AIRCRAFT SHIPMENTS
Shipments of turboprop and business jet aircraft worldwide increased by double-digits throughout the first three quarters of 2007 compared with the same period in 2006, according to the latest statistics released by the General Aviation Manufacturing Association (GAMA). GAMA reports 759 business jets delivered by the end of September, up by nearly 21% from the 628 shipped last year. Turboprop shipments increased 14.5%, to 293 aircraft. In contrast, piston aircraft deliveries for the first three quarters have fallen by 6% to 1,857 aircraft compared with 1,975 shipped during the same period last year. Total billings for the period climbed from $13.2 to $15.1 billion.
V2500s FOR VISTAJET
Swiss-headquartered VIP charter company VistaJet has selected the International Aero Engines V2500 to power its three Airbus Corporate Jetliners on order. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2010.
GLOBAL CRASH
'Bombardier Global 5000 carrying two crew and eight passengers, including Ron Joyce, co-founder of the US restaurant chain Tim Hortons, crashed in strong winds on 11 November at Joyce's northern Nova Scotia golf resort. No-one was seriously injured. According to Canadian investigators, the super large business jet landed in a patch of gravel in front of the runway and hit the lip of the paved airstrip with such force that the undercarriage collapsed. The impact sent the aircraft spinning on its belly, coming to rest about 300m (980ft) along the private airstrip of the resort.
DANA ORDER
Bombardier has clinched an order for a Learjet 45XP and a Challenger 605 from Nigerian industrial conglomerate Dana Group for its new VIP charter subsidiary. The Lagos-based company plans to kick-start operations following delivery of the superlight XR in march next year. The large cabin Challenger 605 is expected to join the fleet in 2010.
Source: Flight International
