Even the least expensive business aircraft costs serious money to buy and fly. So if you’re going to make this kind of investment, it only makes sense to have an aircraft with a pristine paint job; one that makes you as proud to be seen with your aircraft as you are to own it.

This kind of thinking underlies Innotech Aviation’s state-of-the-art painting facility at its established Montreal plant. Located at 10-225 Ryan Avenue, next to Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Innotech Aviation provides painting and finishing services to Bombardier’s family of new business aircraft, including the Bombardier Global Express 6000 (formerly XRS) twin-jet.

“Innotech is dedicated to making business aircraft look their very best, and stay looking good for years to come,” said Rob Brooks, the company’s vice president and general manager.

“Since we installed our painting facility 10 years ago, we have consistently upgraded the quality and precision of our process.”

The Innotech paint facility is comprised of two bays, each of which is big enough to accept aircraft as large as the Global Express 6000. The company provides painting and refinishing services to all comparably-sized aircraft, regardless of make or model.

“The first bay is where we strip and prep the aircraft, removing all vestiges of its old paint job, and make it ready to look new again,” said Brooks. “The second bay is where the magic happens, because this is where we apply the paint.”

The reason Innotech’s paint facility can do such fine work is due to science, not magic. “It all starts with the cross-draft airflow, which works with the aircraft’s aerodynamic shape,” said Brooks. “Because aircraft are built to go through air, our cross-draft moves air horizontally through the booth from tip to tail.”

Thanks to this cross-draft approach, Innotech’s paint sprayers are able to apply an even, smooth coat on all exterior surfaces of the aircraft.

“We work with the aircraft’s shape, rather than fighting it by applying paint downwards,” said Brooks. “The spraying-downwards model, which other paint shops have adopted from the automotive industry, isn’t well-suited to painting aircraft.”

The speed of the cross-draft can be varied as needed, which eliminates the need to pressurize the paint bay.

“Either way, we can deliver a cleaner paint application to your aircraft, with better adhesion and substantially less paint waste than with conventional spray methods,” said Brooks. “There is so little overspray, in fact, that people can walk through the booth during painting with no ill effects–but of course, our expert technicians are properly suited and masked.”

Worth noting: Innotech’s “Super Clear Coat” provides superior adhesion and longevity for aircraft painted in its facility. This is because the first layer of clear coat is applied when the last level of paint is still tacky, allowing the two to blend together to form a more durable transition coat.

“By allowing these two layers to chemically bond to each other, you end up with a much stronger and [more] resilient surface … one that can more readily resist impact damage and scratches,” said Brooks. “The successive layers of clear coat then bond to the first level, resulting in a dazzling exterior coating that is as tough as it is good-looking.”

Then there’s purity: The outside air that is drawn into Innotech’s paint bay is thoroughly filtered before entering the room, preventing dust and other contaminants from getting into any fresh paint jobs. The exiting cross-draft is then progressively filtered so that the exhaust air is cleaner than when it came into the facility. The same is true for any wastewater, which is treated before being released to the plant’s drain system.

“Anything we release to the world outside is cleaner than when it came in,” said Brooks.

Innotech even goes as far as to control the paint facility’s humidity. This is no small feat for a hangar large enough to handle two Bombardier Global Express 6000 business jets, each of which has a fuselage 30.3 meters long with a wingspan of 28.7 meters.

“Paint needs a high level of humidity to bond and cure properly on an aircraft,” said Brooks. “The trouble is that gas heating in the winter results in very dry air, which can cause adhesion issues, plus a bumpy surface that resembles the skin of an orange. Innotech avoids this by having consistent humidity at all times.”

All told, Innotech Aviation’s new paint facility gives business aircraft the quality of eye-catching, durable paint treatments they deserve.

“If you’re going to invest in an aircraft, you deserve to have your investment look its very best,” said Brooks. “Innotech can do that for you.”

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What’s in a logo? For Columbia Aviation Companies (Columbia), one could say, “everything.”

Now approaching its 40th anniversary in 2020, this provider of aircraft sales, service, and management support has always put customer needs first. This commitment was originally symbolized in the 1980s-era Columbia logo that featured the twin-engine Piper Cheyenne. At the time, the Cheyenne represented Piper’s top of the line production aircraft and was a product that Columbia maintained.

The logo also showed the tall ship “Columbia,” to honor the seafaring heritage of Columbia Aviation Companies’ home town of Groton/New London, Connecticut. This part of New England was historically a center of maritime commerce and whaling.

