NetJets announced largest private aviation order in history

In the largest aircraft purchase in private aviation history, NetJets last week announced it will add up to 425 new aircraft to its worldwide fleet under purchase agreements with Cessna and Bombardier. The transaction has a total value of $9.6 billion and launches the new NetJets Signature Series of aircraft. The details of the order include up to 275 Bombardier Challenger aircraft, including 100 firm orders and options for 175 more. The order comprises 75 firm and 125 options of the Challenger 300 Series aircraft. Deliveries for this aircraft are scheduled to begin in 2014. The order also includes 25 firm and 50 options of the Challenger 605 aircraft, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2015. The Cessna component of the deal includes up to 150 Cessna Citation Latitudes, including 25 firm orders and options for 125 more, with deliveries beginning in 2016. The addition of these new midsize cabin aircraft, along with the recently-ordered Embraer Phenoms and Bombardier Globals, marks the launch of a new NetJets Signature Series of aircraft as part of NetJets’ 10-year business plan, which includes continuous renewal of its current fleet of more than 725 aircraft.
www.netjets.com

BizAv Associations called upon to jointly devise an EU ETS global alternative

On the occasion of CBAA 2012, Canada’s leading event for business aviation, several prominent national Business Aviation Associations gathered to review their joint positions on the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). Fabio Gamba, CEO of the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), set out the European perspective, emphasizing that he shared the audience’s frustration over the scheme’s many flaws. These shortcomings include the discriminatory treatment of business aviation, not only in the distinction made in the Directive between commercial and non-commercial operators and how the de minimis rule is applied, but also in the system’s cost ineffectiveness and its focus on punishing CO2 emitters instead of encouraging their efforts dedicated to improving the industry’s carbon footprint. “Although business aviation emits less than 2% of air transport emissions – and less than .04% of total man made emissions - we confirm our sector's role in helping to combat global warming,” Gamba said. “Indeed we have already called for and recognised the role of interim global market-based measures to foster the fulfilment of our three long-term targets, namely 1) carbon-neutral growth by 2020, 2) improvement in fuel efficiency of an average 2%/year until 2020, and 3) an absolute reduction of 50% (based on 2005) of our CO2 emissions. However, we believe the time has now come to define what these measures should be.” Don Spruston, Director General of IBAC, also cautioned that resistance to the EU ETS could lead to retaliation which would harm all parties. “We understand the frustration that unilateralism and badly-crafted legislation can generate,” he added, “but we also note, importantly, that the European Commission has agreed to abandon its scheme if and when a global agreement on an aviation climate change program is sealed. This is an opportunity we want to seize.” He therefore called upon the business aviation community to rally behind the worldwide aviation effort to develop an alternate, global, market-based measure to the EU ETS.
www.ebaa.org

Rolls gains full ownership in JV

Rolls-Royce has agreed to acquire the remaining 50% share in its UK-based joint venture, Aero Engine Controls (AEC) from its JV partner, Goodrich. The JV was launched in January 2009 and combined the engine controls businesses of the two companies. The acquisition will proceed once United Technologies Corp completes its acquisition of Goodrich. AEC designs and manufactures engine control systems including electronic engine controllers, fuel pumps and fuel metering units for Rolls-Royce engines and other programs and employs approximately 1,400, with sites in Birmingham, Derby, Belfast and Indianapolis.
www.rolls-royce.com

People: Avionics Pioneer Ed King flies west

Avionics pioneer Edward King, Jr., 90, died two weeks ago at his home near Eugene, Ore. After graduating from college in 1943, King took a job on the East Coast with RCA, designing aircraft radio equipment for the U.S. Navy. He later returned to the Midwest, and in 1948 he borrowed $10,000 from his in-laws and founded his first company, Communications Accessories Corp. (CAC), which in 1956 was purchased by Collins Radio (now Rockwell Collins). King was CAC’s president until 1959, when he left to found King Radio, a company started in his basement. Eventually, the company employed thousands of workers who developed and manufactured navigation and communication equipment for general and business aviation aircraft. In 1985 King sold King Radio to Allied Signal/Bendix Aerospace–which is now part of Honeywell–and retired. “Ed King was one of the most important figures in the development of modern avionics,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “His vision and entrepreneurial spirit helped establish and advance the state of the art for onboard electronics.” NBAA recognized King’s accomplishments by presenting him with a special NBAA First Century of Flight Award in 2003. He also received NBAA’s Meritorious Service to Aviation Award in 1988.