November 17, 2008 November 16, 2008

November 17, 2008

LBAS Launches Maintenance Plus Program

Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services (Stand No. 410) launched its new Maintenance Plus customer loyalty program here at the MEBA show yesterday. The new offering is similar to an airline frequent-flyer program. It allows customers to earn loyalty points based on how much they spend, how much of their bill has been paid and their contractual relationship with the company.
LBAS is an autho more

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Avro Business Jet riding high on resurgence for former RJs

By Günter Endres

BAE Systems has come to the MEBA show on the back of an upsurge of interest in its Avro Business Jet (ABJ) during this year and is expected to report further progress at a press conference here this morning. Andy Whelan, director sales for BAE Systems Regional Aircraft (Stand No. 722), is to reveal the sale of an ABJ, based on the 146-200, to a European customer, while also confirming that the com more

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Beirut FBO ventures into bizjet maintenance with sister MASCO

By Charles Alcock

Beirut FBO Cedar Jet Center (Stand No. 631) has started offering aircraft maintenance services in partnership with its MEA group sister company MASCO. Next month, the joint venture will open a new hangar dedicated to maintenance operations.
The facility at the Lebanese capital’s Hariri International Airport is approved as a maintenance organization by the European Aviation Safety Agency a more

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Global Express to challenge world record

By Brian Walters

Bombardier’s Global Express has demonstrated its speed and range capabilities logging 19 world records but the aircraft is now being readied to bid for a record that has remained unbroken since October 1977. In that year a PanAm Boeing 747SP circled the globe at an average speed of 423 knots, taking 54 hours, seven minutes and 12 seconds, flying from San Francisco with stopovers at London-Heathr more

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Cessna hopes ME customers stay in family with Columbus

By Ian Sheppard

Jordanian operator Arab Wings yesterday ordered a new $17 million Cessna Citation Sovereign for delivery in the second half of 2009. Also announced yesterday was the delivery of a second Sovereign to Abu Dhabi-based Prestige Jet and the delivery of two more Citation Mustangs to Lebanese air taxi company Open Sky.
Cessna has come to the MEBA show bullish about the regional prospects for its more

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Falcon 7x on final approach for london city approval

Dassault Aviation is close to getting approval for its Falcon 7X aircraft to operate from London City Airport. The airport is just a couple of miles from the UK capital’s financial district and has a 5.5-deg steep approach.
The French trijet will be the largest business aircraft yet to be approved at London City and it will offer the largest combination of routes from the downtown airpor more

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Embraer logs $208M in orders for Legacy jets at MEBA show

By R. Randall Padfield

Brazilian airplane manufacturer Embraer announced three separate orders for its Legacy business jets here at MEBA yesterday, as well as the addition of Falcon Air Services of Abu Dhabi to its growing list of worldwide service centers.
Al Jaber Aviation (AJA), a subsidiary of the Al Jaber Group in Abu Dhabi, signed for four Legacy 450 and four Legacy 550 jets, for a total value of $134.6 mil more

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Gulfstream is optimistic about Mideast market

By Stephen Pope

Despite facing the gravest economic slowdown in decades, officials for Gulfstream Aerospace (Chalet No. 24) say they remain optimistic about the long-term health of business aviation and point to the Middle East market as an enduring bright spot.
“In this uncertain time people are slowing down” purchases of business airplanes, noted Larry Flynn, senior vice president of marketing and sale more

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Rockwell’s Fusion sparks much interest

By Stephen Pope

The launch of the super-midsize Gulfstream G250 in October added yet another program to the growing list of contract wins for the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics system, an advanced cockpit now under development by the U.S. firm that is due to start appearing on the flight decks of new airplanes in 2011.
Pro Line Fusion has won the vast majority of business jet cockpit avionics more

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Thermal/acoustic system cuts noise by one third

By Kirby J. Harrison

Business aircraft management and charter operator Zenith Jet and noise reduction specialist Aviation Management International Services (AIMS) have teamed to launch a new thermal acoustic barrier package–dubbed Silentium Air– that promises to reduce cabin noise by up to 30 percent. AIMS is supplying the kits and Zenith Jet is the exclusive marketing agent.
Silentium Air SPS 360 was deve more

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