Business & Commercial Aviation

Czech Republic-based airline Travel Service has become Textron Aviation's first European customer for the Citation Longitude super-midsize business jet, the company said. The aircraft will be used for business-aircraft charter services.

VistaJet reports it has eliminated ferry-flight fees for new program customers, a potential savings of $10,000 or more per flight.

The first production Citation Longitude rolled off the Textron Aviation line in Wichita in mid-June. The super-midsize, $24 million jet is to join the company's demonstration fleet this summer and travel the world to showcase the clean-sheet design.

Airbus Helicopters reports construction is underway for its H135 Final Assembly Line in Qingdao, China. The work is expected to be completed by 2018.

Embraer Executive Jets is expanding its customer support network in Europe with the appointment of JF Service as its authorized service center for Legacy 450 and Legacy 500 business jets in Moscow.

Innovative Solutions & Support has received the FAA’s Supplemental Type Certification for its non-FADEC turboprop autothrottle for retrofit in the Pilatus PC-12.

Business flight activity in May rose 6.5% overall, with increases in all operational and aircraft categories. Activity by large and midsize jets posted the biggest gains in May compared to a year ago,with large jet activity up 9.3% and midsize jet activity up 9.2%.

PrivateJetCardComparisons.com is a new service launched so consumers can compare more than 80 private jet card programs before they buy, said Doug Gollan, the company's founder.

West Star Aviation has received FAA Part 145 repair station certification for its Denver satellite location at Centennial Airport, which opened in 2014.

In June, Bell Helicopter announced FAA certification and first delivery of its Model 505 Jet Ranger X, but almost simultaneously nudged expected certification of its Model 525 back to the end of 2018.

The Triumph Group and Bombardier appear to have entered into a comprehensive settlement agreement that concludes all pending litigation related to the design, manufacture and supply of wing components for the Global 7000 business jet.

Flexjet reports that strong growth is prompting it to hire more pilots. The fractional operation said new business is up 50% during the first five months of this year compared to a year ago, and that is on top of 20% growth in new business last year.

The diesel-powered Cessna 172 Turbo Skyhawk JT-A is now certificated by both the FAA and EASA, clearing the way for customer deliveries.

TAG Aviation's Farnborough Maintenance Services has been approved as the first UK-based Rolls-Royce authorized service center. It will support Rolls BR710 engines on Bombardier Global Express aircraft.

Bombardier said it used biofuels supplied by AEG Fuels to fly its Learjet 75, Challenger 350 and 650, and Global 6000 jets to the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition in Geneva.

The world's most printed engine, GE's new Advanced Turboprop, in which additive manufacturing replaces 855 normally made parts with just 12 printed components, is on track to run for the first time this year. It will power Cessna's new Denali aircraft.

Enstrom anticipates its new TH-180 single-engine trainer will win FAA and, possibly, EASA certification by year-end. The helicopter manufacturer has two prototype aircraft in the certification program.

Using data from its proprietary customer database, the FAA and other industry sources, Duncan Aviation reports that as of March 31, roughly 10,000 U.S. registered business jets—73% of the fleet—have not yet been made compliant with the FAA's ADS-B Out mandate.

The Russian business aviation charter market grew 7% in the first five months of 2017 compared to a year ago and is expected to continue to expand during the summer, said analysts with the Aim of Emperor, which operates a group of Russian business aviation companies.

Jet Aviation has redelivered a ACJ330 and ACJ319 to its customer in the Middle East after extensive renovations. Work was completed in Basel, Switzerland.

More than ever, business jet customers are choosing which jet to buy based on criteria beyond how far the aircraft flies, said David Coleal, Bombardier Business Aircraft president.

Nextant Aerospace has launched an upgrade program for Bombardier Challenger 604 business jet, but fitting the flight deck with Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion integrated avionics.

One Aviation has selected the Williams International FJ33-5A-12 turbofan as the engine for its new Eclipse 700 light jet known as Project Canada.

Citing the economic downturn and the inflexibility of the regulatory environment there, TAG Aviation is exiting the Spanish market after doing business there for many years and consolidating its several air operator certificates.

Global aviation support and aftermarket services giant BBA Aviation on June 5 announced the imminent departure of Simon Pryce as chief executive. Wayne Edmunds was appointed interim CEO, pending a permanent successor.