Plane Conversations

A January 17 press release from Embraer announces that Embraer delivered 100 Phenom deliveries in 2010 making it number one in most deliveries. That’s pretty impressive for a new aircraft that was only certified at the end of 2008, and especially taking into consideration the economy.

An excerpt from the press release:

One hundred aircraft delivered: more than any other business jet in the world.

São José dos Campos, January 17, 2011 – Embraer’s Phenom 100 entry-level executive jet was number one, with 100 deliveries in 2010. Together with the other airplanes of Embraer Executive Jets’ portfolio, the Phenom 100’s success is also reflected in the Company’s increasing market share, which is the fastest growing in business aviation in terms of units delivered.

“Its clean-sheet design, superior cabin comfort, amazing performance, low operating cost, as well as the jet’s great looks, have thrilled our customers,” said Luís Carlos Affonso, Embraer Executive Vice President, Executive Jets. “We are honored and thankful to our customers for their choice and confidence in the Phenom program and in the Embraer brand.”

Our delivery group at JetQuik, led by Bill Minkoff, has delivered 16 Phenom 100 and  2 Phenom 300 aircraft to customers in the US and Europe since October 2009. The acceptance and deliver process gets smoother with each delivery. Embraer is building great aircraft.

We are proud to be managing and operating two Phenom 100’s in charter service. They have gained good market acceptance with our charter passengers and are proving themselves as they get time in service.

Congratulations to Embraer for making a great entry level business jet.  I look forward to seeing the Legacy 450 and 500 aircraft when they reach certification and production.

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This week Mark Stear, JetQuik’s Director of Executive Jets and I, had the pleasure of accepting two Embraer Phenom 300 jets on behalf of two corporate clients.  Both of these airplanes scored beyond our exceedingly high expectations for Embraer’s workmanship.

The end of the year saw clients push as much as Embraer to finalize aircraft for delivery.  Many of the year end completions were Phenom 300’s, although one customer (lets call them QD) took five Phenom 100’s in the last two weeks of the year.  Much of the credit for completions is attributed to the Embraer delivery staff who were forced to move from building 300 to building 50 in Sao Jose, just to have enough room to meet with customers.  Most of the staff worked tirelessly during Christmas week to ensure these deliveries were made before year end.

JetQuik’s last two acceptances of the year went to widely diverse geographical locales, emphasizing the global acceptance of the Phenom family. The first aircraft, (serial number 42) was delivered to a Boston based company with a very experienced flight department.  Currently flying a G-IVSP and three Challenger 300’s, this flight department was pleased to receive the Phenom 300 as a welcome addition to the fleet.  The 300 will fill the role of East Coast high density short hall.  But with a range of over 1900 NM, this airplane is capable of the occasional trip out west.  The Director of Aviation for this global company remarked how thoroughly pleased he was with the quality of the workmanship and the attention to detail placed on fit and finish. He kept remarking, “The paint, the paint.”  This is a fellow who has been around for a long time, accepting many aircraft over the years.

The second acceptance was for a company based in Saudi Arabia.  Like the first, it too is a global company with a substantial aviation department and a long history of using corporate aviation to build the company.  This company, like many Embraer customers sees intense value in the aircraft just completed.  The attractiveness of the Phenom for the Middle-East includes long legs and reliability. 

Although Embraer is building a service center in Dubai, the customer noted that reliability was the key in aircraft selection as supporting it from afar would require a “very high level of dispatch reliability”.

It has become apparent that flight departments looking to upgrade equipment and technology are increasingly looking at the Embraer family of Executive Jets.  All consider aircraft acquisition as a major investment.  The most common comment I hear from senior flight operations personnel is that they are mandated to reduce operational costs, and as one high ranking aviator remarked, “look at the fuel flows of this airplane. I know of  APUs that burn more….”   Of course he was joking, or was he.

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On a  recent Lineage 1000 demonstration flight tour in the United States, Embraer Executive Jets Regional Sales Manager Cameron Gowans invited me to experience this aircraft firsthand by riding along on a repositioning flight from Dallas to Chicago.  In spite of the fact that I grew up in business aviation, I have never before had the opportunity to ride on an aircraft of this caliber.  And, I can tell you that it took some time for me to get over the “Wow!” factor.  

