Business & Commercial Aviation

Brad Mottier says the philosophy behind the conception of General Electric's Passport turbofan was to conceive an entirely new engine to power large long-range business jets at high speeds and altitudes with unprecedented fuel economy.

News of awards and honors involving professionals within the business aviation community.

GE Vice President and General Manager Brad Mottier wants the Passport turbofan to provide operators with a different product support experience.

At the end of World War II, Leroy Grumman, co-founder of Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corp., espoused the radical idea of building an aircraft designed expressly for the conveyance of small teams of business executives.

Many of the runways used by business aircraft lack the surface features (grooves, crowning, PFC) that lessen the effects of runway contamination.

The field of safety science has developed a hierarchy of steps to reducing accidents.

Selected accidents and incidents in November 2017.

There are a variety of contributing factors that result in wrong-airport landings and a few common threads we can look out for to avoid being on the nightly news.

With this issue, Business & Commercial Aviation begins its 60th year of publishing in service to the business aviation community.

Potential divert airports are organized by the specific services they offer, such as FBO line support and fuel, aircraft maintenance, passenger accommodations and amenities, and availability of airline service.

The investigators' factual information on the loss of a Cessna Citation 525 contains lessons for all pilots flying aircraft with modern, complex flight management/information systems.

BCA editors and our business aviation colleagues from the Aviation Week Network have hand picked the stories we published in 2017 that you won’t want to miss.

Fast Five with Neil Book, President and CEO of Jet Support Services, Inc.

Esterline CMC Electronics and NovAtel have formed a partnership to extend their collaboration in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning technology.

JetCraft has partnered with Aerolineas Ejecutivas to expand its presence in Latin America. The aircraft sales division of Aerolineas Executives will operate as a Jetcraft authorized representative in Latin America, the Caribbean and Latin markets in Florida and Texas.

Reignwood International Investment Group of Beijing has agreed to purchase 50 additional Bell 505 JetRanger Xs.

Priority Aviation has spun off its subsidiary, Priority One Jets, and is entering the cannabis business with the acquisition of Telluride Health Co.

The number of pre-owned business jets for sale has declined to 2,225, although it remains a buyer's market, said JetNet, which released September and year-to-date figures on Oct. 30.

Boeing completed the acquisition of Aurora Flight Sciences Corp. in early November. The developer and manufacturer of advanced aerospace platforms and autonomous systems, Aurora will operate under Boeing Engineering, Test & Technology as a subsidiary.

Astronautics has completed the preliminary design review for its new connectivity platform for the Astronautics Air-Ground Communications System for Airbus Helicopters.

NetJets and Teamsters Local 284 announced on Nov. 6 they had reached an agreement-in-principle regarding a new contract covering the fractional operation's union mechanics, maintenance controllers, aircraft fuelers, cleaners and stock clerks.

CenTex Aerospace is offering increased-gross-weight conversions to the King Air 350 turboprop with a new STC. Final approval is expected this month on the Halo 350.

​Business jet takeoffs and landings in North America rose 3.5% in September, Vertical Research Partners reports, using FAA figures. The figure is in line with a year-to-date average increase of 3.5%, although it is lower than the 6% reported in August.

Its production halted years ago, the Windecker Eagle is soon to be reborn, this time through new owners in China.

The FAA has proposed a $3.685 million civil penalty against NavWorx of Rowlett, Texas, for allegedly producing and selling automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast units containing a GPS chip that did not meet the agency's requirements and misrepresenting the products to customers.