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G450 Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. today announced that it has delivered the final Gulfstream G450 as it prepares to usher in the next generation of business aviation with the all-new Gulfstream G500. “For the past 12 years, the G450 has been one of the best-selling business jets in the industry, beloved by pilots and passengers alike for its technological advances, smooth handling, impressive range and unsurpassed passenger comfort,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. “During its 30-year history, the GIV series transformed business aviation, and the G500 is already well on its way to doing the same, with the industry’s first active control sidesticks and the most integrated application of touch-screen controls in the flight deck.” A performer from the start, the G450 entered service in 2005 after demonstrating even more range than originally anticipated – 4,350 nautical miles/8,056 kilometers at Mach 0.80. The aircraft can sprint 3,500 nm/6,482 km at Mach 0.85. It's fleet, comprising more than 360 aircraft, has amassed more than 964,000 hours and more than 461,000 flights. “It made its mark in aviation history and remains an important member of the Gulfstream family. We will continue to provide industry-leading product support and sustaining engineering for our G450 customers,” Burns said. The G500 will deliver more range than originally announced. The aircraft will fly 5,200 nm/9,630 km at Mach 0.85 and 4,400 nm/8,149 km at Mach 0.90. The G500 is in flight test with five aircraft in the test program. The first test aircraft made its first flight in 2015. The fourth test aircraft made its first trans-Atlantic flight in July. The fifth aircraft is a fully outfitted production aircraft that focuses on the cabin interior. The flight test program has amassed more

Dassault Falcon 5X Deliveries of  Dassault Falcon business jets remained flat in 2017, but, at 49 units, output was almost 9% higher than the 45 aircraft Dassault had forecast for period. It is the first time in four years that the French airframer has not recorded a year-on-year decline in deliveries. Net orders climbed by 17 aircraft, to 38, for the 12 months ended 31 December, with the intake "fairly evenly split", Dassault says, between its four high-end models – the twin-engined 2000LXS and the 900LX, 7X and 8X trijets. Dassault also recorded three cancellations for the 5X in 2017, compared with 12 for the ultra-wide type the previous year. The programme was finally axed in December because of recurrent technical issues with the jet's Safran Silvercest engines, which had forced Dassault to delay entry into service from its target date of 2017 to beyond 2020. While the majority of 5X orders have now been cancelled, Dassault says an unspecified clutch of "loyal" customers have chosen to wait until they can transfer their commitments to the new Falcon business jet announced by the manufacturer in December as the eventual replacement for the axed model. Those hold-outs are counted in the 52-strong Falcon backlog, although the company insists its in-production aircraft make up the bulk of the order mix. At the end of 2016, it had 63 aircraft in its orderbook, falling from 91 the previous December. Dassault Falcon 8X The formal launch of the new Falcon is planned for 2018, says Dassault. The airframer has already revealed that the yet-to-be-named aircraft is scheduled to enter service in 2022, featuring the same cross-section as the 5X, but with range increased by 300nm

HondaJet: Buyer’s and Investor’s Guide HondaJet What is it? To say that the HondaJet has been one of the mostly closely followed business jet developments in history is something of an understatement. It is also not to everybody’s taste. It does stand out, though, as it is currently the only business jet that has its engines mounted above its wings. This makes it look different and, while looks are not the main reason why people buy aircraft, it is refreshing to see an aircraft that does not look like every other business jet. But Honda Aircraft did not design the aircraft to look different, as there are several advantages to having this engine configuration. The most important one is that it reduces drag on the leading edge of the wings, which has the dual advantage of letting the aircraft fly faster while burning less fuel. As a result, the HondaJet is one of the fastest aircraft in its class. It is also one of the most comfortable in its class, although, being a very light jet, it is not designed to fly long distances. Flying You do not buy a very light jet and expect to be able to party on it, or to sleep as you cross oceans. You expect to get a functional cabin that is comfortable for journeys of several hours or less. But the cabin of the HondaJet is one of the selling features. Step inside and you will be forgiven for thinking you are in a much larger aircraft. Honda Aircraft has borrowed from its parent company’s knowledge of car interiors and come up with a refreshingly fresh interior. The standard configuration is for two forward-facing club seats,

