Lufthansa Large on Luxury with A380s

Lufthansa set the future in motion in late 2001 when it ordered 15 A380s from Airbus. The German-based aviation firm has been a visionary of the airline industry from its inception in 1926. Lufthansa will have the largest fleet of A380s of any airline in Europe. The large A380s accommodate 550 passengers, which is 40 percent more than a Boeing 747's capacity. The spacious airbus will be deployed for point-to-point long routes as well as connecting passengers at central hubs. The A380s will be primarily used for the airline's long intercontinental flights from North America to Asia.

If you take an Airbus A340 and mount it onto a Boeing 747, the end result is an Airbus A380. The mammoth of an aircraft with a length of 239.5 feet, a wingspan of more than 260 feet, and a height just a shade taller than 79 feet flies approximately 9,200 miles between fuel refills.

Lufthansa is an airline that defers to its customers demands. The firm interviewed thousands of customers to determine how to design the cabins of the A380s.

All three sections of the spacious aircraft are being designed to be as comforting and accommodating as possible. However, the first-class passengers' quarters are truly special. These are "air suites" with luxury amenities on parity with those of world-class premier hotels. Each individual first-class seating section offers ample space and privacy to relax even during the longest flights. The amenities are topped off with a food and wine menu fit for a gourmand and an all-inclusive in-flight entertainment system that includes high-speed Internet access.

Lufthansa Means Business

Lufthansa is an airline with an array of appealing flight options. Many flyers in search of special accommodations enjoy flying Lufthansa Business Jet, as it is a smaller aircraft that luxuriantly accommodates passengers with more individual attention and super-size seating areas. The extra space gives travelers more flexibility and privacy.

Lufthansa's Airbus A319, which has a 48-seat business class, and its 44-seat business section on Boeing 737 are lined with the extraordinary roomy Lie-Flat Seats, out more than 6.5 feet. There is ample space with a reading lamp and a power connection for portable computers.

Customers flying in an Airbus aircraft A300 to A600 and on Business Jet flights have Mobile Media Players to personalize their in-flight entertainment. Passengers can choose from 65 video options, including 30 movies. Additionally, there are 25 TV programs, 10 music magazines, 100 CDs, various audio-books, radio programs, board games, games of skill, action and strategy, and language courses. It takes the doldrums out of those long-haul flights.

More Lufthansa

Did you know that Lufthansa Technik, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, redesigns commercial airplanes into VIP aircraft for private and commercial usage? Last year the firm announced a partnership with Andrew Winch Designs to redesign a Boeing 787, which normally seats more than 300 passengers, to a 30-to-50-passenger air palace with a forward lounge area, a movie theater, a conference area, a VIP master bedroom, and additional guest bedrooms. Other subsidiaries of the diverse aviation firm include Luthansa Systems, which is a leading IT service provider for the airline and aviation industry; Lufthansa Cargo, a leading airfreight delivery company; and LSG Sky Chefs, an in-flight service provider.

Get Lucky with Lufthansa!

Create your own Lufthansa experience by entering the "Discover your Moment" sweepstakes. The lucky winner will receive two first-class Lufthansa tickets to Munich, Germany and five-star hotel accommodations.

Read More..

More Luxury on Long-Distance Flights

The increasing demand by flyers for long-distance flights has commercial airlines with long-term business plans expanding their services to meet the needs of the marketplace. In a move that addresses the situation head on, Australia-based Qantas recently introduced the Qantas A380 into its flight plans. Flights on the gigantic Airbus A380 are currently departing from Sydney and Melbourne to Los Angeles, with flights from Sydney to Singapore and to London on the runway for an early 2009 takeoff date.

Since the A380 transports 450 passengers, it addresses the influx of flyers quite tidily. However, there is a lot more than size that makes the Qantas A380 appealing to both the airline industry and its customers. The aircraft is up to 10 percent more fuel-efficient and its engines emit significantly less noise than comparable engines. It also is quieter inside the cabin as well. The reduction of interior cabin noise is just one of the upgrades and luxury amenities found in the Qantas A380.

All class would be the most appropriate term for describing the flight experience for long-distance flyers seated in any part of the spacious Airbus aircraft. There are 14 suites in First and 72 sky-bed seats in Business.

