The Weekly of Business Aviation

In May, PrivateFly founder and CEO Adam Twidell told ShowNews he hoped his company’s competitors followed him into offering fixed-price private flying. His rationale was that any initiative that makes the sector more accessible would help improve business for everyone.

High-flying plans for its high-flying fleet, as acquisitions and initiatives come thick and fast at Wheels Up.

Gulfstream has announced a new scheme to assist customers in offsetting their emissions.

Flight testing of the five-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing platform is proceeding apace at the Oberpfaffenhofen airfield near Munich.

Pilatus Aircraft has unveiled the new, upgraded version of its PC-12—the PC-12 NGX single-engine turboprop, the third generation of its PC-12 airframe.

Boeing has partnered with Flightdocs to easily bring Aviall.com parts inventory to Flightdocs customers.

Windcrest, Texas, will be the site of an Iron Drone Competition as part of an FAA National Drone Safety Awareness Week event.

True Blue Power’s state-of-the-art equipment powers Textron Aviation’s recently certified Cessna Citation Longitude.

Elevate Jet has acquired a 30-passenger Embraer regional jet in a strategy to grow its jet fleet and expand its services.

Baldwin Safety & Compliance announced its intent to team with Emil Buehler Aviation Institute of Broward College for a series of aviation safety training courses.

Lufthansa Aviation Training (LAT) has expanded the fleet of its pilot schools under the European Flight Academy brand.

ExecuJet MRO Services, a division of Dassault Aviation, has opened a line maintenance facility in Brisbane, Australia.

Privatefly has announced a new and extended list of discounted, fixed-price, private charter routes for the autumn and winter season.

Sherwin-Williams is introducing a hands-on repair video series focusing on aircraft refinishes, technicians and shop managers.

Bell has appointed China State Grid General Aviation Co. as a new Bell 429 authorized maintenance center to support customers in China.

RUAG MRO International has taken acceptance of a new Embraer Praetor for a Munich-based customer.

Satcom Direct (SD), a business aviation solutions provider, is strengthening its industry-focused training program.

Engine Assurance Program (EAP), an hourly engine maintenance program, has added three new engine types and seven new aircraft to its service offering.

It’s been a hectic first year for the International Aircraft Dealers Association, which offers the world’s only accreditation program for dealers and the only certification program for individual brokers.

The UK plans to look at the creation of a mobile national counter-drone capability to respond to “challenging drone security incidents” such as the shutdown of London’s Gatwick Airport last December.

German urban air taxi developer Volocopter has shown off its vision for an urban air mobility terminal.

Textron Aviation continues to make progress on the development of its Cessna Denali single-engine turboprop program, but delays with its GE Catalyst engine has put off the aircraft’s first flight.

Embraer’s just-certified Praetor business jets have won their first fleet order in a $1.4 billion deal with fractional operator Flexjet.

An electric power unit compact enough to fit inside turboprops and light business jets, yet sufficiently powerful to start engines and provide extended ground power, is in development by Honeywell for entry-into-service in 2021.

General Electric’s Catalyst turboprop is doing well and exceeding performance predictions, but due mainly to the challenges of testing for more stringent certification requirements, development for its first application – the Cessna Denali ­– is behind schedule, says the company.