Business Aviation

26 July, 2021: Lindsey Oliver, Operations and Development Manager for the British Business General Aviation Association (BBGA) is moving into a new role as Director General.She will be responsible for the operational matters for the national trade body which promotes and supports business and general aviation in the UK, fostering a closer interface with the BBGA Board and the Association’s Working Groups. Lindsey has worked alongside CEO Marc Bailey, overseeing the running of the Association, since 2009. Much of her work has been involved in supporting members and reacting to and resolving both their and industry issues, as well as successfully managing various BBGA events. Her appointment is a key part of a new, collaborative and structured approach to running the BBGA, which will see each Board member undertaking defined roles, based on their area of expertise. Collectively, the Secretariat and Board are focused more than ever on building a strong industry for everyone. “I am delighted to see Lindsey take on this new Director General role, liaising closely with the Board,” said BBGA Chair Aoife O’Sullivan. “From a members’ perspective this will result in a more responsive association – tackling industry issues that really matter, with closer connections to both the BBGA Board and our important Working Groups.”

UAE, Abu Dhabi, 26July 2021: RoyalJet Bermuda, the wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi owned and operated RoyalJet Group has been granted an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) by the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA).The granting of this certificate – the first AOC to be issued to the Group outside the UAE – allows RoyalJet Bermuda to conduct commercial operations on Bermuda registered aircraft managed by the company. The BCAA only grants an AOC to an operator which is fully competent to safely operate the types of aircraft specified in the certificate. In order to be issued this AOC, RoyalJet Bermuda satisfied all BCAA requirements, demonstrating previous conduct and experience, availability of equipment, organization structure, qualified staffing, and sufficient maintenance and other arrangements. “The process involved in being granted an AOC can be quite lengthy and there are multiple phases and criteria to be met. We at RoyalJet Group are proud to announce that our wholly owned subsidiary in Bermuda has been granted an AOC by the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority. This is the Group’s first foreign AOC, and it expands our service offering to our existing customers while helping us continue our growth in the global market”, said Rob DiCastri, CEO, Royal Jet. “The first aircraft to be operated by RoyalJet Bermuda under this AOC will be a European based BBJ we’ve recently added to our fleet which was already Bermuda registered.This new addition marks an historic moment in our operations, as we are now managing this asset for a private owner and select charter customers”, he further added. With the addition of the European based BBJ, the RoyalJet Group now owns and/or operates ten Boeing Business Jets – by far the largest fleet of BBJs in the world.

21 July, 2021: ACC Aviation, the global aviation services group,reports positive growth in the second quarter of 2021, driven by US and UK Charter as well as steady growth in its consulting division. Charter volume in the US and UK was up 39% year on year. Highlights included an uptick in the use of corporate shuttles, across the USA, Europe, and Asia, from the manufacturing, transport and sports sectors. ACC Aviation has supported a number of corporations with regular programme flying. US domestic business travel continues to lead the recovery with encouraging booking levels through 2021 into early 2022. ACC Aviation’s consultancy arm fared well in Q2, with 1H revenues up 18% compared with the same period in 2020, and 33% up on 2019. With increased activity across aircraft disposal and acquisition, and sale-and-leaseback projects, the business is backing further expansion of its consulting division with its entry to Aviation Finance Advisory. ACC Aviation has appointed Viktor Berta as VP of Aviation Finance Advisory where he will be supporting new and existing clients in analysing financing and leasing arrangements, restructuring existing indebtedness, and sourcing new forms of financing. “The creation this month (July) of a dedicated Aviation Finance Advisory within ACC Aviation, led by Viktor Berta, ex Erste and DVB Bank, leaves us even better placed to support airlines, lessors, lenders and investors with their existing debt and financing options as they navigate through this uncertain climate,” commented ACC Aviation CEO Phil Mathews. Trading highlights for Q2: • Appointed by Congo Airways, the national carrier of Congo DRC, to arrange the financing of its orderbook for 4x Embraer E190/E195-E2 aircraft, including on sale and leaseback. • Arranged and advised on the acquisition one B737-300 for an undisclosed client in the CIS region. • Arranged and advised on the pre-purchase inspection of one B737-300 stored in Estonia. Consulting activities included: • Ongoing engagement by a state-backed financier to develop a business plan for a new regional airline in West Africa • Completion of several aircraft appraisals including a Dassault Falcon 50EX and an Airbus Helicopters EC130 T2 • Completion of a feasibility assessment for the launch of a new Middle East based helicopter touring business. • Completion of a feasibility assessment for an aircraft teardown and dismantling facility in North Africa. ACC summarises The ACC Aviation portfolio of services continues to evolve and will be further extended into Q3 and Q4 enabling the business to offer wider expertise to clients. This past quarter’s activity has exemplified the reach and breadth of its activity. The group has also grown its team in the US with multi-lingual team members helping to expand ACC Aviation’s footprint across Central and South America The market is improving, driven by US corporate travel, buoyed too by encouraging levels of ad hoc leisure charter to destinations like Mexico and the Caribbean, emphasising the pent-up demand for leisure travel. Charter opportunities will benefit hugely when the corridor finally opens between the USA and Europe, says Director of Charter Richard Smith. The UK has been challenging, but there are still many opportunities for specialist sector travel, he notes. ACC Aviation’s Consultancy arm sees an increased volume of aircraft transactions and financial restructuring, driven by the initial stages of market recovery. “Airlines who take this opportunity to restructure their indebtedness will be in a much better position post-recovery than those who have not, with the leasing/lending community starting to limit airlines’ prospects of renegotiation now that the market is starting to recover,” said Rob Watts, ACC Aviation Director of Consulting.

