Baykar Signs Preliminary Contract To Acquire Piaggio

Turkish defense group Baykar expects to close its acquisition of Piaggio Aerospace in the spring after signing a preliminary contract transferring the Italian group’s assets. Piaggio and Baykar announced the contract signing on Monday and said the deal will close in the next few months once all remaining conditions have been met, including approval from the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers, which has veto powers.

On December 27, the Italian government’s Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy department authorized the transaction. Baykar, which produces military uncrewed aircraft, emerged as the preferred bidder for Piaggio Aerospace, which has been in receivership under Italian insolvency laws since 2018.

Baykar has not confirmed what it intends to do with Piaggio products including the Avanti II and Evo twin pusherprop aircraft. Piaggio has extensive manufacturing experience, as well as providing maintenance, repair, and overhaul services to customers including the Italian military.

Piaggio said that a consultation with trade union representatives is about to begin. During this process, Baykar is expected to present its plan for relaunching operations for the group’s Piaggio Aero Industries and Piaggio Aviation subsidiaries.

The contract was signed by Piaggio Aerospace’s extraordinary commissioners, Carmelo Cosentino, Vincenzo Nicastro, and Gianpaolo Davide Rossetti. Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar signed for the Turkish group.

Business Aircraft Ops Slide in North America, Europe

Global business aircraft flight activity was mixed in 2024 with North American operations declining 1.8% year over year (YOY) in 2024 and Europe by 5.1% but most of the rest of the world strengthening, according to Argus International.

In North America, the market contractions in Part 135 have slowed and fractional operations continued to strengthen. However, Part 91 flying in the U.S. continues to lag, as do large-cabin operations, Argus reported in its newly-released 2024 Business Aviation Review. The strongest month in terms of business aircraft flight operations remained in October—and the weakest in January—for the past two years.

Fractional activity soared in 2024, growing 10.6%. This represented a YOY gain of 60,983 flights. Part 91 activity dipped by 4.8%, or 78,231 fewer flights, and Part 135 activity was down 3.5% with 45,249 fewer flights.

By aircraft category, midsize-cabin aircraft flew on 0.9% more flights YOY. However, that was the only category to see gains. Large-cabin operations experienced the largest drop at 6.9%, with turboprop operations sliding by 2% and small cabins by 1.7%.

In Europe, the peak month for operations was July over the past two years. While flights declined, Argus noted that the last two months showed signs of stabilizing, which “is a positive sign heading into 2025.” Middle East business aircraft flight activity plummeted by 20.1% in 2024 but improved throughout the year.

Loss of Control Causes Caravan Flight Test Accident

The pilot’s improper recovery following a departure from controlled flight after an intentional aerodynamic stall, which resulted in “an exceedance of airspeed limitations, airframe overstress, and a subsequent in-flight breakup,” was the cause of the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX accident on Nov. 18, 2022, according to the NTSB final report. The turboprop single was conducting flight testing for a new supplemental type certificate program near Snohomish, Washington. All four occupants of the Caravan were killed.

This flight test was part of a series to test a Raisbeck Engineering drag-reduction system (DRS) on the Caravan EX, to expand the applicability of the DRS to another modification on the airplane, the AeroAcoustics Aircraft Systems Aircraft Payload Extender (APE III), although the DRS was not installed on the accident aircraft.

One day prior to the accident flight, the test pilot, another pilot, and two aft-seated testing personnel were conducting test flights to gather baseline data. That day, two flights were planned to test aft c.g. stability, but the second flight (07) had to be stopped due to the airsickness of a crewmember. Completing that test card for baseline testing of the aft c.g. characteristics with the APE III kit installed was the purpose of the accident flight.

ForeFlight Pricing Tool May Lead to Insurance Savings

ForeFlight has launched a beta version of a fair pricing tool that shows expected aircraft insurance premiums based on policy information and aircraft and flight experience shared by users. The Fair Price Tool is available to subscribers via the ForeFlight website, and it gathers information to display an expected premium range based on similar pilot profiles, according to ForeFlight.

“A lot of ForeFlight employees are pilots,” said senior product manager Connor Hailey, “and one of the most important things we care about is the cost of flying. Owners’ insurance is very opaque. It’s often not clear why they pay the premium they pay. We wanted to bring more transparency and built the price comparison tool.”

