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The study revealed about 80% of flights from Farnborough Airport were related either directly or indirectly to supporting UK business and inward investment. Flights  from the airport are mainly of “high economic impact, time-sensitive in nature and essential in purpose” it concluded. The economic value created by the airport was also said to generate the equivalent of 23,000 full-time employee (FTE) jobs.

The research evidences the value of business aviation to the UK economy and in particular the role of Farnborough Airport in supporting growth and investment, said Louise Hellem, chief economist, CBI Economics. “It is striking the impact that the business aviation sector has on the UK economy, in particular the economic opportunity it creates and the importance of the sector in driving UK competitiveness and growth,” she said.

Simon Geere, CEO, Farnborough Airport added: “These latest findings from CBI Economics support what we have been saying for some time, that the role of business aviation in driving inward investment and creating economic opportunity within the UK is both significant and demonstrable.”

The airport has a critical role to play in supporting economic growth – both at a local level and also across the wider UK, he said. “With Farnborough Airport serving smaller-lighter aircraft, our environmental footprint is a fraction of that of a traditional commercial passenger airport, yet our economic output relative to our size is completely unsurpassed.” 

The research also quantifies the value to the UK of the proposed increase in flights at Farnborough Airport from 50,000 to 70,000 per year, with an additional £1.4bn of GVA being generated within the UK economy every year. More flights would also create an extra 17,900 FTE jobs, claimed the researchers.

The latest research follows an economic assessment last year undertaken by York Aviation, which was submitted last year to Rushmoor Borough Council as part of the airport’s planning application to increase its annual flights from 50,000 to 70,000. This claimed the localised economic impact of Farnborough Airport supported 2,600 jobs and injected £170m of GVA into the local economy each year. This contributed, it was said, to making Rushmoor one of the fastest growing Local Authorities in the UK, according to data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The CBI Economics report is entitled ‘Getting Business Going – The economic benefits to UK plc of business aviation at Farnborough Airport’.

Farnborough Airport was said to create the equivalent of 23,000 full-time employee jobs.

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Announced by Avports, the managing operator of Westchester for the county, the paid college internship is being run in partnership with Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology and Westchester County. It is aimed at giving students real-world experience in airport administration, operations and airline services while interacting with Fortune 500 aviation departments, commercial airlines, fixed based operators and private pilots.

“Announcing this internship at the most respected and well-attended forum of this type in the nation is important to Westchester County and to Avports,” said Francisco Tejada, Westchester’s airport manager. “The partnership with Vaughn will prove to be a vast pipeline of emerging talent for airports like Westchester and others throughout the region and nation as we hope to draw young aviation professionals with fresh perspectives as they begin their careers.”

The announcement followed an address by NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen before a crowd of about 3,000. Locally, on any given day, the airport is the workplace for some 1,400 employees, and Avports is currently looking to fill 60 positions. Across the US The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that in 2024, there are nearly 17,000 job openings for airline and commercial pilots.

Dr. Sharon B. DeVivo, president of Vaughn College, said: “We are excited to see our long-term relationship with Avports and Westchester County Airport continue to grow with this Vaughn dedicated internship programme. Our alumni work in airports across the metropolitan region, including Westchester Airport, and beyond and that success comes with close industry partners like Avports that understand the importance of developing a talent pipeline.”

Avports’ CEO Jorge Roberts added: “There are so many opportunities that exist in aviation, and if you are willing to work, learn, and have a positive attitude, you will succeed. Personally, I have grown to the level where I am because others saw my potential, and that has driven me to give back so others can achieve similar career success. It’s also why, as a member of the Vaughn College President’s Advisory Committee, I’m so proud to see this internship partnership take off.”

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“Investing in a larger and modern Textron Aviation Service Center facility in Perth allows us to grow our capacity and better assist customers with scheduled maintenance, modifications and aircraft-on-ground support,” said Brian Rohloff, senior vice president, Customer Support at Textron.

The company also announced that it will rename the recently-acquired Australian service center Premiair Aviation Maintenance to Textron Aviation Australia to fully integrate the Perth, Gold Coast and Melbourne facilities into its service network.

Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker customers receive factory-direct support, maintenance and modifications by Textron Aviation through its global network of service and parts centers, mobile service units and 24/7 1CALL AOG (aircraft-on-ground) support.

Aftermarket parts and services accounted for nearly 39% of the Textron’s revenue during the first quarter of 2024.

The company said that it is moving to larger and modernised facilities at both Jandakot airport in Perth and Essendon Fields airport in Melbourne to grow service capacity and support parts availability in the region.

The company expects larger facility at Jandakot to increase shop capacity and aid in faster scheduling with minimal down time to keep customers flying. The new facility is expected to be fully operational by the end of July 2024.

Moreover, in Melbourne, Textron said it is adding 5,000 square feet of new parts storage to a facility near Essendon Fields airport, located within five minutes of all major carriers and the Textron Aviation Service Center. Textron Aviation anticipates being fully functional in the expanded Melbourne facility by the end of June 2024.

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The user app experience does not differ from MRO Insider. The new Alpha Wingman (AW) app  will act as a one-stop solution, increasing convenience and streamlining the booking process by reducing administrative delays, said the firm.

“We are excited to introduce Alpha Wingman, which represents our continued growth and unwavering commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our expanding client base,” said Andy Nixon, president of Alpha Wingman. “Our change in identity will help us as we deliver greater access to a wider selection of vendors and services, making Alpha Wingman your go-to source for aviation products and services.”

Latest additions include:

• Catering Services: Providing gourmet catering to meet the diverse dietary needs of our customers.
• Car Services: Providing luxury ground transportation for passengers and crew members.
• FBO Services: Allowing our aircraft operators to request quotes for fuel, ramp fees, handling services and more.
• Pre-Purchase Inspections: Providing easy access to comprehensive aircraft evaluations prior to acquisitions.

“Alpha Wingman is not just a new name; it’s a new era for our company,” added Nixon. “We are constantly upgrading our platform to deliver a seamless experience, from booking maintenance and rapid AOG repairs, to arranging catering, booking an FBO or ground transportation services. Our objective is to be your trusted partner, providing access to anything you need for your flight operations.”

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“This acquisition represents a pivotal moment for Luxaviation Group and our continued expansion in the global FBO market … Together with SkyValet, we continue expanding the reach of the ExecuJet Network and our ambition of sustainability, setting new benchmarks in the industry,” said Patrick Hansen, CEO, Luxaviation Group.

Earlier, Luxaviation completed 100% takeover of the Paragon Network.

The group’s president of the FBO division Michel Tohane will overlook integration of Sky Valet into Luxaviation Group with a special focus on the experienced staff of 90 new colleagues. Tohane previously led operations at Sky Valet as its executive vice president before joining Luxaviation in 2021.

Tohane said that beyond the goal to become global leaders in the FBO industry, Luxaviaion is also committed to push the green agenda of the group. Luxaviation recently announced plans to provide sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to its clients at its Paris Le Bourget FBO.

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The ‘nose-to-tail’ range of solutions includes a flight-deck communication datalink and a dual cabin connectivity service that uses Iridium voice capabilities in parallel with Jet ConneX, the high-speed broadband service connected with the Viasat Global Xpress constellation. The Falcon 6X, which was re-delivered to CAT in February, is the latest aircraft to join the fleet with connectivity solutions provided by Satcom Direct.  

 “State-of-the-art operators flying state-of-the-art aircraft also require state-of-the-art technology to take maximum advantage of their aircraft and provide the best possible experience for passengers and crew,” said Dave Falberg, Satcom Direct’s vice president of EMEA-APAC. 

“We’re proud to be the long-time partner of CAT Aviation as the relationship supports our understanding of their requirements. Our ability to deliver customised solutions for mixed, large fleet operators supporting diverse, international missions ensures we meet the needs of clients like CAT Aviation with our eco-system of connectivity solutions, which have been purpose-built for business aviation.”

The solution meets the needs of CAT Aviation which already uses Satcom Direct as its preferred connectivity supplier. The Zurich-headquartered operator values the closeness of Satcom’s Basel location, local language customer service and Satcom’s global footprint. 