Approaching the aircraft, you believe are about to board an airliner which, in fact, you are. Built on the E190 series airliner, but with additional fuel for long-range flights, the Lineage 1000 is Embraer’s top of the line executive jet. The size of the aircraft is really closer to an Airbus 318 than any corporate jet made and, in airline configuration, it carries 94-112 passengers. For the Lineage 1000, Embraer advertises over 25 different cabin modules that allow you to customize the aircraft to fit your mission requirements.  The aircraft I flew in is configured with a beautiful executive interior that seats up to 19 passengers.

On our short, two-hour flight, I got the full tour of the five distinct cabin zones, including the aft-most zone containing a bedroom with private bathroom and stand-up shower.  The 19 passenger configuration could easily accommodate all of those passengers with no one feeling at all crowded. There is also plenty of baggage space for a full load of passengers and the baggage area is accessible from the cabin.

The design of the cabin makes for a more pleasurable passenger experience by controlling both noise and pressurization.  In both take-off and cruise, the cabin was quiet enough to carry on a normal conversation with fellow travelers.  And, at a cruising altitude of 41,000 feet, the cabin altitude is 7000 feet which reduces travel fatigue over aircraft with lower pressurization differentials. 

As far as cabin size, this aircraft falls between the Boeing BBJ / Airbus 318 and the Gulfstream G550/ Global Express. While the Lineage 1000 is comparable to the G550 in purchase price, in terms of cubic volume in the cabin, the Lineage 1000 has more than twice that of the G550. However, with a non-stop range of 4200 nautical miles, the Lineage 1000 does not match the 6750 nautical mile range of the Gulfstream G550.  So, while you can go non-stop from Chicago to London, London to Dubai or Dubai to Beijing on the Lineage, a trip from Chicago to Tokyo would require a refueling stop.  The question then becomes: are you willing to trade cabin size and comfort for increased range?  Since the typical missions for many companies never need the full range of the aircraft, the question may not need to be asked.  And, given my experience in the cabin, even if you do have to make a fuel stop in the Lineage, you would not feel the need to depart the aircraft.  Sitting in the cabin feels much more like being in a high end condominium than in an aircraft.   

The aircraft is state of the art design with fly by wire controls and the latest in avionics technology. It is built on an airframe designed for the rigors, reliability and economic  requirements of airline service; so, maintenance reliability should be excellent and should continue to improve as the E190 series accumulate fleet time in airline service.

Entering the cabin, you get the feel of being in an aircraft that could easily be the transportation for a head of state or an executive for a large multi-national company.  For governments, companies and high net worth individuals with international travel requirements who are looking for mission capable executive transport, this aircraft will fit a niche in the market.

Hats off to Embraer for continuing to innovate and bring new solutions for executive transport to the market.

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Last weekend I was in Chicago as a guest of Apex Brasil  to attend the Peak Anti Freeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 Race. This was the first Indy race I have attended and I hope not the last. Tony Elrod, with ETA Logistics , drove us from the airport to the hotel and promised that I would be hooked on racing after the first event. I have to admit he was right.  

Melanie (my better half) and I arrived in Chicago Friday afternoon in time to get to the hotel downtown and attend a dinner hosted by Apex Brazil at Texas de Brazil Steakhouse Churrascaria. I have been to an authentic Churrascaria in Sao Jose Dos Campos while visiting the Embraer factory. Texas de Brazil has them beat on décor and sizzle but I would give them a tie on the food quality and flavor of the beef.

Apex Brasil (The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency) was created by the government of Brazil to promote companies in Brazil to the international market. To promote Brazilian companies here in the US they have become a major sponsor of the Indy Racing Series. They do an excellent job with connecting their businesses through the face to face networking of events like these races.

As a part of their race sponsorship, Apex Brasil is supplying pure ethanol fuel to power the race cars. Brazil is a world leader in the development and production of bio fuels. The major producers of ethanol in Brazil are now working on an aviation fuel to power commercial aircraft. 