The First suites are multifaceted in functionality and offer the ultimate in privacy and in-flight options. The entertainment system as well as the lighting, seating, and arranging of the suite is done via a touch-screen pad. The suite can be changed into a working office, a bedroom with a fully flat bed, or a private lounge. There is a built-in five-way massage in the seat too. The VIP treatment is topped off with gourmet meals prepared under the direction of renowned Australian restaurateur Neil Perry.

International Business flyers enjoy the comfort of the sky-bed seat that converts into a fully-flat, 6 foot 6 inch bed and an excellent in-flight entertainment system enhanced by a private 12-inch viewing screen. The menu, also designed by Neil Perry, offers flexible dining options - including on-demand supper service and room service-style breakfast The A380 also features an onboard business lounge so you can move about and relax during the flight.

Premium economy is located on the upper deck and offers 32 ergonomically correct stylistic chairs by Recaro. In addition to more legroom, the seats offer additional recline, in-arm screens to enjoy audio & video on-demand and priority boarding and disembarkation. Qantas is an experienced commercial airliner with more than 87 years of flying out of the friendly skies of Australia. The company has been recognized for its excellent service in international business accommodations by various Australia-based publications. Sign up for Qantas' Red eMail and receive e-mails with info on current specials. Check out the benefits extended to members of the Qantas Club -- including access to special airport lounges.

The company reputed to be the world's leading long-distance airline just got better with the addition of flights aboard the Qantas A380.

Read More..

Private Jet Charter to Grow Despite Economic Uncertainty

With airlines cutting down on the total number of flights and available seats due to the rising cost of fuel, travelers will be looking for other ways to get to popular or remote destinations. Accordingly, for conventions or work retreats, charter jets will become an even more popular choice in 2009.

Another reason why the use of private jet charters will continue to rise is in response to current economic conditions. An increasing number of private jet owners and fractional jet owners will sell their planes or opt out of renewing their fractional commitments to reduce capital deployed. By eliminating the upfront cost and initial investment of full or fractional ownership, charter jet flyers will be able to preserve their cash and capital while at the same time maintaining their ability to fly onboard private jets.

With fewer options available to travel to popular or remote destinations as quickly as possible, the interest and usage of chartered jets will continue to rise, especially among those frequent business travelers who rely on dependable air travel.

With many major markets cutting seat availability by 10 to 15 percent, travelers and especially business people are looking for other ways to get to their final destination as quickly as possible without the headache or hassle of commercial connections.

Despite airlines being forced to cut down flights and available seats and cities being forced to back off plans of expanding airports or building new hotels or meeting venues due to less tourism related tax revenues, someone will be able to benefit from this downturn in the economy and I believe that in the immediate future chartered jets will be a viable and a more popular option for many business travelers around the country and around the world.

Read More..

Shopping For Your Aircraft and Aircraft Use

When you fly airplanes there are a lot of pieces of equipment that you may need personally or items that you may need to make sure that you maintain the aircraft that you fly in. There are a lot of items that are fun to buy and use while others are simply to maintain the aircraft or even your hearing. You may be a bit overwhelmed when you begin shopping, but there are some items that you want and some places or providers that you can shop with that will make shopping much easier.


If you are going to be flying regularly you want to make sure that you purchase a David Clark headset. The reason for this is that these headsets are everything that you need. Not only do they protect your hearing, which is important when you fly because even the quietest aircrafts are quite noisy, but it will also allow you to hear in crisp tones at normal volume levels. Many pilots even say that these headsets are preferable because they are more comfortable, which is something that you want to consider because comfort is important so you are not distracted while you are in the air.

There are a few different David Clark headsets to choose from, so make sure that you shop around a bit to determine which one is right for you. These headsets have a great reputation because they have been around for a long time, but there is still a lot that you need to consider when buying because everyone has different preferences. Check out all of the options, you are sure to find one to your liking so that you are able to hear with ease while flying while simultaneously protecting your hearing, which is something that all pilots need to consider.

