East West Aircraft Latest News

East West Aircraft Latest News http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/news 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z East West Aircraft Sales Caravans Help Haiti

Caravans land on roads to bring vital supplies. (New York Times, Feb 4, 2010)

LÉOGÂNE, Haiti — On a good day, a stray cow might be the only obstacle to landing the small planes bringing oxygen, crutches, baby formula and other supplies that will be put to immediate use at a hospital set up in a nursing school dormitory here. On a bad day, like one recent Sunday morning, the pilots circled overhead, waiting while a Humvee towed an abandoned truck off the landing strip with a hastily borrowed chain. The landing strip, in fact, is actually a stretch of highway flanked by sugarcane and banana trees, currently the only way to fly into Léogâne, a city near the epicenter of the Jan. 12 earthquake. The flights, by volunteer pilots flying mostly at their own expense, are part of an unconventional relief mission to get supplies to some of <a title="More news and information about Haiti." href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/haiti/index.html?inline=nyt-geo">Haiti</a>’s most remote areas. The planes have landed on a dirt airstrip in Jérémie, a 10-hour drive from the capital, Port-au-Prince, bearing the sole supply of X-ray film to an area deluged by earthquake victims with broken bones. They have spirited out the wounded and ferried in spaghetti and beans. The conditions vary from a paved runway and a control tower in Jacmel on the southern coast, to a gravel runway in Port-de-Paix in the north, where a man manages air traffic without the aid of radio or radar. The situation on the ground, where hungry Haitians sometimes crowd the tarmac, can be unpredictable. On Sunday, two Americans, Ryan Courtemanche, 26, and his co-pilot, Bernard Antonovich, 22, kept their cool as they barreled down in a Cessna Grand Caravan whose wings were 20 feet wider than the two-lane road. In preparation, <a title="More articles about the United Nations." href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/u/united_nations/index.html?inline=nyt-org">United Nations</a> troops had cordoned off the road, but the clearance was still so narrow that on an earlier flight, a wing clipped a tree, and rebar protruding from an unfinished wall had been bent back to clear the way. The runway is also shorter than normal, so the pilots braked hard. “Welcome to Léogâne,” Mr. Courtemanche said genially, as if he were doing his usual job of shuttling the well-heeled to Nantucket and St. Barts. The charter company he and Mr. Antonovich work for, <a title="Company’s Web site." href="http://www.tradewindaviation.com/">Tradewind Aviation</a>, based in Oxford, Conn., donated their time and the use of the Caravan for dozens of relief flights. “I never thought I’d be flying to Haiti,” Mr. Courtemanche said, “and I never thought I’d be flying on a road.” http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Caravans_Help_Haiti.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Cessna Market Stabilizing

Used business-jet sales turned a slight profit for Cessna Aircraft Company this past quarter.

If you were waiting for used-aircraft pricing of business jets to bottom out, wait no longer. They are on the way back up, according to Textron officials.  Used business-jet sales turned a slight profit for Cessna this past quarter, and industry-wide the prices for used aircraft are increasing. Indicators show a recovery beginning in the last half of 2010, but Textron officials weren’t ready to report what kind of year 2010 would be. “The wild card is Cessna and where that market goes,” said one Textron official, referring to overall Textron profits. It is likely that for the fourth quarter profits will continue to slide. Deliveries for 2009 are likely to be greater than 275 business jets, although Cessna is capable in good times of delivering 500 aircraft per year. As expected, the rest of the world is recovering from the economic downturn ahead of the U.S. economy. Cessna has seen customers willing to accept deferred orders and placing new orders for 2009 and 2010 deliveries, but the bulk of them are from foreign markets. The U.S. market is expected to show those same signs of recovery but not until mid- to late 2010. Cessna’s revenues decreased $593 million from the same period last year, primarily reflecting the delivery of 68 Citation jets in the third quarter of 2009, compared to 124 jets last year and lower aftermarket volumes, partially offset by an increase in used aircraft volume. Segment profit decreased $206 million primarily due to the lower sales volumes and related costs associated with idle capacity and temporary plant shutdowns. Cessna has laid off nearly half of its work force. The impact of the lower volume was partially offset by lower engineering, selling, and administrative expenses, which included the net impact of employee furloughs taken during the quarter and customer deposit forfeitures. Cessna’s backlog at the end of the third quarter was $6.9 billion, a decline of $1.3 billion from the second quarter.   http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Cessna_Market_Stabilizing.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Arnold Palmer Voicing Support for Industry in New Ads

Arnie extols the value of business aviation.

