Market Intelligence: -General Aviation

Flight School Association of North America Engages Top Government Affairs Firm

The Flight School Association of North America (FSANA) has been on the Hill in DC for a few years. Before COVID arrived, the organization had begun planning for an increased presence with the elected branch of Congress. Then came COVID and plans shifted toward helping flight schools remain viable since they were deemed essential service.

FSANA is now working with the Vogel Group based in Washington, D.C., with additional offices in Florida and Tennessee. The Vogel Group is one of the top government affairs firms in Washington, D.C.

Lead by Alex Vogel who is a pilot and deeply engaged with the Hill in multiple client markets. Leading the FSANA government affairs committee is chairman Joel Davidson, Chief Executive Officer of Aeroguard Flight Training Center. Assistant committee Chairs are David Morse, CAE Phoenix Aviation Academy, Center Leader and Chris Erlanson, President of Tennessee Flight Training. The FSANA government affairs committee will be reaching out to FSANA members going forward on a myriad of topics in the flight training space.

Matt Keelen, Principal and Gabbi Salmon, Associate with the Vogel Group will head up the day to day work in D.C. on behalf of FSANA. Robert Rockmaker, FSANA President & CEO commented, “Adding the Vogel Group to our team is another milestone for FSANA and will pay dividends for our dedicated members who work hard to provide the best flight training in the world.”

Source: FSANA Announcement

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Vmo Aircraft Leasing and H55 to Collaborate on Developing Leasing Programs for Electric Aircraft

Vmo Aircraft Leasing (“Vmo”) and H55, an innovator in the field of electric propulsion technology for aviation, announced against the backdrop of the Revolution.Aero Dublin 2023 conference their commitment to working together to develop leasing solutions for new clean aviation products.

As part of the envisaged collaboration, teams from both companies are engaged in providing leasing programs targeted to support the nascent market for financing electric aircraft, battery storage energy and management systems.  

Vmo and H55 share the same vision: reducing the air transport industry’s environmental footprint and enabling it to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Vmo provides liquidity and fleet solutions to airlines, lessors and OEMs, with the goal of increasing operational and capital efficiency. H55 is uniquely positioned with its product and service offerings, combining propulsion, energy storage and management, controls, and integration services. With H55’s 20 years of experience in electric aviation (well advanced in terms of reaching certification) and Vmo’s decades of expertise in aircraft leasing, this partnership brings together complementary competencies and has all the right prerequisites for accelerating the adoption of clean aviation technologies.

“Technology and innovation are rapidly changing the aviation industry’s landscape, with emission-free aircraft designs on track to revolutionize airline fleets. With the giant addressable market, lessors will play a key role in financing electric and hybrid-electric aircraft,” said Robert Brown, Executive Chairman of Vmo Aircraft Leasing. “We’re thrilled to be at the forefront of this exciting industry development. Working together with H55 to explore bespoke leasing models will enable us to pursue fast-growing business opportunities in the burgeoning field of clean aviation technologies and bolster our leadership position with regards to sustainability.”

Commenting on the collaboration, André Borschberg, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of H55, said: “As we are getting closer to commercialize clean aviation products, we believe it’s important to provide financing solutions for innovative products to facilitate the transition to sustainable aviation. A clear financial offering will make it possible to operators to fully appreciate the value they will derive from their investment. Leasing batteries with regular battery replacements, which will evolve in terms of improved performance, will move the cost of fuel to investing in technology. We believe that this is a very attractive offering, which only reinforces the economic and environmental advantages of electric aviation.”

Vmo and H55 agreed to kick off the collaboration with the involvement of several of H55’s first set of customers, which include OEMs, component manufacturers and operators who are working electrification programs for both new and existing designs.

This statement and any references to any product, process, method or service, including by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, do not constitute an express or implied endorsement, recommendation or favoring by Vmo or H55 or their respective affiliates, directors, officers or employees.

About H55 SA  

H55 is the leading provider of electric propulsion solutions and battery pack systems with the mission of enabling the aviation industry to reach net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. With 20 years of experience, and having built and flown 4 electric planes, breaking 14 world records in distance, altitude, and flight duration, the H55 team is able to solve and provide solutions to the complex challenges of certification and aircraft integration. H55 is the first company with a certified design and production organization for electric propulsion systems (EASA/FOCA). With global customers comprised of OEMs, component manufacturers and operators, H55’s modular systems have already proven themself in real flight conditions and are now being integrated in different types of aircraft configurations including general and regional aviation fixed wing applications, for both existing and new designs (in the CS23 and CS25 certification categories), as well as new aviation designs such as VTOLs featuring high power distributed electric propulsion systems.

About Vmo Aircraft Leasing 

Vmo Aircraft Leasing (“Vmo”) is a global commercial aircraft lessor operating through offices in Dublin, San Francisco, and Singapore. The company was launched in January 2021 by a team of aviation industry veterans and funds managed by Private Equity and Credit Groups of Ares Management Corporation.

Source: Vmo Press Release
Photo Credit: Vmo (shown as meta image)

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Boeing Announces Appointment in Global Airline Training Initiative Team

Boeing has appointed Carl Haslem as part of its Global Airline Training Initiative – Regulatory Focal who shall engage with operators and authorities to support the transition to CBTA and EBT through Boeing’s CBTA Program. Learn more about Boeing or Haslemby connecting with him through his LinkedIn profile here.