“So much has changed since our company [since Columbia] was founded in 1980,” said Melissa Duzguner, vice president of administration with Columbia Aircraft Sales, a division of Columbia Aviation Companies. “In particular, the wonderful Cheyenne has been out of production for over 30 years. This is why our new logo features a swept wing, empennage and winglets, which we feel represent the evolution of general aviation production aircraft design and technology over our history. It symbolizes Columbia’s forward-looking attitude and commitment to investing in new technology.”

The new logo was scheduled to be officially launched at the companies’ flagship Groton-New London Airport fixed-based operator (FBO) location during the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Regional Fly-In from Oct. 6 to 7.

At the same time that it is adopting this new corporate look, Columbia Aviation Companies is doubling down on its customer-first focus.

“Our new look signals both change and continuity,” said Columbia co-founder Harry Holt. “It represents the changes in technology, aircraft and other parts of GA [general aviation]. But as those changes come we also continue to emphasize Columbia’s constant company-wide commitment to the quality of customer service, delivery of state-of-the-art aircraft, meticulous airframe, powerplant and avionics work and, above all, safety.”

Looking ahead, “2020 will be a milestone year for GA with the full implementation of ADS-B and NextGen–and a big year for Columbia,” said Columbia co-founder Art Maurice. “We’re planning now for that future to help our customers grow along with the industry. Along with our line services, avionics and maintenance services, we’re focused on meeting the needs of pilots with aircraft sales ranging from entry-level piston to top-performing business turboprops, including the Piper M600 and the Daher TBM series.”

In line with 2020’s approach, Columbia Aviation Companies has launched a number of forward-looking initiatives. They include advances in how the companies sell aircraft, service avionics, and train and retain their highly-skilled staff.

Aircraft sales

Columbia Aircraft Sales continues to expand services to aircraft buyers through partnerships with key providers of financing, insurance, training and other areas, to make aircraft purchasing as smooth as possible.

This includes identifying a pilot’s experience and goals, to match them to the aircraft that best fits their mission. The company also supports owner goals and planned transitions through its extensive experience in acquiring and selling pre-owned aircraft.

Avionics shop

Because avionics is one of the most important and fastest changing areas of general aviation, Columbia recently bolstered the capabilities of its avionics shop with a computer-controlled panel-cutting machine. With this new equipment, aircraft owners can now clearly visualize and approve their own custom avionics panels prior to creation and installation.

Staff training and retention

As reflected in its new tagline, “Because Experience Matters,” Columbia is committed to both staff retention and training. At least six employees will have at least 30 years of experience with Columbia by 2020, representing a formidable knowledge base its owners believe is not found at other FBOs.

The company has launched programs for direct recruitment and support of students at regional technical schools. Columbia also intends to support scholarships to aid select students with formal airframe and/or powerplant training.

“Our people are the core of who we are,” said Duzguner. “That’s why we do our best to recognize their talent and keep them happy and motivated.”

The big picture

Taking a big picture view, the technology and requirements of general aviation are in a constant state of change. As a result, aircraft owners and operators need access to a reliable, established FBO with the engineering knowledge, cutting-edge equipment, and experienced technicians to keep their aircraft ready to fly more than ever–no matter how new or old these aircraft may be.

This is where Columbia Aviation Companies comes in. Its staff of elite technicians–many of whom have made their careers at Columbia–are masters in the science (and art) of keeping aircraft properly maintained and safely repaired.

“Our managers are so dedicated that they give their cellphone numbers to our customers,” said Duzguner. “When a customer experiences an aircraft on ground emergency, they can call on us for help–no matter what time of day or night it is.”

“Our new logo summarizes what Columbia is all about,” Duzguner concluded. “We’re forward-looking in our approach to aviation services, yet unwavering in our commitment to putting customers first!”

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It wasn’t supposed to be this way. When Levaero (originally branded as Pilatus Centre Canada) opened its doors in Thunder Bay, Ontario, nearly 20 years ago, the company was focused on being Canada’s exclusive Pilatus dealer, both for sales and service of the famed PC-12 single engine turboprop.

Today, Levaero remains Canada’s exclusive Pilatus dealer, both for the PC-12 and now the exciting new PC-24 twin-engine business jet. “Since we started, the company has constantly upgraded its MRO [maintenance, repair and overhaul] capabilities and expertise,” said Robert Arnone, Levaero’s president and CEO. “We have also put tremendous effort into providing consistent customer-first service.”