Golf legend and accomplished businessman Arnold Palmer is lending his voice to support the value of business aviation to U.S. citizens, companies and communities in a new video and print advertising campaign for No Plane No Gain, the advocacy program jointly sponsored by NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). Palmer speaks to the benefits of business aviation in the ads and responds to those who would devalue the use of an airplane for business. For example, in one print ad, Palmer states: "People who build business airplanes make things fly. People who use them make things happen. A few others make things up." In one of the video spots, Palmer states plainly: "For more than 50 years, using business airplanes is the single most productive thing I have done." http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Arnold_Palmer_Voicing_Support_for_Industry_in_New.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Members of Congress Urge No User Fees in 2011 White House Budget

Letter sent to President Obama

House Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Costello (D-IL-12) and Subcommittee Ranking Member Tom Petri (R-WI-6) recently drafted and sent a letter to President Barack Obama asking that user fees not be included in the Administration's fiscal year 2011 proposal for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding and aviation system modernization. In addition to Reps. Costello and Petri, the letter was signed by 116 other House members. The letter asks the President to reject user fees and to build on the system of fuel taxes for GA's contribution to FAA funding and modernization. http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Members_of_Congress_Urge_No_User_Fees_in_2011_Whit.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Corporate Jets Aren’t Just for Fat Cats

f\For many businesses, it makes no more sense for employees to fly on commercial airlines than it does for a fireman use a city bus to arrive at a fire.

A new study shows the use of business jets and other small aircraft is more about companies trying to gain efficiency and improve the bottom line than about providing a luxurious perk to those at the top of the corporate ladder. The industry wants to dispel many misconceptions about how and why companies use general aviation. While cases of corporate bigwigs using corporate planes to jet off to exotic locales tend to make the headlines, the reality is very different, according to the survey of passengers and flight crews. The study found just 22 percent of passengers on business aircraft were top-level executives, while 70 percent included mid-level managers, sales, technical and service staff. The average number of employees per company who flew on business aircraft during a six-month period before the survey was 85. In addition to aircraft usage, another key point highlighted in the report follows the old real estate motto of location, location, location. Almost half of the flights made by business aircraft in the survey are to airports with little or no scheduled airline service. One-third were to smaller, secondary airports. In other words, taking the corporate jet was the most efficient, if not the only, way to get there.   There are more than 5,000 public airports in the United States, but only about 600 have any kind of scheduled service. What’s more, most of the airlines fly in and out of just 70 major hub airports. The ability to utilize more of the airports not served by airlines benefits companies trying to save time by flying closer to their destinations. And it benefits the rest of us by reducing traffic — and therefore delays — at hub airports. http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Corporate_Jets_Aren___t_Just_for_Fat_Cats.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Business Aviation Fuels Growth

Letter to USA Today explains the misconceptions in Cover Story on September 17.

USA TODAY's article "Little-used airports cost taxpayers big money" has done an injustice to general-aviation businesses that continue to provide hope for the economic well-being of this nation (Cover story, News, Sept. 17). Why not look at the positive impact business aviation has in the United States? •Business aviation contributes $150 billion to U.S. economic output and employs more than 1.2 million people. •The flights made by business airplanes require support. Schedulers, dispatchers, maintenance technicians, pilots, training professionals and airport employees are just a few of the many support professions involved in business aviation. •Although some 500 airports have limited commercial airline service, almost all airline flights go from only 70 major hubs. For the myriad communities not serviced by these hubs, there is no way to get there without business aviation. A 2006 study conducted by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association stated, "General aviation is an important element of economic growth in part because it fulfills transportation needs which can not otherwise be met. Only about 350 U.S. communities have scheduled air service; for the remainder, GA is the only option for the movement of persons or cargo by air. Moreover, GA provides specialized air services, such as air ambulance and traffic patrol, to communities that do have scheduled air service." Without proper and well-maintained airports, these services would be limited at best. Whether it is fixed-based operators, charter services, fuel suppliers, aircraft maintenance, emergency services, recreational flying or flight training providers, general aviation contributes to the economic development of communities throughout America. Their tax dollars (property tax, sales tax, employment tax) are sustainable revenue sources. Your one-sided view, from the vantage point of government spending, does not tell the whole story. General aviation has an immeasurable impact on the lives of people, communities and the nation. Andy Priester, president Illinois Aviation Trades Association http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Business_Aviation_Fuels_Growth.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Cessna Skycatcher