Source: Carl Haslem (Boeing)
Photo Credit: Boeing (shown as meta image)

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Simulator Manufacturer AMST Announces Human Factors Symposium to take Place between June 26-29

Austrian simulator manufacturer and operator AMST has announce the “Human Factors Symposium” is set on June 26-29, 2023 at Imlauer Hotel Pitter Salzburg in Salzburg, Austria. The purpose of the symposium is to get up to date with important Human Factor developments and beyond. Experts, stakeholders, and other interested persons with a background in aerospace medicine, flight simulation and training are invited to participate whether their interest is operational flight, aerospace medicine, special operations, SAR, UPT or if they are a flight physician, instructor, aircrew, ATO, airline, aviation authority or aircraft manufacturer.

To learn more and to register, click here.

Source: Human Factors Symposium
Photo Credit: Human Factors Symposium (shown as meta image)

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US based Epic Flight Academy Breaks Ground on Second Aircraft Maintenance Training Academy Facility

FEAM Aero, the largest leading provider of aircraft line maintenance services in the United States, has partnered with Epic Flight Academy to build a new aircraft mechanic training facility at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). A groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility took place on April 17, 2023. Attendees included local, state, and federal government officials, representatives from Ohio and Northern Kentucky economic development groups, executives from CVG, FEAM Aero and the Epic Flight Academy.

Demand is high for aircraft mechanic positions in the Cincinnati region. CVG Airport serves more than seven million passengers per year and is one of the fastest-growing cargo airports in the U.S. CVG is the 7th largest cargo airport in North America and is home to Amazon Air’s megahub, as well as DHL Express’ Global Superhub for the Americas. Aircraft maintenance company, FEAM Aero, has a prominent hangar on CVG’s campus and is in the process of building a large second hangar at CVG. FEAM has partnered with Epic Flight Academy to launch mechanic students into their career and fuel cargo operations at the airport.

“The opening of this new school at CVG Airport is a significant step towards our goals of helping to expand the aviation maintenance technician workforce and diversifying the industry,” said Cam Murphy, President, of FEAM Aero. “Working with Epic in conjunction with CVG allows FEAM Aero to provide invaluable hands-on experience to all future AMTs by giving them real-world experiences, working on the various aircrafts that enter our hangars, and the ability to work while in school. FEAM Aero is dedicated in building the AMT community of tomorrow by recruiting, training, and developing the next generation of talented individuals from all backgrounds, with a particular focus on transitioning military personnel, women, and minorities. We are excited to award up to 8 scholarships this inaugural year to those interested in attending Epic Flight Academy’s maintenance school at CVG Airport.”

“Partnering with educational institutions to prepare students for a career in aviation is a priority for us at CVG,” said Candace McGraw, CEO, CVG. “We look forward to welcoming Epic Flight Academy to our campus to complement our strong partnership with FEAM Aero. Together, we will transform lives and unlock new career opportunities for people in our region, all while helping fuel continued aviation economic growth in our region.”

“We are very proud of our FAA-certified aircraft mechanic training,” said Josh Rawlins, COO of Epic Flight Academy. “Our graduates are highly sought after and the knowledge and skills they acquire prepares each of them for rewarding careers. We are excited to be partnering with a company like FEAM Aero at this location.”

Cincinnati Commercial Contracting (CCC) will manage the building design and construction process. When completed, the building will be 32,292 square feet with parking and classroom space to house up to 300 students and staff.

“From the initial phone call in October 2022 to aiming for a completed building in December 2023 remains a very aggressive schedule,” said Jason Manni, Principal and CFO of CCC. “Numerous decisions and approvals had to be made very quickly. CCC is grateful to be a part of this project. We have enjoyed working with Epic Aviation, FEAM Aero and the CVG team on this project to quickly develop a first-class facility.”

The school is expected to be completed by early 2024 with enrollment at the location to commence soon thereafter.

About FEAM Aero

FEAM Aero is the largest leading provider of aircraft line maintenance services in the United States. FEAM Aero has maintenance bases at 52 locations globally, including two hangar facilities, and employs a growing workforce of over 1,500 Aircraft maintenance technicians and engineers. Over the years, FEAM Aero has diversified its MRO portfolio to include line maintenance, technical training, global AOG support, technical support services, and base maintenance. Our full line of services ensures our customers meet their mission and goals and mitigate AOG ground time. FEAM Aero holds EASA/FAA Maintenance Organization Approvals and approvals from several other domestic and international aviation regulatory authorities. 

About CVG Airport

The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) welcomed more than 7.6 million passengers in 2022 representing a 21% increase over 2021. CVG offers the lowest airfares in the region and 50+ nonstop destinations, which now includes nonstop service to London Heathrow (LHR) on British Airways, the airport’s 14th airline. CVG is the 7th largest cargo airport in North America with two powerhouses on campus continuing to drive growth: Amazon Air’s megahub, and DHL Express’ Global Superhub for the Americas. With an annual impact of $6.8 billion on the local economy, the airport drives regional growth and remains a leader in aviation innovation. 

About Epic Flight Academy

Epic Flight Academy’s main campus is located in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Established in 1999 by CEO Danny Perna, Epic offers Part 141 pilot training and Part 147 aircraft mechanic training. Epic employs 160+ people and trains hundreds of flight students and aircraft mechanic students each year. The company maintains hiring partnerships with numerous airlines and aviation companies.

Source: Epic Flight Academy Press Release
Photo Credit: Epic Flight Academy

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