Maybe that explains it: Although Levaero is positioned to serve the Canadian market, the company is actually also serving Pilatus owners from the United States, and indeed all over the world.

Actually, there are many reasons why Pilatus owners are bringing their aircraft to Levaero. One major reason is that Levaero is available to offer assistance whenever Pilatus owners need it.

“Although we are a Pilatus dealer, we provide 24/7, AOG [aircraft on ground] and on-site maintenance services for a variety of aircraft, to get you back in the air safely and quickly,” said Arnone. “This includes having a 24 hour AOG team that can be dispatched to wherever your aircraft is, so that you can get it fixed and flying as soon as possible.”

Levaero’s diverse mix of service capabilities, including line and heavy maintenance, avionics repairs, installations and upgrades, structural repairs, modifications and interior refurbishment, provides clients with a one-stop solution.

Another reason why international Pilatus owners are flocking to Levaero is its knowledgeable MRO services. The company employs highly-skilled, well-trained technicians who know Pilatus aircraft inside and out.

“The reason why we are so knowledgeable is due to the PC-12 being so widely deployed by Canadian operators,” said Arnone. “Thanks to so many PC-12s coming to us for service, Levaero has seen virtually everything that can become an issue on this aircraft–and fixed it. Nothing builds your skills like problem-solving for clients!”

A third factor driving customers to Levaero is the company’s commitment to making PC-12s do more for their owner/operators.

Specifically, “Levaero is a Centre of Excellence for the installation of the Finnoff Aviation Products PT6A-67P upgrade for pre-NG PC-12 aircraft,” said Arnone. “The latest P&W PT6A engine technology has been used to develop the PT6A-67P engine.

In plain language, this upgrade installs the engine used in the newer PC-12 NG aircraft into earlier PC-12 models. The performance improvement is significant: With the PT6A-67P engine installed, pre-NG PC-12s will see a speed increase of up to 15 to 20 knots, and an improvement in their climb rate.

“Whether you install the 67P or not, Levaero offers a life extension process that can extend the life of your Pilatus PC-12 by 150 percent,” said Arnone. “You’ll need to contact us for details.”

As for the fact that Levaero is located in Thunder Bay, Ontario? No problem: “Our concierge service will pick up your Pilatus wherever it is in the world, and fly it back to our MRO shop,” said Arnone. “We’ll do everything that needs to be done to bring it back to prime operating condition–or even better if you get the 67P engine upgrade–and then fly it back to you, all pristine and ready to fly.”

Taken as a whole, these services explain why aircraft owners around the world are turning to Levaero. One of them is Phelps Lane, founder and president of Cygnus Lift in Denver, Colorado.

“I purchased a Pilatus PC-12/45 from Levaero that had gone through their rigorous life extension program,” said Lane in a testimonial published on Levaero’s website.

“The professionalism and attention to detail demonstrated by their maintenance engineers reassured me that I was making a sound purchase decision and that the aircraft would continue being a reliable workhorse for many years to come. I also chose to install the upgraded 67P engine, new avionics, the five-bladed MT prop, as well as other improvements. Most importantly, the people at Levaero are great and a pleasure to work with–they get things done. I was so happy with my first LEP PC-12, that I have ordered another.”

“As Pilatus’ exclusive Canadian dealer, we are humbled by the fact that people from around the globe are coming to Levaero for our services,” said Robert Arnone. “This is a responsibility that we take very seriously, by always doing our best to deliver top-notch service and support to our customers wherever they may be.”

The post Serving the world appeared first on Skies Mag.

Pilots demand two things from their headsets. First, these units have to provide audio that is clear at all times, no matter how noisy the aircraft environment may be. Second, since aviation headsets have to be worn for many hours at a time, they must be comfortable to wear for the long run.

As one of the world’s premiere audio equipment companies, it only makes sense that Bose would tackle the aviation headset challenge, and resolve it brilliantly with the A20.

Weighing in at just 12.5 ounces, the A20 is designed to provide the most noise reduction ever offered by a Bose aviation headset, while still providing the clearest audio possible through the use of active equalization and other technologies. Compared to traditional headsets offered by competitors, the A20 provides 30 percent more noise reduction while exerting 30 percent less clamping force on the wearer’s head.

