BUSINESS AVIATION
flightglobal.com 26 January-1 February 2016 | Flight International | 21
Will ‘Moon village’
plan materialise?
NEWS FOCUS P 23G
E Aviation has confirmed it
will build its new advanced
turboprop (ATP) engine family at
a new facility it will construct on
its existing site in Prague, in the
Czech Republic.
The US-headquartered
manufacturer had previously
said it would create the “centre
of excellence” in Europe, but
had not specified the location.
However, with it already
having an industrial presence in
the Czech Republic, the Central
European country was always the
favourite to land the investment.
The facility will be built on a
new site at GE’s current
engineering and production
facility in Prague, the former
Walter Aircraft Engines business
that it acquired in 2008.
When it opens in 2020, the
operation will be dedicated to
the development, testing and
manufacture of turboprops in the
1,000-2,000shp (735-1, 500kW)
-class range, says GE.
The ATP line-up includes the
1,300shp GE93 engine that will
power Textron Aviation’s in-
development turboprop-single.
The programme is expected to
be formally launched at this
July’s AirVenture show in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
The GE93 will feature elec-
tronic engine and propeller
controls, a class-leading 16:1
pressure ratio, and will burn
20% less fuel than current-
generation models, says GE.
The US company entered the
small turboprop market in 2008
following its acquisition of
Walter, the Czech developer of
the M601 engine, which is the
predecessor of the current
H-series powerplants.
GE says while the new facility
is being constructed, initial work
on the ATP family will be
carried out at its other opera-
tions in Europe – including
Prague and Avio Aero in Italy.
Engine testing is scheduled to
begin in 2018. ■A
n Airbus innovation start-up
in Silicon Valley and ride-
sharing service Uber will supply
helicopters for a new on-demand
transportation service, Airbus
Group chief executive Tom
Enders announced on 17 January.
A3, an Airbus-sponsored ven-
ture capital fund and innovation
centre founded in 2015, is work-
ing with an unnamed operator to
provide Airbus Helicopters H125
and H130 light singles to the Uber
collaboration for the Sundance
Film Festival in Utah.
The goal is “proving out a new
business model for helicopter op-
erators to access a broader custom-
er base”, Airbus says.
On-demand helicopter trans-
portation has been gaining
momentum in several markets. In
New York City, Gotham Air and
Blade compete to offer helicopter
flights on a per-seat basis.
Uber has previously used heli-copter rides in several promotions
around the world, in which the
on-demand car service partners
with local helicopter operators to
offer rides during special events.
Airbus also announced on 17
January its investment in US car
builder Local Motors, which re-
lies on a global network of micro-
factories to produce its designs.
Airbus’s investment will see Local
Motors set-up a similar venture in
Germany to focus on aerospace. ■Airbus start-up to join forces with Uber
RIDE-SHARING STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC
PROPULSION
KATE SARSFIELD LONDONGE picks Prague
to develop new
turboprop family
Q
uest Aircraft parent Setouchi
Holdings has sold a 12.5%
stake in the Kodiak single-
engined turboprop manufacturer
to fellow Japanese company Mit-
sui.
The equity sale gives Quest,
based in Sandpoint, Idaho, more
than $10 million to help it expand
its product portfolio and increase
its share of the global utility air-
craft market.
“This investment is great news
for Quest,” says company chief
executive Sam Hill. “We are an
ambitious company and our out-
look is shared by our owners.”
He declines to be drawn on the
number or designs of future prod-
ucts, however, nor will he reveal a
FUNDING KATE SARSFIELD LONDON
Mitsui buys stake in Quest
Sale of 12.5% share in turboprop maker secures more than $10m to increase its portfolio
Quest Aircraft
Equity sale will allow the Kodiak manufacturer to expand its share of the global utility aircraft market
timescale for their launch. “All I
can say is that we will be staying
in the utility sector as there is so
much potential here,” he says.
“We are evaluating the market and
talking to owners and operators
within this large niche.”
Hill says trading conditions in
the turboprop sector are challeng-
ing due to the weak global
economy and strong US dollar.
“This is hitting us hard in Europe
and South America, but we are
making inroads into other regions
such as Africa, Asia and the
Middle East,” he says.
Despite this harsh economic
environment, Quest delivered
more Kodiaks in 2015 than in the
previous year. “We shipped 32 air-craft – two more than in 2014,”
says Hill. “We hope 2016 will be
better still.”
He attributes Quest’s perfor-
mance to a tougher sales strategy,
which the company initiated fol-
lowing its takeover by Setouchi in
February 2015. “The business
plan was revamped to be more ag-
gressive,” Hill says.
The approach seems to be paying
off, as Hill says Quest has contracts
in place for 42 Kodiaks this year.
To accommodate its long-term
growth, the company is extend-
ing its Sandpoint headquarters by
6,970m² (75,000ft²), and is mull-
ing a second production line out-
side the US. “It’s too early to say
where that might be,” says Hill. ■