Model 162 Skycatcher back in production

Cessna Aircraft has placed the SkyCatcher back in development after two flight tests involving spin-testing led to crashes. In the coming weeks, Cessna will gather additional wind tunnel testing that will be used with data from recent spin testing to refine the configuration before spin testing will be resumed, the company said today. On March 19, the plane was undergoing an aggressive spin test regime, power and and cross-controlled, when it entered a spin that was not immediately recoverable. It was one of more than 500 test flights flown using various combinations of center-of-gravity positions, power settings, flap settings and control inputs, the company said. The aircraft was slightly damaged and is being repaired. Cessna is testing beyond those required by the American Society for Testing and Materials. http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Cessna__Skycatcher.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Harrison Ford Promotes GA

AOPA launches campaign to showcase General Aviation

With general aviation challenged on a number of fronts, a leading pilots association has launched a multimillion-dollar campaign to promote the industry and showcase its significance. Many people don't understand the role general aviation plays every day in communities and in the economy, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association said. It provides services such as law enforcement, medical help and emergency services and boosts business for local communities, it said. "People are very misinformed to just what general aviation is," said AOPA spokesman Andrew Broom. Called General Aviation Serves America, the advocacy campaign will use people who use general aviation to tell their stories about what it means to their communities and to their businesses, the group said. "It's really putting a face to general aviation," Broom said. Actor and pilot Harrison Ford has volunteered to help in the campaign. He is featured in a video and an ad. The AOPA will use radio, television and print advertising and Web sources to get the word out. The campaign comes at a critical time when general aviation is under pressure from legislators and regulators, the AOPA said. "We call it one of the most serious sets of issues ever faced by general aviation," Broom said. General aviation brings $150 billion into the U.S. economy annually and provides 1.2 million jobs, the group said. The challenges put those numbers at risk, it said. The Obama administration wants to change the way the Federal Aviation Administration is funded and implement direct user fees starting in October 2011, Broom said. In addition, "onerous" security regulations, proposed reductions in the general fund contribution to the FAA and plans by some local governments wanting to replace airports with residential development could threaten the industry, Broom said. And an increasingly negative public perception of general aviation as "jets for the rich" also harms the industry. "So now we're embarking on one of the biggest campaigns ever taken on by AOPA," Broom said. AOPA has committed $1.5 million to the campaign and is raising funds to expand it. http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Harrison_Ford_Promotes_GA.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Grand Caravan Goes "Down Under"

EastWest sells Grand Caravan to Australian operator for survellience and other work.

A company in Australia needed a Grand Caravan to lease to the Australian authorities for surveillance and other work. The company contact EastWest Aircraft for assistance in the project.  Several aircraft were evaluated and information was sent to Australia for review.  Two airplanes were identified as being the best values for the particular mission in Australia.   Jerry met the Aussie in Kansas to view the first airplane, then traveled with him to Maryland to see the other airplane and make a detour to nearby Washington, DC, for a tour of our nation's capitol. The decision was made to pursue the airplane in Kansas.  Our Aussie colleague returned to Kansas to begin the Pre-Purchase Inspection.  Once the aircraft passed the initial inspection, he returned to Australia.  At the completion of the Pre-Purchase Inspection, Jerry went to Kansas for the final approval, then moved the airplane to Chicago for modifications requested by the Aussie purchaser. EastWest oversaw the modification process as well as the movement to escrow for the closing of the purchase funds and all necessary paperwork, including de-registration from the US and registration in Australia. We also assisted the Australian ferry pilot who picked up the airplane in Chicago for the long trip to its new home in Australia. Another successful sale to a very satisfied customer with supervision by EastWest of the entire process from the initial evaluation of available aircraft top the closing of the transaction and export of the airplane to Australia!   http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Grand_Caravan_Goes__Down_Under1.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Second Sale to Las Vegas

First sale went so smoothly, air tour company comes back to EastWest for another airplane.