Our business connection to Brazil is through Embraer Executive Jets as an operator of two Phenom 100 light jets. We have also delivered 11 aircraft from Brazil to new owners in Europe and the US as a provider of delivery and mentor services.    

Saturday we went to the race track early afternoon for a tour of the pit and garages where the teams were making last minute preparations and going through inspections prior to the race. It is fascinating to see what goes on behind the scenes of a major race. Just prior to the race we were able to walk by the cars, out on to the track and watch up close as the drivers were introduced.

I was glued to the seat the entire race, and listened through headphones connected to a scanner to the conversations between drivers and the spotters. What a great way to get into a race by hearing the teams talk as it is happening real time.

Sunday we had the day off and took the Chicago Architectural Foundation  boat tour on the river. The tour lasts 90 minutes and is packed with information about the buildings that make up the skyline in Chicago. Chicago was the first city to have skyscrapers, and is rich with architectural heritage. I would highly recommend this tour as a way to learn about Chicago.

On the way back to the airport, Tony recommended going through the drive through at Portillo’s for an Italian Sausage Sandwich on a French Bread roll with grilled Sweet Peppers and Mozzarella. What a treat and a fun way to end our stay in Chicago.

Thanks Tony for getting us to and from the airport with great conversations and thanks to Apex Brasil for a great weekend.

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As I said yesterday, both the Phenom 100 and the 300 are single pilot certified and are designed to be flown by professional pilots, as well as owner pilots. The latter present a challenge as they are generally a group with little or no pure turbojet time.  Many have flown complex turbo prop aircraft but most owner pilots have spent little time in “fast movers” and lack a complete understanding of their roles and responsibilities in the ATC system. The solution lies in training and competent mentoring.  Embraer includes two “entitlement” training slots for pilots with the purchase of an Executive Jet. The training at ECTS is a thorough introduction into the Phenom and an accurate assessment of acquired skills and knowledge.   The problem is that training ends with the check-ride and subsequent type rating.   And, in any sphere, knowledge without wisdom is incomplete.

A typical type-rating oral exam consists of knowing aircraft systems and limitations along with the immediate action items associated with specific emergency procedures.  A more thorough oral drills deeper with questions involving the working relationships of systems and an understanding of why things work the way they do. The rating-ride is a carefully choreographed series of events that test specific learned procedures such as the loss of an engine on takeoff, the“V-1 Cut”, as well as single-engine approaches and landings.  The entire check ride is given within the confines of a single airport and is an accurate assessment of skills and accomplishment. The FAA oral and rating-ride are excellent tests of pilot preparedness for the unexpected problems that seldom (thankfully) occur in real life.  What a rating-ride can’t do is impart experience and judgment to a first-time jet pilot.  With experience comes wisdom and the safest way for the first-time jet pilot to get that wisdom is with the assistance of a mentor.

Slow down, you move too fast.
You got to make the morning last.
Just kicking down the cobble stones.
Looking for fun and feelin’ groovy.

 (59th St. Bridge Song by Simon and Garfunkel)

Up until recently, Air Traffic Controllers could logically assume that everyone in a jet “kicking down the cobble stones” was a pro-pilot or at least performed like one.  The advent of the personal jet has changed that.  Now anyone with a million dollars, or even less with financing, can buy a jet to look for fun and feel groovy hanging out with the big boys.  Herein lies the problem. The old instructor adage of “slow down and make yourself time for the approach” only works at the cabbage patch, but these personal jet aircraft aren’t staying in the cabbage patch.

A gap has developed between those who understand ATC and fly accordingly and those who feel as if ATC will accommodate their lack of skills and judgment. The saner parties have been the insurance companies who have insisted upon some level of supervision for low time aviators. Insurance companies, at a loss for how gauge skills and judgment, have resorted to insisting on a certain number of hours (usually 25) of supervised flying.  Typically those hours are flown in the course of business for the newly minted personal jet aviator.