The connectivity provider’s international presence allowed it to support CAT Aviation in Little Rock, Arkansas, at the Dassault Aircraft Services facility during the aircraft interior completion.

Helene Niedhart, founder of CAT Aviation, said: “As a Dassault aircraft operator for more than 20 years, we are very proud to be the world’s first Falcon 6X operator. In 2008, we were also one of the first Falcon 7X operators. Our fleet has grown steadily, and we have become the largest Dassault Falcon operator in Switzerland. It goes without saying that our loyal and longtime CAMO, Crew and Flight Operations teams have gained huge experience in operating Dassault Falcon aircraft, and we know that we can rely on Satcom Direct for continuous support wherever we are in the world.”

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The work, which includes the creation of an aviation technology park set to double the existing jet centre hangar space to 40,000 sqft, is being funded through an undisclosed investment from Megacorp Aviation. The firm has bases at London Biggin Hill Airport and Douglas, the Isle of Man’s capital, and owns a charter fleet of business aircraft.

Once completed, the development is expected to create up to 20 jobs for the island’s economy.

Harry Ackerman, CEO of Megacorp Aviation said: “The Isle of Man has long been underserved for private aviation. We are confident that the investment we are making into the Private Jet Centre and other aviation facilities at the airport will stimulate further economic growth for the Island and attract more traffic, as well as supporting aircraft coming on to the highly popular Isle of Man Aircraft Registry.”

The new private terminal will include new offices and a business centre which is being developed alongside a 10-bedroom boutique hotel for passengers and crew. Passengers will also have access to a concierge service.

The redeveloped private jet centre will include sustainable features, including the ability to calculate and offset carbon emissions with a carbon calculator; access to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and recycled apparel for all employees at the Jet Centre, as well as crew.

Captain Tony Corlett, chairman of the Private Jet Company, which originally built the FBO back in 2015, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Island’s general aviation community, alongside Megacorp, to ensure a best-in-class service is always rendered to our customers.”

Hannah Lo Bao, commercial manager of Ronaldsway Airport, added: “We are thrilled by the potential advancements within the private aviation sector at Ronaldsway Airport and are eagerly anticipating its growth.”

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The two companies will continue to trade under their own brands.

United Aviation Services operates at 20 airports throughout Spain. It also owns executive handling company Ibizair. It was founded in 1979.

OMNI Handling is the largest executive handler in Portugal. It operates at nine Portuguese airports – Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Cascais, Beja, Funchal on the island of Madeira, Santa Maria, Lajes and Ponta Delgada in the Azores. The company is also active in Mozambique, Cape Verde and Angola in partnership with VIPAero Lda.

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The growth of Solairus, which was launched in 2009, came primarily from long range, large cabin and super mid-size aircraft owners who accounted for 87% of new additions and who make up 88% of the 325-strong fleet, according to the company.

Solairus added 18 ultra-long-range aircraft in 2023 and ended the year with 134, representing 16% growth and close to 70% of the company’s net new additions.

The large cabin fleet now stands at 103 aircraft, while super-mids account for 45 aircraft.

“I am humbled and energized by the faith and trust owners place in us to safely manage and support their flight departments,” said Dan Drohan, CEO, Solairus. 

“One of our founding goals was to become big enough to matter, while remaining small enough to care. Certainly, this type of growth makes us big enough to matter. We work tirelessly, every day, to remain small enough to care.”

Still hiring

The company’s three largest manufacturers are Gulfstream (127 aircraft), Bombardier (111) and Dassault (41). Embraer enjoyed the largest fleet growth in 2023 at 20%.

More than half the fleet operates part 91 only, and about 25% of the total is available for third-party charter, according to Solairus.

Solairus’ clients flew nearly 35,000 flights and 74,000 flight hours in 2023, operating to 1,334 airports in 126 countries and all 50 states.

The company added 320 staff in 2023, including 230 full-time pilots, 56 maintenance supervisors and 29 flight attendants. It now has 2,099 staff.

The company says it is expecting to hire more than 300 new crew members in 2024.

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