The FBO operator signed an agreement with Titan Fuel Services which will provide the SAF at its Palm Springs, California base.

“We are delighted to provide an option for aircraft management clients and FBO customers who desire to use a renewable alternative fuel source for their aircraft through our Desert Jet Center FBO. Offering SAF to our clients is a significant milestone as we continue to lead the way in sustainable aviation practices,” said Jared Fox, CEO, Desert Jet.

Titan Aviation will supply SAF produced by World Energy – a low-carbon and eco-friendly alternative to traditional Jet-A fuel.

The SAF is agricultural waste and residues converted into a renewable fuel source that can reduce carbon emissions significantly compared to fossil-based jet fuel.

Commenting on the agreement, Mike Allen, EVP of Titan Aviation Fuels, said: “We at Titan Fuels look forward to working with Desert Jet to support their SAF initiative by providing a source for their current and future sustainable fuel needs.”

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The charger’s installation comes as part of Clay Lacy’s planned $100m redevelopment of its FBO terminal at John Wayne, with completion set for mid-2025. It will support Joby’s Global Electric Aviation Charging System (GEACS) which is already in use at the OEM’s flight test centre in Marina, California and Edwards Air Force Base where Joby recently delivered its first aircraft. The charger will act as a node in Joby’s Southern California air taxi network.

JoeBen Bevirt founder and CEO of Joby said: “The charging technology we have developed is optimized to support our whole industry, from air taxis delivering short range city flights to more conventional electric aircraft flying longer distances. Joby made the specifications for the universal charging interface freely available to the wider industry in November 2023, to help accelerate the transition to clean flight. We’re therefore very pleased to see it being adopted in this key market.”

Clay Lacy’s all-new FBO development at John Wayne Airport is expected to be the first in the world to be Gold-certified by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.

Scott Cutshall SVP Strategy and Sustainability at Clay Lacy Aviation added: “Since our founding more than 50 years ago, Clay Lacy has been committed to improving lives for our community, employees, and clients; leading the industry on safety and service while taking action to reduce emissions in both our ground and air operations. We’re excited to be working with Joby to install Southern California’s first air taxi charger and we look forward to the greater convenience it will bring to the Orange County community without additional noise or emissions.”

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The Challenger can accommodate up to 10 passenger and has a worldwide reach, said the company. “This exceptional aircraft is the perfect choice for travel to various destinations, including anywhere in the US (ideal for west-to-east travel and vice versa), Mexico (including Cabo and Cancun), Hawaii, Canada, and more,” said a spokeswoman.

The recently refurbished 2008 aircraft joins Schubach’s fleet, which includes a Challenger 350, Challenger 601-3R, Citation Latitude, Citation XLS Gen2, Hawker 850XP, CJ3, Beechjet 400A, M2 and Gulfstream G450.

Schubach Aviation offers aircraft management, aircraft acquisition services and on-demand charter services in Southern California. The company’s managed fleet includes: a G550, G280. G200 and CJ3+.

Meanwhile, writing on the company’s website in June, Trey Munday, its chief operations officer and chief financial officer, noted: “Everything about private flying is better than the alternative. From the welcoming lobby of the FBO, to the awaiting aircraft and crew, to the flight in a comfortable cabin and destination that may not be available on an airline, the whole experience is ‘miles above’ the alternative. The experience makes the journey itself part of your trip and not just a means to an end.”

Above: Trey Munday: “Everything about

private flying is better than the alternative.”

Top: Schubach’s recently reburbished

Challenger 605 private jet aircraft.

Photo Credit: Thomas Pellicer.

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The new terminals will be based at Miami’s Opa-Locka Executive Airport (KOPF), Montana’s Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (KBZN) and Arizona’s Scottsdale Airport (KSDL).

“More people than ever are electing to travel by private aircraft,” said Megan Wolf, chief experience officer, Flexjet. “This increase in traffic means the large general aviation FBOs in popular departure and arrival points are more hectic than in the past. Flexjet’s owners-only lounges offer comfort and amenities to ease the transition from the jet to your final destination.”

The Miami terminal is expected to be the first to open and will include amenities such as a bar and café, modern conference rooms and dedicated concierges. It will also serve as the seasonal hub for the firm’s South Florida helicopter service, which Flexjet says is an industry first. The helicopter division was launched to provide last-mile transport for owners of Flexjet aircraft travelling from airports to final destinations.