Perhaps a better way to ensure the safety and success of the owner-flown community would be to adopt the commercial aviation technique of mentor flying for newly type-rated jet pilots by creating a private IOE (initial operating experience) process. Airlines have long recognized that meaningful mentor programs consist of more than the supervised “drilling of holes” in the sky.  A truly effective mentor program imparts a higher level understanding and competence to the new pilot.

With training fresh in the mind of the newly typed pilot, the mentor reinforces good technique and emphasizes the “real world” application the newly learned skills.  And it takes both training and experience to protect your Phenom investment.

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After 23,000 flight hours, I’ve just added my 7th type rating. 300 of those hours are in the Phenom 100.

The math reflects my propensity to stick  to an airplane when I find a good one and the Phenom 100 is a great airplane that does everything asked of it. My affinity hasn’t waned; so, what, then, would lure me away?  The siren song of the Phenom 300; Embraer’s latest Executive Jet offering.

I mentally questioned the ability of Embraer to improve upon the value proposition of the 100, and I was somewhat skeptical that the engineers from Brazil could score two home runs in a row. Duh!  Now I wonder what the gang in Wichita must be thinking. (Option 1: Look for a new job, or Option 2: add more sand to bury their heads deeper?)  I intend to keep flying the 100: but, to anyone out there with a 300 – you go guys!

Flight training is evolutionary. 

You go the first time to initial training and then you go back every year for recurrent training.  You don’t expect to add much because they are just getting you through the paces; but, maybe you learn something new in year two because there is something going on with the development of the aircraft. 

Last summer, I attended Phenom 100 initial training at Embraer CAE Training Services (ECTS), a joint venture between Embraer, a world-class aircraft manufacturer and CAE, a world-leading provider of aviation training.  In spite of the impressive pedigree, the venture experienced quite a few teething problems with the rollout of the first Phenom and I experienced them first-hand.  When I returned to the facility, my expectation was that my second experience would be much the same as my first one.
I was totally surprised when I arrived at CAE Simuflite in Dallas for Phenom 300 transition training.  Arriving on a Monday morning, my colleagues and I were greeted in the front lobby by no fewer than nine bright-eyed and effusively cheery CAE employees. Just after checking in, one of the greeters asked me if I needed directions to my classroom.  Since the schedule handed to me had been printed on a handy, pocket-sized card that wouldn’t get lost in the paperwork shuffle, I replied that I couldn’t miss it. I introduced myself to one of the greeters, Walter Slazyk, and in the course of conversation found that Walter was the CAE Center Leader. 

Different?   I’ll Show You Different! 
Aircraft transition courses typically focus on differences between the “old” airplane and the “new” one. The object of the training program is to prepare you for your check ride, rather than to just impart knowledge to you.  After all, this is a business.  My course was scheduled for one day of ground school followed by three days of simulator instruction and a check ride. I expected a mundane recitation of facts and figures, which I would have to regurgitate during my Friday oral exam. Instead, I was met by Steve Ford and Steve Simpson who both plowed into the whys and wherefores of aircraft systems and flight characteristics – so much more useful than the dry facts and figures.
During my Phenom 100 training process, delays in the certification of the simulator necessitated that my training be accomplished in the airplane.  Times have changed, though.  The new Phenom 300 sim has excellent fidelity and clearly mimics the feel and performance of the airplane. (Turning on the radar and taxiing over runway centerline lights are two great examples.)  On the whole, my expectations were exceeded, by a long-shot.
Both the Phenom 100 and the 300 are single pilot certified and are designed to be flown by professional pilots, as well as owner pilots. The latter present a challenge as they are generally a group with little or no pure turbojet time.  All of these pilots go through ECTS and get the best training the company has to offer.  The training is great, but how do these pilots get the experience they need to form sound judgment?  Join us tomorrow as we discuss the importance of good mentoring programs.

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Embraer has just wrapped up the Phenom Owners/Operators Conference. The second annual Embraer sponsored event was well attended with many owners and twenty Phenom 100/300 aircraft in attendance.

