By Lisa Gordon | October 22, 2014 Estimated reading time 5 minutes, 4 seconds.
Embraer has received U.S. Federal Aviation Administration certification for the Legacy 500. Embraer Photo
The biggest names in business aviation are taking up residence at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., this week, as the National Business Aviation Association’s annual conference gets rolling. Several big announcements were made on the first day of the show.
Following Gulfstream’s launch of its brand new G500 and G600 business jets, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) is celebrating the fact that its PurePower PW800 engines will power the new aircraft. The new engine was officially unveiled at the show on Oct. 21, and is billed as being optimized specifically for long-range business jets. It shares the same core technology as the PurePower geared turbofan engines that power Bombardier’s CSeries airliner, among other commercial aircraft. Assembled at P&WC’s plant in Mirabel, Que., the PW800 is billed as incorporating the latest technology in design and manufacturing, “delivering double-digit performance improvements over previous engines,” according to a company spokesperson.
Gulfstream booth at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) convention. Lindsay Hughes Photo
In other Gulfstream-related news, Thales Canada announced it would deliver fly-by-wire flight control systems on the OEM’s ultra-long-range G650ER, which was unveiled in May. The new G500 and G600 business jets will also feature Thales fly-by-wire flight controls.
Embraer Executive Jets was also celebrating Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification of its mid-size Legacy 500 business jet, which enables the aircraft to enter service in the U.S. The Brazilian OEM has seven aircraft on display on the NBAA static line at Orlando Executive Airport (ORL), including the prototype of its mid-light Legacy 450, which is essentially a smaller version of the 500.
Bombardier is adding six mobile customer response trucks in the United States. Bombardier Photo
Bombardier announced it will significantly augment its customer support network through the addition of six more mobile customer response trucks in the U.S., as well as opening a business aircraft line maintenance station in Nice, France. The new support services will be coordinated through the OEM’s 24/7 customer response centre.
Flying Colours Corp., headquartered in Peterborough, Ont., signed a Joint Venture agreement with Sparkle Roll Technik Co., Ltd. (SRT) of Shangdong Province, China. The new partnership will see the two companies collaborate on the conversion of eight CRJ-200 aircraft to VIP configurations, mirroring the interior of Bombardier’s Challenger 850 business jet. It will take about eight months to convert each aircraft, with work initially undertaken in Peterborough before shifting to China. Flying Colours will develop and own the new supplemental type certificates relating to the interior configurations, which will then be validated by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Once converted, the VIP jets will be sold to individuals or operated by Sparkle Roll Technik.
Flying Colours and Sparkle Roll Technik have agreed to establish a joint venture that will partner on conversions. Flying Colours Photo
Vector Aerospace Engine Services – Atlantic, Inc. (ES-A) of Summerside, P.E.I., signed an engine services agreement with Aerway Leasing in Wisconsin. The deal requires ES-A to provide MRO services for its P&WC PW100 series engines.
There was big news from the FBO sector as well, with Signature Flight Support announcing that Skyservice’s three FBOs in Toronto, Calgary and Montreal would become Signature Flight Support facilities. The development means there will now be two Signature FBOs on the field in Montreal, while the company will have a presence at five of Canada’s busiest airports. The deal provides for Skyservice to continue operating its aircraft management, maintenance and charter services under its own brand.
Finally, Vancouver-based TrainingPort.net announced it will be signing an agreement with fractional ownership company AirSprint Inc., to act as its online safety training provider. The contract will be signed on Oct. 22 on the show floor.
