Winter Escapes - Twin and Turbine
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
F O R T H E P I L O T S O F O W N E R - F L O W N , C A B I N - C L A S S A I R C R A F T
JANUARY 2020 $3.95 US
VOLUME 24 NUMBER 1
Winter
Escapes
Air Journey Takes
Us to Some of Its
Hottest Destinations
Latest Autopilots Top Turboprop: A Guide to the
from Genesys MU2 and KA100 Citation 560XL
Avidyne
EDITOR
Rebecca Groom Jacobs
rebecca@twinandturbine.com
Content s JANUARY2020 • VOL. 24, NO. 1
EDITOR IAL OFFICE
2779 Aero Park Drive
Traverse City, MI 49686 Editor’s Briefing 5
Phone: (231) 946 -7770 2 Bahamian Gem
PUBLISHER by Rebecca Groom Jacobs
Dave Moore
4 Airmail
PRESIDENT
Dave Moore 5 Top Turboprop Series:
CFO Mitsubishi MU2 and
Rebecca Mead King Air B100
PRODUCTION MANAGER by Joe Casey
Mike Revard
PU BLICATIONS DI RECTOR 10 Latest Autopilots
Jake Smith from Genesys Aerosystems
GRAPHIC DESIGNER by Rich Pickett
Marci Moon
12 Winter Escapes
TWIN & TURBINE WEBSITE
www.twinandturbine.com
by Thierry Pouille
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
John Shoemaker
Twin & Turbine
2779 Aero Park Drive 12
Traverse City, MI 49686
Phone: 1-800 -773-7798
Fa x: (231) 946 -9588
johns@villagepress.com 18 Five on the Fly
ADVE RTISI NG ADMI N ISTR ATIVE with jetAVIVA’s
COORDI NATOR & RE PRI NT SALES Kandi Spangler
Betsy Beaudoin
Phone: 1-800 -773-7798 by Rebecca Groom Jacobs
betsybeaudoin@villagepress.com
SUBSCRIBER SERVICES
R honda Kelly
Kelly Adamson Jet Journal
Jessica Meek
Jamie Wilson
22 A Guide to the Citation 22
P.O. Box 968 560XL Series: Part 1
Traverse City, MI 49685 by Kandi Spangler
1-800 -447-7367
To change mailing address,
26 The Hangar Problem
email rhonda.kelly@vpdcs.com by Kevin Ware
30 Power from the Start
Battery Talk with Mid-
Twin & Turbine (ISSN 1945-6514), USPS 24432 is pub- Continent Instruments and
lished monthly by Village Press, Inc. with advertising
offices located at 2779 Aero Park Drive, Traverse City, Avionics and True Blue Power
Michigan 49686. Telephone (231) 946-3712. Printed
in the United States of America. All rights reserved.
by Rich Pickett
Copyright 2016, Village Press, Inc. Periodical Postage
Paid at Traverse City, MI.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Twin & Turbine is distributed at no
34
charge to all registered owners of cabin-class aircraft.
The mailing list is updated monthly. All others may From the Flight Deck
subscribe by writing to: Twin & Turbine, P.O. Box 968,
Traverse City, MI 49685, or by calling 1-800-447-7367. 34 Statistically Speaking
Rates for the United States and its possessions follow:
one year $15.00; two years $29.00. Canadian subscrip- Will you have an engine
tions are one year $24.00; two years $46.00, including failure this year?
GST tax. Overseas subscriptions are one year $52.00;
two years $99.00, U.S. funds. Single copies $6.50. by Kevin Dingman
ADVERTISING: Advertising in Twin & Turbine does not
necessarily imply endorsement. Queries, questions, On Final
and requests for media kits should be directed to the
Advertising Director, Twin & Turbine, P.O. Box 968, 40 And Then There Was One
Traverse City, Michigan 49685. Telephone 1-800-773-
7798. Website: www.twinandturbine.com.
by David Miller
MANUSCRIPTS: Twin & Turbine assumes no
responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photo-
graphs, or art work. While unsolicited submissions
are welcome, it is best to query first and ask for
our Writer’s Guidelines. All unassigned submis-
sions must be accompanied by return postage.
Address queries and requests for Writer’s Guidelines
to the editor. COVER PHOTO:
Photo Courtesy of Paul Bowen Photography
POSTMASTER: Send address changes Issues of Twin & Turbine are available
and inquiries to Twin & Turbine, Village Press, for free www.twinandturbine.com
Inc., P.O. Box 968, Traverse City, MI 49685. January 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 1
Editor’s Briefing
by Rebecca Groom Jacobs
Bahamian Gem
and prepare customs paperwork. But
the part that really stuck with me
was my father’s briefings regarding
the life raft procedure should we
be forced to ditch in the water. We
rarely received such a serious safety
briefing, which made the occasion
especially important (and without
fail, my mind would conjure visions
of the “Jaws” aftermath we were sure
to encounter if the situation did in-
deed occur).
For the first couple of Bahamas
trips, we ventured to Paradise Island.
I have little memory from Paradise
except playing at the hotel and swim-
ming with dolphins (they scared me
as much as the aforementioned idea
of Jaws had). But when I was around
10 years old, my father discovered
T
a Bahamian gem – Small Hope
his issue we highlight winter escapes – something I Bay Lodge located on Andros Island. Tucked away from
think about a lot during a January spent in Wichita, the more tourist-laden islands, Small Hope is an all-inclusive
Kansas. My parents were fond of winter escapes, and resort offering a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere. Co-
growing up we were fortunate enough to partake in many. incidentally, it’s owned by a pilot who provides discounts
to private pilots who fly in their personal aircraft.
Looking back on my childhood, I find it incredible that I
didn’t realize how much of a luxury it was to grow up with For nearly 60 years, Small Hope has been introducing
an airplane. When my family of five needed to travel, we divers and snorkelers to the Andros Barrier Reef. The reef
would just pile in our Bonanza and off we would go. It was is the third-largest in the world, stretching 140 miles along
as simple as that – or so I thought. But while my siblings the east coast of the island and rimming the Tongue of the
and I enjoyed free FBO popcorn and cookies, my father Ocean. Small Hope rotates through more than 60 dive sites
was busily making travel arrangements, flight planning, with three regularly scheduled dives per day, both shal-
pre-flighting, then packing luggage and children into the low and deep options. Additionally, the island teems with
airplane. As the youngest, I was always squished into the Blue Holes (underwater cave systems) – some of which
very back of our Bonanza F33A alongside the suitcases. guests can visit for a dive or swim.
But I didn’t mind; it was cozy! With its spectacular scuba diving, relaxing atmosphere
The majority of our flights were to visit relatives in and diverse guests, Small Hope provided my family
South Carolina for holidays and special occasions. But we with priceless memories. For us, it was the perfect “win-
also embarked on annual family vacations, often finding ter escape.”
a warm beach during winter. More often than not, that en-
tailed flying to the Bahamas by way of Fort Pierce, Florida.
There we would grab a bite (at the Airport Tiki), fuel up
2 • TWIN & TURBINE / January 2020
Edmo Distributors, Inc.
Airmail
In Response to David Miller’s On to Sedona where my son’s grandfather-in-law
lived for many years. His name was Harner Selvidge.
