Latest news with #turboprop
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Propellers, Rotor Blades Are Music To The Ears Of Private Jet Flyers
Supersonic private travel for the super-rich may be up in the air. However, their need to access hard-to-reach places quickly, particularly destinations with short or no runways, is driving several leading private jet flight providers to launch or expand operations and partnerships that utilize turboprop, piston and rotorcraft aircraft. If you are not a UHNW, typically defined as having a net worth of at least $30 million, don't despair. Private jet charter and fractional operator is adding a Caravan turboprop and amphibious float plane ... More to help its well-heeled customers access smaller airports or places with no airport at all. The most recent initiative comes from JSX, which offers a semi-private option. Still, experts say it is the travel needs of the very wealthy that are driving the trend. 'The challenge when a client wants to buy their third, fourth or even fifth home is: can they land their jet nearby,' says Alasdair Pritchard, a partner in Knight Frank's Private Office, adding, 'This can dictate property decisions, so we help clients explore alternatives, whether that's nearby airports with helicopter access or private airstrips on larger estates.' For those who want the full private experience, FlyExclusive, which previously limited its services to jet aircraft, selling fractional shares, jet cards, and on-demand charters, is launching charter flights using an amphibious float plan and Caravan turboprop. Wheels Up, via a partnership with Tropic Ocean Airways, helps members make that last mile as easy a ... More day at the beach, including sometimes landing at the beach. Knight Frank says UHNWs who are increasingly buying third, fourth, and fifth homes in locations that are hard to access with private jets, are looking to propeller aircraft and helicopters. It is not alone. Wheels Up has been expanding its partnership with seaplane operator Tropic Ocean Airways, in which it has a minority ownership stake. The commercial agreement enables members to fly to more than 70 smaller airports across Florida, the Bahamas, and the Northeast U.S., including the Hamptons, Lake Placid, Fire Island, Sunset Beach, Montauk, and Block Island. 'We're not surprised to see rising interest in turboprops, seaplanes, and helicopters for last-mile travel—it's a trend that aligns squarely with the solutions we've been building over the past several years," says Wheels Up CEO George Mattson. He adds, 'Our customers can easily combine a commercial or long-range private flight with a final leg aboard a wheeled or amphibious Cessna Caravan EX—creating a seamless, end-to-end premium experience.' Flexjet has been expanding its last-mile helicopter service for members of its fractional jet ownership program by acquiring rotorcraft operators in both England and the United States. In 2023, Flexjet received permission to operate helicopter flights between Florida and the Bahamas. It has now expanded the seasonal service to year-round. Flexjet Vertical Lift President Eli Flint said at the time, 'Now that our clientele has grown accustomed to accessing off-airport destinations, they expect it wherever the helicopter can take them – and now that includes from Florida to the Bahamas and the Florida Keys.' Flexjet offers its fractional private jet customers the ability to use hours on its helicopter ... More service in the Northeastern U.S., England, and South Florida. Longtime private and shared turboprop operators have also been expanding their footprint focusing both on price and accessing airports jets can't utilize. Tradewind Aviation, which had operated exclusively in the Northeastern United States and the Caribbean, added a Florida base for charter flights in 2023, as well as scheduled flights last year from Witham Field in Stuart to the Bahamas. Like JSX, it sells individual seats on its scheduled flights and uses private terminals, so customers avoid the hassles of crowded airports with long lines. PlaneSense, which long focused on fractional ownership, has expanded its jet card offering, enabling customers to fly on its fleet of Pilatus PC-12 turboprops by committing to buy just 25 hours. JSX will buy up to 25 ATR turboprops as it seeks to expand its semi-private by-the-seat flights to ... More airports that were previously the domain of the private jet users. It also expanded the primary service area for its fleet to the West Coast in 2021, opening a maintenance facility near Las Vegas to support an increase in flights in the Western U.S. Last year, SkyShare which has a days-based fractional program on preowned PC-12s targeting customers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, added an entry level program cutting the initial