Market Intelligence: North America

Aircraft Manufacturer Textron Aviation Set to Showcase Industry-Leading Products, Capabilities, and Global Customer Support at Singapore Airshow 2024

North America headquartered general aviation aircraft manufacturer Textron Aviation will highlight industry-leading products, capabilities and global customer support at the upcoming Singapore Airshow, Feb. 20-25, at Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore.

Throughout the week, the company will showcase:

  • Beechcraft King Air 360
  • Cessna Grand Caravan EX outfitted with special mission floats. Cessna Caravans make up roughly 30 percent of the turboprop installed base in the region.
  • Cessna Citation Latitude, the largest Citation jet in the light jet segment, the Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen2, and the Cessna Citation M2 Gen2.

Textron Aviation represented more than 70 percent of competitive turbine aircraft deliveries in the Asia Pacific region in 2023.

Overall, the region is home to nearly 400 Textron Aviation jets and more than 1,000 Textron Aviation turboprops.

Source: Textron Aviation Press Release
Photo Credit: Textron Aviation

 

Related Posts

Spartan Education Group’s Subsidiary, Illinois Aviation Academy, to Host Tuskegee NEXT’s Summer Program That Empowers Underrepresented Youth

Tuskegee NEXT, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to empowering underrepresented youth, is proud to announce its transformative, no cost for training and supplies, Summer Aviation Program, to be hosted at Illinois Aviation Academy this summer, 2024. Geared towards individuals between the ages of 18 and 20, this initiative aims to instill a passion for aviation while imparting essential education, life skills training, and the potential for future promising career opportunities. Tuskegee NEXT is committed to breaking barriers and ensuring that financial constraints never hinder aspiring aviators from reaching their dreams.

Honoring the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, Tuskegee NEXT seeks to transform the lives of under-represented youth through aviation education and career path opportunities.

Illinois Aviation Academy (IAA), a subsidiary of Spartan Education Group (SEG), is thrilled to be a sponsor and host for Tuskegee Next and help train cadets in their summer aviation program at IAA in Chicago, located at DuPage County Airport (“KDPA”). IAA is an FAA-approved part 141 school.

“Illinois Aviation Academy is proud to sit on the Tuskegee Next board and to assist with their summer program as the primary “host” location by providing simulation training, physical fitness training, team/leadership training, and traditional flight training. Cadets will experience the most dynamic learning experience possible,” said Robert Werderich, Executive Vice President of IAA. “We have been able to help nearly all of the TN cadets complete a solo flight and 94% have obtained their FAA Private Pilot certificate.”

According to Boeing’s Pilot and Technician Outlook 2023-2042, the aviation industry is facing challenges with a shortage of pilots and aviation mechanics. Spartan Education Group (SEG) is committed to distinguishing itself as a source of talent for employers in the U.S. aviation industry. The acquisition of IAA expands one of SEG’s core offerings by providing an additional FAA approved Part 141 flight training option.

IAA’s unwavering dedication to continuous training for students and staff has earned accolades, including the 2018 City Brilliance in Business award from West Chicago. The institution has secured the title of Distinguished and Outstanding Flight School five times, most recently in 2022, and has received five Distinguished Flight Instructor awards, the latest in 2023, from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (“AOPA”). Adding to its impressive list of achievements, IAA was recently inducted into the Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame in October 2023. These distinctions align with SEG’s commitment to delivering excellent education and training to its students.

Beyond training, IAA has been deeply committed to community involvement. Werderich highlighted the importance of giving back, stating, “Community involvement has been a backbone of IAA from the beginning.” The school has actively supported aviation youth programs in West Chicago, contributing to organizations like The Ninety-Nines, the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, Explorer Scouts, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Tuskegee NEXT.

About Illinois Aviation Academy (IAA)

Located in West Chicago IL at DuPage County Airport (KDPA), the Illinois Aviation Academy has been training pilots for three decades. Today, IAA’s training facility spans 30,000 square feet and houses a fleet of over twenty-five aircraft, including the Cessna 172 and the advanced Cirrus SR-22. IAA provides FAA-approved Part 141 flight training.

About Spartan Education Group

Spartan Education Group, LLC (SEG), headquartered in Chicago IL, acquired Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in 2012. Spartan College, established in 1928, has trained over 100,000 pilots and aviation technicians at its four campuses located in the following areas: Tulsa OK, Los Angeles and Riverside CA, and Denver CO. Additionally, SEG owns McAir Aviation flight school in Broomfield CO. 