“Judgment or Experience” (November) If you look him up, he made many great contributions
I enjoy your column. You and Dingman are always to aviation and engineering in the first half of the 20th
my first reads, and if I don’t get to the rest of the maga- century. After an op stop in Oklahoma where I got av-
zine, that’s usually okay, although Ware was extraordi- gas for $3.75/gallon – less than car gas in San Francisco
nary this month. However, you passed on the perfect – we proceeded to Nashville and supper with three
opportunity to use the old anecdote: grandchildren and our son and daughter-in-law. From
Neophyte to Senior Birdman: What quality makes there, we returned to our home base, SMS. A long but
you a good pilot? wonderful way to get home to our two little hounds.
Senior Birdman: Exercising good judgment, I wish I could articulate our trip as well as you do
of course. because it was quite an experience. While our back-
N: Well, how do you cultivate good judgment? grounds are somewhat different, we both have about
SB: Through experience. the same flying experience, 10,000 hours. Mine in-
N: How do you get experience? cludes about 37 percent military and the rest in general
SB: By exercising bad judgment. aviation, including ownership of 11 different airplanes.
It’s funny, but we both know it’s true too often. At I recently became rated as SIC in a Citation 560 and a
some point you realize there are going to be lessons, 750X. I believe it was your article in the same magazine
despite the attempt to learn all yours from other peo- that spoke of the great advantages of the APU.
ple. One should pray that those you must learn person- Thanks for sharing your delightful experience.
ally will be inexpensive ones. The corollary, of course, Phil Leventis
is that there will occasionally be a recurrent training
requirement for those lessons, as in experience being
I just read your article entitled “Only in America” and
that which allows you to recognize a mistake when you
wanted to express how much I enjoyed it. My family and
make it again.
I live in Hawaii but travel back to Alaska each summer
Don’t ask me how I know this. where we keep and operate a 1953 Cessna 180. Alaska
But since you’re wondering, I’ll continue my ca- exemplifies the theme of your article, and we get to enjoy
tharsis. If you (not you personally, the generic “you”) all the privileges you describe. Hawaii is not as friendly
follow no other rules or procedures, follow these two: but our customers still get to move around basically as
1) The bigger your hurry or that of your passengers, the they wish. The airspace is fine; it’s the airports that rep-
slower you should be moving and 2) The last thing you resent challenges here.
MUST do before you close the door is walk all the way Anyway, I hope lots of people read your story.
around the airplane. All the way around. Every time. The freedom to fly the way we do is rare and pre-
The worse the weather, the worse the ramp condition, cious but easily taken for granted, or in the public’s
the further behind schedule you are, the more annoy- case, unknown.
ing things that have happened to disrupt/disturb your Shaen Tarter
routine, the more slowly you must make this walk.
I feel better now. Keep up the good work. I share all of your passion for the tremendous freedoms
Anonymous we have in the U.S. I’m on a ferry flight from Austria to
the U.S. now and write this after I’ve dealt with the fiasco
that exists in any other airspace than the U.S. I had the
In Response to Kevin Ware’s same thoughts as you, but you articulated it better than
“Only in America” (November) I ever could have. It was a well-written, meaningful and
I just finished your delightful article, “Only in excellent article. You are a very good writer. Thanks for
America.” In September, I completed the grand trip in doing what you do!
my 340 with my wife of almost 50 years, my daughter Joe Casey
and her four-year-old son.
I have dreamed about flying in the San Juan
Islands for many years. After a grand trip west, includ-
ing stops at relatives and friends after picking up Chris-
tina and Harry at MTV, we landed in Friday Harbor.
Really fascinating place to be for two days. Then we
went to Concord just as you did. Our purpose was a
family wedding.
4 • TWIN & TURBINE / January 2020
Top Turboprop Series
Mitsubishi MU2 and King Air B100 by Joe Casey
M
any years ago, a prospective
aircraft owner came to me with
the proposition that I assist
her with the purchase of an airplane,
then manage and fly that airplane
inside my company. She wanted to
move six-plus people within 800 nm,
and do so with efficiency. But, she left
me with one additional statement that
added another level of excitement to
the search. She said, “I don’t want to
be like everyone else. I don’t want to
be in the herd.”
That statement can mean different
things to different people, but what it
did was send me on a search to find
the right airplane regardless of what
“everyone else” thought. So, with this
unusual permission granted, I hit the
PHOTO COURTESY OF CLINT GOFF market to find the right airplane.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL BOWEN PHOTOGRAPHY
January 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 5
Looking Outside the PT6 the A100 and have lower operating me. I understand the aerodynamic
costs. The B100 has a passionate fol- efficiency of having high-wing load-
Any turbine pilot who seeks effi-
lowing even today, and that can be ing and spoilers, but this airplane is
ciency is going to end up looking at
attributed to its efficiency. unlike any other in general aviation.
a Garrett engine-powered airplane
If you value efficiency and want The MU2 is an airplane that flies
(TPE-331), and that is where my
to move six-plus people within 800 wonderfully, but only in the hands
search took me. While I absolutely
nm in comfort, you’ll likely end of a pilot that respects the airplane
love the trusty PT6 engine that un-
up with several airplanes on your and operates it with a professional’s
doubtedly dominates the market,
spreadsheet that are powered by a touch. In the 1990s, the fatal crash
there is another engine available. rate of the MU2 increased alarm-
Though some will sneer at an air- Garrett engine. I ended up flying an
MU2 Marquise, then shortly after ingly, and both the MU2 community
plane with any other engine than and the FAA responded. The FAA
a PT6, those pilots are usually less flew the King Air B100 for another
client. Strangely, I ended up with an issued an SFAR and the training for
experienced and just echoing what the MU2 became much like a type
others have told them. Chances are MU2, B100 and King Air 200 in the
same hangar. I had the fun opportu- rating. The fatal crashes diminished
they have less than 10 hours of non- greatly, and the MU2 training is now
PT6 turbine time in their logbook. nity to operate three very different
airplanes, often on the same day. I looked upon as one of the great suc-
I’m okay with that. But for those cess stories in aviation training.
had a bird’s eye view that few ever
efficiency-minded individuals who All of this history is well docu-
see. Which one do I like the best?
are willing to look beyond the PT6, mented and known by many pro-
Which one should you consider buy-
a whole new brave world exists. All spective owners, but what is not as
ing? Well, read on for my analysis.
you have to do is look at the King Air well-known is the ensuing support
100 series of airplanes. The A100 has Mitsubishi MU2 and cohesiveness amongst the MU2
the PT6 and the B100 has the Garrett. The MU2 is a clean-sheet airplane community. Mitsubishi repeatedly,
To contrast the two is an embarrass- with short wings, crafty aerodynam- year after year, gets the highest
ment for the A100 as the B100 will ics and a worst-to-first past that ei- marks for support from the manu-
operate 30-plus KTAS faster than ther attracts or repels. It attracted facturer when contrasted against
Sporty’s Pilot Shop
6 • TWIN & TURBINE / January 2020
the other turbine manufacturers. anywhere I go. I personally think it
This is absolutely critical. Show me looks cool, but I also like redheads,
an airplane without factory support, ‘68 Chevy Trucks and Wilgas. So,
and I’ll show you an airplane headed even if you think the MU2 is ugly,
for the boneyard. The MU2’s tremen- you’ll still stir up a lot of comments
dous support is one of the reasons and discussions from folks at the
why it continues to have some of airport. At least before you start the
the most passionate followers ever. engines – then everyone will head
King Air B100 for the hills!