investment by 41%. Its targeting business flyers who need to visit multiple remote locations in a single day. The PC-12 is renowned for its short-runway access and can even land on grass airstrips. And that's the point. FlyExclusive is basing a Caravan and amphibious float plane in Miami, with operations set to start later this month. Chairman Jim Segrave said, 'There's a clear gap in the market…with the launch of our new amphibious float plane and land-based Caravan, we're expanding our ability to connect travelers to the most sought-after island destinations in the region.' Its seaplane will be 'capable of landing at any suitable water landing site, enabling direct access to private beaches, remote islands, and waterfront properties with no runway required.' And its not just second homes that are driving the last-mile solutions. Air Charter Service signed a deal in April to staff a new terminal and helipad area at the Silverstone race track, a two-and-a-half hour drive outside of London. During the British Grand Prix it handles over 1,500 flights and more than 6,000 passengers. Air Charter Service CMO James Leach said the heliport is expected to get use during rest of the year for special events and experiences offered at the track. He noted, 'The benefits of private aviation mainly revolve around time-saving, with our helicopter shuttles saving many people on average between two hours and five hours, whilst those traveling from abroad by private jet can often save even more time when compared with scheduled flights, especially if they add a helicopter transfer to the circuit.' William Herp, CEO of Linear Air Taxi, a charter broker specializing in turboprops and piston aircraft, says that advances in technology over the past decade have boosted consumer confidence in the segment. He points to last month's announcement that the Cirrus SR Series G7+, which can seat three passengers, will be the world's first single-engine piston aircraft equipped with an FAA-approved autonomous emergency landing system. The system activates if the single pilot becomes incapacitated. With a touch of a button, the airplane lands itself. The key benefit of the propeller aircraft, he says, is being able to land at runways as short as 3,000 feet. 'With a (charter) jet, you are looking at 5,000 feet or more if there is rain,' he says. Herp says these days most customers are open to the propeller aircraft instead of a jet if it can get them to their destination faster than an alternative airport further away. 'When we first started (20 years ago), we had to explain how piston props were safe. Consumers were unaware piston props were available for charter. We're not having that conversation as much,' he says. Herp says Linear has around 700 piston prop aircraft available for charter on its website. Prices range from around $750 to $2,500 per hour, plus fees, plus you pay for repositioning the airplane to and from its base before and after your trip. Still, it's more more affordable chartering a jet. Wheels Up's Mattson adds, 'As demand continues to grow for more personalized and experiential travel, we see these aircraft and partnerships as essential to delivering the kind of elevated, last-mile solutions today's premium traveler expects.' Of course, not all of us have the money to charter an entire aircraft no matter the size, nor the need to land at a waterfront property. JSX plans to cater to the rest of us. Earlier today it announced it had signed a letter of intent for up to 25 turboprop airplanes from ATR Aircraft and plans to start operations later this year with two leased turboprops. It states that the new type will add up to 1,000 more airports it can fly to in the U.S. beyond its current Embraer regional jets, offering its by-the-seat version of shared private aviation. JSX CEO Alex Wilcox said, 'Many of these airports were, until now, reserved only for those who had the means to fly private.' Its by-the-seat prices often start under $500. A spokesperson says no airports have been selected yet.
Reuters
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Reuters
ATR, Pratt & Whitney Canada to collaborate on turboprop propulsion technology
June 16 (Reuters) - ATR, the world's largest commercial turboprop aircraft maker, and Pratt & Whitney Canada will collaborate to develop propulsion technology aimed at reducing fuel burn and maintenance costs, the companies said on Monday. The companies will also look to study the feasibility of hybrid electric propulsion for ATR's next-generation concept of aircraft dubbed "EVO". Franco-Italian ATR, jointly owned by Airbus ( opens new tab and Leonardo ( opens new tab, is the dominant producer of regional turboprop planes, with a family of aircraft seating 42 to 78 people. Pratt & Whitney is U.S.-based RTX's (RTX.N), opens new tab engine-making subsidiary.
