulations and were the correct measurements. The evaluation process concluded with great success by the airline’s technical team.

By the end of this year, Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination will provide Etihad Airways with 50 wheel chocks to be used in day-to-day operations.

Etihad says they are “proud to partner with Zayed Higher Organization in supporting people of determination and encouraging them to develop their skills.”