Held at the Sonnenalp Resort in the fashionable resort of Vail, attendees were welcomed by Scott Kalister, Vice President, Customer Support and Services, USA, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean – Executive Jets. Backed by an impressive staff turnout the meeting was an informative compilation of areas of interest to both owners and perators.

Edson Carlos Mallaco, Embraer’s worldwide VP of Customer Support and Services, opened the meeting with updates on schedules and deliveries. Through the end of July, Embraer had delivered 76 Phenoms to the US, 49 to Latin and South America and 24 to Europe. The Phenom fleet has accumulated over 20,000 hours in service with the average aircraft logging 18 hours per month. Embraer has not delivered any Phenoms to Asia or China, but several are scheduled for delivery in the near term.

During the presentation, Edson showed a slide depicting the fleet and for the first time I saw an expansion slot marked, ‘ultra long-range aircraft’.  It was positioned below ultra-large cabin Lineage 1000 and just above the large cabin Legacy 650.   While Mallaco would not confirm the rollout date for this elusive addition to the fleet, I believe that Embraer intends to have a prototype flying by 2015, the date by which he exclaimed, “Embraer will be a major player”.

Currently Embraer has a backlog of $15.5 billion USD and with confirmed orders for 40 new large military transporters, that backlog will likely increase. The Phenom product line currently has over 550 firm orders from 44 countries. Mallaco also pledged to grow inventory at Embraer owned and authorized service centers. Spares and inventory currently valued at $39M will grow to $115M by 2015.

Reporting that eight Phenom 300 aircraft have been delivered, Mallaco stated a target of 35 deliveries for the calendar year 2010.  Enhancements for the 300 include cruise speed control, side facing divan and a newly designed in-flight entertainment package. Embraer is also continually enhancing the Phenom line adding synthetic vision, enhanced takeoff criteria, belted toilet and a fifth passenger seat to the 100.  The scheduled retrofit to new seats is just about complete with Embraer certifying a new tourmaline interior to the product line.

Touching briefly on the newest additions to the Legacy line, Mallaco stated that the Legacy 450 and 500 are the only fly-by-wire aircraft priced under $40M.  The Legacy 500 is scheduled for its first flight in the second half of 2011 with certification coming in 2012. So far Embraer has delivered 191 Legacy 600 aircraft in 29 countries. Six Legacy 650 deliveries are scheduled for this year.  The 3900 NM aircraft will be outfitted with Rolls Royce AE 3007 A2 engines.

The ultra large cabin Lineage 1000 will be on display during the upcoming NBAA regional event at the Waukegan Airport just outside of Chicago on August 18. Embraer expects to manufacture a total of seven units of the 4,500 nautical mile airplane this year with five already delivered.

Luis Antonio Colarino, Manager of Phenom Customer Support Worldwide gave an indepth Phenom program update and welcomed questions from attendees on the Phenom retrofit campaign, as well as parts availability. Also on hand to answer questions were representatives of Garmin, manufacturer of the Prodigy Flight Deck as well as Pratt & Whitney manufacturer of the engines used on the Phenom jets.

The meeting concluded with a memorable dinner at the SaddleRidge Restaurant at Beaver Creek. Embraer declares that it will be “a major player” in the business jet market by 2015.  The just concluded event in Vail has convinced me that it will be much sooner.

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Today’s post is contributed by Captain William Rowell, currently a captain in the Phenom 100.  This Air Transport Pilot rated Mississippi native started his career with CFM in August of 2005 and is now type-rated in four different aircraft.  Enjoy, as Will recounts his trip over the Atlantic to Vienna delivering a brand-new Phenom 100.

As I sit here and ponder these last few days, I can’t help but think how inherently adventurous aviation really is. Reviewing this latest trip to foreign lands, I am reminded of how magical and inspiring flying can be. It seems to me that pilots get caught up in the day to day monotony of our “jobs” and loose sight of the wonders of FLIGHT, at least I do. However, this being the first time I crossed the Atlantic in anything but the dead of winter, I was in for an amazing tour of the world. Prepared only for the normalcies of the North Atlantic, I was impressed and inspired by the people, places, and experiences we encountered along our way.     

