Bell Helicopter is developing a new “short, light single” (SLS) that will be powered by a Turbomeca Arrius 2R turboshaft engine, John Garrison, president and CEO, announced yesterday morning at the Paris Air Show. The “clean sheet” aircraft, which Garrison expects will fly next year, will be the first Bell helicopter to be powered by a Turbomeca engine. Certification of the new helicopter will take place “as quickly as possible” after the first flight.
AINalerts
June 18, 2013 - 2:10pm
VistaJet is expanding its 35-airplane fleet of Bombardier Globals and Challengers, having placed an order today at the Paris Air Show for 20 super-midsize Challenger 350s and options for 20 more. At list price, the order is worth some $1.035 billion if all options are exercised. Deliveries to VistaJet will begin in about 12 months.
June 18, 2013 - 2:00pm
Podgórzyn, Poland-based aspiring aircraft manufacturer Flaris unveiled the prototype of its heretofore unannounced five-place, single-engine very light jet–dubbed the LAR 01–at the Paris Air Show this week. The aircraft has already completed low-speed taxi tests and, following the show, will start high-speed ground testing before flying by year-end, Flaris sales manager Anthony Krol told AIN. The developers expect EASA and FAA Part 23 certification in late 2015.
June 18, 2013 - 1:50pm
On Friday, the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) agreed “under protest” to FAA demands for a $447,000 fee for ATC services at its AirVenture airshow and fly-in, which begins July 29. The week-long AirVenture is the largest event of its kind in the U.S., attracting more than 10,000 aircraft and up to 600,000 attendees.
June 18, 2013 - 1:40pm
Saying it is “confident in the strong, long-term potential of the business aircraft industry,” Bombardier Aerospace released a 20-year forecast on Friday that predicts deliveries of 24,000 business jets worth $650 billion in the segments in which the company competes. Bombardier’s latest business aircraft market forecast anticipates 9,800 aircraft deliveries worth $269 billion from 2013 to 2022 and 14,200 aircraft worth $381 billion from 2023 to 2032.
June 18, 2013 - 1:25pm
Bombardier Aerospace received a firm order from an undisclosed customer for 12 Global 8000s worth about $804 million, the Canadian aircraft manufacturer said today at the Paris Air Show. Unveiled at the 2010 NBAA Convention, the 7,900-nm-range Global 8000 is slated to enter service in 2017.
June 18, 2013 - 1:20pm
Today at the Paris Air Show, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University president Dr. John Johnson and Diamond Aircraft Industries CEO Christian Dries signed a partnership agreement to establish the aircraft manufacturer’s presence at the university’s Daytona Beach campus. Under the agreement, Diamond will expand its current international research and development program and other initiatives working with Embry-Riddle students, staff and faculty from the university’s engineering and aviation colleges, as well as its Eagle Flight Research Center.
June 18, 2013 - 1:15pm
International business travelers seeking simplified entry into the U.S. via the “Global Entry” program will have the opportunity to meet in person with U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at this year’s NBAA Convention, which will be held October 22 to 24 in Las Vegas. Global Entry allows expedited clearance processing into the U.S. for pre-approved, low-risk travelers using automated kiosks available at 34 U.S. airports, eight pre-clearance airports in Canada and two pre-clearance sites in Ireland.
June 18, 2013 - 1:10pm
Comlux has taken delivery of the first Airbus ACJ321, which makes the aircraft charter firm the first company to have every single-aisle Airbus corporate jet variant–the ACJ318, ACJ319, ACJ320 and ACJ321–in its fleet. The ACJ321 is being outfitted with a VIP cabin by Comlux America in Indianapolis and is scheduled to be completed next year. Comlux was an early Airbus Corporate Jetliner customer and was the first to operate the Airbus ACJ318. Its fleet now includes five Airbus ACJs.
June 18, 2013 - 1:05pm
Online air charter broker PrivateFly is expanding its French operation. It hired two operations assistants–Julien Molinet, who previously worked in communications at Air France, and Davide Paladino, who has a private banking and aviation background–to help PrivateFly operations controller Mehdi Dialmy, who heads the company’s French division. The company also appointed Astrid Arminjon as digital marketing executive, a role that includes reaching out to new customers in France and boosting content development for PrivateFly’s French website.