Eli Flint, president, Helicopter Division, Flexjet said: “Industrywide, there has been little integrated connection yet between fixed-wing operations and urban air mobility. A journey isn’t just from one airport to another, it should go beyond that to enable a passenger to access off-airport destinations, or even airports too small for jets.”

He added: “Flexjet’s innovative helicopter service will provide a complementary step that will save travellers time and add convenience.”

Once completed, the new terminals will bring the company’s tally of private terminals to eight across the US. The other five are located at: Naples Airport in Florida (KAPF), New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport (KTEB), Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York (KHPN), Dallas Love Field, Texas (KDAL) (pictured) and Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles, California (KVNY).

There has recently been an influx of capital to the industry, with Cogent Bank expanding into the jet financing industry with Business Aviation Vertical earlier this month. Kenn Ricci, the owner of Flexjet, spoke about how new business capital is reshaping business aviation at Corporate Jet Investor Miami 2022.

Ricci is speaking at Corporate Jet Investor London 2023.

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As an Avfuel-branded location, Meridian Hayward’s clients will benefit from the AVTRIP loyalty programme and competitive fuel rates processed through Avfuel Contract Fuel at more than 3,000 locations worldwide.

“We are very excited to partner with Avfuel as our fuel supplier,” said Carlos Rodriguez, general manager, Meridian Hayward. “In addition, its focus on integrating sustainable aviation fuel [SAF] into the supply chain will be an asset as we work to expand our own efforts in that area.”

Located between San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland, Meridian Hayward provides business travellers with direct access to the Bay Area.

Meridian also provides ramp services, including Ground Power Units (GPU), lavatory service, potable water service and quick turnarounds. It also holds IS-BAH Stage II accreditation and Safety 1st certification from the National Air Transportation Association (NATA).

“We are honoured the Meridian team entrusted Avfuel to help care for its team’s and customers’ needs,” said Joel Hirst, senior vice president of Sales, Avfuel. He added that the addition to the Avfuel Network provides another “premier” flying and fuelling location in the heart of the Golden State.  

Avfuel’s fuelling network consists of more than 650 FBOs worldwide.

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Improved inflight connectivity is creating new opportunities for business aviation, according to SmartSky Networks CEO, David Helfgott.

Following his presentation at our CJI Miami 2022 conference, (captured in the video above), SmartSky Networks and Honeywell Aerospace are showcasing SmartSky’s air-to-ground (ATG) connectivity through test flights across the US.

Starting next month, the two firms will be conducting demonstration flights in California, Washington and Texas, to give potential customers a first-hand look at the SmartSky service and Honeywell’s connected applications.

Following the NBAA-BACE event, the companies flew prospective clients from Orlando to their chosen destination, with one flying to Dallas with five passengers. According to SmartSky, all on board consumed multiple gigabytes of data during the flight.

“Customers need a relatable measure to compare the value of inflight connectivity systems,” said Adam Sheppard, director, Aircraft Connectivity, Honeywell Aerospace.

“Peak speeds don’t describe what you can actually do when connected, experiencing the service on a typical flight is the ultimate test,” he added.

Sheppard added that the demonstration flights will also give MRO partners the opportunity to experience SmartSky’s advanced ATG connectivity hardware and service for themselves.

For SmartSky’s president, Ryan Stone, the collaboration between the two companies was key into creating a Wifi offering that met everyone’s expectations.

“That expectation includes one simple install and activation with a timely return to service,” he said.

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A tenant of Castle & Cooke Aviation on the west side of Van Nuys, ACI has secured office space, stationed technicians and two mobile aircraft vehicles with plans to add more vehicles and crew next year

ACI Jet’s mobile unscheduled AOG division serves two primary functions: an extension of support for the company’s Repair Station customers and on-demand support for both transient and managed fleet aircraft throughout California. 

The new footprint, coupled with existing facilities at John Wayne Airport, expands ACI’s customer reach throughout California. The immediate coverage area of the new operating base will extend beyond Van Nuys to Burbank Airport (BUR), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Long Beach Airport (LGB), Camarillo Airport (CMA) and Santa Barbara Airport (SBA), to name a few.

