Pete Bunce, President and CEO of the General Aviation ManufacturersAssociation (GAMA), looks at the importance of general aviation, both in the US andfurther afi eld.

Visitors to Bangor International Airport (BGR) realize what an important hub it is for general aviation aircraft heading both into and out of the United States, especially to Canada and Europe. That’s no surprise—general aviation off ers individuals and businesses many advantages as they seek to succeed in today’s increasingly globalized marketplace.

These benefi ts include the fl exibility to travel based on what works best for their schedule, the option to visit several sites a day (even if they aren’t close geographically), the ability to reach locations not accessible by commercial travel, the advantage of greater comfort and security than a commercial airline and the privacy to conduct confi dential meetings while in the air. In the US, for example, general aviation fl ies to more than 5,000 US public airports, while scheduled airlines serve less than 400 airports. And in Europe, the general aviation fl eet can access over 4,200 airports.

It’s also worth pointing out that general aviation supports 4,800 jobs in Maine and $639 million in economic output to the state’s economy every year, according to a 2013 study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers that was released earlier this year.

Among the general aviation sectors, business jets have done especiallywell over the last couple of years, as manufacturers have responded to customer demand by crafting airplanes that fl y faster, longer, and include more features for greater productivity. There were 722 business jets shipped in 2014, an increase of 6.5 percent over the previous year. North America comprised the biggest market for business jets at just over 52 percent, with Europe second at almost 20 percent, followed by the Asia-Pacifi c region, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa.

Several long-range, large-cabin business jets now have the abilityto fl y across vast expanses of theglobe at nearly the speed of sound and without stopping for fuel,saving valuable time by avoidingadditional take-off s and landings. Many business jets also includein-fl ight entertainmentsystems and cabin

connectivity so that passengers can enjoy Internet, ‘phone, data, music, and video access from takeoff to touchdown. This connectivity is a key asset for executives seeking to make the most of a multi-hour fl ight between the US and Europe.

Technology

In addition, smartphone apps allow passengers to raise and lower the volume of speakers in the cabin or move window shades up and down. Manufacturers are now working to put these technological and speed effi ciencies into shorter-range business jets.

• Closest US port of entry from Europe• CAT III, 11,440 ft . (3,486 m.) runway • Excellent weather record–renowned

worldwide for its ability to stay open • 24 hour on-fi eld Customs &

Border Protection • 24 hour FAA ATC Tower• Custom catering

• Contract fuel arrangements • Full service above & below wing • Complete cargo handling • US Department of Agriculture,

Public Health and Animal/Plant quarantine services

• Low cost all inclusive/all aircraft ground and cargo handling services

• No restrictions, surcharges, Canadian NAV/User fees, or other “hidden costs”

• 12 million sq. ft . of ramp space • 20,000 sq. ft . of heated cargo

storage space • FAA/EASA aircraft maintenance • Uncongested access–air and land

See GENERAL AVIATION page 3

October, 2015

General aviation helps businesses gain altitude

Pete Bunce

ORD

IAHto LAX

BGRFRA

GVA

SVO

DXB

to BJS

Number 1 on The Great Circle Route

The fi rst meeting of the BGR Plane Spotting Club took place in August, when a group of enthusiasts gathered at the Maine Air Museum, home of the Maine Aviation Historical Society.

“The idea was prompted by the crowds that regularly gather to watch the arrival or departure of the Antonov An-225,” says Marketing Manager Risteen Bahr.

The world’s largest aircraft draws the crowds whenever it appears at those airports with runways large enough to accommodate it. “Despite its size, the Antonov’s lumbering grace never fails to turn people’s heads,” she adds.

Bangor International plays host to a wide variety of aircraft – from the giant Antonov to the smallest of GA planes, providing ample scope for members of the new Plane Spotting Club. Attendees at the inaugural gathering were given a Plane Spotter’s guide containing helpful tips, as well as a log book in which to record their sightings. Airport staff were on hand to provide further guidance on what aircraft they can expect to see at BGR.

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Once again‘Contrails’ is privileged to provide a platform for a senior aviation industryexpert, Pete Bunce,the dynamicPresident andCEO of the

General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA).

His lead article paints a healthypicture of the GA sector, both herein the US and in other markets, where business jets are no longerthe exclusive preserve of the rich and famous (as was highlighted in our last issue, which looked at the growth in fractionals, empty legging and other ways of bringing private jet travel within the reach of theaverage traveler).