Chapman Freeborn, the global air charter specialist and part of Avia Solutions Group, has appointed Sharon Vaz-Arab, aviation expert with 30+ years of experience, as its new Director – IMEA (India, Middle East & Africa). Sharon, known throughout the aviation world as ‘Sherry’, arrives at the company following 26 years at Cargolux Airlines, where she began in sales and progressed to Director of Middle East and Indian operations. She also managed global accounts for Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This expertise will stand Sharon in good stead for her new role at Chapman Freeborn. Based in the company’s Dubai office, she is now tasked with managing its business in the IMEA region. Sharon will be working closely with Neil Dursley, Chapman Freeborn’s Chief Commercial Officer, and will play a crucial role in Neil’s global team. Neil commented: “We are delighted to welcome Sharon to Chapman Freeborn, her wealth of knowledge and expertise will be fundamental to our strategic growth plans for IMEA. Having worked across the industry in the Middle East with Sharon for over 20 years, I have every confidence that she will achieve great success in this new role at Chapman Freeborn. “ Sharon commented: “Dubai is a location of significant strategic importance, bridging the western and eastern territories, and serving as a hub to many of the world’s top companies. I am looking forward to linking Chapman Freeborn’s IMEA interests to generate new business, developing its cargo and passenger air charter operations.The UAE government has always supported business in Dubai, setting up over 30 free-zones across the city to boost economic development. As we emerge from this crisis, I am excited to be part of the Chapman Freeborn team and work towards building our network in the IMEA region.”

11th May, 2021 Air Charter Scotland, a leading British private jet operator and aircraft management company, is pleased to introduce a second Cessna Citation 525 M2, from its newest London Biggin Hill Airport base, coinciding with the first lifting of travel restrictions from 17 May. G-CMTO, comfortably configured for six passengers, has a max range of 1,548 nm, suitable for Portugal, where scheduled air fares are now trebling owing to demand. Just like sister aircraft G-KSOH, added to Air Charter Scotland’s AOC in March, Biggin based aircraft management company Jet Agent (www.jet-agent.com) is marketing the popular light jet. “Following outstanding operational and commercial performance of G-KSOH provided by the team at Air Charter Scotland, we have every confidence that G-CMTO is in the best hands. We look forward to further expanding our fleet with Air Charter Scotland,” said Anatoly Parkhomchuk, Managing Director of Jet Agent. Testament to the widely held view that business aviation will be the first sector to recover from the harsh impact of the pandemic, Air Charter Scotland has added five business jets to its charter fleet since August 2020 – all managed for private owners. “We’re especially pleased to be introducing this second charter aircraft from Biggin Hill for Jet Agent, and anticipate considerable demand,” noted Air Charter Scotland COO Derek Thomson. “Business aviation provides a safe and secure cabin environment, at a cost that truly isn’t far off fully flexible, business class fares to Europe, if measured on a per passenger basis. Scheduled services are slowly being restored, but not at the same frequencies as before, rendering commercial air travel far less convenient for business travel, which often requires visiting two cities in a day,” said Derek. Business charter in Europe connects 1,400 city pairs (500 more connections than the scheduled airlines provide), with all flights departing from quiet, private terminals too. Endorsing SAF for business jets With corporate clients becoming increasingly mindful of their carbon footprint, Air Charter Scotland is pleased to note an increase in the number of FBOs it serves now offering sustainable aviation fuel. SAF is already at Signature Flight Support at London’s Luton Airport, an Air Charter Scotland base, and in April it was introduced (by Air bp) at Biggin Hill. “We are encouraging our corporate owners and clients to request it. Business aviation accounts for 0.2% of the overall 2% of aviation emissions, but stakeholders and clients increasingly want to do their bit to protect the environment. We fully endorse this,” highlighted Derek. Air Charter Scotland reports recent success in obtaining block permits for fifth freedom flights (between EU countries) when applied for – the now standard arrangement before a charter can be confirmed. “The UK CAA and DfT negotiation team has been working hard on our behalf to push for reciprocity for British operators now we are out of EU,” he said. Last week it operated a charter between Portugal and Ireland. The flight was agreed with the two EU states within 24 hours.