Globe and Mail
11-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
ANSS, Turbotech Team Up to Fuel a Hydrogen-Powered Future in Aviation
ANSYS, Inc.'s ANSS advanced simulation tools have been leveraged by Turbotech to demonstrate the world's first viable hydrogen-fueled turboprop engine successfully as part of the BeautHyFuel project. From drones to small passenger planes and VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) vehicles, this initiative is poised for far-reaching implications powered by Ansys simulation technology. The BeautHyFuel project is a collaborative effort led by Turbotech and Elixir Aircraft in partnership with Safran, Air Liquide and Daher, and supported by the French Civil Aviation Authority. The initiative aims to explore and commercialize hydrogen propulsion for light aircraft, with an emphasis on safety, feasibility and environmental sustainability. Exploratory turbine designs often encounter challenges in safely and reliably using hydrogen, particularly in balancing power output, fuel efficiency, thermal loads and component durability. Turbotech addresses these limitations with a scalable design approach, utilizing Ansys simulation tools to engineer and validate a fuel-agnostic gas turbine. This facilitates a smoother and more efficient transition to hydrogen propulsion. How ANSS' Simulation Tools Ensure Precision Simulation is instrumental in Turbotech's product development. By using Ansys Fluent, the company was able to carry out high-fidelity combustion modeling that delivered deep insights into flame dynamics, pressure distribution and material behavior. Simulation allowed Turbotech to quickly identify and test the two best nozzle designs without building dozens of physical prototypes, saving time and cost. After 30 hours of continuous hydrogen combustion, the tested nozzles displayed nearly identical structural integrity, reinforcing the engine's resilience. The turbine also maintained low emissions levels, confirming its environmental viability. Powered by Ansys' efficient solvers, Turbotech could conduct computationally intensive simulations on enhanced workstations, eliminating the need for large computing clusters that combustion modeling usually requires. Ansys and Turbotech have shared a long-standing partnership since the latter's early R&D phase. As a member of the Ansys Startup Program, Turbotech gained access to premium simulation tools and support while developing its novel regenerative turbine. The initial effort laid the foundation for a digital thread that efficiently integrates and manages data, ultimately supporting the adaptation of existing systems for hydrogen use. Ansys plays a key role that goes beyond software. Its technical support team worked closely with Turbotech throughout each phase of development — from early design to final validation. ANSS Dominates the World of High-End Design Simulation Ansys has a strong foothold in the high-end design simulation software market, with its tools widely adopted by top-tier manufacturing companies. By enabling virtual prototyping, it empowers these firms to drastically reduce costs compared to traditional physical prototyping. The company's robust and diverse product lineup across multiple domains continues to attract and retain customers. Per a report from Fortune Business Insights, the global simulation market is slated to expand from $15 billion in 2025 to $33.62 billion in 2032 at a CAGR of 12.5%. As of March 31, 2025, Ansys reported deferred revenues and backlog totaling $1.63 billion, marking an 18.9% increase year over year. In first-quarter 2025, the company achieved 4% growth in subscription lease revenues, a 13.9% rise in maintenance revenues and a 22.5% increase in service revenues at constant currency. The company's collaborations with advanced technology suppliers, hardware vendors, specialized application developers and CAD, ECAD and PLM providers further propel its growth prospects. In April 2025, Ansys expanded its collaboration with TSMC and unveiled AI-assisted workflows for RF design migration and PICs, alongside certifications for its semiconductor solutions. This partnership enhances 3D-IC design optimization and accelerates market readiness for AI and HPC chip applications. ANSS' Zacks Rank & Stock Price Performance Ansys currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Shares of the company have gained 1.3% in the past six months compared with the Zacks Computer – Software industry 's growth of 2.4%. Stocks to Consider Some better-ranked stocks from the broader technology space are Juniper Networks, Inc. JNPR, Arista Networks, Inc. ANET and Ubiquiti Inc. UI. JNPR presently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while ANET and UI carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Juniper is leveraging the 400-gig cycle to capture hyperscale switching opportunities inside the data center. The company is set to capitalize on the increasing demand for data center virtualization, cloud computing and mobile traffic packet/optical convergence. Juniper also introduced new features within the AI-driven enterprise portfolio that enable customers to simplify the rollout of their campus wired and wireless networks while