From a very personal standpoint it isgratifying to see the positive impact the GA sector is having on BGR’s home state of Maine, with a reported $639 million annual contribution to the local economy.

BGR was honored to be chosenas the only airport in Maine toparticipate in the recent large scale emergency drill, coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. My colleagues and I areall too aware of what it means forthe whole community to be prepared for all types of disasters and emergencies and the drill provided an invaluable addition to our own contingency planning.

Elsewhere in this issue of ‘Contrails’ we provide further information on the ‘economic tech stop’ business model, which allows cargo carriers traveling through Bangor Internationalto increase their payload by as much as 30 percent. It is a concept that is gaining much traction wherever it is discussed. My team and I are always ready to discuss the concept with interested parties.

Meanwhile, I hope you fi ndsomething of interest in this issueof BGR’s latest review.

GA sector takes off

Tony CarusoAirport Director

Bangor International Airport played a pivotal role in a large scale emergency drill, coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Part of the US Department of Homeland Security, FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the eff ects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Thought to be the fi rst of its kind in Maine, the drill was carried out in collaboration with federal, state, regional and local agencies and simulated conditions following the catastrophic break-up of a Boeing 717 twin-engine jet in the Bangor area. The incident assumed that the aircraft’s fuselage fell onto the Veterans Remembrance Bridge, which carries the I-395 highway between Bangor and Brewer, with the tail section falling onto another bridge and debris scattered over a fi ve-mile radius, with 138 fatalities and 63 injured.

Although the imaginary incident did not directly aff ect the airport, the drill called for BGR staff to assist with the airline, families of those killed or injured and the provision of public information.

“We are required by law to carry out a full-scale emergency drill every three years, with table top and functional drills in the intervening years, as well as our own annual disaster planning,” said Airport Director Tony Caruso.

“The widespread involvement of so many third parties and the precision with which this exercise was planned made it all extremely worthwhile and very realistic.”

FEMA drill simulates major disaster

Plane spotters gatherat BGR

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GENERAL AVIATION continued from page 1

The importance of such time-enhancing features was underscored in a 2009 Harris Interactive study, which showed that employees are 20 percent more productive on a business jet than in the office, whereas flying commercial makes them 40 percent less productive than being in the office. The study also found that business use aircraft averaged more than 350 hours per year, or almost an hour a day. On those flights, approximately 22 percent of passengers were top management, 50 percent were managers, and 20 percent were technical, sales, or service staff, showing how widespread business jet use is throughout companies. While manufacturers develop new products that make flying to Europe more productive for companies, GAMA is working hard with the European Aviation Safety Agency, our sister

general aviation associations and other leaders to improve the regulatory environment for business jets there. Although Europe has traditionally treated all aviation—commercial and general aviation— the same, GAMA has been pushing for more proportionate regulation of initial airworthiness, operations, licensing and maintenance for all aspects of the general aviation marketplace. This will make it easier and quicker for manufacturers in Europe to bring new, safety-enhancing products to customers throughout the rest of the world, and for those flying on general aviation aircraft to Europe to have their airplanes repaired more quickly in Europe should that need arise.

The relationship between individuals and businesses in the US and Europe will remain as strong as ever in the years ahead, as demonstrated by the strong traffic at BGR. Manufacturers are proud to be doing their part to create products and promote policies that will enable those partnerships to grow.

To that list may now be added higher cargo revenues, following the classification of the airport as an economic tech stop, as BGR Marketing Manager Risteen Bahr explains: “The term was coined following a study

by Maine Maritime Academy and tested on visitors to our booth at the World Routes development forum in Chicago, where it found particular resonance, especially with those involved in cargo.

“The premise is essentially a simple one: using Bangor International as an economic tech stop allows aircraft to take on less fuel for the initial leg of their journey, thereby facilitating an increase in their payload by as much as 30 percent. So, if an aircraft is making a trans-Atlantic crossing to or from anywhere, say, west of the Mississippi River, they can break their journey at Bangor International, where flexible

fuel arrangements and contract pricing make us the most competitive fuel supplier on the East Coast, and top up for the next leg,” she adds.