The King Air B100 has a similar Performance
following amongst its owners. While When discussing cruise speeds,
there’s no “B100 owners Group,” you’ve got to consider the engine
make no mistake that the B100 has size. There are two available, the
a passionate group of owners and TPE331-6 and the TPE331-10. Most pi-
pilots who love the efficiency of this lots call it the “dash six” or the “dash
wonderful airplane. I’ve flown the ten.” I keep meticulously accurate
B100 for nearly six years, and I still records on the performance of the
have one in my hangar that I fly airplanes I fly, and the average TAS
around 100 hours per year. The B100 for the -10 powered MU2 Marquise
is the “hidden gem” of the King Air in cruise is 285 KTAS. In the win-
world, in my opinion. ter, I can get 300 KTAS, and in the
summer, I see about 270 KTAS.
The Comparison
The MU2‘s speed is closely hinged
So, should you efficiently opt for to gross weight. Just like the faster
an MU2 or a B100? jets, the cruise of the MU2 is faster
Think about the noise. Bar none, later in a long flight as the weight of
pound for pound, the MU2 is the the fuel is burned off.
loudest airplane on the planet when In the B100, I repeatedly see 260
on the ground! The exhaust pipes to 265 KTAS, and it seems to vary Airfleet
on the MU2 are mere inches in in speed only slightly with varying
length, and when it is operating on gross weights. So, between the two,
the ramp, it will blow your brains the MU2 is definitely faster.
out with noise. It is always interest- While the B100 is slower, it does
ing to see people mill around the have far more pleasant flight char-
airplane as I start but quickly head acteristics. Bottom line, it is easier
for shelter after I start up. It is far too to fly. The flying characteristics of
loud to hang around while operating the MU2 must be weighed heav-
on the ground. In flight, it is a dif- ily by a potential buyer. The MU2
ferent story. can be learned to fly safely, but it is
The B100 has the same engines, completely different from any other
but the exhaust is about 3 feet in corporate airplane. Do not think the
length, and it ports that noise out- transition will be as smooth as other
side the engine nacelle. The B100 is turboprops. The MU2 training will
still loud on the ground, but nothing be like a type rating, whereas the
like the MU2. However, in the air, King Air B100 will be far easier.
passengers in either airplane en- I’ve got lots of flight time in more
joy a quiet ride that is nothing like than 60 different types of airplanes,
the experience of those standing including some really strange ma-
around the outside of the airplane chines that are tough to fly like UH-
on the ground. 60s, Pitts S2Bs and many tailwheel
Where the MU2 is audibly loud, airplanes. But the MU2 tops the list
it is also aesthetically interesting. I of airplanes that took a long time
get more remarks from people about for me to become comfortable. At
the MU2 than just about any other the end of MU2 flight training, I
airplane I fly. While the King Air can still felt uncomfortable in some re-
be found on any ramp on any air- gimes of flight, and I self-induced
port, the MU2 is a topic of discussion high personal limitations until my
January 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 7
experience grew. When I passed the the 200 or 300 series of King Airs, The Decision
100-hour mark in MU2s, I began to but it is still easy to fly.
Which one is right for you? To be
feel comfortable in almost every Other Considerations forthright, I really like the B100 and I
situation. When I passed 250 hours, still fly it regularly, while I do not fly
To me, the biggest difference
I’d take it anywhere in the world the MU2 anymore. When the MU2
between these two airplanes aside
in some of the most demanding of sold, I still had a hangar full of other
from flight characteristics is the air
situations. airplanes that kept me engaged in
conditioning. The B100 has large
So, do not romantically think you gaspers and a good environmental flying, so the loss of the MU2 from
will get out of MU2 training and be system that heats and cools nicely. my management didn’t faze me at
“good to go” in any situation. Full- And, the B100 has the benefit of hav- all. Could it be the right airplane
span flaps, spoilers, sloppy control ing the air conditioner compressor for you? If you value efficiency, love
feel, quirky aileron trim, narrow powered by an electric motor in the performance, don’t mind sweating,
gear, fast speeds, high wing loading, nose of the airplane. So, a GPU can and are willing to dedicate yourself
low-to-the-ground sitting height, stiff be hooked up and the cabin can be to flying more than 100 hours per
gear, and incredibly responsive Gar- cooled down prior to the passengers year, then the MU2 can be a great
rett engines all make this airplane showing up. selection of airplane. You must train
a handful for the uninitiated. This rigorously to ensure you keep your
The MU2? Well, there’s no air con-
airplane takes time to make friends, skills equal to the capabilities of
ditioning at all. So, the MU2 can be
but once the friendship is made, it is the airplane.
really hot on those summer days.
a great one. It provides impressive I can remember sweating bullets If you are thinking about buying
performance for the pilot that knows on afternoon flights until the air- an older King Air 90, the B100 is a re-
how to handle it. plane climbed up through the teens. ally solid option. It’ll have equitable
The B100? Well, it is a King Air, and There was no air conditioning and operating costs to the 90 model, and
that means that it has less perfor- not enough air movement. As a tried- the cabin is the size of a 200. I think
mance, but it has benign flight char- and-true Texan, I especially appreci- the B100 is a special airplane worthy
acteristics. It flies differently than ate air conditioning. of pursuing.
If you fly either an MU2 or a B100,
you’ll be a part of a flock, but it’s a
small and passionate flock. At the
last King Air Gathering, out of the
35-plus airplanes on the ramp, there
were two B100s in attendance with
three qualified B100 pilots. All three
of us B100 pilots found each other,
had lunch and reveled in the love we
Short n Numbers have for the wonderful machines we
fly. It is a close-knit community and
the MU2 pilots are the same way.
Birds of a feather flock together, and
that is a good thing. Want to join the
flock? The MU2 and the B100 flocks
are super. Plus, no one will confuse
you as part of the herd.
Joe Casey is an FAA-DPE and an
ATP, CFI, CFII (A/H), MEI, CFIG,
CFIH, as well as a retired U.S.
Army UH60 standardization instruc-
Custom Plastics tor/examiner. An active instructor in
the PA46 and King Air markets, he
has accumulated 14,300-plus hours
of flight time, with more than 5,200
dual-given as a flight instructor.
Contact Joe at joe@flycasey.com
or 903.721.9549.
8 • TWIN & TURBINE / January 2020Heaven’s Landing
January 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 9Latest Autopilots by Rich Pickett
from Genesys Aerosystems
G
S-TEC 3100 DIGITAL FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM
enesys Aerosystems may be a recent name in ability to utilize the majority of the components from the
the aviation industry, however, their roots go previous versions (as well as the inclusion of an adaptor
back a number of years. The company formed harness), dramatically reduces the installation time, requir-
in 2014 after obtaining the autopilot and panel ing less than 20 hours for most upgrades. An additional
display lines of business from Cobham. These two lines feature is the incorporation of an internal ADAHRS, which
represented the very popular S-TEC autopilots and the eliminates the dependency on an external attitude source
former Chelton Flight Systems displays. that was required with the S-TEC 1500 and 2100 systems.