Comfort is enhanced by the A20 having a torsion spring in the middle of the headband. This ensures that the headset sits comfortably on the user’s head and distributes the clamping force evenly. It also ensures that lateral pressure is consistent, regardless of the size and shape of one’s head.

That’s not all: The Bose A20 aviation headset also offers features such as Bluetooth audio and communications interface; a customizable audio prioritization control that enables either the muting of existing audio for incoming communication, or mixing that new audio with the existing audio feed; intuitive “plug-and-play” operation for easy use in all kinds of aircraft; a high-performance adjustable noise rejection boom microphone; and an optional coil cord, popular with helicopter pilots. The coil cord version, which provides the cable management that helicopter operators often prefer, can be ordered with the most popular helicopter-specific connectors.

“Our most current product, the A20 aviation headset, is the best performing aviation headset we have ever brought to market,” said Hratch Astarjian, Bose Corporation’s manager of global aviation sales, marketing and service. “It provides more noise reduction in louder environments over a broader range of frequencies than our previous model and does so in a very comfortable and easy-to-use way. It also has the features pilots have told us are important, like full function Bluetooth, a coil cord cable, auto-on (for panel powered models), auto shut-off, and audio prioritization.”

The A20 is the latest in the company’s long line of quality aviation headsets.

“Bose was the first company to bring a commercially available, active noise reduction headset to the market in 1989,” said Astarjian. “As we have developed meaningful new technologies over the years, we have brought new headsets that incorporate those improvements to the market.”

Due to the combined noise from engines, wind rushing by at high speeds and other operational sources, helicopters are generally noisy places. This is why pilots need headsets that reduce their exposure to loud ambient noise by actively analyzing that noise and then electronically negating it before it reaches their ear drums.

“But contrary to what you might think, noise isn’t the first thing most pilots complain about,” said Astarjian. “It’s comfort. There are many noise reduction headsets on the market today, with some, like the A20, that do a good job of reducing noise. But, unfortunately, most of them trade comfort for quiet. The challenge is to deliver a headset that does a great job with noise reduction, while remaining comfortable over the long haul.”

For that, the Bose A20 is the clear choice. It has been specifically designed to cancel noise while maximizing user comfort, without the traditional trade-offs or compromises.

“Our customers routinely tell us the A20 is not only one of the quietest but also one of the most comfortable headsets they have ever worn,” said Astarjian. “That’s really satisfying to hear because comfort is one of the design elements we pay close attention to.

“There are a wide variety of reasons pilots tell us they prefer our product,” he added. “These range from comfort to audio clarity to having the right features that add to the flying experience in a meaningful way.”

Bose’s success in making aviation headsets is borne out by its other specialty headsets made for other markets where noise reduction and clarity are also top priorities. These markets include the National Football League’s noisy playing fields for coaches; the U.S. and other militaries in a variety of tracked and wheeled, armored vehicles; and in the air on Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules aircraft, Boeing P-8s and KC-135s, and others. Bose also has strong relationships with some of the largest helicopter original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the world, including Bell Helicopter, Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland), Airbus Helicopters and Robinson Helicopter Company.

The bottom line: The A20 aviation headset is the kind of quality equipment every pilot needs in their cockpit, be it inside a Robinson R44, a Bell 406, a Cessna 172 or a Boeing 757.

“Bose has been providing products for mission critical communications for over 25 years and, it seems, our customers really value that,” said Astarjian. “The result is that customers can feel confident that the A20 will do what we claim. We don’t over-promise and we focus on what really matters to pilots; namely clear communication, comfort, less noise and, ultimately, a durable and reliable product that will enhance the flying experience for years.”

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Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) was founded in 1928 in Montreal by James Young to offer maintenance on the then popular Wasp 1340 radial piston engine. From these humble roots the company grew, with in-house innovations that include the mighty PT6 gas turbine engine unveiled in 1963. In May 2017, P&WC announced it had produced 100,000 engines.

The PT6 started out as a powerplant for turboprop aircraft (the PT6A engine family) and evolved into also powering helicopters–the PT6B, PT6C, and PT6T engine families later complemented by the PW200 and PW210 engines. Together, these engines power many of the world’s helicopter fleets, especially small and medium twins.

“From the beginning, P&WC has been at the cutting edge of engine research,” said Irene Makris, vice president of marketing, responsible for helicopter engines. “More importantly, our engines have been well-accepted by the aviation industry. This is why P&WC engines have flown more than 800 million hours in total, with our helicopter engines achieving 60 million flight hours to date.”

