EBAA postpones AIROPS22 to April

The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) announced that it has postponed its annual two-day AIROPS conference by two months due to the risks of a new Covid-19 wave. Originally slated to take place on February 8 and 9 at the Event Lounge in Brussels, the symposium, featuring an exhibition, practical training opportunities, and educational sessions, has now been moved to April 7 and 8.bAccording to EBAA, AIROPS brings ground handlers and airport and FBO representatives together to do business with trip planners and operators. The organization noted that it has gotten off to a good start in terms of exhibitor and sponsor participation and has received encouraging feedback from the market that people are ready to meet again, discuss the industry, and do business. “We want to ensure that the event delivers the best value,” EBAA said. “The latest wave of Covid-19 infections makes this increasingly unsure, and hence we have decided to shift AIROPS 2022 to later dates.” www.ebaa.org

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AMAC Aerospace acquires Gamit Ltd

AMAC Aerospace Switzerland has acquired Gamit Ltd, a UK company supplying professional and technical support to local and international Maintenance Repair Organizations, airlines, private and corporate aircraft owners.

Bernd Schramm, COO AMAC Aerospace Switzerland, said: “We are excited to incorporate Gamit Limited into the ‘AMAC Aerospace Group of Companies’ as it will give the group more aviation related services that we normally have to seek from the wider markets.“ The business model of Gamit Ltd is based on three pillars: Material and logistics support, technical services and digital records online. The company was founded 1990 at London Stansted Airport. The support and services include consultancy, engineering project management, technical representation and engineering record audits. Gamit is a stockist of aircraft spare parts supporting supply chain management requirements on both Commercial and Business Aviation aircraft platforms. www.amacaerospace.com

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Embraer’s Eve to list on NYSE after merger with Zanite

Embraer is to merge its electric aircraft subsidiary Eve with Zanite Acquisition Corp, a special purpose acquisition corporation focused on the aviation sector, ahead of listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The transaction, which values Eve’s equity at $2.9bn is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022. Embraer will remain a majority stockholder with about an 80% equity stake in Eve. The transaction will develop and commercialise Eve’s UAM solution spanning eVTOL design and production, service and support, fleet operations and urban air traffic management, according to the OEM.

Included in the transaction are up to about $237m of cash from Zanite and a $305m private investment in public equity (PIPE), anchored by Embraer, Zanite Sponsor LLC, financial investors and a group of partners. The partners include: Azorra Aviation, BAE Systems, Bradesco BBI, Falko Regional Aircraft, Republic Airways, Rolls-Royce and SkyWest, Inc.

Eve has an order pipeline of about $5.2bn. This includes: 1,735 vehicle orders, via non-binding letters of intent, from 17 launch customers. Embraer has granted Eve a royalty-free license to OEM’s background intellectual property to be used within the UAM sector. Eve will be led by co-CEOs Jerry DeMuro, former CEO of BAE Systems, Inc., and Andre Stein, who has led Eve since its launch and has served in leadership roles with Embraer for more than 20 years. www.eveairmobility.com

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People: Jens Ritter, new CEO of Lufthansa Airlines

Jens Ritter, currently a Member of the Executive Board and COO of Eurowings, will become the new CEO of Lufthansa Airlines on 1 April 2022 and will succeed Klaus Froese. Klaus Froese is handing over his post after more than six years on the Executive Board of Lufthansa Airlines, most recently as CEO. Going forward, he will fly for Lufthansa as a captain, piloting the new Boeing 787 that arrives next year.

Jens Ritter (48) started his flying career in 2000 after studying aerospace and training as an Airbus A320 pilot with Lufthansa. In 2008, he switched to the Airbus A330/340 as a long-haul pilot. In 2014, he was trained as a captain on the Airbus A320. Jens Ritter took on his first management role in 2005 in the 'A380 Onboard IT' project. Later, he held various management positions. In 2014, he took over as Head of Operations Efficiency and Strategy at Lufthansa. In parallel, he led a project for the standardization of Group-wide flight operations processes in Lufthansa Group. Between 2016 and 2020, Jens Ritter was responsible for the operations of Austrian Airlines as Accountable Manager. As Chief Operating Officer (COO), he was part of the extended Executive Board of Austrian Airlines. He has been Chief Operating Officer and Member of the Executive Board at Eurowings since April 2021. www.lufthansagroup.com