With a hardware cost of $9,995 for the new S-TEC 3100, it
S-TEC Autopilots
offers a nice option for owners wanting to have the latest
Since the acquisition, Genesys Aerosystems has sig- technology in an autopilot.
nificantly advanced the autopilot line. They have released
Customer Comments
new digital autopilot products, including the S-TEC 3100
and S-TEC 5000 Digital Flight Control Systems (DFCS). I’ve talked with Piper PA46 owners (Malibu, Mirage,
The S-TEC 3100 autopilot is focused on Part 23 aircraft, Meridian, M350, M500) who have installed the S-TEC 3100.
while the S-TEC 5000 is designed for Part 25 aircraft. The Patrick de Noonevile, based in England, owns a 2000 Mirage
previous S-TEC digital autopilots were the 1500 and 2100, and upgraded his S-TEC 55 to the new autopilot during
which were standard equipment for the Piper Meridian an impressive panel installation. Patrick had some issues
with the existing servos during the installation, which was
turboprop and others.
resolved by replacing them. Since that issue was resolved,
I’ve flown the S-TEC digital autopilots and found them to he mentioned it offers superior tracking (especially on
work well, with higher accuracy than others in the product precision approaches), and the new envelope protection is
line. The S-TEC 3100 takes this to a new level, offering particularly useful. He has installed the software upgrade,
envelope protection in both Flight Director (FD) and Au- offered at no cost to current owners. The upgrade provides
topilot (AP) modes. In the FD mode, aural annunciations improved envelope protection, bank limit adjustments for
are generated when the pilot enters a steep bank, exceeds smoother turns and other features.
the maximum certified speed or approaches a stall. While Brian Cameron, a Piper Meridian owner, also recently
in AP mode, if the speeds exceed these limits, then the upgraded his S-TEC 1500 to the S-TEC 3100. Brian’s autopilot
autopilot will adjust the pitch of the aircraft to place it in has the latest software version, which he mentioned flies
a safe attitude. the approaches perfectly. Avionics are becoming increas-
The S-TEC 3100 is almost a direct replacement for the ingly capable, and Brian told me in his experience, it is
S-TEC 1500 and 2100 autopilots. It utilizes the existing very important to read all of the new operating procedures
servos, however, requires a new rack and connectors. The and manuals to maximize performance and safety. Brian
also said that “the additional features, such
as built-in ADARS, LVL button, and envelope
protection made it worth his investment.”
Broad Applicability
Genesys Aerosystems has also broadened
the applicability of the S-TEC 3100. While
S-TEC 5000 DIGITAL AUTOPILOT
10 • TWIN & TURBINE / January 2020current operators of S-TEC-equipped aircraft have the po-
tential to upgrade, owners of aircraft without autopilots can
also take advantage of this new digital offering. Genesys
has built an approval list of more than 100 aircraft, and they
are extending the approvals on an ongoing basis with the
King Air 90, 100 and 200 models expected to be approved
in the coming months.
Genesys Aerosystems has also committed to continu-
ally improving the S-TEC 3100 and 5000. The company has
embarked on a software and hardware upgrade to specifi-
cally accommodate flying in icing conditions. This is an
important consideration since the safe operating envelope
of an aircraft changes when flying in icing. As pilots are
aware, when operating in icing, you typically will fly at Preferred Airparts LLC
a higher minimum speed both in level flight and on ap-
proach. In addition, flying an approach in icing conditions
requires reduced flap extension, or none at all, which also
increases the approach and landing speeds. This optional
FIKI enhancement will utilize the state of the propeller
de-ice switch position to adjust the low-speed envelope
protection limit for flight segments when it is activated.
The Genesys Aerosystems S-TEC 5000 autopilot offers a
similar design for Part 25 aircraft. Currently, it is offered
on the Casa 212, Casa CN235 and Dornier 228 airplanes.
Genesys Aerosystems is also evaluating potential expan-
sion to other Part 25 aircraft.
Options for Rotorcraft
Helicopter operators can install one of Genesys
Aerosystems’ VFR or IFR stability augmentation
systems – the HeliSAS Autopilot Stability and
Augmentation System. The list of approved rotorcraft for
VFR use is substantially large, while the current IFR approv-
als are limited to the Airbus EC-145e and the Sikorsky UH-
60 Blackhawk.
Additional Products
In addition to the autopilot product line, Genesys Aero-
systems continues to support and enhance the Chelton
Flight Systems EFIS offerings. With an expansive approval
list, both airplane and rotorcraft, they provide high-res- Factory Direct Models
olution WAAS-enabled displays complete with synthetic
vision for the special mission market. Additional informa-
tion on Genesys Aerosystems products can be found at
www.genesys-aerosystems.com.
With 11,000+ hours of piloting more
than 100 aircraft models Rich Pickett
still has a passion for f lying. Rich holds
an ATP, CFII SME, SES, glider licenses,
and type ratings in the L29, L39, Citation
500/510s/525s, Eclipse 500S and DA10. His
company, Personal Wings, provides training,
mentoring and aircraft services. You can contact Rich at
rich@personalwings.com.
January 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 11PHOTOS COURTESY OF THIERRY POUILLE 12 • TWIN & TURBINE / January 2020
Winter
Escapes
Escape the cold
with a flight to
the tropics.
by Thierry Pouille
F
rigid temperatures, wind gusts, ice, snow
– winter is now in full force around
the country. How does a flight to the tropics
sound? Perhaps you can still squeeze in a trip
this year, or read on for helpful tips as you
prepare future plans.
January 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 13Tropical Paradise occasional trickery), let’s look at some Curacao. In the Caribbean, we
The tropics is a magical world of of the other factors that come into also have the French islands of
sandy beaches, turquoise waters and play when selecting and f lying to Saint Martin, Guadeloupe, Martinique
comfortable temperatures. The Tropic these tropical destinations (excellent and Saint-Barthelemy (also known as
of Cancer passes through Long Island, weather and temperatures are nearly St. Barth). English is widely spoken
located in the Bahamas (a mere 300 always guaranteed at each). everywhere, so the comprehension
nautical miles southeast of Miami). Languages and terminology are not an issue.
After reaching the Tropic of Cancer, Most of the islands are English and Currency
the average temperature reaches Spanish-speaking, with some French
around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. and Dutch spoken in the Caribbean. The dollar is “king” at most
But what destination(s) in the trop- In the British sense, there are the every destination.
ics should you choose? This is where Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, the But some countries do have their
maps and perceived distances can Virgin Islands, the Leeward Islands, own currency.
play tricks on you. From Palm Beach,
Florida, the closest tropical destina-
tions are as follows:
• Providenciales in the Turks
and Caicos; 520 nm
• Ocho Rios in Jamaica; 525 nm
• Grand Cayman; 450 nm
• Roatan in Honduras; 715 nm
Are you surprised Providenciales in
the Turks and Caicos and Ocho Rios
in Jamaica are about the same dis-
tance? And looking at the “far away”
destinations, the distance between
West Palm Beach and Aruba, Carta-
gena (Colombia), Panama, and Tortola
is only 1,000 nautical miles.