Mindful that helicopter operators are always seeking engines that are more powerful, lighter and more fuel-efficient, P&WC is constantly developing new models. The company’s most recently developed helicopter engine is the PW210, an innovative centerline design.

Delivering an impressive 1,000-plus shaft horsepower, the PW210 design is surprisingly simple. It has only five major rotating components. The engine was designed for ease of maintenance, benefitting from the knowledge acquired from the company’s PT6 heritage and PW200 experience. The PW210 also uses a combined reduction/engine accessory gearbox, which contributes to the engine’s compact design.

The PW210 is equipped with a dual-channel, full authority digital engine control (FADEC). FADEC reduces pilot workload by taking responsibility for monitoring and managing the engine so that it always delivers peak performance within manufacturer specs,” said Makris.

“The PW210 engine uses the latest FADEC technology with increased processor capability and memory, allowing more software functionality to be embedded in the FADEC system,” she said. “This means the PW210 reduces pilot workload even further by enabling functions such as creep counting, and electronic on-ground and in-flight power assurance checks.”

The PW210’s FADEC even helps with ongoing engine maintenance by delivering detailed maintenance messages directly to the cockpit.

The engine also doubles as a helicopter’s auxiliary power unit (APU). This eliminates the cost, weight and maintenance associated with having a third engine onboard. This is especially critical for applications such as emergency medical services (EMS) because medical equipment will continue to function while the helicopter is on the ground without the rotors turning.

Put it all together, and the P&WC PW210 delivers best-in-class fuel consumption and power-to-weight ratio; a lightweight, compact form factor; low environmental emissions; minimal maintenance and low maintenance costs. This is why the PW210 is featured in new aircraft such as the Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland) AW169 and the Sikorsky S-76D.

The advances found in the PW210 reflect P&WC’s ongoing commitment to developing engines that offer reduced maintenance costs to customers, in addition to extra power, less weight and more performance. P&WC has recently increased the maintenance interval (time between overhaul) for the PW210 engine from 3,500 hours to 4,000 hours.

“We are in development and collaborating with our customers on the next generation of engines for next-generation helicopters,” said Makris. “In fact, we are currently developing an entirely new engine in the 2,000 shaft horsepower range that will power both helicopters and turboprops.”

To ensure all P&WC engine owners and operators enjoy optimal on-wing time at the lowest cost, Pratt & Whitney Canada offers the largest, most comprehensive customer service network in the industry, including the company’s Customer First Centres working 24/7 in Montreal and Singapore.

“We have 30 owned and designated overhaul facilities, and 100 mobile repair team technicians, ensuring that P&WC’s MRO [maintenance, repair and overhaul] expertise is available to our clients wherever they happen to be,” said Makris.

“Add in our cost-effective maintenance options like P&WC’s Eagle Service Plan and our Fleet Management Program, which keep operator costs manageably predictable while maximizing fleet availability.”

P&WC is also known for its diagnostics, prognostics and health management (DPHM) solutions, including its most advanced solution–FAST (Flight Acquisition Storage and Transmission).

“FAST captures, analyzes and electronically transmits full flight data intelligence to customers within minutes of the pilot shutting down the engines after landing, allowing them to optimize dispatch availability and maintenance, while reducing operating costs,” said Makris.

FAST is currently installed on more than 1,100 rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, including the Leonardo AW139 powered by the PT6C-67C engine.

P&WC has recently made its Oil Analysis Technology Program commercially available to customers of the PW306A engine. The technology has been in a trial phase since early 2016 and some 5,000 engines are still in that trial. The Oil Analysis Technology employs highly sensitive technology to detect minute debris in engine oil, allowing operators to learn what is happening inside their engines without having to open them up, hundreds of hours before a potential event occurs. The technology enables on-wing monitoring of engine bearings, gears and carbon seals and demonstrates the ability to help identify issues early to minimize or avert them entirely. The technology will become available on P&WC’s other engines in the future.

Today, P&WC engines power approximately 5,000 helicopters used for corporate transport, firefighting, emergency medical transport, oil-and-gas and other utility applications. The reliability, versatility and durability of the products provide superior value for all types of missions and customer profiles.

“From the beginning, P&WC has been at the cutting-edge of engine research.”

— Irene Makris, vice president of marketing, responsible for helicopter engines

The post Taking Engines Further appeared first on Skies Mag.