While primarily focused on Bombardier Global and Challenger-series’ and Cessna Citations, the AOG response team is capable of providing services for a full range of business aircraft. The location of the new base means extra parts, staffing, resources and tooling can be brought to the job in less than three hours.

Senior vice president, Aircraft Maintenance, David Jensen, said: “Our goal is to be responsive to the needs of our customers at the airport while balancing the existing resources provided by some of our partners.”

Jensen anticipates additional vehicles and technicians in early 2023 as demand rises.

“A lot of our customers, including large fleet operators with whom we have long standing relationships, have asked specifically for ACI Jet’s support in Van Nuys, and we want to deliver on their needs. Basing vehicles and technicians locally will reduce our response times to virtually zero while bringing our renowned Repair Station capabilities and resources for select airframes within reach,” he added.

More information about ACI Jet’s AOG and mobile aircraft maintenance services and capabilities can be found at mro.acijet.com.

The post ACI Jet acquires Van Nuys maintenance operation #NBAA appeared first on Corporate Jet Investor.

Backed by blockchain technology to prove its carbon-reducing credentials, Directional Aviation, Alder Fuels, 4Air and Flexjet partnered to launch a new type of next-generation SAF last week. Ricci said this tool is a big step for the sector in proving its legitimate carbon benefits.

Blockchain technology is a digital ledger that records transactions and tracks assets throughout a business’s network. In the new partnership, the tool will provide transparency about the production of SAF and document its compliance with regulatory programmes, environment, social and governance (ESG) targets and carbon reduction milestones for business aviation. 

Speaking to Corporate Jet Investor, Kennedy Ricci said: “We have big goals for SAF and its deployment in business aviation, so we need a scalable transparency and traceability model.  Our hope is to support that with what 4Air does with Alder and the new technology.”

The private aviation investment firm, Directional Aviation revealed an undisclosed financial investment in SAF producer, Alder Fuels last Thursday (September 15th). The investment will enable Alder to scale up production of Alder Greencrude (AGC), its second-generation SAF, and supply it to Flexjet.

Flexjet has committed to using a 12% of its fuel from SAF. This is one of the first deals of its kind within private aviation, and the shared ownership operator will pilot the blockchain technology tool along with 4Air and Alder.

Whilst some airlines have made similar commitments, business aviation is taking a sizeable portion of the SAF market. “Of the 4 million gallons of neat SAF that were produced last year, private aviation took 50% of that,” said Ricci.

“We’re only 2% of total fuel consumption. This builds on the story that business aviation has an opportunity to lead in sustainability space and take the initiative with sustainable fuel.”

According to Alder Fuels, AGC reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80% compared with petroleum jet fuel. There is also the future potential for the SAF to be carbon negative, depending on what feedstocks are used.

By using a blockchain technology tool, 4Air aims to provide clear traceability of the fuel’s carbon footprint, starting with the fields where the biomass was gathered to where it is burned. “I was looking at trying to make this process more transparent,” said Ricci. “That’s where 4Air comes in. SAF may not be 100% better but is 70-80% better. So, we have to document exactly what that is.”

To calculate this percentage, 4Air learns the blend of the biofuel once it is mixed with Jet A and the feedstock used. After observing the conversion process, 4Air then determines the percentage of the fuel’s carbon intensity compared with standard fuel. “It is a simple calculation,” Ricci explains. “But documenting it all, that is the real challenge.

“There is a need for transparency in SAF. There are a lot of questions about the feedstock, where it came from, is it actually sustainable and can you prove your claim and ensure it wasn’t double counted?” said Ricci.

Blockchain technology will answer these questions and provide transparency and credibility to the market, he said. It will also tackle current problems the sector faces with the potential of SAF being “double sold” and multiple entities along the supply chain claiming they have used a certain amount of SAF.

The blockchain technology proves a company’s claim to carbon credits down to the specific batch of SAF.  “It gives the traceability and clarity to the ownership model so that you could go in and say, this company is claiming that they use these 10,000 gallons [of SAF]. The blockchain technology will then determine it has an unquestionable claim to those 10,000 gallons or if in fact it has been sold elsewhere.”

The transparency it provides will also help when claiming tax credits from governments. The US government has claimed it will grant tax credits for every gallon of SAF produced that demonstrates a 50% or greater lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions reduction relative to petroleum jet fuel. 