Stranger yet, Aruba (at a distance
of 1,021 nautical miles) is only 28 AN AERIAL VIEW OF SAINT KITTS.
Fuel
Avgas and jet fuel are plentiful in
the tropics but double-check availabil-
ity because deliveries might be late.
For jet fuel burning airplanes, a fuel
release with a well-known provider
is your best bet.
Regulations
Take caution since the United States
implemented the Electronic Advance
Passenger Information System or
eAPIS. It can be a real pain for U.S.
pilots, and even worse for foreign
pilots and their foreign registration.
So, they have created a comparable
nautical miles further than Tortola. St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, St. Lucia, the system called CARICOM. Mexico and
And Cartagena is only 5 nautical miles Grenadines, Canouan, Barbados, the Central America countries also re-
further than Liberia, Costa Rica. What Caymans, Belize and Jamaica. quire pre-approval.
is wrong with these numbers? Noth- Spanish is spoken in the Dominican Single Pilot Waiver
ing, they are all true. Charts and maps Republic, most of Central America, While the single pilot waiver is
can sometimes play tricks on us in Cuba (no longer available for travel), accepted in the United States (and
their rendering. Panama, Honduras and Colombia. only in the United States) for jets that
Now that you have a better under- There is a little Dutch spoken in require two crew members in the rest
standing of the distances (and the the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and of the world, that also applies to the
14 • TWIN & TURBINE / January 2020Caribbean. If you intend to fly down
there in a single-pilot airplane like a
Citation, you need a SIC (second in
command) or specific approval from
aviation authorities.
FBOs
In the Caribbean, the notion of an
FBO (Fixed Based Operator) is not
widely used, but they are beginning
to pop up. Obviously, Puerto Rico
and the U.S. Virgin Islands have had
some over the years and are slowly
becoming more common. Beef Island
(Tortola, BVI) offers an FBO. There is
also a brand new FBO in Grand Case
in Saint Martin. But double-check
fees before you visit there as their
rates seem to be on the plus side.
The Dominican Republic is also start-
ing to open FBOs in airports such as
Puerto Plata as well as La Romana.
But, islands like St. Lucia and the
southern islands of Dominica and
Canouan do not offer any FBOs, so
arrangements need to be made ahead
of your trip.
Also, when an FBO is around, watch
out for the fees. You must understand
that the fuel is not typically disbursed MyGoFLight
by the FBO but by a fuel contractor.
So, it is your responsibility to make
sure that fuel is available number one.
And number two, like in Canouan,
there is no fuel truck. There is a pit.
That means you need to move your
airplane to get fuel, and when the
fueling is complete, reposition the
airplane on the ramp since no trac-
tors are available to move the airplane
around. All of the above can make for
inconvenience or expensive costs.
Insurance
Make sure your insurance covers
the Caribbean and the places you in-
tend to fly.
Paperwork
It is highly recommended to carry
a stack of general declaration forms
known as the C7. This form was cre-
ated by the British years ago and is
still widely used in the Caribbean.
Basically, the C7 form lists most infor-
mation regarding the occupants of the
airplane, such as crew and non-crew,
passport information, etc.
I would strongly suggest preparing
this paperwork ahead of time and
January 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 15GRAND TURK ISLAND OF TURKS AND CAICOS
leave out the arrival and the depar- is an especially big project on the Of course, keep in mind that prop-
ture airport on each (which you will island of Nassau, offering a num- erties in the Abacos area were heavily
fill out when you arrive). Some places ber of unique properties. One of damaged or erased by the last hur-
like Trinidad have been known to them is the Rosewood Hotel. In the ricane, Dorian. So, no stop should be
request up to 12 copies of the form, Out Islands, there are a couple of planned there before checking for an
so when I say carry a stack of copies, new resorts. There is the Chub Cay update on the status of any hotel. But
I mean what I say. Resort off of Nassau, which is worth the islands of Eleuthera and Exuma
a visit. There is also a new place on are still thriving with tourism and
Fuel Card
the south end of Andros Island called offer beautiful activities.
A fuel card is a must in the Carib- Caerula Mar Club.
bean, especially for jet fuel since the Further south in the Turks and
Caicos, there are some newer,
avgas ones are a lot less available.
updated places to stay. To name a few,
The beauty of the jet fuel card is that
there is the Wymara Resort and Villas
you first have the price confirmed
(which has been around for about 10
to you ahead of time. Number two,
years, but they have a new name and
there is no money exchanged on site.
newly completed construction). Other
Everything is done and covered by
enjoyable and interesting options:
companies such as UVair, World Fuel,
The Shore Club and the Seven Stars
Colt, etc. It is certainly a must to carry
Resort and Spa.
one of these down instead of cash or
credit cards. Even further south, Anguilla is cer-
tainly a beautiful place – flat with a lot
That brings up the notion of cash.
of beautiful beaches. Malliouhana is
Some areas will require cash, i.e., the
a resort I have visited in the past and
Dominican Republic for avgas. We’ve recommend. It has been refurbished,
seen cases where the request for cash reopened, and is now under the care
has often been made with no option of Auberge Resort Collection.
for a credit card. Of course, all of these
On the same island, Belmond took
factors change over the years but be
over Cap Jaluca. With its Moorish style
prepared in case.
and view of the island of Saint Martin,
Hotels it is an exciting place to stay with
There have been several new the Belmond aura. On the island
openings of resorts and high-end THE SILVERSANDS HOTEL IN GRENADA. of Saint Martin, La Samana on the
hotels in the Bahamas. Bahia Mar French side, has received a substantial
16 • TWIN & TURBINE / January 2020number of upgrades and a new North in Antigua, we have Jumby Gulf of Chiriqui. Not easy to access
manager. It is a wonderful place to Bay, Curtain Bluff and Carlisle Bay. but worthwhile.
visit. Speaking of Saint Martin, it was On Virgin Gorda, which is finally In Costa Rica, there is the An-
pretty heavily damaged by a hurri- starting to reopen following hurricane daz on the Peninsula Papagayo not
cane a couple of years ago. The FBO damage, we have the Little Dix Bay far away from the Four Seasons in
at Grand Case is mandatory and it now in full operation and worth stay- Papagayo. There is also a place called
is expensive. ing again. It’s a very unique lifestyle. Nayara Resort, where they take full
On Dominica, there is a new Kem- Another place called Valley Trunk is advantage of the unique beauty of
pinski recently opened. It is a pretty reopening and it is fantastic. Costa Rica with lodging and amenities
exciting place because Dominica There is also another hotel going among the pristine rainforest.
hasn’t previously been on the map of in Saint Barth. But, keep in mind that In the Dominican Republic, there is
travel in the Caribbean. Not to be con- you cannot bring a jet or any airplane a brand new, high-end Club Med that
fused with the Dominica Republic, in Saint Barth if you have not received has opened and worth taking a look.