To access the tool, ForeFlight users must log into their ForeFlight Web account (not on the iPad or iPhone app). A new tab on ForeFlight Web allows those who want to participate in the Fair Price Tool to upload their insurance policy. ForeFlight logbook users will find their experience information already populated. “We add it to our database,” Hailey said, “do some machine learning, and spit out a range of where we think your premium should land based on the information given.”

There is no insurance company involvement in this process, and ForeFlight is not sharing any of this information with insurers or brokers, he said.

SF Bay Area Hangar Complex To Expand in March

San Francisco Bay-area Hayward Executive Airport (KHWD) will receive additional small aircraft hangar space with the expansion of the Hayward Hangars complex. The company debuted its first location featuring eighteen 1,428-sq-ft box hangars in 2013.

It is following that up 12 years later with a second development phase. “Building A” will offer four 2,500-sq-ft hangars and four 2,000-sq-ft hangars. Equipped with single-piece hydraulic doors, three-phase power capability, and fire sprinkler protection, each will be able to shelter aircraft up to light jets and turboprop singles.

The $3.2 million project will include private restrooms and ample vehicle parking. Hayward Hangars has already been accepting leases on the facility, which is expected to be ready for occupancy at the end of March.

“There is considerable unmet demand for GA hangars in the San Francisco Bay Area and almost no new product has been delivered in recent years,” company president Jim Altschul told AIN, adding that the planned closure of Reid–Hillview Airport (KRHV) in nearby San Jose in 2031 will eliminate a considerable chunk of aviation real estate from the local market. “We regularly receive inquiries from airplane owners and manufacturers’ sales representatives, and [KHWD] is a great place at which to base an airplane.”

MRO Toledo Jet Center Is Now Under New Ownership

Toledo Jet Center (TJC), a maintenance provider with FAA and EASA Part 145 authorizations, has been acquired by private-equity firm 313 Equity Partners. The company, which specializes in Cessna jets with factory-trained technicians, began operations at the former Citation Service Center at Ohio’s Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport (KTOL) in 2009 and expanded with a satellite location at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE) in 2012.

At KTOL, it occupies 31,800 sq ft of hangar space, and in Fort Lauderdale, the company operates a similarly sized facility on the northwest side of the airport. TJC is also an authorized dealer and installer for Garmin, Universal Avionics, and Honeywell Aerospace.

“We are excited about the opportunities for Toledo Jet Center,” said Greg Fell, a veteran of the aviation industry and partner at 313 Equity Partners who will serve as the maintenance provider’s CEO. Fell added that he believes TJC is positioned for significant growth, with upgrades to the KTOL facility’s hangar enabling it to perform major inspections on larger aircraft.

“Coupled with our facility at KFXE in Fort Lauderdale, we are committed to investing in the business to deliver world-class services at highly competitive rates, leveraging our heavy maintenance capabilities in the Midwest,” he said.

Volo Mission Becomes Robinson R66 Utility Distributor

Robinson Helicopter has appointed Volo Mission as a U.S. distributor for the R66 Utility helicopter. The utility version of the turbine includes left-seat flight controls, a crashworthy fuel system, supplemental engine gauges, and a factory-installed cargo hook system.

Campbell, Texas-based Volo Mission provides helicopter training and consulting services and will offer an R66 transition training course, including training for the utility capabilities.

“This partnership with Robinson Helicopter is a game-changer for the utility aviation industry,” said Kimberly Hutchings, co-founder and CEO of Volo Mission. “By combining our immersive training with the proven capabilities of the R66 Utility helicopter, we’re empowering operators to achieve their missions safely, efficiently, and with greater confidence. This is more than just selling aircraft; it’s about providing a complete pathway to success for aspiring utility pilots and businesses.”

“Volo Mission’s commitment to comprehensive training aligns perfectly with Robinson Helicopter’s core value of safe operations,” said David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter. “Their expertise in utility missions, coupled with the R66 Utility helicopter’s inherent capabilities, provides a strong foundation for operators to develop the skills and knowledge necessary for successful and safe external load operations. This partnership offers an invaluable resource for aspiring utility pilots and enhances overall safety and efficiency within the industry.”

AVIATION SAFETY QUESTION OF THE WEEK

What causes the aircraft ground effect?

A. The pavement’s cushioning effect produced by the ground proximity.
B. The propeller’s slipstream when in contact with the ground.
C. The change in the wing’s upwash, downwash, and tip vortices when flying close to the ground.
D. A major malfunction that causes the aircraft to be grounded until repaired.

Take The Quiz

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