28 Press-Day Briefings Hint at Industry Health

By ANN Correspondent Dave Higdon

Aviation journalists from around the globe lined up for their annual stint of drinking from a fire hose Tuesday when Press Day at the 58th Annual convention of the National Business Aviation Association delivered a staggering 28 briefings from companies ranging from corporate-airliner maker Airbus to Max-Viz, the provider of synthetic vision equipment for corporate aircraft.

It was, given the hasty retreat NBAA beat from its originally scheduled location, affirmation of the current health and heartiness in the business-aviation community. And with companies such as Cessna and Mooney, Boeing Business Jets and Aviation Technology Group, enjoying strong interest from their corporate clientele, a reflection of both the solid state of the economy and the need people still feel to do business face-to-face.

That strength is reflected in the numbers already available from the 2005 NBAA convention: 1,142 exhibitors, a new record; 4,815 exhibit-hall spaces sold, another high mark. And about 100 new companies exhibiting for the firs time at NBAA.

Here are some of the highlights spotlighted during the opening-day marathon of press briefings.

Gulfstream Wins Joint U.S.-Israeli G150 Approval - Months Early

Newest G gets even quicker getting the quick nod.  

Brian Moss smiled and expressed how good live is just before he ascended the podium in Press Conference Room N220C Tuesday morning to announce his company's early certification of the new G150, Gulfstream's shot across the nose of competing mid-class jets. "And I know how bad things can be from the other side," he quipped.

The G150 offers the largest cabin in its weight class, a range 250 nautical miles longer than originally promised, plus a maximum-weight take-off roll 650 feet shorter than predicted. "I want to commend our people in Savannah and Israel," Moss said of the joint Gulfstream-Israeli Aircraft Industries product.

Boasting a cabin wider than its two nearest competitors, the G150 also earned its wings delivering the higher performance numbers mentioned above. When the G150 program launched three years ago, the company promised certification before the end of the first quarter of 2006. When the FAA and the CAAI in Israel issued their type approvals Monday morning, the G150 landed officially about four months ahead of schedule.

Gulfstream also advancing the cause of a Supersonic Business Jet

Without a rules change to allow civilian supersonic flight across the Continental United States, the cause of a future Supersonic Business Jet remains a lost one. And lacking technological advances that reduce the impact and footprint of the standard sonic boom, the cause of changing those rules remains equally out of reach.

So Gulfstream is tackling the technological challenge now in hopes of winning that needed rules change in hopes of becoming part of a future SSBJ advance somewhere down the airways with its SASS II - the Supersonic Acoustic Signature Simulator II.

Designed to demonstrate the effect of sonic-boom reducing aerodynamics, the SASS II also allows the individual to experience the difference between the audible impact of a Concorde's boom and the sound print of different developmental technologies designed to reduce the sonic impact of a multi-Mach flying machine.

The issue of SSBJ's is one with a long history at Gulfstream Aerospace. As far back as 1991, then-chairman Allan Paulson teamed with Russia's Sukhoi Design Bureau on a SSBJ. The project wasn't to be. Problems and business complications thwarted funding and regulatory issues - specifically the U.S. ban - muted interest from potential customers. But as recently as two years ago, two companies announced their intentions to develop such faster-than-a-speeding-bullet aircraft.

"We developed the SASS II to focus on the R & D to reduce the boom as a technological tool," said Gulfstream's Press Henne. "If the rule change it will make sense to pursue an SSBJ." And Gulfstream still wants to lead the revolution.

Cessna launches Encore+: Destined to be the 26th new jet Cessna has certificated in 10 years

First came the straight-wing, long-cabin Citation V; the Ultra followed, then, in 1999, the best-selling Encore. Cessna chairman Jack Pelton used part of Cessna's NBAA press briefing to announce the launch of the Encore +. After winning approval for 25 new aircraft in recent years, the Encore + would become the 26th aircraft the company has certificated in a decade. "The Encore+ offers significant improvements in efficiency, crew situational awareness, and payload over its predecessor, the Encore," said Cessna's Chairman, President and CEO Jack J. Pelton.

And like virtually every Citation to come along since the original model 500 more than 30 years - and 4,500 Citations - ago, the Encore + is an airplanes that one could say the customers designed. "We're improving on this great design with a new version of Collins' ProLine 21 cockpit and the optional features most popular among our customers," said Pelton.

Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite encompasses many of the same features as the Citation CJ3, CJ1+ and CJ2+. The Primary Flight Displays (PFD) and enhanced Multi-Function Display (MFD) are presented on three 8-inch by 10-inch active matrix color liquid crystal displays. The copilot's PFD with second air data computer is standard equipment and will meet reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) requirements.