I was accompanied by co-captain, Troy Denson. Day One was from Smyrna, Tennessee, to Goose Bay, Canada, via Bangor, Maine. Goose Bay is a popular destination to refuel and pick up survival gear for the Atlantic crossing and the people are really great; so we stopped in to rest up for Day Two. As we settled in for the night, the next day weighed heavily on our minds. Goose Bay to Nassarsuag, Greenland, is probably the most critical leg of the entire trip because of the rapid weather changes that Greenland experiences. With limited alternates, the weather had to be good. As it turned out, the weather was great; but, the wind forced us to land on a less desirable runway. As “interesting” as the approach and landing was, it was uneventful. You just had to be there, as they say. Once on the ground, we began our planning for the next leg of the trip - Greenland to Iceland. 

Reykjavik, Iceland, is another popular destination. The folks at the FBO are always very accommodating and helpful. As it is with northern latitudes, the sun never really sets in the summer months. Paperwork extended our stay there and, although, the island is beautiful and the locals are nice enough, the lack of darkness and sleep was wearing us thin. After two days of waiting for paperwork to clear, it was time to move on!

With most of the mileage behind us, we still faced our longest day.  Day Five finally took us from Reykjavik to Wick, Scotland, and then to our final destination, Vienna, Austria.  Losing two more hours in the process, our body clocks began to suffer.  Anticipation of a speedy return home drove us to complete this mission expeditiously and with flawless execution. In other words, we didn’t need any set-backs. It was time to come home.

There were no delays at Wick and I highly recommend this stop if traveling to Europe. Andrew, the FBO manager, really has things together there. After a brief refuel, quick cup of coffee, and a few words of encouragement from Andrew, we were on our way. Three hours later, Vienna was in sight. Upon landing, we were met by the aircraft owner and a few other people. Everyone was happy to finally have the brand new Phenom 100 on the Austrian ramp. With huge grins and great anticipation, we exchanged hand shakes, paperwork, and finally, keys. Mission complete!

I wish everyone could have this experience, not only pilots.  Regardless of what we do and how much we love it, we all sometimes lose our drive or become bored with the day to day duties of working for a living.  This delivery was a chance to explore new territory, physically, emotionally, and culturally. It was more than just a delivery to me – I found a renewed passion for flying.  You don’t have to fly half way around the world to find it, you only have to take off with the right attitude.

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We wing toward the Turks and Caicos for a brief respite from the flight to California. The Phenom 100 is such a great flying machine that my new owner/pilot wants to keep going, but he has promised his wife a little time-out on the way home. He mockingly suggests that he put her birthday on the tail number so that she would let him have the new Phenom.  He confesses that to keep his two other airplanes, a Beechcraft Premier I and a Cirrus, he incorporated his wife’s birthday into the N number.

Our flight level 400 optic of the multi-hued water of the Caribbean is soon replaced by a much closer connection to the sea.  Greater Ambergris Cay appears ahead through the lazy afternoon clouds which dot the horizon. The tiny islands of the Turks and Caicos fill the southeastern area of the Caicos Bank with Greater (or Big) Ambergris Cay (at four miles long) as one of the larger of the Ambergris Cays. The entire island is a neatly organized community being constructed by DPS Development, the same folks who built the hugely successful Greenbrier Sporting Club in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.  We are absolutely awed by the airport facility they have completed.  At 5,790 feet, MBAC is the longest private airport in the Caribbean.  This illuminated strip with firefighting and state of the art construction is long and smooth, welcoming us from lofty perch over the sparkling Caribbean.

We taxi up to the door of the reception building where we are welcomed with  tropical island drinks made with Bambarra Rum, The Spirit of Turks and Caicos.  Quickly we learn that our complete enjoyment is the staff’s unrelenting goal.  With no cars, and consequently no paved roads, on the island, we are each assigned our own golf cart to whiz around the community and we delight in the freedom of our new personal transportation.  We all agree to freshen up and meet at Calico Jack’s for dinner.