Recent comments from Bombardier executives portray a clouded future for the company's Global 8000. Compounding this uncertainty is a still-undefined certification schedule, an apparent paucity of orders, and, according to industry analyst Rollie Vincent, “unclear” market requirements. (Photo: Bombardier Aerospace) Global 8000 While Bombardier remains on track to certify and deliver the first Global 7000s later this year, recent comments from company executives portray a clouded future for its truncated, longer-legged sibling—the Global 8000. Compounding this uncertainty is a still-undefined certification schedule, an apparent paucity of orders, and, according to industry analyst Rollie Vincent, “unclear” market requirements. During an investor day late last month, Bombardier Business Aircraft president David Coleal said the Global 8000 accounts for “a very, very small percentage of our backlog,” implying that demand is lukewarm for a variant that trades nearly eight feet of cabin space for an extra 600 nm of range, to 7,900 nm. He avoided any kind of concrete schedule for the new jet, saying the Canadian aircraft manufacturer will “determine the right schedule for the 8000…probably sometime after” the Global 7000 enters service. Coleal also touched on the fact that the models might not have enough differentiation in the marketplace. “We're also going to look very closely at the performance of the 7000 in determination with the 8000 and understand the differences between the two.” Recent remarks by Bombardier president and CEO Alain Bellemare that there has been an “overinvestment in aerospace" over the past few years cast doubt on whether the company would even invest more to differentiate the Global 8000 from the 7000. “My thought is that the Global 8000 is no longer on their radar, per se,” said Vincent, the managing director

Dassault has formally begun the process of cancelling its new Falcon 5X business jet, due to ongoing issues with its Safran engines. Falcon 5X First fly Cancelling a business jet programme is never an easy decision to make, especially if the first aircraft has been built. And had its first flight. Bombardier faced this several years ago when it cancelled the LearJet 85. And earlier last week, Dassault cancelled its Falcon 5X. The Falcon 5X was to be a twin-engine business jet capable of flying up to 5,200nm, developed at an estimated cost of around $1.3 billion. The reasons for both aircraft cancellations are very different. Bombardier says that the LearJet 85 was cancelled due to weak market conditions. Dassault cancelled the Falcon 5X because of well publicised delays with the Silvercrest engines. Dassault took a huge gamble when it chose the Silvercrest. Although Cessna had chosen the engines for the Citation Longitude, it took the aircraft back to the drawing board and swapped out the engines for a pair of Honeywell HTF7700s. So the Falcon 5X would have been the first time the engine had been used. The first issues arose around the time of the Falcon 5X’s rollout in June 2015. Although the delay was announced later, the aircraft that was rolled out had preliminary versions of the engines installed. Dassault had hoped to fly the aircraft shortly after the rollout. But with the initial delay this slipped back by two years, causing the company to postpone building more 5Xs. Further issues were announced, although the aircraft did finally fly for the first time this summer. The latest delay, announced during last month’s NBAA, seems to have been the final straw

Business aviation industry watchers expect 2018 to be a “reset year,” with business aircraft deliveries generally expected to be flat compared with 2017's, with an upward growth track projected to begin in 2019. This is reflected across the board in the market forecasts from JetNet iQ, Teal Group, Bombardier, Embraer, Honeywell, and others. “The manufacturers appear to be planning for flat industry deliveries in 2018 with new model introductions—Cessna Citation Longitude, Gulfstream G500 and Bombardier Global 7000—offsetting declines in certain older legacy products,” noted UBS Global Research. Thus, it expects Bombardier Business Aircraft, Gulfstream, and Textron Aviation to see higher deliveries this year and fewer at Dassault and Embraer Executive Jets. According to JetNet iQ, business jet deliveries were expected to land at 653 units in 2017, rising to 662 in 2018. However, these numbers include 10 Cirrus SF50 Vision personal jets for 2017, and 41 for 2018, meaning traditional business jet deliveries will be down by 22 in 2018. On the turboprop side, the aviation information firm is calling for 337 shipments this year, down from the projected 361 last year. Beyond the delivery numbers, optimism continues to rise in the industry. The latest UBS business jet market index was 53, 10 percent higher than its prior survey and back to its post-U.S. election high. An index ranked at over 50 denotes an improving market. In addition, preliminary results of JetNet IQ’s fourth-quarter global business aviation survey indicates that 53 percent of respondents believe that the business aviation industry is now past the low point, with 27 percent declaring the market is at the low point and only 19 percent saying it has yet to reach the low point. Underpinning this optimism is the strengthening

Pilatus obtains PC-24 Type Certificates   PC-2 Pilatus has obtained type certificates from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US-American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the first ever Swiss business jet. Certification of the Super Versatile Jet prepares the ground for initial customer deliveries, which will see the PC-24 business jet take off from Central Switzerland for its entry on the global market. In any project to develop a new aircraft, certification by the aviation authorities is by far the most important milestone, given that it means deliveries to customers may go ahead, generating revenue for the manufacturer. The PC-24 development project was officially announced in 2013, but work on the Super Versatile Jet has in fact been in progress for the past eleven and a half years Complex project with a tight schedul The first PC-24 prototype completed its maiden flight in May 2015. All three prototypes used in the certification programme have flown a total of 2205 hours worldwide so far. Some flight tests were conducted in extreme environments: in icing conditions and very hot temperatures, at altitudes and speeds not usually encountered in everyday operations. Other tests have included bird impacts, structural stress tests, noise tests and general function. All this to prove that customers may depend on this aircraft to operate safely and reliably at all times, in line with statutory requirements. In fact, Pilatus test pilots took the aircraft to the very boundaries of its limits and even beyond, flying it in configurations and maneuvers forbidden to the commercial pilots who will subsequently occupy the cockpit. Oscar J. Schwenk, Chairman at Pilatus, said: “The PC-24 is the first ever Pilatus business jet. Naturally, the requirements associated