Other enhancements include the standardization of the Encore+ with Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II), Mark VIII Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS), and broadcast graphical weather including Next Generation Doppler Radar (NEXRAD) information, Meteorological Terminal Aviation Routine Weather Report (METARs), and textual Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF). In the cabin, new LED indirect lighting is now standard.

Cessna set an NBAA price of $7.995 million for Encore + orders placed during the NBAA meeting; afterward, the price increases $100,000. Cessna expects to win certification of the Encore + in time for first customer deliveries in February 2007.

Cessna's Triple Threat: Three Citations make first NBAA appearances: CJ1+, CJ2+ -and no horsing around, the Mustang

Many aviators today may not remember that Cessna named its then-new light jet the "Citation" after the most-successful thoroughbred in horseracing history - more than three decades ago. So when Cessna launched its new entry into the VLJ market that again the company turned to a horse for the name. Three years later, the first Citation Mustang to grace an NBAA convention sits in the static display at Orlando Executive Airport - along with two other Citations making their NBAA debuts: The CJ1+ and CJ2+.

The Mustang holds claim to its own record-setting history thanks to the triple-digit commitments landed at the NBAA of its launch at that year's Orlando convention. Now, with certification barely a year out, the Mustang backlog numbers more than 230 aircraft.

Meanwhile, the CJ1+ and CJ2+ -- both certificated earlier this year - are contributing to a strengthening of sales for the Wichita planemaker. According to Pelton, Cessna this year expects to deliver 245 Citations this year and 290 in 2006. By year's end, the company also expects to top deliveries of 850 single-engine piston aircraft and 85 Caravans - sales of which now exceed 1,500.

In 2006, Cessna expects to celebrate delivery of its 5,000th Citation. And that's not horsing around.

Airbus establishes Business Aviation Advisory Board

A familiar face showed up for the Press Day briefing of Airbus and his presence marks the start of a new effort the company is making to connect to the business aviation community. Airbus contracted with former NBAA president Jack Olcott and his company, General Aero, to organize the Airbus Business Aviation Advisory Board. "Airbus is a very resourceful company with tremendous resources that could be of great benefit to the business-aviation community," Olcott (pictured below) told ANN.

"At the same time, Airbus has not established a connection to the business-aviation community that makes people think of business aircraft when they hear the name, 'Airbus'. So this panel has the potential to be a win-win for both Airbus and business aviation," said Olcott.

Olcott tapped three veterans of business aviation operations and management to round out the BAAC. Among them are Tom Davis, who ran Daimler-Chrysler's corporate-shuttle operation; Brett Lindsey, president of Studio RD; Milt Hobbs, director of flight operations for business-aircraft operator CableVision; and Charlie Ewers, manager of global aviation services for petroleum company Conoco-Phillips. "This is great implications for the community of business aviation as well as for Airbus," Olcott said.

Milestones abound at NBAA…and the convention doesn't start until Tuesday

Adam delivers first Customer A500

Monday, Nov. 7 is a day to mark in history at Adam Aircraft, the day the first customer took delivery of the first A500. A500 Serial Number 5 went to a Colorado Springs business executive after Adam received its it's Approved Production Inspection System certification from the FAA. Production Certification is expected to follow in the first quarter of 2006. The company's goal is to achieve production of six A500's monthly once certificated for full operations.

Adam also announced the rollout of the first production-compliant A700 jet VLJ, a step toward beginning FAA certification flight tests. According to the company, Serial Number 002 reflects all the refinements generated during the developmental test flights flown on Serial Number 001. Refinements have been made in the Avidyne PFDs and MFDs, fuel belly pod, autopilot, pressurization system, nose-gear configuration and gear doors.

BBJ breaks the century mark

Boeing Business Jets recently broke through the 100 mark, the company announced Tuesday, with sales of the 737-700-based airliner now at 102 units.

Launched in 1996 as a partnership between Boeing and General Electric, the BBJ quickly became the best selling of the ultralarge-cabin business jets with demand spawning a second, even-larger variant, the 737-800-based BBJ2. The sale of the 100th, 101st and 102nd BBJs put the company ahead of its goal of achieving the century mark by the end of 2005.

ACJ hits 50

Airbus also achieved a milestone with its ultralarge-cabin business jet when sales hit 50 recently.

Based on the A319 airliner, the ACJ lays claim to the most technologically advanced of its class thanks to the fly-by-wire architecture of the A320 family of airliners. After two decades, the A320 family still leads in fly-by-wire technology and stands as the only business jet that can make that claim - at least until the Dassault 7X enters service.

FMI: www.nbaa.org