bringing greater insight to network operators. In the last reported quarter, it delivered an earnings surprise of 4.88%. Arista delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 11.82% and has a long-term growth expectation of 14.81%. Arista currently serves five verticals, namely cloud titans (customers that deploy more than 1 million servers, cloud specialty providers, service providers, financial services and the rest of the enterprise. It supplies products to a prestigious set of customers, including Fortune 500 global companies in markets such as cloud titans, enterprises, financials and specialty cloud service providers. Ubiquiti's effective management of its strong global network of more than 100 distributors and master resellers improved its visibility for future demand and inventory management techniques. In the last reported quarter, Ubiquiti delivered an earnings surprise of 33.3%. Its highly flexible global business model remains well-suited to adapt to the changing market dynamics to overcome challenges while maximizing growth. Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double" Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest. This top pick is a little-known satellite-based communications firm. Space is projected to become a trillion dollar industry, and this company's customer base is growing fast. Analysts have forecasted a major revenue breakout in 2025. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Hims & Hers Health, which shot up +209%. Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Juniper Networks, Inc. (JNPR): Free Stock Analysis Report ANSYS, Inc. (ANSS): Free Stock Analysis Report Arista Networks, Inc. (ANET): Free Stock Analysis Report Ubiquiti Inc. (UI): Free Stock Analysis Report
National Post
04-06-2025
- Business
- National Post
Cessna SkyCourier Combi Configuration Achieves Certification From the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil
Article content WICHITA, Kan. — The Cessna SkyCourier Combi configuration kit recently achieved certification from the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (ANAC) and joined the fleet of Brazilian charter company Cleiton Táxi Aéreo (CTA). This marks the first delivery of the SkyCourier into South America. The Cessna SkyCourier is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company. Article content CTA recently took delivery of a passenger variant of the twin-engine, large-utility turboprop equipped with conversion kits that enable the standard 19-passenger interior to be configured to a 9-passenger and cargo Combi, or to a full freighter configuration. The aircraft also has the optional gravel kit installed, allowing it to land on unpaved runways and access more remote locations. CTA's order includes two Cessna SkyCourier aircraft of the same configuration, with the second expected to deliver in 2026. Article content 'The Cessna SkyCourier is an excellent aircraft to support regional missions and services across South America,' said Lannie O'Bannion, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing. 'We look forward to seeing the impact this versatile and hardworking turboprop will have on CTA's operations.' Article content Founded by Cleiton Sérgio de Sousa, Cleiton Táxi Aéreo first became a customer of Textron Aviation with the purchase of the Cessna 210 Centurion in 1995 to begin charter operations across the Amazon region. Since then, the company has operated a fleet ranging from the Cessna Caravan to the Beechcraft King Air, each aircraft fulfilling a variety of special missions and charter operations across the region. Article content The Cessna SkyCourier recently marked five years since the aircraft prototype first took flight in 2020. Since it entered into service in 2022, the aircraft has proven itself as a valuable business tool for both cargo and passenger operations, with recent milestones including the first delivery to Canada and first order from the Marshall Islands, among others. Article content The twin-engine, high-wing turboprop offers a combination of performance and lower operating costs for air freight, commuter and special mission operators. Article content The freighter variant is sized to handle up to three LD3 shipping containers with an impressive 6,000 pounds of payload capability. The 19-passenger variant includes crew and passenger doors for smooth boarding, as well as large cabin windows for natural light and views. Both configurations offer single-point pressure refueling to enable faster turnarounds. Article content The SkyCourier is powered by two wing-mounted Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65SC turboprop engines and features the McCauley Propeller C779, a heavy-duty and reliable 110-inch aluminum four-blade propeller, which is full feathering with reversible pitch, designed to enhance the performance of the aircraft while hauling tremendous loads. The SkyCourier is operated with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics and has a maximum cruise speed of more than 200 ktas and a 900 nautical-mile maximum range. Article content About Textron Aviation Article content We inspire the journey of flight. For more than 95 years, Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. company, has