Why is jet biofuel such a hot topic? With between 15,000 and 18,000 business jets in the world, and more than 11,000 of those based in the U.S., it’s estimated that the global fleet of business jets burn between 60 and 70 billion gallons of fuel each year.
The reality is that business aviation has a big carbon footprint, and its shoes are growing. According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, carbon dioxide emissions from the aviation industry grew by 42% between 1990 and 2005. And the expectation is that emissions will grow 50% to 70% by 2025, and 300% by 2050.
A potential solution exists in the widespread manufacture and adoption of “drop-in” biofuels — derived from renewable feedstock such as algae, plant biomass, and woodchips — that power existing engines in place of oil. According to biofuel companies, the new fuels could reduce carbon emissions by as much as 80%.
Steps toward reality
Biofuel isn’t just an idealistic vision for the future — it’s fast becoming a reality. In July 2011, airlines were given approval to commercially operate aircraft using a 50/50 blend of petroleum-based jet fuel and biofuel. That same summer, a Gulfstream G450 business jet made the first transatlantic flight from New York to Paris powered by a biofuel blend, saving around 5.5 metric tons of net carbon dioxide and burning approximately 20 gallons less fuel.
More recently, the National Research Council of Canada flew a Dassault Falcon 20 business jet powered completely by unblended biofuel. Analysis of flight information revealed a 50% reduction in aerosol emissions and 49% decrease in black carbon emissions, and the engines burned 1.5% less fuel when running on pure biofuel.
Jet biofuel is also gaining traction in both the public and private sectors. In April, the Obama administration renewed its support for the development of biofuels for the aviation industry by signing a pact to extend the Farm to Fly program.
Farm to Fly, which has the support of large organizations such as the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), works with the private sector and rural communities to create fossil fuel alternatives for aviation. The program aims to support the annual production of 1 billion gallons of aviation biofuels by 2018.
In the private sector, Richard Branson’s Carbon War Room non-profit organization, Renewable Jet Fuels, is working to make jet biofuel a win-win solution for investors and buyers, and bring renewable fuel sources to the mass market.
What the future holds
Although support is growing, there is still a long way to go before biofuel is commonplace. The biofuel industry needs to find a way to increase the availability of source material without disrupting food supply production or the oil and gas market. And they need to find investors willing to take on the risk of an emerging industry.
Despite these hurdles, there is a feeling of optimism that renewable jet biofuel will become a commercially viable solution, with the aviation industry leading the way to cleaner and more sustainable business practices.
Monday, Aug. 19, will be the 74th National Aviation Day in the U.S. In 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed National Aviation Day would be celebrated each year on the anniversary of Orville Wright’s birthday. Wright and his brother Wilbur, the Fathers of Modern Aviation, made that famous first flight in Kitty Hawk, N.C., on Dec. 17, 1903. The brothers likely had no idea how big an impact their invention would have on the world.
Aviation is a vital part of the economy in the United States. The industry supplies jobs in its own right, but it also is a key role in the movement of other businesses and industries. Just look at some numbers from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation 2011 Report:
- 793 million people moved through U.S. airspace
- $562.1 billion worth of freight shipped around the world.
- 2 million jobs related to aviation industry
- contributed more than $1 trillion to the U.S. economy
After their first successful flight, the Wright brothers began filling contracts for airplanes in Europe and the United States. Much of their business was based on government contracts, which they courted in the early years of their plane development. Orville took over the family business when his brother died in 1912. More interested in the research and development of aircraft than the business side of the operation, Orville sold the company by 1915.
Thanks to the Wright brothers and other early aviation pioneers, we have safe, reliable, and nearly-always available air travel. Take time this year to celebrate aviation in the U.S. Many aviation museums are offering discounted admission to special programs throughout the weekend. You’ll be able to learn more about the history and the men and women who have been integral in the development of modern aviation.
2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the famed Thunderbirds team, the air demonstration squadron of the U. S. Air Force. While this would normally be air show season for the 12-man group, the shows for the rest of the year were canceled due to sequestration, as of March 1. Two weeks ago the group was allotted some training hours to take to the skies, but they won’t be expected to be performing their famed shows again until possibly sometime next year.
How much do you know about the USAF Thunderbirds?
Named after mythical birds mentioned in Native American lore, the Thunderbirds were formed in 1953. They’ve called Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada home since 1974. In the squadron’s 60 year history, 325 Thunderbird pilots have flown in front of more than 300 million people. They don’t just perform in the U. S., either. Nicknamed “America’s Ambassadors in Blue,” the team has performed all over the world, including a European Goodwill Tour in 2007.