If you are new to aviation there are a lot of names and brands that have been thrown your way. Your head may be spinning and you may be wondering which brands and resources will give you what you need. One brand that you will definitely want to take notice of is Aeroshell. This is one of the most well respected brands in aviation and you will find that they can offer you much of what you need. Aeroshell products are made by Shell, which is also one of the most respected names in the fuel and lubrication business for vehicles. If you are looking for premium lubricants and more, you'll find that this is a brand that you can trust regardless of how often you fly. They have a wide variety of products for you to choose from, ensuring that you will have all of the products on hand that you need to take good care of your aircraft.

By Caitlina Fuller

Read More..

Aircraft Purchase Agreements

Why Use An Aircraft Purchase Agreement?

It always surprises me when a potential aircraft buyer is unsure of whether he or she should use a purchase agreement when buying an aircraft. Most of these individuals have purchased homes and no doubt used a purchase agreement in such transactions. Yet, many of these same individuals would spend the same amount of money to purchase an aircraft, and often times a great deal more money, without the protection of a written aircraft purchase agreement.

Aircraft purchase agreements should be used in almost every aircraft sale transaction. First, the law in most states requires that a contract for an amount greater than $500.00 be in writing in order for it to be enforceable. This is called the statute of frauds. Although exceptions to this legal doctrine exist, complying with the law is usually safer than hoping you will be able to take advantage of an exception.

Further, using an aircraft purchase agreement can also help avoid confusion and misunderstandings. If the agreement clearly explains how the transaction will happen, when it will happen and what is included in the deal, the greater the likelihood that the buyer and seller will each know the other party’s expectations and the less chance for surprises or misunderstandings.

What Terms Should Be Included?

The number and complexity of the terms that should be included in an aircraft purchase agreement will often times be dictated by the type and value of the aircraft being purchased/sold. Although by no means inclusive, the following terms provide a good place to start.

Identify the Parties. The agreement should identify who is selling the aircraft and who is buying the aircraft. Although this sounds simple to do, it isn’t always clear who is the seller and who is the buyer. It is very common for aircraft to be registered in the name of a corporation or limited liability company. In that case, the individual with whom you are negotiating is not the owner of the aircraft and should not be listed as the seller. The registered owner of the aircraft should be identified as the seller.

The buyer on the other hand, can be an individual or a corporation or limited liability company. If an individual is the buyer, that person will be listed and upon registration will be the record owner of the aircraft. To fully take advantage of release and indemnity language discussed in greater detail below, the seller may also want to consider having an individual buyer’s spouse execute the purchase agreement.

If a corporation or limited liability company will be registering the aircraft, the purchase agreement should identify that entity as the buyer. Alternatively, an individual can sign an agreement as the buyer and, as long as the agreement allows the buyer to assign his or her rights under the agreement, that individual may still assign the agreement to a corporation or limited liability company prior to closing. The corporation or limited liability company then becomes the buyer and can close on the transaction without the individual ever entering the chain of title. From a liability perspective, this can be important.

Identify the Aircraft. The aircraft purchase agreement should identify the aircraft with as much detail as possible. At a minimum, it should include the make, model, N-number and serial number for the aircraft. Ideally, a list of all avionics, logbooks, handbooks, additional equipment and any accessories should be included. Also, if the seller intends to retain certain items, those items should be specifically identified and excluded from the transaction. By taking the time to detail exactly what is and isn’t being sold, you will prevent misunderstandings at delivery.

Purchase/Sale Price. The agreement should specify how much is being paid for the aircraft. If the buyer will be giving the seller a deposit or earnest money, that fact should be included. Also, what happens to the deposit when it is given to the seller? Will the money be placed in escrow or simply held by the seller? If an escrow agent is not involved, the buyer will need to obtain some assurance that his or her deposit will not simply disappear into the seller’s pocket making the buyer’s recovery from the seller difficult or impossible if the transaction does not close. The agreement should also state under what conditions the seller must refund the deposit to the buyer.

The buyer’s method of payment should also be stated. Is it a cash transaction or will financing be involved? If financing is involved, the buyer may want to include language that makes the transaction contingent upon the buyer obtaining financing on terms acceptable to the buyer. That way, if the buyer isn’t able to obtain satisfactory financing, the buyer will not be forced to complete the purchase on financially unacceptable terms.

Will other consideration be given to the seller, such as a trade? If so, to the extent that it is possible, the item(s) to be traded to the seller should be identified with the same amount of detail used to describe the aircraft being purchased. This will help avoid later confusion.