The first Caravan EastWest sold to TTF Airplanes did such a good job for them, they quickly decided it made sense to find another one.  So they once again turned to EastWest to help them find the right airplane. EastWest researched the market and found an airplane that was a very good candidate, but was not configured exactly the way TTF wanted.  EastWest found the necessary equipment and made arrangements to quickly change out the various items necessary to make the airplane perfect for TTF's requirements.  It was soon on its way to Las Vegas to join its sister ship in carrying people on air tours of the Las Vegas area and the Grand Canyon.  The Caravan also has plenty of room to carry all the gear some passengers take along for extended stays and camping in the Canyon. http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Second_Sale_to_Las_Vegas.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Sightseeing Company Moves to Caravans

Las Vegas tour company cahnes fleet form Navajos to Caravans

When TTF Airplanes Helicopters bought out King Airlines, they decided the Cessna Caravan would serve their customers more reliably, safely, and much more cost effectively. EastWest researched the market, found several airplanes that would fit the needs of the sightseeing and air tour company.  After careful review of the plusses and minuses of each airplane, one was selected and negotiations on price and terms were concluded. The pre-purchase inspection was scheduled and EastWest met the engineer from Las Vegas to supervise the inspection and resolve any discrepancies found.  The airplane had been well maintained and the inspection went very smoothly.  It was soon on its way to Las Vegas to start carrying tourists to view the magnificent Grand Canyon and other attractions around southern Nevada.    http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Sightseeing_Company_Moves_to_Caravans.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z First Sound Barrier Break by Airliner

Phillipine Airlines DC-8 exceeds speed opf sound.

April 1962: During a brief dive, a Philippine Airlines Douglas DC-8-53 became the first commercial airliner to exceed the speed of sound. Philippine Airlines is the first and longest operating commercial airline in Asia http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/First_Sound_Barrier_Break_by_Airliner.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z First Free-Fall Parachute Jump

First free-fall jump in 1919!

April 28, 1919: Leslie L. Irvin (founder of the Irvin Parachute Company, which is today Irvin Aerospace) made the first free-fall parachute jump at McCook Field in Dayton, Ohio, thereby proving that such jumps do not induce unconsciousness (as otherwise predicted by some experts). April 27, 1920: Ormer Locklear was fined $25 for "reckless aerial driving" over Los Angeles. http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/First_Free_Fall_Parachute_Jump.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z First Movie from an Airplane

Film first shot from airplane in 1909!

April 24, 1909 & April 21, 1914 - In this same week, in two different years, marked the first motion pictures (1909) and first news movie (1914) filmed from the air while on board an aircraft. http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/First_Movie_from_an_Airplane.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Caravan Gets Glass Cockpit

WAAS Certified

Introducing the perfect union of brains and brawn. With more than 10 million fleet hours under its heavy-lifting wings, the Cessna Caravan now has brains to match. The standard Garmin G1000® glass cockpit combined with the WAAS-certified GFC700 automated flight control system integrates all primary flight, engine and sensor data to provide intuitive, at-a-glance situational awareness and precise flight guidance and control. For complete information, go online - www.caravan.cessna.com. http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Caravan_Gets_Glass_Cockpit.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Synthetic Vision Has Arrived