empowered our collective talent across the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands to design and deliver the best aviation experience for our customers. With a range that includes everything from business jets, turboprops, and high-performance pistons, to special mission, military trainer and defense products, Textron Aviation has the most versatile and comprehensive aviation product portfolio in the world and a workforce that has produced more than half of all general aviation aircraft worldwide. Customers in more than 170 countries rely on our legendary performance, reliability and versatility, along with our trusted global customer service network, for affordable and flexible flight. For more information, visit | | Article content About Textron Inc. Article content Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: Article content Certain statements in this press release may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Media: Article content Article content Heaven Cedeno Article content Article content
National Post
20-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Cessna SkyCourier Marks Five Years Since First Flight of Clean-Sheet Aircraft, Bringing High Payload, Versatile Mission Capability to Customers Around the World
Article content WICHITA, Kan. — Textron Aviation today celebrated the five-year anniversary of the first flight of the versatile Cessna SkyCourier, the company's clean-sheet twin-engine, high-wing utility turboprop. This is a significant milestone for this high-performing aircraft which has become a trusted asset for operators worldwide. Article content Article content The Cessna SkyCourier is designed and produced by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company. Article content To support growing flight activities of the SkyCourier, the company is investing in a 52,000-square-foot expansion of a production flight test hangar in Wichita, Kansas. The expansion will add an additional six hangar bays to the north side of a facility on Textron Aviation's East Wichita Campus. Article content 'The versatility of the Cessna SkyCourier enables operators to tackle diverse mission profiles and operate in some of the most challenging environments in the world,' said Lannie O'Bannion, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing. 'With two variants of the aircraft and the optional gravel and combi conversion kits, the SkyCourier has brought innovative solutions to our customers around the globe.' Article content The Cessna SkyCourier prototype first took flight on May 17, 2020. Since then, it has become a reliable solution for air freight, passenger, humanitarian and other special mission needs across the world with its ability to land on unimproved runways and transport passengers and cargo simultaneously. Article content Recent program milestones include the first order from the Marshall Islands and first delivery to Canada. See below for additional milestones. Article content About the Cessna SkyCourier The twin-engine, high-wing turboprop offers a combination of performance and lower operating costs for air freight, commuter and special mission operators. Article content The freighter variant is sized to handle up to three LD3 shipping containers with an impressive 6,000 pounds of payload capability. The 19-passenger variant includes crew and passenger doors for smooth boarding, as well as large cabin windows for natural light and views. Both configurations offer single-point pressure refueling to enable faster turnarounds. Article content The SkyCourier is powered by two wing-mounted Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65SC turboprop engines and features McCauley Propeller Systems' C779 propeller, a reliable 110-inch aluminum four-blade propeller, which is full feathering with reversible pitch, designed to enhance the performance of the aircraft while hauling tremendous loads. The SkyCourier is operated with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics and has a maximum cruise speed of more than 200 ktas and a 900 nautical-mile maximum range. Article content About Textron Aviation We inspire the journey of flight. For more than 95 years, Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. company, has empowered our collective talent across the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands to design and deliver the best aviation experience for our customers. With a range that includes everything from business jets, turboprops, and high-performance pistons, to special mission, military trainer and defense products, Textron Aviation has the most versatile and comprehensive aviation product portfolio in the world and a workforce that has produced more than half of all general aviation aircraft worldwide. Customers in more than 170 countries rely on our legendary performance, reliability and versatility, along with our trusted global customer service network, for affordable and flexible flight. For more information, visit | | Article content About Textron Inc. Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: Article content Certain statements in this press release may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Article content
