ABACE SHOW REPORT 2013
Nextant signs sales agent in China and secures order
Remanufactured business jet company Nextant Aerospace has appointed Great Wall Industry (CGWIC) as its exclusive sales agent in China and Jet Aviation Singapore as an authorised service centre as it seeks to build its Asian business.
The Nextant 400XT, which is a remanufactured Beechjet 400A/XP equipped with the Williams FJ44-3AP engines and Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 integrated avionics, was displayed for the first time at the Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE), which took place in mid-April in Shanghai. During the show, the manufacturer announced its first retail sale to a Chinese customer. The aircraft, due for delivery this year, was sold to the chairman of the Sichuan Province-based Zhuling Group.
CGWIC becomes exclusive sales agent for the Greater China Region, covering China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. An initial order of 18 Nextant aircraft – three firm plus 15 options – will be delivered to CGWIC over the next 24 months. The aircraft will be a mix of business and special mission configuration. Nextant demonstrated its new air ambulance configuration for the 400XT, which is the first of its planned special mission applications. CGWIC will also play a part in establishing Nextant service, support and parts distribution in China.
Meanwhile, Jet Aviation Singapore will provide maintenance services for Nextant’s growing fleet of 400XTs in the region.
Nextant believes Asia has the potential to drive sales in the global, entry-level business jet market over the next decade due to its rapid economic growth and increasing population of high net worth individuals. The Asian entry-level business jet market has grown rapidly over the last decade, with the five years to 2012 seeing a 74 per cent increase in deliveries on the previous five year period. The business aviation market in Asia remains relatively underdeveloped and has been identified as a core part of Nextant’s expansion strategy. – Emma Kelly
VistaJet sets sights on China
Luxury aviation company VistaJet demonstrated its long-range Bombardier Challenger 605 at the ABACE show as the company sets its sights on China as a major part of its future expansion. The company recently ordered a record 142 Bombardier Global aircraft valued at US$7.8 billion. VistaJet followed the record order with a 27 city-stop world tour, dubbed Think Global, which included Hong Kong and Beijing as the first two stops due to the importance of the Chinese market. VistaJet currently has three long-range aircraft based in the region, comprising a Global 6000, a Challenger 850 and a Challenger 605, with plans for an additional five aircraft in China by 2015. The company operated over 350 flights into and out of China carrying 1,490 passengers in 2012 – up 11 per cent on the previous year.
“China’s developing trade links with Africa means there is a growing need for non-stop long-haul flights to countries where there are no direct commercial airline routes, such as Mozambique and Nigeria,” says Thomas Flohr, founder and chairman.
“We are also committed to building a major presence with Vistajet’s Programme and On Demand products in Mainland China and service the growing demand for private aviation within the country without the cost and hassle to own an aircraft,” he adds.
The company has an office in Beijing, as well as Hong Kong, and eventually hopes to operate point-to-point flights within China. It already holds a preliminary licence to operate domestically and hopes to secure a full operating licence in the near future, he adds. – Emma Kelly
News In Brief
Embraer signed a new deal for a Lineage 1000 ultra-large executive jet from an undisclosed Chinese customer during the show. The aircraft is due for delivery in May. The deal boosts Embraer Executive Jets’ overall order book in China to 29, including six Lineage 1000s. The aircraft’s 8,149km (4,400nm) range can support non-stop flights between Shanghai and Anchorage or Beijing-Copenhagen with eight passengers.
Pacific-China Aero Technology has signed an exclusive training agreement with CAE on the Gulfstream G450, King Air B350, Cessna Citation XLS/XL/X, Citation Sovereign and Citation 650. Training will begin in May and will be conducted at centres in Shanghai, Dubai and Dallas and New York.
Honeywell Aerospace has appointed Beijing Andawell Science and Technology (Andawell) as an authorised health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS) dealer in China. Under the long-term agreement, Andawell will provide support services, including sales and aftermarket assistance to existing and new commercial helicopters. Andawell is already an authorised dealer of Honeywell avionics including the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System, Traffic Collision Avoidance System and weather radars.
VIP charter company Comlux displayed two aircraft from its VIP fleet at the ABACE show – an Airbus ACJ318 and a Bombardier Global XRS – as the company builds up its business in the region. Since last year, Comlux has had a presence in Asia with one ACJ318 based in Shanghai and an ACJ319 based in Macau, available for charter. It has two offices in the region – in Macau and Hong Kong. At the end of last year, Comlux was awarded a long-term lease charter contract with an undisclosed customer in South East Asia.