Garmin SVT Coming to Cessna Airplanes

<div style=" font-size: 13pt; font-weight: bold; color: #000066; font-family: 'Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif';"> </div> <div style=" font-size: 10pt; margin-bottom: 10px; color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif';">The FAA has granted supplemental type certification for Garmin's three-dimensional Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT). The system displays high-resolution, 3D graphic depictions of terrain, runways, obstacles and even traffic on the primary flight display (PFD). The graphics replace Garmin's previous blue-over-brown PFD depiction. The user-customizable system also incorporates highway-in-the-sky guidance with rectangular boxes depicted on the PFD, and a flight path marker-which clearly indicates where the aircraft's flight path is taking it. Garmin said SVT should be available in July for aircraft equipped with its G1000 and G900X (experimental only) systems, and G1000-retrofitted King Air C90s some time next year. No hardware changes are needed for the SVT upgrade, but the software changeover will have to be made at a Garmin dealer. <div style=" font-size: 10pt; margin-bottom: 10px; color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif';">Cessna will also offer Garmin's synthetic vision as an option, starting later this year with its Mustang jet. Cessna's Mustang will be among the first aircraft models to enter service with SVT. The Caravan and piston singles equipped with G1000s will be available with SVT following that.</div> </div>   http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Synthetic_Vision_Has_Arrived.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Synthetic Vision Has Arrived

Garmin SVT Coming to Cessna Airplanes

<div style=" font-size: 13pt; font-weight: bold; color: #000066; font-family: 'Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif';"> </div> <div style=" font-size: 10pt; margin-bottom: 10px; color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif';">The FAA has granted supplemental type certification for Garmin's three-dimensional Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT). The system displays high-resolution, 3D graphic depictions of terrain, runways, obstacles and even traffic on the primary flight display (PFD). The graphics replace Garmin's previous blue-over-brown PFD depiction. The user-customizable system also incorporates highway-in-the-sky guidance with rectangular boxes depicted on the PFD, and a flight path marker-which clearly indicates where the aircraft's flight path is taking it. Garmin said SVT should be available in July for aircraft equipped with its G1000 and G900X (experimental only) systems, and G1000-retrofitted King Air C90s some time next year. No hardware changes are needed for the SVT upgrade, but the software changeover will have to be made at a Garmin dealer. <div style=" font-size: 10pt; margin-bottom: 10px; color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif';">Cessna will also offer Garmin's synthetic vision as an option, starting later this year with its Mustang jet. Cessna's Mustang will be among the first aircraft models to enter service with SVT. The Caravan and piston singles equipped with G1000s will be available with SVT following that.</div> </div>   http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Synthetic_Vision_Has_Arrived1.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Caravan to Business Jet

Sale of Caravan allows South American to move up to jet.

One of our colleagues, who specializes in the sale of business jets, called to say he had a client in South America that wanted to trade his Caravan in for a jet.  We worked with him in evaluating the Caravan, giving him a number at which we would inventory the Caravan, as well as a net number that we thought we could get if we marketed it for the owner. The owner was not in a great hurry, so he decided to give us some time to sell the airplane.  We brought the airplane to the market, and in a relatively short period of time, found a buyer here in the U.S.  We made arrangements for and supervised the pre-purchase inspection in South America and the resolution of the few squawks found in the inspection.  After the closing through an escrow agent in Oklahoma City, our ferry pilot flew the airplane to its new home. Now there are two happy new airplane owners - one in the U.S. with a Caravan, and one on South America with a jet!   http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Caravan_to_Business_Jet.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Caravan Amphib to a Citation CJ2

Chris in the Bahamas bought a new Caravan Amphib in 1998 to fly around the islands in the Caribbean.  However, soon after he bought the airplane his schedule changed and so did his aircraft needs.  He called on EastWest Aircraft Sales to help him sell the Amphib, and the airplane was soon on its way to a new home in Thailand. With the Amphib gone, Chris could concentrate on getting the best airplane for his new travel requirements.  He determined the Citation CJ2 would do all the things he wanted an airplane to do.  He again called on EastWest to help him find his new airplane while he went off to Flight Safety for CJ2 training.  By the time he was finished training, we had found a low time CJ2 equipped the way Chris wanted.  He flew out to see the airplane and determined it was indeed the airplane for him. EastWest negotiated the price, had the airplane flown to the Wichita Citation Service Center for the pre-purchase inspection, and supervised not only the inspection, but also the completion of the transaction. Chris has already put the airplane to good use, flying it more than 25 hours in his first couple of months with the airplane. http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Caravan_Amphib_to_a_Citation_CJ2.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Caravan Amphib Goes to Work in Thailand

