Ameriflight President and CEO Gary Richards, who founded the cargo operator more than 45 years ago, has sold the operation to Pebbles Aviation, LLC. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

General Dynamics (GD) is crediting its Aerospace group, including both Gulfstream Aerospace and Jet Aviation, for serving as its primary growth engine for both earnings and revenues as the group posted significant gains both in the fourth quarter and on the year, and continued to receive strong bookings.

Helicopter Association International (HAI) fears that a provision calling on FAA to develop rulemaking covering helicopters operations over Los Angeles further establishes a precedent of allowing local noise concerns alone to dictate airspace design and access.

Fixed-base operations are rethinking how they charge for services as they continue to face increased price pressures with little expectation of volume measurably increasing in the near future.

After three consecutive quarterly losses, late 2013 certifications of its new Sovereign+ and M2 helped Cessna Aircraft finish the year with a slight fourth-quarter profit and position the company for a 19% growth in revenues in 2014.

Daher-Socata reported improved deliveries of its TBM 850 single turboprop in 2013, and is hoping the program will continued to expand as Europe considers permitting single turbine-engine commercial operations in instrument meteorological conditions. The French manufacturer delivered 40 TBM 850s in 2013, up 5% from 2012 deliveries. Daher-Socata says 2013 became the fourth best year for the TBM family since its introduction in 1990.

Henry Ogrodzinski, the president and CEO of the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) and a longtime industry advocate, died at his home in Washington, D.C. Jan. 22 after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 65.

The last year has provided some much-needed positive news for Airbus's A380 program, including a milestone 100th delivery and a major deal that pushed the program's languishing orderbook beyond 300. Whether the solid run is a precursor of things to come or an anomalous blip on a radar screen full of challenges is up for debate.