Destination Orlando, Florida—Disney, First Class!

Despite its plethora of golf courses and pristine winter sunshine, Orlando perhaps most readily evokes Disneyworld to travelers from Dallas to Dublin to Dubai. So a trip to this year-round destination naturally should be planned for the kids in your house, or for the kid in your heart!

Orlando for you

Today’s Orlando is not just for the kids. Downtown Disney itself is a destination for waterside strolls, restaurants, and shopping. A highlight of this area, which typically is alive with visitors, is Cirque du Soleil La Nouba. Since Cirque performs year-round in a dedicated theater in Downtown Disney, La Nouba is well worth seeing. The integrated trampoline tower and tracks make for some amazing acrobatics in addition to the trapeze, rope walking, and ribbon artists. Plan for dinner before the show at the delicious Wolfgang Puck Grand Café where you can get some unique fusion of Asian and Californian cuisine. There is also F...

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AvBuyer Magazine, October 2014

by Ken Elliott

Download a PDF of the article.

Situational awareness for pilots and air traffic control (ATC) is critical both in the air and on the ground. Ground awareness extends to all users of airport movement areas as well as to ATC. It is also not just about safety and traffic avoidance, however. For a singular aircraft, taxiing around an unfamiliar airport can become very challenging at night and during low visibility.

Situational awareness is critical in all phases of flight (that means from ramp-toramp), but it typically increases in and around airports and Metroplexes. For the purpose of this article the focus is on both low visibility operations and surface movement; the portion of a flight from the ramp until after take-off and again from the visual transition point of an approach procedure until parked at the ramp destination.

Historically, air navigation service providers (ANSPs) and flight crews have visually scanned surface op...

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Overview including differentiating features from other aircraft in its category

The Cessna Citation XLS+ is the third aircraft in the Citation Excel series. It is the updated version of the Citation XLS and features improved Pratt & Whitney PW545C engines and an upgraded Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite. Exterior and interior restyling is also integrated into the new model, most prominently the extended contour of the nose and expanded seat widths.

As of March 2014, the Citation XLS+ market is comprised of 16% pre-owned. The percentage for sale is 8.7% with 57% of that under an exclusive broker agreement and average days on the market are 212 days.

Brief History

The first delivery of the Citation XLS+ occurred in 2008 and it is still currently in production. A total of 164 aircraft have been produced with all but three of those presently in operation.

Worldwide Appeal

There are currently 161 Citation XLS+ aircraft in operation worldwide with 159 of those wholly ...

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Jetcraft was featured in the Autumn 2014 issue of Executive & VIP Aviation International magazine. The article is below.

Jetcraft Co-Owner Jahid Fazal-Karim talks to Anthony Harrington

When Jahid Fazal-Karim joined Jetcraft six years ago, the vision was to make the company the biggest jet brokerage in the world. “That was our goal and our objective was always to be the best at what we do. We wanted to create a structure that would get us close to our clients and bring our clients closer to us,” Fazal-Karim told EVA.

To help build that closeness, six years ago Jetcraft set out to build a truly global organisation, one with a geographic spread of sales teams and offi ces capable of placing the company in the time zones of its far-flung client base. “Being close to the time zones of our clients means that our Chinese clients can phone our Hong Kong office, the Russian clients have our Russian office and we have a sales structure based out of Miami with Spanish speakers for ...

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According to the National Aircraft Resale Association (NARA), 14 percent of private jet owners do not use a broker to handle the buying and selling of their aircraft. Many feel they know their aircraft needs better than others and – perhaps more importantly – can save some money by going it alone.

But people who do this are making a big mistake. The buying and selling of aircraft can be more complicated than it seems. Those who do not use a qualified broker are taking a risk as many things can go wrong with a transaction. Ironically, they often end up paying more - sometimes quite a bit more – for their aircraft than it is really worth.

“For an ownership experience to be positive it requires planning, effort and communication,” said Scott Plumb, Senior Vice President of Sales for Jetcraft.  “I have watched buyers purchase the wrong airplane because they were consulted by a friend rather than a professional. They then end up with an aircraft that may not be the best f...

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With diverse festivals, a layered history, and beckoning architecture, Istanbul has become a year-round destination for luxury leisure travel. As you plan your visit, consider the best time—or times—of year to experience the compelling convergence of the West and East that is Istanbul.

January: Navigating the Crowds

Keep in mind that Istanbul’s high cruise season runs from April through October. That means people. Lots of people. So January is a great time to visit must-see historical sites in the Sultanahmet district such as the gorgeous Blue Mosque (Pictured), Hagia Sophia (built by Constantinople), and the spectacular Byzantine Hippodrome. Note that the Blue Mosque (called Sultanahmet Camii in Turkish) allows for visits for non-worshippers only outside prayer times. Istanbul weather can be challenging in January, making these indoor activities even more appealing in winter.

February: Haggle Away

Ah, Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar (Pictured). Again, crowds will diminish ...

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Ken Elliott, former Technical Director - Jetcraft Avionics

Location: Augusta, GA, USA

How long have you been at Jetcraft?

I joined Jetcraft Avionics on February 1, 2007. I came to Jetcraft with 40 years of experience in avionics systems including repair, modification, flight test, certification, documentation, sales and training.

What are your responsibilities within the global Jetcraft team?

My title is Technical Director for Jetcraft Avionics. I helped develop the HUD Vision Access system for aftermarket business aircraft, and continue to work to promote it. I also am involved in other avionics programs and continue to work with both government and the broader aviation community to promote and educate key individuals on Low Visibility Operations.

Describe a typical day or week in your role.

Based on travel, a typical day or week can vary significantly. My activity during work time has evolved to meet the changing needs of our avionics programs.

Since 2007 it was...

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Overview including differentiating features from other aircraft in its category

The Cessna Citation XLS is the second aircraft in the Citation Excel series. It is an updated version of the original Citation Excel (Model 560 XL). Upgraded Pratt & Whitney PW545B engines allow for an enhanced powerplant performance.

As of March 2014, the Citation XLS market is comprised of 38% pre-owned. The percentage for sale is 5.5% with 83% of that under an exclusive broker agreement and average days on the market are 369 days.

Brief History

The first delivery of the Citation XLS occurred in 2003. The series ended production in 2008. During that time, a total of 330 aircraft have been produced with all but one of those currently in operation.

Worldwide Appeal

There are 329 Citation XLS aircraft currently in operation worldwide with 238 wholly owned, 81 fractionally owned, and 10 in shared ownership. Of the 238 wholly owned Citation XLS aircraft in operation by continent, North Am...

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Emmen, Switzerland, 2 September 2014.  RUAG Aviation has signed a Dealership Agreement with Jetcraft Corporation to market HUD Vision Access for the Bombardier Challenger 604 and 605. Under this agreement, RUAG Aviation will be responsible for the sale and installation of the enhanced flight vision system, consisting of various components including a head-up display (HUD) and infrared sensor.

The advanced HUD Vision Access affords significant advantages to owners, operators and pilots of the Challenger 604 and 605. By enabling operations in low visibility conditions, the system enables aircraft to taxi, take-off and land under all conditions – improving safety and saving time. Furthermore, pilots with HUD Vision Access are able to descend below decision height at most airports, minimising ground-based infrastructure requirements and enabling access to a greater number of airports.

“RUAG Aviation has been selected for their extensive experience and proven capability in modifying Bo...

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