Officers joining the squadron sign up for two-year stints, during which they spend hours of practice time learning the iconic routines. The routine is action packed, and it shows off the ability of both the officers and the F-16C Fighting Falcons they fly. Some routines have the pilots flying as close as 18 inches from each other! There are eight formations used during the show, and the signature rolls and loops are performed at speed of up to 700 mph.
Missing the adrenaline packed Thunderbirds show? Check out YouTube for a variety of Thunderbirds videos including a video of the entire hour-long show. Or drive your own Thunderbird home thanks to Ford. They recently unveiled a USAF Thunderbirds Edition 2014 Ford Mustang GT. The edition has undergone performance enhancements and sports a paint job that mimics the design seen on the Thunderbirds’ F-16Cs. The car will be put up for auction on Aug. 1 to benefit the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagle group.
Arguably the hottest business jet on the market today, the Gulfstream 650 will cost you a cool $65 million. The jet was introduced in 2008 and already has over 200 preorders. Big names on the waiting list include Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet, and corporations like Disney and Walmart.
Getting on the list today means you won’t see your new plane until 2017, even if you’re an A-List celebrity or powerful corporation. Gulfstream strictly forbids line jumping, and they are trying to keep speculators out of the G650 market. The popularity of the aircraft has helped Gulfstream rebound from the stress on the industry caused by the recession.
Gulfstream says this is the best aircraft it’s ever built, and it’s easy to see why the jet manufacturer makes that claim. Let’s take a look at some of the features that set it apart from the rest:
- Has the ability to fly 7,000 nautical miles non-stop. That links you directly from New York to Dubai, or from London to Buenos Aires without refueling.
- Can achieve a speed of Mach 0.925, and is the only traditional private jet to get that close to the speed of sound. That makes it the fastest civilian aircraft currently in the skies.
- Has advanced navigation and safety equipment in the cockpit, including 3D weather radar, Automatic Emergency Decent Mode, and the Enhanced Vision System II.
- The cabin can be configured in 12 different ways to accommodate up to 18 people.
- A longer, taller, and wider cabin is the biggest in this class of jets.
You don’t have to wait until 2017 to get your hands on a great Gulfstream jet, though. Gulfstream has long enjoyed a reputation for excellent business jets, and L&L International can help you find a previously owned jet that is the perfect fit for your needs now. We’ll broker the deal and make the process a smooth one. You’ll be enjoying the convenience of private jet ownership long before the next G650 is available.
There’s a lot going on in the world of general aviation right now. Let’s take a look at some of the major stories we’ve been following on the Web this week.
New Drug Warnings for Private Pilots
Twelve general aviation organizations have joined forces to warn private pilots about the dangerous side effects of certain medications. These medications, including over-the-counter drugs with antihistamines, could impair a pilot’s ability to fly. The group estimates that nearly 12% of accidents in the last decade were due in part to pilots who had taken banned medication.
House Acts to Energize Small Aircraft Manufacturing
On July 16, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the Small Aircraft Revitalization Act. The act will “improve safety while cutting the cost of certification in half for light general aviation airplanes.” Manufacturers should be able to get innovative new aircraft designs to market sooner, and become more competitive in the world market. The Machinists union backed the act and predicted it will help spur growth and bring more new jobs to the industry.
Private Jet Reservations Go Mobile
More and more private jet companies are finding success in offering booking apps on mobile devices. PrivateFly, a charter jet company based in London, recently took a $500,000 booking from a family in the Middle East, shattering the prediction that customers would never use mobile apps for high-priced booking. Some companies, such as XOJet, don’t believe wealthy fliers will ever move solely to apps and have no plans to integrate mobiles apps into their business plan. Still, the apps are opening up the use of private jets to millions of new customers and could be a big boost to the industry.
No Open Season on Drones
The town of Deer Trail, Colo., is causing a stir in the ongoing protest against drone use in U.S. airspace. The town is considering a proposal to issue hunting permits for drones, which would include a $100 bounty for each downed drone. The move has prompted the FAA to issue a statement saying that “shooting an unmanned aircraft could result in criminal or civil liability” and warn that a drone that is shot down could collide with people or property. Deer Trail isn’t alone, though, as dozens of states and cities are proposing laws that would ban drones in their airspace.
NextGen Implementation Off Schedule
The FAA has been developing its NextGen system for providing “safer and more efficient air traffic management” since 2005 and gave a target date of 2025 of implementing the system. Congressional testimony this year brought to light that the agency may not be progressing as promised. There is great concern that the culture of the FAA is resistant to the change, and the innovation promised by NextGen isn’t really so innovative after all. There will be an audit to find the causes for the delay in NextGen’s development and implementation by the FAA.