Source: Spartan Education Group
Photo Credit: Spartan Education Group

Related Posts

US-based Delta Propel Flight Academy Hosts Delta Air Lines Leaders

US airline flight school, Delta Propel Flight Academy, hosted in January 2024 the guests Eric Hendrick, Director of Pilot Outreach, Recruitment, and Selection for Delta Air Lines, and Patrick Burns, Vice President of Flight Ops and System Chief Pilot for Delta Air Lines at its Vero Beach facilities at global pilot training group Skyborne.

The visit provided an invaluable opportunity for the aspiring Delta pilots at Skyborne to reconnect with these industry leaders.

Back in August 2023 Delta’s Propel Flight Academy officially opened Tuesday in Vero Beach. “I’m so proud to work with Delta,” said Skyborne CEO Lee Woodward back in August. “I think the future for this academy, clearly, will get better and better. This is going to be the flagship partner training academy in the world.”

Source: Noah Smith
Photo Credit: Noah Smith

Related Posts

US-Based University Added New Flight Simulator in 2023 Manufactured by Flightdeck Solutions

The Aviation Institute at University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) faced a significant challenge in preparing its aviation students for successful transitions into professional pilot careers. As a partner in career pathway programs with major airlines, UNO needed a realistic training device that could familiarize students with advanced flight management systems, autopilot systems, and crew resource management training.

FDS Solution/Approach

UNO sought a practical and cost-effective solution to enhance their training program. After considering various options, they chose the Flightdeck Solutions FDS-B737NG-FTD flight training device. The device stood out for its full tactile experience, realistic controls, impressive visuals, and affordability.

Scott Vlasek, UNO Aviation Institute Program Director and key figure in the decision-making process, stated, “The FDS trainer addresses our needs very well. Every 737 pilot that has been in the device was impressed with its realism – it looks and feels like the actual aircraft.”

The decision to choose the B737NG model aligned perfectly with UNO’s partnership with Southwest Airlines Destination 225 and United Airlines Aviate Career Pathway Programs.

Outcome

The FDS B737NG device has significantly contributed to UNO’s aviation program, becoming a central marketing and educational tool. The device’s installation has attracted prospective students nationwide, enhancing the university’s enrollment objectives. Furthermore, it has provided invaluable hands-on experience to students, particularly through unique opportunities like “Fly with a Southwest Pilot” or “Fly with a United Pilot” events.

Vlasek highlighted the broader impact of the simulator, “The ability to showcase this fantastic device to various groups has brought attention to our program. It validated the decision of our funders and has helped us continue to grow and expand.”

The success of the FDS device at UNO has not only elevated the training quality but has also garnered attention from university leadership, congressional representatives, and the local aviation community. Vlasek enthusiastically recommends FDS devices to other institutions for their realism, affordability, and the value they add to aviation education. With plans to potentially expand and integrate more FDS devices in the future, UNO is set on a path of continued growth and innovation in aviation training.

Source: Flightdeck Solutions
Photo Credit: University of Nebraska Omaha

Related Posts

US Certified Flight Instructor Number Increased 20 Percent from 2019 to 2023 to 93,567

The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) released updated data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) showing the agency issued 11,225 airline pilot certificates (ATP-MELs) during the 2023 calendar year, exceeding analyst forecasts and airline demand for new aviators. This is the second year in a row that pilot production numbers are breaking records. In addition to the impressive pilot production numbers, the number of certified flight instructors totaled 93,567, a nearly 20 percent increase over 2019, further demonstrating that the airline pilot pipeline remains strong and robust – and there is no need to make unstudied, arbitrary changes to U.S. aviation safety regulations.

“For months, corporate special interests in Washington have been crying wolf about a lack of available, qualified airline pilots, misrepresenting the facts in a naked attempt to protect to their profits while advocating changes in the law that would significantly complicate air travel for millions of Americans,” said Capt. Jason Ambrosi, ALPA President. “Once again, the data demonstrates that America does not have a pilot supply problem. Instead, we have a problem with some being willing to say and do anything to advance their narrow agenda at the expense of what’s best for the American traveling public. We have more than enough qualified pilots and raising the pilot retirement age is an ill-conceived solution to a non-existent problem, plain and simple.”

As the Senate prepares for the markup of the FAA reauthorization on Thursday, special interests continue to promote misinformation and misleading data to manufacture a crisis that will have real complications for air travel by introducing uncertainty into the system through raising the pilot retirement age to 67.

“This narrative that the U.S. lacks enough pilots does not reflect reality. Increasing the pilot retirement age will disrupt airline operations, increase ticket prices, upend collective bargaining agreements, create a cascading and costly training backlog and put the United States out of compliance with international standards,” added Ambrosi.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 77,000 pilots at 43 U.S. and Canadian airlines.

Source: ALPA

Related Posts