Flight International - August 18, 2015

fiightglobal.com 18-31 August 2015 | Flight International | 25

LABACE 2015

SHOW REPORT

Brazil beckons Twin

Otter, says Viking

SHOW REPORT P26

H

onda Aircraft continued a
four-month-long “world
tour” in São Paulo, with the
HondaJet making its LABACE
debut from 11 August.
While the long wait for the
type to receive airworthiness ap-
proval from the US Federal Avia-
tion Administration continues
– and with no clear timeline of-
fered by the North Carolina-
based manufacturer –  it an-
nounced receiving “multiple
orders” at the event.
The FAA granted the HondaJet
a “provisional” type certificate in
March; a step which often im-
plies that the full airworthiness
approval usually demanded by
customers before accepting deliv-
ery is either weeks or a few
months away.
Speaking at the show, Honda-
Jet chief executive Michimasa
Fujino said he expects certifica-
tion to be achieved in “late sum-
mer”, with the caveat that the
timing depends on the FAA’s
procedures. The latter, however,
seems to be still evaluating spe-
cial airworthiness issues for the
lightweight jet, which is the first
to seek type approval in the
USA with over-the-wing-
mounted engines.

On 12 August, the FAA pub-

lished a new “special condi-

tion” for the HondaJet to prove

its airworthiness.

The HondaJet has already

been the focus of several special

conditions – which cover a vari-

ety of issues that arise during

type certification for which there

are no regulations –  covering

items ranging from extinguish-

ing fires in the engines (subse-

quently withdrawn), to the use

of lithium-ion batteries as a

back-up power supply. The lat-

est special condition addresses

the need for a back-up pressuri-

sation system at altitudes over

41,000ft, as its developer seeks

to operate at up to 43,000ft.

Honda Aircraft hopes to quick-

ly establish the HondaJet in the

Latin American market, where it

faces competition from the Em-

braer Phenom 100 and Cessna’s

M2 entry-level jet. The manufac-

turer has partnered with Brazil-

ian dealer Lider Aviacao as its

local representative for sales, ser-

vice and support. ■

Industry stalwart heads Waypoint’s Brazil venture

LEASING

AIRFRAMES

HondaJet lands more orders

Manufacturer hopes to establish its lightweight jet in the region as type certification nears

D

aytona, Florida-based aviation

training and education servic-

es provider Embry-Riddle Aero-

nautical University (ERAU) has

opened an office in São Paulo, and

launched a human factors training

course in partnership with Porto

Alegre-based Pontifical Catholic

University of the Rio Grande.

The move coincides with a Bra-

zilian government plan to refur-

bish or build 270 regional airports.

In July, government officials re-

ported that planning for the first

64 airports has been finalised.

Brazil’s infrastructure initia-

tive could generate demand for

thousands of trained airport, air

traffic control and aviation work-

ers, says John Watret, president of

ERAU. Its plan is to build in Bra-

zil gradually, starting with not-

for-credit courses aimed at train-

ing a new cadre of airport

managers and flight crews.

The cautious approach is being

driven by the country’s current

economic crisis, which could

limit the rate of growth.

“That’s why we’re starting off

slowly, building up with a few

courses rather than coming in

with a large infrastructure that

may not succeed,” Watret says. ■

I

reland-based helicopter lessor
Waypoint Leasing is establish-
ing a local office in Rio de Janeiro,
to support a growing fleet of oper-
ators in Brazil and – in the future
– the rest of Latin America. It will
be staffed by Steffen Bey; a veteran
of Airbus Helicopters and opera-
tors Era and its local partner Aero-
leo Taxi Aero.
“Steffen was spending his time
in the wrong time zone, in Limer-
ick [Ireland],” says Clark McGinn,
Waypoint’s senior vice-president
of sales and relationship manage-
ment. “Now he is going to be here
in the office, helping solve those

day-to-day bits of schtick that just

come with the helicopter world.”

Operators including Lider

Aviacao and Brazilian Helicop-

ter Services lease a total of 10 ro-

torcraft from Waypoint, with a

new sale-leaseback deal an-

nounced with the former on 11

August, for one Sikorsky S-92.

Waypoint is preparing to wait

for a full recovery in the oil-and-

gas sector to start after 2016. But

leasing helicopters is one way for

operators to manage their fleets

during slumps, McGinn says.

“A manufacturer has told me,

‘I sell helicopters, you sell

money’. But that’s wrong. We’re

not selling money. We’re selling

the ability to right-size your fleet

at a specific time.”

The lessor has also recently es-

tablished local offices in London

and Singapore. ■

See News Focus P27

Brazil was the latest stop during lightweight jet’s world tour

TRAINING

University opens

site in response

to airport boom

The lessor is to supply another Sikorsky S-92 to Lider Aviacao

AirTeamImages

HondaJet