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November 13, 2007

Bombardier adds two centers to service stable

Bombardier announced it has added two more service facilities for Challenger and Global business jets, bringing its total number of aircraft-support facilities around the world to 44. Of those, seven are OEM service centers and 37 are authorized service or line-maintenance facilities.

Becoming the first Bombardier line-maintenance facility on the Indian subcontinent, Air Works India Eng more

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Dubai Debutant: Eclipse 500

By R. Randall Padfield

 Dubai Aerospace Enterprise is considering buying Eclipse 500s very light jets (VLJs) for its new flight academy, a deal that might reach fruition during the airshow. The appearance of the diminutive twinjet here marks not only its own Dubai debut, but the first showing of any certified VLJ in the Middle East.

The 500 here arrived in Dubai on Sunday evening, missing the opening day more

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JSSI signs Turkish charter firm to its maintenance plan

By R. Randall Padfield

Jet Support Services–better known as JSSI–signed Turkish charter operator Sertur Air as a “Tip-to-Tail” maintenance plan customer yesterday here at the Dubai Air Show.

Istanbul-based Sertur Air has agreed to place its entire fleet of business jets under JSSI’s hourly cost maintenance plan. The fleet consists of three Hawker 850XPs, one Hawker 400XP and one Challenger 604. The operator e more

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Al Jaber signs for Lineages, Legacys

Embraer here on Monday announced an order for five Lineage 1000 and two Legacy 600 business jets from Al Jaber Aviation, a new branch in the Abu Dhabi-based diversified group. The aircraft will be used for on-demand executive charter service. Embraer expects to deliver the first Legacy in February 2009 and the first Lineage in May 2010.

The firm contract is worth $266 million at list pr more

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Switch to diesel good for Thielert

Of the many companies that have attempted to tackle world markets with a new-technology piston engine for light singles and twins, only Thielert in Germany has demonstrated some success. For that it can thank in some measure Diamond Aircraft, an Austrian company that has established a firm niche as a supplier of all-composite light aircraft, including the DA 42 twin-engine aircraft on display here more

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Dubai Debutant: Sino Swearingen SJ30

UK-based Action Aviation serves as a distributor for the Sino Swearingen SJ30 light business jet–in fact, it is the exclusive worldwide distributor and soon-to-be majority stakeholder in the manufacturer, if an agreement between the two companies goes through as planned. “Sino Swearingen’s Taiwanese owners and Action Aviation have agreed to the terms of the deal and we expect to complete our due d more

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Saraya Aviation buys three G450s

By Stephen Pope

Saraya Aviation, a startup charter operator formed earlier this year in Abu Dhabi to serve the growing number of executive and government VIP customers seeking private travel in the Middle East, signed an order here yesterday for three Gulfstream G450s.

The airplanes will join three Piaggio Avantis the company also has on order. Scheduled for delivery in 2010, the G450s will operate fro more

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Dubai Debutant: MD Helicopters MD902

By R. Randall Padfield

Action Aviation, the exclusive distributor of MD Helicopters in the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Scandinavia, is showing the 6,500-pound MD902 in the static display. Though appearing at the Dubai Air Show for the first time, it made its first Middle East appearance at the Dubai Helishow in December last year, said Action Aviation managing director Mike Creed.

Delivered on Augus more

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SaM146 ready to power new Sukhoi Superjet

By Bernard Fitzsimons

The PowerJet SaM146 turbofan that France’s Safran is showing in scale model form here at the Dubai Air Show (Stand W510) represents not just the application of engine subsidiary Snecma’s CFM56 experience to a regional jet-size engine but one of the most ambitious attempts yet to combine the strengths of Western and Russian aerospace technology.

The new engine offers thrust ratings from more

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Safran subsidiaries also are aboard the Russian RJ

By Bernard Fitzsimons

Snecma’s half share in the PowerJet SaM146 turbofan may represent the Safran Group’s biggest contribution to the Sukhoi Superjet project, but nearly a dozen other subsidiaries are supplying equipment and services for that airplane.

Aircelle is responsible for the complete nacelle that houses the SaM146, including the butterfly-type thrust reverser. It incorporates a significant proporti more

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