This is good news for SAF customers. “Whilst tax credits mostly lie with producers, it will likely lower the cost of production and consumers should see that reflected in the price they pay,” said Ricci.

This in turn will drive down the premium price of SAF.  There have been many times in California when the price of SAF has been within $1 of regular jet fuel, he added.

“For all these reasons, blockchain technology will play an important part in the development of sustainable air fuel.”  Providing transparency to the production and ownership of the fuel, will, in turn, provide credibility to the SAF market and in turn promote further growth in the industry, with companies such as Alder already scaling up production.

“This is going to be a big part of the SAF scalability story and the business aviation industry for the next 10 to 15 years,” concluded Ricci. “We can’t just flip a switch in 2030. We have to start using these technologies now.”

Meanwhile, read more about the partnership signed between Directional Aviation, Alder Fuels, 4Air and Flexjet here.

For more information on the next generation of SAF, and Alder’s Greencrude, consult the Official Guide to Business Aviation here.

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The AFAC approval allows Clay Lacy to provide full maintenance services on business jets at its Van Nuys Airport and McClellan-Palomar Airport, San Diego locations.

Henry Hage, director, Aircraft Maintenance Operations, Clay Lacy said: “This authorisation allows even more business aircraft operators to take advantage of Clay Lacy’s outstanding MRO services and facilities. We look forward to the opportunity to serve Mexican-registered aircraft owners at a convenient location and allow them to enjoy the benefits of factory-trained experts and more than 50 years of experience of maintaining every make and model of business jet.”

AFAC’s authorisation adds a large number of Mexican-registered aircraft as potential Clay Lacy customers to its list of international authorisations. Clay Lacy provides MRO services for European-based and Canadian-registered business jets, as well as US-based aircraft. The firm has full MRO facilities in California and Connecticut.

The post Mexico grants Clay Lacy AFAC Repair Station authorisation appeared first on Corporate Jet Investor.

Sean McGeough, vice president and head of Airbus Corporate Jets North America, said: “The US business aviation sector is the biggest in the world, and it is growing, in the first six months of 2022, the number of business aviation departures in the US was 15.2% higher than during the same period in 2019.”

McGeough told Corporate Jet Investor (CJI): “Many flight departments and fractional ownership card holders I have spoken to have already exceeded their flight allocation for the year. You will continue to see year-over-year growth in private jet travel never seen before.”

McGeough attributed this increase in demand to the lifestyle changes arising from the global pandemic: “People want to meet face-to-face and thus there was a drastic increase in the number of passengers flying privately for the first time,” he told CJI, “Customers re-evaluated values brought by business aviation, such as privacy, sanitary benefits to avoid crowded airports [and] freedom of schedule.” Also the big reduction in scheduled commercial flights – particularly among regional carriers – had also boosted the number of new entrants for private jet aviation.

Heavy or long-range jets accounted for 37.5% of the US fleet, with light jets totalling 36.5%, midsize 20.5% and very light jets at 5.5%.

“Because of the huge size of the US and its importance on the global stage, over one-third of private jets registered in the country are categorised as heavy or ultra-long range, which is where we focus,” said McGeough.

The Airbus research also revealed the three states with the largest private jet fleets are Texas, Florida and California with 1,651, 1,619 and 1,431 private jets respectively. Heavy jets accounted for 33.9%, 44.2% and 50.6% of each state’s fleet.

Houston was named as the US city with the largest private jet fleet of 329 aircraft. That was followed by Dallas with 327 jets, Fort Lauderdale with 307, Van Nuys with 273 and Miami with 229 private jets.

Meanwhile, McGeough told CJI that most of the ultra-long range (ULR) aircraft are operated within the US or to South America or Europe, flying for only a small part of the 17 hours duration. “Data shows in 2019 that only 1.4% of all the ULR aircraft based in the US fly further than 5,500 nautical miles,” he said. “This is another reason why the ACJ Two Twenty has such a strong value proposition at 5,650 nm intercontinental range, whereas other aircraft have range capacities that are well underutilised.

US private jet market – at a glance

• 14,632 private jets in the US, about 62.5% of the world’s fleet
• 5% are categorised as heavy or long-range, 36.5% as light, 20.5% as midsize and 5.5% as very light jets
• Texas has the most with 1,651, followed by Florida (1,619), California (1,431), New York (487) and Georgia (439) 

Source: Airbus.

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