Caravan Amphib, S/N 20800278 has left its life of leisure in the Bahamas to go to work in the islands of Thailand.  The aircraft was owned by a private individual in the Bahamas who bought it new in 1998 to fly among the Bahamian and other Caribbean islands.  However, his needs changed and the airplane was not getting much use.  He had put less than 500 hours on it and had not made a water landing in a couple of years. He asked EastWest to help him sell the airplane.  The domestic amphibian market was rather soft at the time, so we promoted it on the international market. Blue Water Air in Thailand was operating piston powered amphibian aircraft to carry tourists on sightseeing trips in the islands off the south coast of Thailand.  The company wanted to move up to the safety and comfort of the Caravan.  The owner saw our ad and gave us a call. We sent him all the information he needed to make sure the airplane would fit his needs.  The seller brought the airplane to Fort Lauderdale and left on a trip.  We met the Blue Water representatives in Fort Lauderdale for the pre-purchase inspection.  Working on the seller's behalf, we supervised the inspection, determined which discrepancies were his responsibility, and closed the transaction.  By the time the seller returned from his trip, the aircraft had been sold, paperwork filed and money transferred. After the sale, we worked with the buyer to put together a spare parts list for the operation in Thailand, purchase the spares, and make arrangements with an aircraft ferry service to fly the airplane to Thailand. A recent conversation with Blue Water Air found the airplane to be hard at work and doing a great job.  Blue Water Air will be looking for another Caravan Amphib very soon, and the owner said he will call EastWest Aircraft Sales to ensure the second purchase will go as smooth as the first.  http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Caravan_Amphib_Goes_to_Work_in_Thailand.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Grand Caravan, S/N 208B0561, Moves to Canada from Sweden

Ulf Darenius owns Nord-Flyg in Sweden which operates several Caravans among other aircraft.  When a friend of his asked him to help sell the friend's Caravan, Ulf called EastWest, since he had dealt with Jerry and Larry in the past selling a Caravan, Cessna Conquest II, and a Citation. Working through our network of Caravan owners, operators, and dealers, we talked to Kathy Wrobel, of Prairie Aircraft Sales in Saskatchewan, Canada.  She had an operator who was looking for a Caravan he could put to work in Northern Canada.  Obviously, one from Sweden would definitely have the necessary equipment installed for the similarly harsh climate in Canada. Jerry flew to Sweden, where he met the prospective buyer's mechanic, to do the pre-purchase inspection.  After negotiating the repairs of the discrepancies found in the inspection, we made arrangements with the aircraft ferry service to have the airplane flown to Canada.  Meanwhile, Jerry, working with the Swedish authorities, and Larry, working with the Canadian authorities, took care of removing the aircraft form the Swedish Aircraft Registry and putting it on the Canadian Registry. Shortly thereafter, the airplane went to work hauling people, equipment, and supplies to the remote villages of Northern Canada.   http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Grand_Caravan__S_N_208B0561__Moves_to_Canada_from_Sweden.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z Caravan Sale Allows Change to Pilatus

Scott Fank of JA Aero in Chicago had a customer looking for an executive configured Grand Caravan and had not had much luck finding one.  There were just no good executive airplanes on the market. Jerry and Larry had sold a new Grand Caravan to a gentleman named Chris in Fort Lauderdale about a year ago.  He had taken the airplane to Southstar in Uvalde, Texas, and had one of the nicest interiors we have ever seen installed.  At the time, he had indicated that he was going to use the Caravan to get training and build time in a turbine airplane so he could move up to a bigger turbo-prop or jet.  Coincidentally, we knew of a Caravan pilot that was also a certified flight instructor as well as licensed A&P mechanic, who had been flying another executive Caravan.  We put the two of them together and the pilot is still there managing the Caravan and training the owner and his associates. We gave Chris a call to see if he was ready to sell his Caravan.  He had just been talking to the folks at Pilatus and was seriously considering making the move.  We worked with the Pilatus salesman and were able to give him what he needed to make his deal. We flew the airplane to Chicago and sold it to Scott's customer, who happens to have a place in Naples, Florida.  The next time he came to Naples, he called Jerry.  They got together for dinner and had a great evening talking about what a great airplane he had. http://www.eastwestaircraft.com/Caravan_Sale_Allows_Change_to_Pilatus.html 2010-03-10T12:23:15Z