Documents. The agreement should include a statement about which documents the seller will sign and deliver to the buyer at closing. Usually this includes a Bill of Sale (FAA Form 8050-2) and a signed current Registration Form (FAA Form 8050-3).

Pre-purchase inspection. In most transactions, the buyer will want to have a pre-purchase inspection performed on the aircraft. The purchase agreement can specify who will perform the inspection, what qualifications that individual must possess and where the inspection will take place. Also, the buyer should make the agreement contingent upon the buyer’s satisfaction with results of the inspection. Although the buyer is usually responsible for the expenses associated with a pre-purchase inspection, the agreement should address which party is responsible for what expenses related to the inspection.

Warranties. It is possible to include a variety of warranties in the purchase agreement representing certain conditions of the aircraft (e.g. warranties of airworthiness, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose etc.). However, due to space limitations most of these warranties will not be discussed here.

From a buyer’s perspective, the warranty of title is probably most important. This warranty ensures that the buyer receives title to the aircraft free and clear of any liens or mortgages. Although the buyer will still want to obtain a title search of the FAA Registry’s records for the airplane, having the warranty of title included in the purchase agreement will help to minimize the risk of any unrecorded liens or interests in the aircraft.

Most sellers will want to include a disclaimer in the purchase agreement stating that the buyer is purchasing the aircraft "As-is". This language is intended to limit the seller’s responsibility for any defects or unknown conditions in the aircraft. If the buyer is having a thorough pre-purchase inspection performed by a qualified mechanic familiar with the specific aircraft, inclusion of this disclaimer in the purchase agreement is probably not a great concern for the buyer.

Choice of Law/Venue. If the transaction involves a buyer and seller from different states, it may be prudent to include language in the purchase agreement that governs what law applies to the transaction and where any disputes would have to be resolved.

Waiver and Release of Liability. The seller will want waiver and release of liability language in the purchase agreement to limit potential liability for injury or damage sustained by the buyer arising out of the buyer’s use of the aircraft. The language should be in bold, all caps letters to make sure it is obvious and not buried in the fine print of the purchase agreement.

Waiver and release of liability language will not release a seller from responsibility for the seller’s intentional acts or gross negligence. Nor will it prevent possible claims from third-parties who are injured or damaged by buyer’s use of the aircraft or from the buyer’s minor children. However, it will prevent the buyer, and the buyer’s spouse if the spouse has signed the purchase agreement, from suing the seller if a defect in the aircraft causes an accident that results in injury or damages.

What Remedy Does An Aircraft Purchase Agreement Give You?

First, an aircraft purchase agreement is not a 100% guarantee that a buyer or seller will not be sued. In this litigious world, I don’t know that such a guarantee is possible. Further, the purchase agreement alone does not make anyone do anything. If a buyer or seller does not want to comply with his or her obligations, the purchase agreement will not change that. However, the purchase agreement will give you the ability to go to court and have a judge make the non-performing or “breaching” party comply with his or her obligations.

If the purchase agreement is drafted clearly and with sufficient detail, it may be possible to have the court specifically enforce the agreement (e.g. make the breaching party do what the purchase agreement says he or she is supposed to do). An example would be where a buyer refused to complete a transaction even though the seller and the aircraft complied with all of the terms of the purchase agreement. In this case, a court could force the buyer to purchase the aircraft.

Alternatively, the court may award money damages for losses incurred by the non-breaching party. An example of this is when a seller refuses to return a deposit even though the buyer has complied with all of the terms of the purchase agreement and has a right to return of the money. In this situation, a court could enter a judgment against the seller in the amount of the unreturned security deposit.

Conclusion

An aircraft purchase agreement is a valuable tool to ensure that each party to an aircraft purchase transaction receives what is expected. It prevents confusion and misunderstanding and provides security that a party will have recourse if the other party to the transaction fails to perform as required. With minimal up-front time and expense, both buyers and sellers can protect their interests and maximize the likelihood of an uneventful closing and purchase.

by: Greg Reigel

Read More..

AIRCRAFT OWNERSHIP: IS THE TIME RIGHT?