Dominica is located between south of an endorsement from a local pilot. It’s There is also the Nickelodeon Hotel
Guadeloupe and north of the Grena- a place you can land only after receiv- and Resort in Punta Cana.
dines. On the island, there are hot ing an endorsement as it is closed to Fees
springs, a river and a large hotel with jets mostly because the runway is
151 rooms. very short – about 2,200 feet. But there Stay tuned for my next article in
are a number of beautiful places there an upcoming issue regarding desti-
In the Grenadines, I personally
to go to like La Sereno or Manapany. nation-specific do and don’ts.
love the Mandarin Oriental on the
island of Canouan. It is undoubt- Now crossing over to the other side
edly one of the more unique small of the Caribbean towards the Pacific
resorts of the islands of the Carib- and Central America, Panama is striv- Thierry Pouille is the founder of Air
bean. Some people also talk about ing with tourism. There is a charming Journey – a leader in escorted flying
the hotel in Bequia, which is called resort off the airport of David called experiences around the world. Learn
the Friendship Bay Estate. Isla Secas Resort, which is on the more at www.airjourney.com.
Hillaero Modification
CD Aviation Services
Center
January 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 17Five on the Fly by Rebecca Groom Jacobs
1. Can you describe your aviation background?
I first fell in love with aviation in 1992 after experiencing a nighttime
training flight in a C172 with a high school friend of mine. So, I borrowed
money from an older sibling and started flight training at the age of 16 in
eastern Ohio. Thereafter, I attended Embry-Riddle and graduated with a
WHO: management degree.
Kandi Spangler Over the past 20 years, I have worked in various operational and manage-
ment roles starting at NetJets (where I met my husband). Then I moved on
to Part 135 and eventually aircraft maintenance marketing and sales. All of
COMPANY: these roles gave me an excellent platform to make the jump into aircraft
jetAVIVA sales in 2013, and I haven’t looked back since. I love this job and find it
incredibly rewarding.
POSITION: 2. As someone who monitors the marketplace closely, how has the turbine
Sales Director aircraft market trended in recent years? How do you predict the
presidential election will affect the market in 2020?
HOME BASE: Predicting the aircraft marketplace is like predicting the weather; the
Denver, Rocky Mountain further out you look, the harder it is to determine what the climate will be
Metropolitan Airport (KBJC) like. However, my internal market barometer tells me that we can expect
activity to level off some after the first of the year, but it will still be somewhat
RATINGS: robust for certain market segments.
PPL, Instrument Interestingly, we’ve seen a real dichotomy of the marketplace the past 18
months that I expect to continue into for the foreseeable future. I don’t believe
HOURS: we can identify trends based on market segments anymore, but rather, we
850 need to look at specific makes/models of aircraft to see if they are healthy
18 • TWIN & TURBINE / January 2020or not. The airplanes that continue to do well in for it. It’s really an exciting time to be involved
the market are the airplanes that are versatile, in aviation!
efficient, have a decent range, are roomy with a lot 4. What areas of the aircraft buying process do you
of seats, and have good short-field performance.
find are most commonly overlooked?
As for the presidential election, history has shown
Engine and airframe programs seem to be the
us that as we get closer to the election, businesses
most commonly overlooked items, even amongst
will take a conservative approach to spending until
some brokers out there. This can have a huge effect
they know what they’re dealing with on a political
on aircraft value and appropriate purchase price
front. It’s not that business stops during an election
if the program is not understood and transferred
year; they simply don’t know how to structure their
properly at the time of closing. This is an area
purchases and hold assets. So, I predict a slower
than normal summer for aircraft sales due to the where you really want to dot your i’s and cross your
pending election. Still, I think there might also be t’s prior to closing if you don’t want to rely on luck
a mad rush at the end of the fourth quarter to take in the matter.
advantage of accelerated depreciation again, and 5. This issue, we introduce your buyer’s guide
once businesses know how to plan going forward. to the Citation 560XL series. What prompted
3. Can you share some of the surfacing aviation you to create this guide, and what can
trends and technologies that excite you the most? readers expect to learn?
The Urban Air Mobility (UAM) movement excites Whether you’re buying or selling, there are a lot
me the most. Some people think flying cars is still of nuances associated with the Citation XL series,
a pipe dream, but the reality is we are not that far including the levels of coverage mentioned above
off from seeing them emerge into the marketplace like engine and airframe maintenance programs.
– much like electric cars in the past 10 years. The The XL is a fantastic airplane and will be for some
technology is there; now it’s a matter of making time. But at the end of the day, it’s about making
them more efficient, gaining government sound investment decisions, and this guide is
certifications and building the infrastructure helping owners and buyers alike do just that.
METARmaps.com
January 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 19The Worldwide General Aviation
owner/operators and chief pilots of these airc
TOTAL MARKET COVERAGE
234 CITATION ULTRA 8 GULFSTREAM G-500 30 LEARJET 35
Jets – 15,414 232 CITATION V 500 GULFSTREAM G-550 350 LEARJET 35A
Chief Pilots & Owners 27 CITATION VI 54 GULFSTREAM G-II 13 LEARJET 36
Count Aircraft 97 CITATION VII 21 GULFSTREAM G-IIB 32 LEARJET 36A
249 CITATION X 120 GULFSTREAM G-III 29 LEARJET 40
55 AIRBUS ACJ319
29 CITATION X+ 165 GULFSTREAM G-IV 186 LEARJET 45
26 ASTRA 1125
208 CITATION XLS 283 GULFSTREAM G-IVSP 166 LEARJET 45XR
30 ASTRA 1125SP
229 CITATION XLS+ 170 GULFSTREAM G-V 92 LEARJET 55
49 ASTRA 1125SPX
