Everyone is looking for signs that the U.S. general aviation industry has weathered the worst of the worldwide economic malaise and finally is moving into recovery mode. That certainly was the topic that commanded most conversations at the recent National Business Aviation Association Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. Not every one of the 1083 exhibiting companies and organizations on the convention floor could claim to be feeling better, but one that did is Twin Commander Aircraft LLC.
“It was a very good show for us,” commented Twin Commander Aircraft President Matt Isley. “We teamed up with several of our largest authorized service centers to exhibit, and we were busy. Over the three days of the show we met with a number of existing owners and operators and also sat down with an encouraging number of prospects. The activity at our NBAA exhibit reflects the situation at our authorized service centers, which are busy with inspections, upgrades, and repairs,” Isley added.
Twin Commander Aircraft owns the rights to all turboprop and piston-twin Commander models, and supports the worldwide fleet with replacement parts, upgrades, technical resources, and a worldwide network of independent authorized service centers.
The resale market for Twin Commanders also is healthier than in the recent past. A leading Commander salesman, Bruce Byerly of Naples Jet Center, reports strong sales activity in recent weeks, especially for the top-of-the line JetProp Commander 1000. The inventory of available aircraft is the lowest in recent memory, according to Byerly.
Byerly tells the story of a charter client who asked him recently how to make sense of the current aircraft market. “His own demonstration flight provided the answer: A short-notice, single-pilot trip into a 3,000-foot-long runway,” Byerly said. “An important bonus was the fact that the trip was completed on half the fuel that a chartered jet would have required, so turboprop technology remains relevant. Today’s frugal market recognizes it as the most efficient tool for many typical missions.”
Twin Commander LLC is following up its NBAA appearance with an exhibit at AOPA Aviation Summit in Long Beach, California, November 11-13. Isley and representatives from authorized service centers Aero Air, Executive Aircraft Maintenance, and Eagle Creek Aviation Services will be at Airportfest, the Summit static display, at Long Beach/Daugherty Field, with a recently refurbished 690B Twin Commander.
For more information visit www.twincommander.com.