The economic tech stop business model is proving equally attractive to inbound and outbound traffic, though aircraft making BGR their first US port of entry from overseas have the added benefit of clearing Customs and Border Patrol more quickly due to the lack of congestion.

“The largest aircraft to come through the airport stand to save $100,000 on a 40,000 gallon top-up. Add that to the ability to carry more cargo and you soon see why the economic tech stop concept is proving so popular,” adds Bahr.

Thirty percent revenue boost for cargo handlersLower airport fees, faster turnaround times, 24/7 Customs availability and superior customer service have long been Bangor International hallmarks, all contributing to the airport’s popularity as the number one tech stop on the Great Circle route.

Bangor International Airport • 287 Godfrey Blvd, Bangor, ME 04401, USA • 1.207.992.4600 • fax: 1.207.945.3607 • www.flybangor.com

If you have any questions or comments regarding this newsletter or story suggestions for the next edition, please contact Risteen Bahr: rbahr@flybangor.com or 1.207.992.4610.

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While it is unlikely that the expression was as much a part of the vernacular then as it is today, even though some would say that the term may even have Biblical roots, it summarizes both the transformation the jet fuel takes in its conversion from crude oil, as well as its physical journey from New Brunswick in the Canadian Maritimes to Bangor International Airport (BGR) via a network of pipes, ships and trucks.

As the sole supplier of jet fuel to the airport, Irving Oil employees take painstaking care to ensure the highest product quality and reliability.

Susan Duffley, Jet Fuel Operations Manager at Irving Oil, says that the company’s chemical engineers start the jet fuel refining process four months before it reaches the BGR fuel farm.

“It’s a very complex process; it takes a very complex equation, made up of a million and one algorithms,” she says. It determines when to add these ingredients, how to add them, at what temperature, what our yield is going to be, and what kind of crude we need. It has to be the right crude that’s going to give us the right yield.”

Jet fuel, like many products, starts off as crude oil. The crude is heated to 700oF, allowing lighter components to rise to the top. The kerosene that rises then moves on to the jet plant at the Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.

Chemical Engineer Deanne Fitzpatrick works with the team to mix a batch of jet fuel almost every day at the Irving Oil jet plant, using reactors and filtration systems to purify it and create the right chemical balance. The jet plant can produce 22,000 barrels a day, each batch taking two hours to create.

Once complete, the jet fuel is stored on site at the refinery before it travels via pipeline to the East Saint John loading terminal. About once a month, Bangor’s jet fuel is loaded into a segregated compartment on an Irving Oil tanker via an above-ground loading dock. The tankers have a huge capacity, with the largest capable of transporting 265,000 barrels.

Once Bangor’s jet fuel is loaded, it takes the tanker 12 hours to sail to the Bucksport Terminal, a storage facility in Bucksport, Maine. Since the terminal is 20 miles south of Bangor it only takes

an hour to load a truck and deliver the fuel to the BGR’s own fuel farm, from which it is piped into the airport.

The jet fuel is tested at every stage along the way to make sure it adheres to strict government regulations. Even before the batch leaves the refinery it has been subjected to at least 70 tests.

“We test it as we make it; we test it in the pipeline, we test it on the ship, we test it in the truck and test it at product release,” says Duffley.

There can be other hurdles to overcome along the way. Some days might be too stormy for a tanker to sail or deep snow can prevent trucks from making deliveries. The Irving Oil team rises to the challenge, developing backup plans to ensure a reliable fuel supply.

Irving Oil has more than 40 years of experience in this industry and is a major supplier of jet fuel in Atlantic Canada and the northeastern United States.

The interest in aviation started about 90 years ago when K.C. Irving, the founder of Irving Oil, was a fighter pilot in the First World War. A few years after the war ended, he opened a garage and service station in his hometown of Bouctouche, New Brunswick. It was 1924 and he was a 25 year-old with a simple philosophy: to go the extra mile for his customers. A philosophy that has stood the test of time and continues to hold good today.

Going the extra mileIt seems fitting that the man who started Irving Oil, one of the major suppliers of jet fuel in Atlantic Canada and the northeastern United States, began with the vision of ‘going the extra mile’ for his customers.

The Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick, is one of the 10 largest refineries in North America. Every day it produces more than 320,000 barrels of finished energy products, including fuel for jets, vehicles and home heat. (Irving Oil photo)