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Tailwind Capital Group provides aircraft dealers, management companies and their clients unparalleled access to financing sources for aircraft acquisition and leasing.
Tailwind Capital’s global aircraft financing capabilities enable the firm to provide financing across a broad spectrum of equipment, whether it’s a King Air for a corporate buyer in Atlanta or an Airbus 320 for an Airline in Tiblisi.
Low rates, up to 100 percent financing and 25-year amortizations enable Tailwind to compete aggressively for your aircraft financing. Tailwind doesn’t draw the line at 20-year or newer aircraft; the group routinely finances older aircraft including G-IIB’s and G-III’s, as long as they are quality planes.
Tailwind is best known for its international finance, welcoming financing enquiries from Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, Russia, Africa, the Middle East and Australia. Its international document checklist tells you what Tailwind needs to get started underwriting your aircraft loan.
Refinancing and upgrades
If your variable rate loan is no longer as attractive as it once was, Tailwind will refinance your current loan with a low-interest, fixed-rate loan.
When it comes time to overhaul your engine, make avionics upgrades, apply a new coat of paint and redo the interior, Tailwind can lend you up to 90 percent of the cost for parts, labor and installation. Long-term, low-rate financing options make your payments very manageable.
Tailwind has the experience and capability to provide the best terms available while taking the hassle out of the finance process. It can provide loans of any size, from $500,000 to $50 million. For those looking at aircraft leasing, Tailwind will structure a term and lease rate that will make you happy.
If you have an opportunity to buy a plane “real right” and flip it, Tailwind has the short-term financing to secure the aircraft, market it and make a substantial profit. The process is quick and simple: Tailwind either likes the deal or not and they’ll tell you quickly.
To contact Tailwind Capital Group, call (727) 781-9606; e-mail info@tailwindcapitalgroup.com; or visit www.tailwindcapitalgroup.com/index.html.
Wisetouch Interiors’ President Julio D. Somarriba sets the bar for dedication, customer service, self-motivation, and quality high for the company founded in 2007.
With hundreds of hours logged on different aircraft in his 20-plus years of experience, Somarriba’s caring and understanding of a client’s satisfaction is apparent with each successful service his crew performs.
Located in Opalocka, Fla., Wisetouch operates from several hangars and facilities, providing a wide range of aviation services. After many successful years of providing mobile interior and exterior detailing services, the company has expanded to include leather restoration and state-of-the art upholstery and interior refurbishments.
Wisetouch provides complete interior services, with program managers overseeing all aspects of the process. Its capabilities are vast:
- removal and re-installation
- cabinetry and galley modifications
- full upholstery care and repair
- headliners and valance panels
- complete interior detailing
- engineering consulting and flammability services
Every service is performed with integrity and commitment to the customer’s satisfaction. The fleet of Mercedes mobile detailing units provides the customer with service patterns specifically designed to support client schedules. Each unit is fully equipped with high-tech equipment, ensuring each job meets and exceeds client standards.
Wisetouch Interiors and Somarriba have been featured in several trade magazines, including Business Jet International, Aircraft Airliners, The Leather Institute and the Palm Beach Post. In his 20 years in the aviation industry, Somarriba has worked on aircraft such as Airbus, Gulfstream, Bombardier, Hawker, Cessna, and Falcon Jet. He has also supported companies such as Aircraft Modular Products, B/E Aerospace, and Decrane Aircraft, to name a few.
Somarriba’s technical background has provided him with a keen understanding of “fit, form, and function.” He has integrated craftsmanship and comfort with technology, and he keeps his fingers on the pulse of current engineering designs and designations. His peers know him as a leader and industry specialist of aircraft interiors who stands out as a trouble shooter and a deadline maker. Somarriba’s training and qualifications extend from the Leather Institute to technical support certifications for several aviation groups and carriers.
Somarriba has crafted a unique organization based on quality and out-of-the-box technology, and his company’s dedication to excellence is visible to its clients and its clients’ clients.
Next time you admire the interior and comfort of a business jet, ask yourself, “Was this a Wisetouch?”
For more information about Wisetouch Interiors, visit the company’s website.
Private jets will have to meet Stage 3 noise level requirements. In the July 2 issue of the Federal Register, the FAA announced a ban on operating Stage 2 aircraft within the contiguous U.S. As part of the FAA Modernization and Reform act of 2012, the ban takes effect Dec. 31, 2015. The ban is in response to noise level complaints from communities around airports, where private jets are the last Stage 2 aircraft left. Larger Stage 2 planes, like commercial airliners, were phased out beginning in 1999. The ban is also in response to the international community’s desire to move to an all Stage 4 fleet.