33 BEECHJET 400
1
38
DIAMOND I
DIAMOND IA
33
5
HAWKER 1000A
HAWKER 125-1A
4
12
LEARJET 55B
LEARJET 55C
House S
226 BEECHJET 400A
5 DORNIER ENVOY 3 6 HAWKER 125-1AS 253 LEARJET 60
117 BOEING BBJ
227 ECLIPSE EA500 4 HAWKER 125-3A/RA 462 PILATUS PC-12/45
371 CHALLENGER 300
59 EMBRAER LEGACY 500 11 HAWKER 125-400A 108 PREMIER I
53 CHALLENGER 600
141 EMBRAER LEGACY 600 13 HAWKER 125-400AS 6 SABRELINER 40
31 CHALLENGER 601-1A
67 EMBRAER LEGACY 650 12 HAWKER 125-400B 17 SABRELINER 40A
108 CHALLENGER 601-3A
221 EMBRAER PHENOM 100 9 HAWKER 125-600A 3 SABRELINER 40EL
49 CHALLENGER 601-3R
264 EMBRAER PHENOM 300 3 HAWKER 125-600AS 1 SABRELINER 40R
286 CHALLENGER 604
73 FALCON 10 95 HAWKER 125-700A 21 SABRELINER 60
9 CHALLENGER 800
20 FALCON 100 59 HAWKER 4000 17 SABRELINER 60ELXM
163 CITATION 500 19 FALCON 200 184 HAWKER 400XP 2 SABRELINER 60EX
279 CITATION 525 196 FALCON 2000 34 HAWKER 750 58 SABRELINER 65
261 CITATION BRAVO 22 FALCON 2000EX 170 HAWKER 800A
13 SABRELINER 80
150 CITATION CJ1 56 FALCON 20C 33 HAWKER 800B
6 SABRELINER 80SC
82 CITATION CJ1+ 14 FALCON 20C-5 336 HAWKER 800XP
66 WESTWIND 1
188 CITATION CJ2 21 FALCON 20D 39 HAWKER 800XPI
4 WESTWIND 1123
170 CITATION CJ2+ 2 FALCON 20D-5 83 HAWKER 850XP
27 WESTWIND 1124
364 CITATION CJ3 31 FALCON 20E 158 HAWKER 900XP
123 CITATION CJ3+ 63 WESTWIND 2
9 FALCON 20E-5 6 JET COMMANDER 1121
273 CITATION CJ4 65 FALCON 20F 3 JET COMMANDER 1121B
151 CITATION ENCORE 58 FALCON 20F-5 8 LEARJET 23 Turboprops – 11,605
55 CITATION ENCORE+ 178 FALCON 50 15 LEARJET 24
Chief Pilots & Owners
305 CITATION EXCEL 7 FALCON 50-40 1 LEARJET 24A
18 CITATION I Count Aircraft
93 FALCON 50EX 11 LEARJET 24B
248 CITATION I/SP 152 FALCON 900 28 LEARJET 24D 369 CARAVAN 208
437 CITATION II 24 FALCON 900C 11 LEARJET 24E 1208 CARAVAN 208B
57 CITATION II/SP 104 FALCON 900EX 7 LEARJET 24F 32 CHEYENNE 400
154 CITATION III 176 GLOBAL 5000 10 LEARJET 25 131 CHEYENNE I
86 CITATION LATITUDE 128 GLOBAL EXPRESS 35 LEARJET 25B 13 CHEYENNE IA
191 CITATION M2 19 GULFSTREAM G-100 8 LEARJET 25C 251 CHEYENNE II
377 CITATION MUSTANG 202 GULFSTREAM G-200 85 LEARJET 25D 56 CHEYENNE III
123 CITATION S/II 9 GULFSTREAM G-300 4 LEARJET 28 37 CHEYENNE IIIA
256 CITATION SOVEREIGN 22 GULFSTREAM G-400 26 LEARJET 31 51 CHEYENNE IIXL
76 CITATION SOVEREIGN+ 288 GULFSTREAM G-450 161 LEARJET 31A 23 CHEYENNE IV
20 • TWIN & TURBINE / January 2020on & Business Aviation Markets
craft ALL RECEIVE Twin & Turbine every month
Do you want your marketing
message to reach these
key decision makers?
It will when you advertise
in Twin & Turbine
176 CONQUEST I 156 KING AIR F90 8 ROCKWELL 560E
253 CONQUEST II 25 KING AIR F90-1
Twin Piston – 6,320 COMMANDER
42 JETSTREAM 31 61 MITSUBISHI MARQUISE Owners 7 ROCKWELL 560F
57 JETSTREAM 32 1 MITSUBISHI MU-2D Count Aircraft COMMANDER
34 BARON 56 TC 13 ROCKWELL 680 SUPER
60 JETSTREAM 41 22 MITSUBISHI MU-2F
25 KING AIR 100 1412 BARON 58 3 ROCKWELL 680E
16 MITSUBISHI MU-2J
484 KING AIR 200 2 BARON 58 PA 15 ROCKWELL 680F
33 MITSUBISHI MU-2K
339 BARON 58P COMMANDER
21 KING AIR 200C 10 MITSUBISHI MU-2L
12 ROCKWELL 680FL GRAND
Spread
17
197
KING AIR 200T
KING AIR 250
18
17
MITSUBISHI MU-2M
MITSUBISHI MU-2N
108
3
BARON 58TC
BARON A56TC
COMMANDER
173 KING AIR 300 332 BARON G58 5 ROCKWELL 680FLP
24 MITSUBISHI MU-2P
9 KING AIR 300LW 186 BEECH DUKE B60 GRAND LINER
36 MITSUBISHI SOLITAIRE
554 KING AIR 350 616 PILATUS PC-12 NG 163 CESSNA 340
64 KING AIR 350C 507 CESSNA 340A
146 PILATUS PC-12/47 High Performance
354 KING AIR 350I 215 PIPER JETPROP 58 CESSNA 402B
16 KING AIR 90
68 PIPER M500
BUSINESS LINER Move-Up Singles –
10 KING AIR A/B90 130 CESSNA 402C
79 PIPER M600
24 CESSNA 404 TITAN
5,807
63 KING AIR A100
794 PIPER MERIDIAN
209 KING AIR A200 244 CESSNA 414 Owners
201 QUEST KODIAK 100
48 KING AIR A90 352 CESSNA 414A
2 ROCKWELL 680T TURBO CHANCELLOR Count Aircraft
104 KING AIR A90-1
5 ROCKWELL 680V TURBO II 39 CESSNA 421 219 BEECH BONANZA
93 KING AIR B100
5 ROCKWELL 680W TURBO II 34 CESSNA 421A 438 CESSNA 182
854 KING AIR B200
4 ROCKWELL 681 HAWK 319 CESSNA 421B 56 CESSNA 206
99 KING AIR B200C
96 SOCATA TBM-700A 596 CESSNA 421C 389 CESSNA P210N
8 KING AIR B200CT
68 SOCATA TBM-700B 50 CESSNA T303 21 CESSNA P210R
91 KING AIR B200GT
283 SOCATA TBM-850 110 DIAMOND D42 54 CESSNA T182
4 KING AIR B200SE
100 SOCATA TBM-900 108 PIPER 601P AEROSTAR
21 KING AIR B200T 818 CIRRUS SR20
33 SOCATA TBM910 24 PIPER 602P AEROSTAR
77 KING AIR B90 2991 CIRRUS SR22
111 SOCATA TBM930 515 PIPER CHIEFTAIN
329 KING AIR C90 28 MOONEY ACCLAIM ULTRA
5 STARSHIP 2000A 25 PIPER MOJAVE
34 KING AIR C90-1 10 MOONEY OVATION ULTRA
68 TURBO COMMANDER 1000 308 PIPER NAVAJO
191 KING AIR C90A 238 PIPER MALIBU
30 TURBO COMMANDER 690 208 PIPER SENECA
351 KING AIR C90B
12 ROCKWELL 520 104 PIPER MATRIX
80 KING AIR C90GT 132 TURBO COMMANDER 690A
COMMANDER 441 PIPER MIRAGE
89 KING AIR C90GTI 136 TURBO COMMANDER 690B
4 ROCKWELL 560
150 KING AIR C90GTX 81 TURBO COMMANDER 840
24 TURBO COMMANDER 900
COMMANDER 39,146
12 KING AIR C90SE 11 ROCKWELL 560A
242 KING AIR E90 52 TURBO COMMANDER 980 COMMANDER TOTAL AIRCRAFT
John Shoemaker, Advertising Director
2779 Aero Park Drive • P.O. Box 968 • Traverse City, MI 49685-0968
(800) 773-7798 • (231) 946-3712 • Fax: (231) 946-9588
E-mail: johns@villagepress.com • www.twinandturbine.com
January 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 21Jet Journal
A Guide to the by Kandi Spangler
Citation 560XL Series: Part 1 PHOTOS COURTESY OF jetAVIVA
T
he most common question I for a reason. The airplane is versa-
hear when I tell people I’m the tile, has excellent range, can land
560XL expert for jetAVIVA is, on shorter runways, offers a roomy
“What is the proper nomenclature cabin and ample baggage space, and
when referring to this aircraft: Excel most importantly, is economical to
or XL?” Technically, they’re both cor- operate – which brings me to the
rect. The original airplane’s official whole reason for writing this guide
marketed name is the “Citation Excel.” covering the XL lineup. jetAVIVA is
However, like every certified aircraft a top dealer/broker in the industry
model, an official serial number des- through the vast number of transac-
ignation is given. In the case of the tions we handle each year, including
Excel, that serial number designation Citation XLs.
