The Weekly of Business Aviation

By Angus Batey
Business and general aviation is playing a vital role in the global effort to vaccinate people against the COVID-19 virus.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Molly McMillin
Despite rumors to the contrary, Gulfstream Aerospace has stressed its commitment to its G280 super midsize jet and is investing in enhancements to the aircraft, company executives told reporters on March 30.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Bill Carey
Navigation system suppliers have aligned to lobby the U.S. government for increased investment in legacy ground-based navigational aids.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Graham Warwick
Hydrogen propulsion pioneer ZeroAvia has secured an investment from British Airways (BA) and kicked off development of a fuel-cell power train for 50-seat-plus regional aircraft.
Emerging Technologies

By Molly McMillin
Cape Air, a commuter airline based in Hyannis, Massachusetts, has placed a firm order for 10 new 11-seat Tecnam P2012 Traveller aircraft, with delivery scheduled in 2021.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Molly McMillin
Nearly 70% of fixed base operators in the U.S. and Canada experienced a decline in fuel sales in 2020 compared to the previous year, according to an annual FBO fuel sales survey by the Aviation Business Strategies Group.
Airports, FBOs & Suppliers

By Molly McMillin
Textron Aviation’s parent company, Textron, is formally standing up an eAviation division to develop opportunities in emerging electric technologies.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Tony Osborne
Cranfield Aerospace has changed the power source of its Project Fresson zero-carbon aviation initiative to hydrogen fuel cells after batteries were deemed too heavy.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick
Allan McArtor, retired chairman of Airbus Americas, has joined electric cargo aircraft startup Airflow as an advisor.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick
German regional air mobility startup Lilium is to go public in a deal expected to provide up to $830 million in funds to complete certification, begin production and launch commercial operation of its piloted seven-seat Lilium Jet air taxi in 2024.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Molly McMillin
Daher has launched the Kodiak 100 Series III turboprop sport and utility aircraft and has begun customer deliveries.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick
Boeing-backed Wisk has added the aerospace giant’s Insitu Pacific unmanned aircraft division to the team working to demonstrate autonomous passenger transport in New Zealand.
Advanced Air Mobility

By Graham Warwick
Sikorsky has demonstrated the supervised autonomy capability of its modified S-70A Black Hawk optionally piloted vehicle, with the test pilot using a tablet to command the helicopter through a complete mission.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Molly McMillin
Bombardier has delivered its 50th Global 7500 ultra-long-range business jet, following entry-into-service in late 2018.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick
Europe plans a large-scale demonstration of urban air mobility in 2022 focused on the deconfliction of multiple different types of users of low-altitude airspace.
Advanced Air Mobility

By Guy Norris
Supersonic business jet developer Aerion has released the first image of a planned follow-on airliner concept designed for entry-into-service around the end of the decade which will cruise at higher Mach cruise numbers closer to the hypersonic region.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick
Japan’s Toshiba has invested $15 million in U.S. counter-drone defense startup Fortem Technologies, the companies forming a strategic business alliance to combine and market their systems globally.
Advanced Air Mobility

By Tony Osborne
Leonardo has confirmed it will offer its AW149 twin-engine multirole helicopter platform as a potential replacement for the UK’s Airbus Puma helicopters, after the government’s Integrated Review confirmed the type would be replaced with a new medium rotorcraft.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Angus Batey
Holders of Italian and French Air Operator Certificates may find themselves with a competitive edge over operators based in other EU nations beginning April 1, as the European business aviation market reaches its first significant regulatory deadline of the post-Brexit era.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Bill Carey
Eighty percent of Canadian air traffic controllers say public safety will be placed at risk if Nav Canada proceeds with planned area control center layoffs and tower closures, according to the Canadian Air Traffic Control Association (CATCA).
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Molly McMillin
Textron Aviation has begun the certification flight test phase of its Cessna Model 408 SkyCourier program as it moves toward first deliveries later this year.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Molly McMillin
January pre-owned business jet transactions in 2021 were essentially unchanged from January 2020 at 155 retail sales and leases of whole aircraft, according to preliminary data from JetNet.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Molly McMillin
Gulf Avionics, an avionics maintenance, repair and overhaul operation, has moved its headquarters and operations to the Kerrville/Kerr County Airport in the Texas Hill Country, from its previous location in Harlingen, Texas.
Maintenance & Training

By Jens Flottau
Airbus is increasing the maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of the A220-300 by around one additional ton and is now offering the aircraft with a 70.9-ton option.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Angus Batey
A campaign to highlight enforcement of the UK’s laws on flights by small unmanned aircraft—and to emphasize the penalties that will be imposed when they are broken—has been launched this week by the nation’s airspace regulator, police force and government.
Business Aviation