In the hours and days immediately following the tragic attacks on America of 9/11, there was much speculation about the effects on the general aviation industry. While the events of September 11, 2001 have had a significant impact on the economy as a whole, sales of personal aircraft in Michigan have experienced a surprising boost. Certainly, the convenience of personal transportation has played a major role in this increase as airport lines and security have become more time consuming. The reduction of flights resulting from the airline cost-cutting have limited flexibility for the business person and affected the productivity of companies relying on commercial transportation.
These factors alone can’t explain surge of people joining the flying community for more than just pleasure. Rebates, low and 0% interest rates, training allowances, and yes, even the IRS played a role in creating an environment that has introduced more people to the benefits of aircraft ownership and had an effect similar to that seen after the passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1995.

The IRS is here to help you? Well, believe it or not, a new tax law passed earlier this year represents a renewed attempt by our nation’s leaders to jumpstart the economic recovery. The bill applies to new airplanes acquired after September 10, 2001, and before September 11, 2004, and provides tax savings from economic stimulus provisions included in the Internal Revenue Code designed to encourage investment in capital assets. Visit your local airport and you’re sure to see plenty of forty and fifty year old aircraft operating for both business and pleasure. Even prior to the new tax law, Congress recognized that capital investment is an important part of our economy, and therefore allowed a five year depreciation of these assets. To further encourage investments, they do not require the depreciation to be spread evenly over the five years, but through a concept know as “double declining balance,” greatly accelerate depreciation during the first two years of ownership. Now with the additional incentives of 30% bonus depreciation on new airplanes, tax deferral opportunities are greatly expanded.

So how might a business person benefit from these new changes? First of all, the impact of these depreciation changes greatly reduce net cash investment for the purchase of a new airplane. Specifically, an operator in the 40% tax bracket who can successfully write off his aircraft ownership expense may have no cash investment in the airplane during the first four years. Additionally, when properly structured, many taxpayers have an opportunity to convert personal use into business use. The Internal revenue code provides an optional method of taxing an individual for personal use of an aircraft which many times amounts to less than 10% of the actual deductions flowing from the investment. Consult your tax professional prior to purchasing your new airplane or ask your Aircraft Dealer for the name of an Aviation Tax Specialist to set up your purchasing entity.

And you say you’re not a pilot? Local aircraft dealers like Suburban Aviation, Inc. in Lambertville, Michigan will actually teach you to fly your new airplane and even reimburse your expenses when you purchase a new Cessna airplane from them. Most of today’s pilots learned to fly in a Cessna airplane and the majority of these pilots continue to experience the freedom and flexibility that flight offers in one of Cessna’s many single engine models. For 75 years, Cessna has been the leader in general aviation aircraft providing a safe and reliable alternative to commercial airlines and the automobile.

So if your business can benefit from improved efficiency and tax savings, why not consider a company airplane? There are few tax saving opportunities as effective as fully depreciating an aircraft on a five year accelerated basis, and with today’s interest rate environment, a well-structured transaction often results in little or no after tax cash flow holding costs during the early years of ownership. Of course, arriving at your meeting on time and with all your luggage can also be pretty convincing!
span>

Read More..

Aircraft Ownership. . . Is the Time Right?

Current tax incentives and the evolving tax code have given thousands of people reasons to purchase their first new airplane .

In the hours and days immediately following the tragic attacks on America of 9/11, there was much speculation about the effects on the general aviation industry. While the events of September 11, 2001 have had a significant impact on the economy as a whole, sales of personal aircraft in Michigan have experienced a surprising boost.

Certainly, the convenience of personal transportation has played a major role in this increase as airport lines and security have become more time consuming. The reduction of flights resulting from the airline cost-cutting have limited flexibility for the business person and affected the productivity of companies relying on commercial transportation.

These factors alone can’t explain surge of people joining the flying community for more than just pleasure. Rebates, low and 0% interest rates, training allowances, and yes, even the IRS played a role in creating an environment that has introduced more people to the benefits of aircraft ownership and had an effect similar to that seen after the passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1995.

