- renata927
- Mar 5
- 3 min read
Vista secures $600m investment infusion
Vista private aviation group has signed a definitive agreement for an equity investment of $600 million from a consortium of investors led by RRJ Capital, an Asian private equity firm. On the equity investment in Vista, Richard Ong, Founder and CEO of RRJ Capital, stated: “RRJ are very pleased to become a long-term partner to Vista, the leading private jet company in the world. With over 20 years of industry innovation, and a global presence across all markets, this strategic investment in Vista marks an exciting new chapter in our shared journey.” Andalusian Private Capital and others will participate alongside RRJ Capital bringing a broad range of expertise and expanded global network. They join existing shareholders, including Rhône Group LLC, who have been long-standing investors in Vista. The transaction is expected to close before the end of March 2025.
Pilatus unveils PC-12 PRO with Garmin avionics
Pilatus unveiled its latest PC-12 variant on March 14 with a video streamed on YouTube. At the core of the new PC-12 PRO is its updated “Advanced Cockpit Environment” – ACE. Replacing the Honeywell Apex system employed in the existing PC-12, Pilatus’ fully customised Garmin G3000 PRIME flight deck offers features such as Pilatus’ proprietary cursor control device, track-based synthetic vision, and exclusive visual customisation. Three high-resolution touchscreen displays are supported by two seven inch secondary touchscreen displays, which Pilatus explains provide twice the processing power and four times the RAM capacity as the original G3000.
The integration of Garmin’s flight deck also provides the PC-12 Pro with “Garmin’s complete array of advanced safety features,” including its emergency ‘Autoland’ function. The stall warning and protection system has also been improved, as has the electronic stability and protection function, while a larger weather radar antenna also contributes to greater situational awareness. Already certified, deliveries of the PC-12 PRO will start in the fourth quarter of 2025. The updated PC-12 will compete with another Garmin-equipped single-engine turboprop, the Beechcraft Denali, also expected to arrive in 2025. Typically equipped, the PC-12 Pro is priced at $6.8 million. The 2024 PC-12 NGX listed for $6.2 million.
Robinson unveils 10-seat R88 at Verticon
Robinson Helicopter Company last week announced the R88, a significant expansion of Robinson Helicopter’s product portfolio, addressing the demand for cost-effective single-engine utility helicopters. Powered by the 1,000-shaft-horsepower Safran Arriel 2W, the R88 has a payload capacity of up to 1,800 pounds (815 kilograms) with full fuel, and a range of 350 nautical miles (650 kilometers), said David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter Company during a special presentation on the eve of Verticon (formerly known as Heli-Expo). The R88 has the standard Robinson two-bladed main rotor and tail, but scaled up to accommodate the increase in power and size provided by the Arriel engine. The R88 is the largest aircraft Robinson Helicopter has designed, with capacity for eight main cabin seats and two cockpit seats. The R88 features a Garmin avionics suite, including large G500H TXi displays and GTN navigators with touchscreen controls and offers a standard 4-axis autopilot with features such as level mode, hover assist, limit cueing, and low/high speed protection. Robinson is targeting first flight of the R88 by end of 2025/beginning of 2026. The company has been in ongoing discussions with the Federal Aviation Administration regarding certification, and hopes to achieve this landmark 2.5 to three years after first flight.
People: Boeing appoints Don Ruhmann as new chief aerospace safety officer
Boeing last week announced Don Ruhmann as the company’s new Chief Aerospace Safety Officer, effective immediately. As the planemaker works to rebuild its reputation amid ongoing challenges, Ruhmann will be responsible for strengthening Boeing’s safety culture and safety practices. Ruhmann succeeds Mike Delaney, who announced his retirement after a nearly four-decade career with Boeing.
Ruhmann was previously vice president of Development Programs for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. In this role, he oversaw program management of new derivative airplanes from initial offering through certification and entry into service, which included working with global regulators. Prior to this assignment, Ruhmann was vice president and chief project engineer for the 787 program. He was responsible for the safety, product integrity, configuration, design and airplane performance on the 787 program. From 2013 to 2020, Ruhmann served in engineering leadership roles on the 777 and 777X program. Previously Ruhmann was the regional vice president of Commercial Aviation Services for Middle East, Russia, Central Asia and Africa. He was the senior Boeing counterpart to airline technical and operations executives for post-delivery technical support and business issues. Ruhmann has held a variety of technical and leadership roles since joining Boeing in 1989 as a liaison engineer. Ruhmann holds a master’s degree in Applications of Physics from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University. He also completed executive education at Columbia University and holds a private pilot license.
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