NBAA Members Urged to Contact Congress on Aviation Tax Reform Issues Aviation tax reform As the highly publicized aviation tax reform legislation moves forward in Washington, DC, NBAA continues its advocacy work, and urges association members to contact Congress on aviation-related issues included in the larger aviation tax reform bills. Three issues impacting business aviation are in question: Immediate expensing Like-kind exchanges Taxes applicable to aircraft management companies The House and the Senate have taken slightly different approaches on dealing with bonus depreciation. Both bills contain provisions regarding depreciation of business assets (including aircraft), which allow 100 percent immediate expensing, or bonus depreciation, for property used in business, if that property is placed in service after Sept. 27, 2017, and before Jan. 1, 2023. In the House bill, both new and pre-owned equipment qualify for immediate expensing. However, the Senate bill allows immediate expensing only for new equipment; pre-owned equipment does not qualify for bonus depreciation. Immediate expensing expires in the House bill on Jan. 1, 2023, while the Senate language allows immediate expensing to continue after 2023, with annual phase downs until 2027. Both bills repeal like-kind exchanges for business assets, including aircraft. Currently, like-kind exchanges allow property used in business to be exchanged for a similar business asset while deferring any taxable gain on the sale. “The immediate expensing provision helps make up for the like-kind exchange repeal, but there is, of course, a sunset date for immediate expensing,” said Scott O’Brien, NBAA’s senior director of government affairs. “But the Senate language, which does not allow immediate expensing for pre-owned equipment, is a disincentive for the purchase of pre-owned business aircraft.” NBAA has been an active member of the Like-Kind Exchange

Supersonic boost as Aerion links with Lockheed Martin Two leaders in supersonic technology, Aerion and Lockheed Martin have announced an MOU to explore the feasibility of a joint development of the world's first supersonic business jet, the Aerion AS2. Over the next 12 months, the companies will work together to develop a framework on all phases of the programme, including engineering, certification and production. Aerion Chairman Robert Bass said: “This relationship is absolutely key to creating a supersonic renaissance. When it comes to supersonic know-how, Lockheed Martin’s capabilities are well known, and, in fact, legendary. We share with Lockheed Martin a commitment to the long-term development of efficient civil supersonic aircraft.” Lockheed Martin, known for developing the world’s leading supersonic combat aircraft, the F-16, the F-35, and F-22, as well as the Mach 3+ SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft, is committed to fostering new innovations and developing supersonic technologies with civil and commercial applications. “We are excited to work with Aerion on their development of the next-generation, efficient supersonic jet that will potentially serve as a platform for pioneering future supersonic aircraft,” said Orlando Carvalho, executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. The MOU is the result of extensive discussions between Aerion and Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works® Advanced Development Programs team. For close to 75 years, Skunk Works has existed to create revolutionary aircraft that push the boundaries of what is possible. “Following our initial review of Aerion’s aerodynamic technology, our conclusion is that the Aerion AS2 concept warrants the further investment of our time and resources,” said Carvalho. “We are committed to remaining on the cutting edge of aerospace technology and are excited to examine the contribution we might make to working with Aerion on making aviation

A delayed supplier has forced Gulfstream to backtrack on a promise to deliver the first G500 ahead of schedule by the end of this year, says parent company General Dynamics’ chief financial officer. But the super-large cabin business jet will enter service in the “early part of 2018”, which aligns with Gulfstream’s original development schedule outlined in 2014, says General Dynamics senior vice-president and chief financial officer Jason Aiken, speaking on a third quarter earnings call on 25 October. Aiken declined to identify the supplier or the component involved, but said the delay was a matter of misjudging the paperwork required by the supplier to comply with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification requirements. The G500 is the first Gulfstream aircraft that is seeking joint certification by the US Federal Aviation Administration and EASA at entry into service. This is not any type of risk item to the programme,” Aiken says. “It's strictly a matter of getting paperwork through that certification process.” The aircraft will enter service as Gulfstream delivers the last G450 in January and begins to phase out G550 deliveries, Aiken says. The long-range G600 is on track to enter service a year later. In mid-October, Gulfstream announced that the aircraft will be introduced with greater range than expected, allowing the aircraft to fly up to 4,400nm at Mach 0.90 and 5,200nm at M0.85. The G500 and G600 feature a cockpit with active sidesticks and Pratt & Whitney Canada PW800 turbofan engines. The all-new Gulfstream G500 stretches the limits of high-speed travel. The advanced airframe design and powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada engines give the aircraft a range of 5,200 nautical miles/9,630 kilometers at Mach 0.85. The aircraft’s nonstop reach connects distant cities