The IRS is here to help you? Well, believe it or not, a new tax law passed earlier this year represents a renewed attempt by our nation’s leaders to jumpstart the economic recovery. The bill applies to new airplanes acquired after September 10, 2001, and before September 11, 2004, and provides tax savings from economic stimulus provisions included in the Internal Revenue Code designed to encourage investment in capital assets. Visit your local airport and you’re sure to see plenty of forty and fifty year old aircraft operating for both business and pleasure. Even prior to the new tax law, Congress recognized that capital investment is an important part of our economy, and therefore allowed a five year depreciation of these assets. To further encourage investments, they do not require the depreciation to be spread evenly over the five years, but through a concept know as “double declining balance,” greatly accelerate depreciation during the first two years of ownership. Now with the additional incentives of 30% bonus depreciation on new airplanes, tax deferral opportunities are greatly expanded.

So how might a business person benefit from these new changes? First of all, the impact of these depreciation changes greatly reduce net cash investment for the purchase of a new airplane. Specifically, an operator in the 40% tax bracket who can successfully write off his aircraft ownership expense may have no cash investment in the airplane during the first four years. Additionally, when properly structured, many taxpayers have an opportunity to convert personal use into business use. The Internal revenue code provides an optional method of taxing an individual for personal use of an aircraft which many times amounts to less than 10%of the actual deductions flowing from the investment. Consult your tax professional prior to purchasing your new airplane or ask your Aircraft Dealer for the name of an Aviation Tax Specialist to set up your purchasing entity.

And you say you’re not a pilot? Local aircraft dealers like Suburban Aviation, Inc. in Lambertville, Michigan will actually teach you to fly your new airplane and even reimburse your expenses when you purchase a new Cessna airplane from them. Most of today’s pilots learned to fly in a Cessna airplane and the majority of these pilots continue to experience the freedom and flexibility that flight offers in one of Cessna’s many single engine models. For 75 years, Cessna has been the leader in general aviation aircraft providing a safe and reliable alternative to commercial airlines and the automobile.

So if your business can benefit from improved efficiency and tax savings, why not consider a company airplane? There are few tax saving opportunities as effective as fully depreciating an aircraft on a five year accelerated basis, and with today’s interest rate environment, a well-structured transaction often results in little or no after tax cash flow holding costs during the early years of ownership. Of course, arriving at your meeting on time and with all your luggage can also be pretty convincing!

Read More..

Information on Corporate Air Charter

This has been the start when both corporations and stand-alone air charter companies entered the business of dedicated charter flights for the corporate executives, richer travelers, air ambulances, sports teams, entertainers, etc.

The very term "Corporate Air Charter" refers to the renting of an entire aircraft by the corporate. this is quite opposed to renting individual aircraft seats which has been the norm. While commercial airlines

and legacy airlines specialize in selling transportation by seats, corporate air charter companies focus on the corporate and small groups for specialized itineraries. The advantage of corporate air charter is urgent or time-sensitive freight or cargo, air ambulance and any other form of ad hoc air transportation.

Corporate air charter services are also referred to as air taxi services, executive charter jet services, jet charter services across the United States. Corporate air charter is more broadly a part of General Aviation and is governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations in the United States. This is unlike their commercial counterparts who are governed by more stringent standards of Part 121 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, which are regulations designed for scheduled air carriers.

It is believed that over 70% of the corporate air charter in the world is within the United States. This makes the United States the largest market for corporate air charter or private air charter. Today, there are number of air charter operators operating across the country with a vast offering of executive charter jets and helicopters of various capacities and ranges. You can hire a corporate air charter operator for a season, for days, and even lease them for a number of years according to your requirements.

Read More..

Services and Its Advantages

Air charter services has become a constant need in this competitive world. It provides flexibility, efficiency and privacy to ensure you a pleasant traveling time. Just rent out an aircraft enjoys your personalized flying experience. Especially for business honchos, the usability of air charter travel is of great importance. Without hiring charter flights

, it seems almost impossible to organize instant business trips. There are many great advantages of hiring a private air charter, let us discuss them in detail.

The most important advantage of hiring air charter flights is the freedom of scheduling. All you have to decide your destination and fly at any time you require. You are here to make a schedule for your business needs. Secondly, you can choose your airport. This is a major advantage as you can decide to land up in a less crowed airport, where you can save your precious time in car and ground transportation. Thirdly, air charter services offer convenience, security, privacy and time efficiency. If you are opting for business air travel, you can actually spend a quality time with your family. You can manage your time as per your schedule and have a great time to relax and enjoy. Private air charter also ensure that they satisfy their clients with excellent catering, food, ground facilities and return services to make their trip just memorable.