The thatched hut of Calico Jack’s tropical bar, on the leeward side Ambergris Cay, is the perfect spot to watch the Caribbean sunset.  Calico Jack’s has an open air, covered dining area adjoining the climate controlled dining room. Although with nearly always perfect weather, it’s hard to imagine wanting to eat inside. With only 22 guests in residence, we are guaranteed a table at any time during the evening, (twenty homes have been completed with more under construction).  Walking to our table I’m greeted by Peter Pollock, the “P” in DPS Development.  Peter is an affable New Yorker who once worked as the General Manager of the Boston Celtics.  With an eye for appreciation, Peter has always picked real estate winners. No where is this more evident than at The Turks and Caicos Sporting Club.  After dinner, it is off to bed with thoughts of tomorrow’s bone fishing on the flats.

The sun peeks brightly into the single-room cabana where I awaken to the sound of the surf which lulled me to sleep. I enjoy my morning coffee in solitude from a deck that is eight feet above the azure Caribbean below. Designed to impart relaxation, island style, my 400 square foot cabana, is unique, not so much for what it provides, but more for what is missing.  Here there is no telephone, no internet, no television and no roof over the bathroom; yet, I have travertine marble floors and Ferette sheets. The bamboo furnishings evoke strong memories of my time spent in the Philippines when I flew  A-7 Corsairs from the deck of the USS Midway. I’m sure they hold up in the tropical humidity, but I much prefer the teak furniture on the sun drenched deck.

We are off to Calico Jack’s again in our golf carts.  I doubt any of our carts can exceed the posted 14 mph speed limit, but after some horse trading among the available carts, my pilot friend has found one that will out-run mine and he seems completely delighted. Again I think of my time living in Japan where the Western Pacific WESTPAC junior officers all had motorcycles, and horsepower couldn’t replace skillful driving on the narrow roads. I am treated to island pancakes with coconut syrup while my friends began their morning with a variety of equally appetizing breakfasts.

Famous for the waxy secretion, ambergris, from the North Atlantic Humpback whales that migrate through the islands in the winter, the island is also home to a wide variety of marine life.  Among the land dwelling creatures of Greater Ambergris are the rock iguana. The island teems with these foot-long reptiles who scurry between the areas of vegetation and who sun themselves on nearly every road and outcropping. My owner/pilot friend and I opted out of the manicure/pedicure event that his wife and mother enjoyed, instead we explored the island with Ceci Richard who showed us the original estate of Horatio Stubbs, who acquired the island from John Lightbourne, who purchased the island from the government of the Bahamas in 1811.  Horatio Stubbs planted sisal and reportedly organized a waypoint for livestock destined for the islands. The remnants of limestone and coral rock paddocks can still be found on the southern end of the island. The last private owner of the island, Henry Mensen has teamed with DPS Development to create a private sanctuary which will ultimately be comprised of 425 homes and a members only club.

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Recently I read an article about a Phenom 100 delivery from Brazil to Orleans, France.  Unfortunately for the new owner the delivery flight took over two weeks to complete.  It seems that he tried a “do-it-yourself” delivery and suffered the consequence of lack of experience. This and other missteps during deliveries may be avoided with prior planning.

One of more common mistakes I see during deliveries is the failure of  Non-US citizens to obtain a visa prior to entry into the US.  The United States requires visitors from certain countries to obtain a visa for entry.  Usually most arrivals by air enter into the US through the Visa Waiver Program, but such is not the case with private air.  Be sure and check the State Department website for requirements that may affect your entry status.

When JetQuik brings a new Embraer Executive Jet into the US, we plan with a bonded customs broker to ensure a smooth importation process.  For foreign aircraft entering the US for the first time, importation is not necessary and the arrival is treated just like any other customs border crossing.  Usually JetQuik imports aircraft through Ft. Lauderdale.   We use SheltAir as our FBO of preference because it is co-located with US Customs on the field.

Phenom deliveries to the US don’t have to be a daunting process.  The Embraer Executive Jets office can help guide you through the process or recommend a competent delivery organization to relieve the stress of accepting your new Phenom aircraft.

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