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) said that negotiations about the phase out of Stage 2 private jets have been underway for a long time, and that they’ve pushed for a reasonable timetable to make the deadline workable for jet owners. That’s part of the reason smaller jets have been exempt from the phase out that previously affected larger aircraft.
The ban leaves owners of Stage 2 jets with few options. Jets that can meet Stage 3 noise levels with the use of a hushkit will be immune from the ban. Of the models affected by the ban, only about six models have hushkits available. And for some of the aircraft, the value of the hushkit exceeds the value of the aircraft itself. That’s leaving some jet owners with a dilemma about what to do. The market outside of the U.S. is limited for Stage 2 jets, so many of the planes will have to be scrapped. And while the ban is going to cost operators an estimated $330 million, the FAA and Congress feel that the benefits achieved by the rule are worth it.
If your company owns a Stage 2 aircraft, contacting a knowledgeable and reputable company like L&L International well before the December 2015 deadline is essential. We have relationships with owners, brokers, and manufacturers to help you find a solution that works for your company. If a hushkit isn’t available for your Stage 2 aircraft, you’ll have the help of an experienced, reputable private jet broker to help you find a new or used aircraft with minimal disturbance to your business.
Last month, Russ Alan Prince wrote an article for Forbes that suggests eight trends in private jet travel. One was a move toward eco-friendly ways of designing and manufacturing private jets, which is a trend that should bring some exciting innovations to the industry. Today’s aircraft are up to 70% more efficient than their 1970s predecessors when it comes to fuel burn.
But innovators aren’t satisfied with just fuel efficiency.
Reducing emissions
The aviation industry has taken on a daunting goal of reducing current carbon emissions by 50% by 2050. In order to do this, manufacturers are looking at simple changes that can create big fuel savings. The Airbus Concept Plane uses a curved tail and wing that move while in flight to create less drag and attain greater fuel efficiency. Their design mimics movement seen in nature, from the inspiration for many new innovations.
Ecological interiors
The interior of private jets will become more eco-friendly in the years to come, too. The Airbus Concept Plane imagines using all renewable plant fibers in the interior. Using more environmentally friendly materials won’t cut down on the style and comfort, though. Manufacturers are upping the refinement of materials, style, comfort, and technology while creating spaces that aren’t taxing the environment.
Earth-friendly manufacturing
Dassault claims to have the “most eco-friendly jets on the planet.” The manufacturer is committed to making the entire process eco-friendly, from mining the resources that build their planes to the recycling process at the very end of the jet’s lifecycle. Even Dassault’s manufacturing plant is constantly working to use fewer resources. It’s reduced industrial gas by 30% and water by 70%, even though overall production has increased.
Looking forward with NACRE
NACRE, the E.U.’s New Aircraft Concept’s Research project, is working to create new concepts in aircraft design that will lower fuel and other costs while increasing eco-friendliness and performance. The group predicts air travel will double in the next 20 years, which could be tremendously damaging to the environment if aircraft efficiency isn’t improved. Their goal is to create new concepts that can be used on a range of aircraft that “improve quality and affordability, whilst meeting the tightening environmental constraints.”
These certainly won’t be the last we see in eco-friendly improvements. Consumers are demanding their products use fewer resources and have smaller carbon footprints. That includes private jets. The industry is only predicted to grow, and we’re always excited to see innovative ideas in jet design and manufacturing.
Businesspeople spend a lot of time traveling. It’s important to make that time as comfortable and healthy as possible. Cabin humidity contributes to passengers’ comfort level in flight.
The typical humidity of a business jet cabin is less than 5%, resulting in fatigue and jet lag, dehydration, and degraded immune function. And for passengers with respiratory issues, low-humidity environments can be dangerous.
To address the need for balanced humidity levels onboard, cabin humidification specialists CTT Systems create products that focus on safe humidity levels for aircraft and passengers.
The Cair System™ boosts the relative humidity in the cabin to around 20% — a huge benefit for aircraft passengers. CTT supplies these systems to aircraft manufacturers for installation during production of new aircraft and to airlines for existing fleets.
Currently, Cair is available for large aircraft, specifically Boeing and Airbus jetliners. However, the private jet market is an important sector for CTT Systems. According to Flightglobal, within the next two years, the company hopes to have a downsized humidification system available for more mainstream aircraft.
This is good news for private jet owners. People use their business aircraft frequently and to travel long distances. With so much time spent in the air, a higher-humidity environment will improve passengers’ wellbeing during and after their flights.
With solutions that increase passenger wellness, contribute to a better environment, and improve airline economy, it’s no surprise that CTT Systems is growing. Keep an eye out for the company’s future improvements to its humidification systems; it’s likely that business jet owners will be breathing easy in no time.