Luggage loss and Security are the two most vital benefits of corporate air travel. No need to stand in queue to get through the security area. Just hire your own business air charter and save time reserving tickets, registering, getting the luggage, making queues for security, avoids delays, etc. Normally, traveling by a commercial airline lead to a great wastage of time but in corporate air charter you can actually improve your traveling pleasures. Also, now there is no fear of missing of the flight as it is who schedule the time of your flying. Imagine how feels when you see a plane waiting for you to take off!!

Due to its multiple advantages, the air charter sector enjoys a growing market share for business travelers, and as it becomes available at even more airports nationwide. Air charter services have become an immediate solution for all instant flying problems.

Read More..

Sikorsky Aerospace Services and U.S. Army Renew Partnership for Corpus Christi Army Depot BLACK HAWK Helicopter Work

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala., Dec. 8, 2008 – Sikorsky Aerospace Services today announced the signing of an $840 million contract with the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) to provide technical, logistical, and engineering expertise through Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Best Practices to the Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD). The contract renews a five-year agreement initially signed in December 2002. Sikorsky Aerospace Services is Sikorsky Aircraft’s aftermarket business. Sikorsky Aircraft, based in Stratford, Conn., is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).

Through this partnership, Sikorsky Aerospace Services facilitates CCAD’s ability to deliver increased time-on-wing of repaired components through OEM engineering, procurement, and on-site support of 70 UH-60 BLACK HAWK component line items. Additionally, Sikorsky Aerospace Services helps support decreased repair-turn-around-time (RTAT) of components and BLACK HAWK helicopter airframes.

“This contract renewal signifies the continuing success of this partnership with the U.S. Army,” said David Adler, President, Sikorsky Aerospace Services. “More importantly, the increased depot production at CCAD will support U.S. troops by keeping their BLACK HAWK helicopters in optimum condition to do the important work that they do.”

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture, and service. Its Sikorsky Aerospace Services business designs and applies advanced logistics and supply chain solutions for commercial rotary, military rotary and fixed wing customers. The company’s long commitment to safety and innovation is reflected in its mission statement: “We pioneer flight solutions that bring people home everywhere … every time™.“ United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., provides a broad range of high-technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in government procurement priorities and practices or in the number of aircraft to be built or serviced; challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corporation's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Read More..

Investor of the Year

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Poland has named Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation its "Investor of the Year" for 2008, for its efforts in the acquisition of the PZL Mielec factory and integrating it into a modernized, efficient facility. The American Chamber's Investor of the Year Award is given to a chamber member that has achieved impressive growth, visibility, and a significant breakthrough in the Polish market, demonstrating its long-term commitment and its contribution to the labor market while adhering to the highest standards of business ethics.

Read More..

County Bill to Control Helo Altitudes Defeated

A bill to prohibit helicopters from cruising at less than 2,500 feet above Suffolk County, NY – a suburb of New York City - was narrowly defeated by local legislators this week. Suffolk County legislator Edward Romaine, who introduced the bill, says the noise from low-flying helicopters making their way between New York and the Hamptons, an ultra-wealthy community on Long Island, greatly disturbs residents. The bill, which was defeated by one vote, would have imposed a $1,000 fine per violation. Romaine vowed to reintroduce the bill.

Read More..

Eurocopter's EC135/145 Sim Goes Operational

American Eurocopter now has its first full-motion, full-visual simulator on duty for its popular EC135/145 model helicopters. "This is a tremendous milestone for our training department,” said Marc Paganini, president and CEO of American Eurocopter. “Our customers operating the EC135s and EC145s now have an economical, high-tech alternative to train their pilots. This demonstrates the strategy and commitment of the Eurocopter Group to provide its customers with state-of-the-art training worldwide.” The system, located at the company’s Grand Prairie, Texas training facility, offers six degrees of freedom and a 170 x 80-degree field of view. It is also capable of providing IFR and NVG scenarios.

Read More..