is 560XL-XXXX (the last four digits This guide is my way of provid-
representing the unique serial num- ing value to Excel/XLS/XLS+ cli-
ber). So, “XL” was picked up early as ents past, current and future. The
a quick way to write about the Excel. series will focus on several areas: 1)
Incidentally, that “XL” terminology Providing current and prospective
now encompasses all three models: owners valuable information related
Excel, XLS and XLS+. to aircraft values; 2) What we see in
pre-buy inspections and how this can
Citation 560XL
help you as a buyer or seller; 3) What
The Citation XL series aircraft is new technologies to look for if you
the world’s best-selling business jet plan on holding on to your airplane
22 • TWIN & TURBINE / January 2020 Jet Journalfor a while. We’ll also touch on paint lower, and it’s considered a seller’s
and interior upgrade options, and market, generally speaking. So, as
even explore upgrade paths when of this writing at the end of October
figuring out the best time to “trade 2019, here are the market statistics:
up” and move into your next aircraft.
• Citation Excel: 17
History For Sale = 5.0%
Introduced in 1996, the first • Citation XLS: 13
Citation Excel delivered in 1998, and For Sale = 3.3%
Textron continues deliveries of this
popular jet as of 2019. The most re- • Citation XLS+: 12
cent variant, the XLS+, makes the For Sale = 5.5%
fleet size a whopping 949 aircraft in As you can see, we are most decid-
operation today. Of those aircraft, edly in a seller’s market with inven-
365 are Excel, 328 are XLS, and 256 tory numbers for all three models in
are XLS+. (If you want to learn more the 3 to 6 percent range. Life is good,
about the history and differences be- right? In theory, yes. However, there
tween each model, I invite you to is an interesting trend when it comes
watch our 560XL Series Review Video to breaking down the transactions
review at www.jetaviva.com under the over the past year and discovering
“Videos” section). what buyers are looking for.
Another interesting fact about the In general, there seems to be a
XL fleet is that a staggering 28 per- higher demand for late-model Excels
cent of all XLS aircraft in operation (2002 or newer), as well as any XLS
today are operated under fractional priced at or below $4.5 million. There
ownership programs like NetJets and are also a number of variables when
Wheels Up. They clearly see the val- looking at this fleet, and buyers as-
ue, efficiency and popularity of this sign a certain value to these variables
aircraft model. that are not necessarily linear. It’s MyGoFlight
A Current Overview these devil-is-in-the-details variables
of the XL Markets that drive overall aircraft values.
For instance, the “Vref Aircraft
Last year proved to be another
Valuation Digest” says to deduct the
strong year for the XL markets, al-
engine buy-in cost if the aircraft is
though we did see some dichotomy
not on an engine program. “Bluebook”
between the three models in this se-
values the airplane differently. They
ries. The Excel stayed fairly strong
have you add the buy-in amount to
in the first part of the year and then
the overall aircraft value if the air-
experienced some market softening
plane is already on an engine pro-
as the year went on. The XLS mar-
gram. Just figure out the buy-in cost
ket remained strong throughout the
then, right? Wrong. We have found
year, only experiencing a short lull
that of the 12 (yes – twelve!) different
through the summer months, then
engine program options and levels
returning as one of the strongest
of coverage, simply figuring out the
markets in business aviation going
buy-in differential does NOT directly
into Q4. The XLS+ market proved
calculate aircraft value. Partly, this
to be the most unpredictable of the
could be because some buyers do
three markets, however, with early
not understand the differences be-
serial numbers selling more quickly
tween these programs and coverages.
than later serial numbers. Overall, all
Other savvy buyers, however, weigh
three markets remained fairly strong
the buy-in differently depending
in the fourth quarter.
upon how far from the future event
Current Snapshot they are.
A “healthy market,” as defined by For example, say the airplane is on
many industry analysts, is a market Pratt & Whitney’s ESP Silver engine
with roughly 10 percent of the fleet program, and to bring the airplane
available for sale. Any higher, and up to ESP Gold coverage, the buy-in
this indicates a buyer’s market. Any cost is $500,000. If the airplane is just
January 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 23past an overhaul, most buyers will not they are still not back to mid-2000- upon many factors, including aircraft
account this buy-in into their equa- era numbers. age, total time, engine program level,
tion due to the fresh engines. Alter- And as I mentioned earlier, while avionics upgrades, ADS-B compli-
natively, with the same coverage and transactions were up in 2018, we were ance, WiFi, paint and interior condi-
buy-in for an airplane approaching happy to see values staying relatively tion, among other things.
overhaul, a buyer would likely take stable throughout the year on both With the help and research con-
into account the full $500,000 buy-in. the Excel and XLS as well. tinuously conducted by jetAVIVA’s
Other variables like ADS-B and sales advisors, I meticulously track
So, what does this all mean? It
WAAS vs. ADS-B and WAAS/LPV can on- and off-market aircraft as well as
means that on a macro-level, values
mean a difference in value of up to obtain sold prices for recent transac-
seem to be holding steady, but I sense tions. I’ve spent years refining and
$175,000. That’s on top of the “normal” change is in the air. Specifically, for
variables like seating configurations, perfecting my super-secret-squirrel
the Excel fleet due to the vast number spreadsheet on the XL markets. Even
WiFi and other attributes specific to
of former NetJets aircraft currently my colleagues tend to glaze over or go
the model (e.g., an APU on an Excel
held in inventory by Textron. This cross-eyed at the level of detail that
was optional).
will no doubt start affecting the val- goes into my calculations. But at the
Historic Comparison ues of aircraft across the board at end of the day, I am confident in the
I’m also a fan of looking at the some point, much like the Citation X data I provide an owner with a valu-
historical numbers. As you can see fleet experienced back in 2015-2016. ation of their aircraft, or when I’m
below, the sheer volume of trades has However, the value of your specific buying an aircraft for my acquisition
generally been trending up, though airplane is going to be dependent clients. The market is the market; I
just report the weather.
Stay tuned for “A Guide to the Citation
560XL Series: Part 2” in an upcoming
Jet Journal.
Kandi Spangler is a sales director
at jetAVIVA. She has more than 20
years of aviation experience. You can
contact Kandi at kandi.spangler@
jetaviva.com.
Values Over Time
by Model Year
24 • TWIN & TURBINE / January 2020 Jet JournalYou can also read
