AIN March 2025

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Bizav groups fear ‘profound’ disruptions with tari s

6 Fatal accident streak thrusts aviation safety into spotlight

8 Gulfstream closes a chapter with rollout of the last G650

10 Hero pilot apprehends teen gunman at Arkansas airport 12

BAAFEx: Asian business aviation gets its own trade show again 14

BAAFEx: Southeast Asia’s business aviation sector on the rise

BAAFEx: Rising wealth in India drives demand for personal air mobility

Business aviation steps up in Los Angeles wildfire fight

Bizav groups fear ‘profound’ disruptions with U.S. tari s

BY AIN STAFF

President Donald Trump followed through on campaign promises to impose certain tariffs. But some were implemented and others delayed, creating uncertainty about ramifications for the aviation industry.

On February 1, the White House issued an executive order imposing 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico—both nations vowed to retaliate—but paused implementation for 30 days to negotiate trade and border security. The U.S. carried through with a 10% tariff on products from China, which retaliated with its own levies. Another executive order on February 10 imposed a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports.

Details on the implementation of any of the tariffs were not immediately available, and industry associations were still assessing the impacts at press time. However, they expressed concern about underlying difficulties surrounding tariffs, saying they could disrupt a highly regulated industry and hamper jobs and economic growth.

“Critical to this essential industry is a complex, highly regulated global supply chain, supported by a number of bilateral agreements that are required to meet stringent safety standards while ensuring the

Suppliers such as Pratt & Whitney Canada could be a ected should proposed tari s become a reality.

reliable flow of highly specialized goods,” NBAA said. “Disruptions to this system have profound consequences, and workarounds that meet the exacting regulatory requirements take months or years to establish.”

GAMA agreed: “Tariffs would affect the intricate and very complex global supply chain that can take years to establish given that it relies on suppliers with unique capabilities that are highly regulated and therefore cannot be easily replaced.”

Even where alternatives exist, manufacturers cannot quickly switch suppliers without FAA approval. This compromises contracts and may affect quality, GAMA said.

Montréal-based Bombardier held off on providing guidance for this year as it usually does when releasing year-end results. “In light of the current tariff threat, not providing guidance is the most responsible and transparent thing for us to do,” said company president and CEO Éric Martel. “There is a lot at stake for our industry.”

He noted that Bombardier has 2,800 U.S.-based suppliers across 47 states that create tens of thousands of U.S. jobs, adding that it would have an equally significant impact on both sides of the border. z

News Briefs

BOMBARDIER DELIVERIES, SERVICES UP IN 2024

Bombardier’s deliveries last year scaled up by eight units to 146 aircraft and revenues beat guidance at $8.7 billion as services business jumped by 16%. Bombardier delivered 73 Globals and 73 Challenger 3500s and 650s last year. This marks two fewer Globals from 2023 but a 10-aircraft jump in Challengers. However, shipments missed guidance for 2024 of 150 to 155 deliveries with continued supply-chain “headwinds.” In the fourth quarter, Global deliveries dipped by three, to 29, while Challenger shipments increased by four, to 28.

FLEXJET INKS $7B ORDER FOR EMBRAER BUSINESS JETS

Embraer Executive Jets inked a $7 billion deal with Flexjet that includes firm orders for 182 aircraft—a mix of Phenom 300E light jets and Praetor 500 and 600 midsize jets—and options for another 30, as well as enhanced services and support. Deliveries are set to begin next year and run through 2030. The order represents Flexjet’s largest in its three-decade history and will nearly double the size of its fleet by 2031. Flexjet was the fleet launch customer for the Embraer Legacy 600 in 2003, Phenom 300 in 2010, Legacy 450 in 2016, and Praetor 500 in 2019.

HONEYWELL OUTLINES PLAN TO SEPARATE AEROSPACE, AUTOMATION

Honeywell’s board of directors revealed plans for a full separation of Automation and Aerospace Technologies. This follows a previously announced plan to spin o Advanced Materials. The three companies will be separate and publicly listed, and the separation is expected to take place in the second half of 2026. Aerospace Technologies will continue to build on the division’s propulsion, cockpit, and navigation systems, and auxiliary power systems products. Aerospace had revenues of $15 billion in 2024.

Fatal accident streak thrusts aviation safety into spotlight

BY AIN STAFF

A spate of high-profile fatal aircraft accidents in late January and February has brought the U.S. into the deadliest period for aviation in more than two decades, claiming the lives of a combined 85 people on board and on the ground. While all disparate, the accidents have shone a public spotlight on aviation in the U.S. after a 15-year period that many would have called the safest in the industry.

The accidents prompted a pledge from 30 aviation associations to recommit their safety efforts and calls for full funding of critical FAA air traffic control (ATC) systems, controller staffing, and the NTSB.

In the aftermath of the accidents—particularly the January 29 collision of a PSA Bombardier-built CRJ700 regional airliner and U.S. Army Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk that led to 67 fatalities—lawmakers on Capitol Hill stressed the importance of letting the NTSB complete its investigations before drawing conclusions about causes.

Even so, speculation swirled after the CRJ/Black Hawk midair collision above the Potomac River by Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA), with scrutiny on ATC staffing. The FAA, meanwhile, barred helicopter flights on specific routes by KDCA unless specifically authorized. In those cases, fixed-wing flights are held off to avoid mixing the two types.

The CRJ, with 64 on board, was on short final into DCA and circling to land when it collided with the Black Hawk, which was carrying three people on a nighttime training mission. The NTSB recovered the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder of the CRJ as well as the Black Hawk’s combined FDR/CVR. A controller at DCA, in communication with both aircraft, had advised the Black Hawk to wait for the CRJ to pass. The Black Hawk affirmed the instruction.

On January 31, a Med Jets Learjet 55 on medevac duty crashed shortly after takeoff from Northeast Philadelphia Airport (KPNE). The Mexico-registered twinjet was headed to Missouri’s Springfield-Branson National Airport (KSGF) and went down in a neighborhood less than three miles from KPNE. All six on board died in the crash, along with one person on the ground.

This was followed by the February 6 crash of a Bering Air Cessna 208B Grand Caravan into an ice floe in Alaska’s Norton Sound, killing all 10 on board. Then on February 10, one person was killed and three injured when a Learjet 35A believed owned by rock musician Vince Neil suffered a landing gear collapse after touching down at Scottsdale Airport (KSDL) in Arizona and careening into a parked Gulfstream G200. z

The landing gear failed before a Learjet 35A collided with a Gulfstream G200 in Scottsdale, Arizona, leaving one dead and several injured.

News Briefs

GULFSTREAM DELIVERIES SOAR DESPITE G700 DELAYS

Gulfstream Aerospace’s large-cabin deliveries jumped by 32.6% to 118 in 2024 as the company spooled up deliveries of its new G700 flagship. However, despite “stunning” results, Phebe Novakovic, chairman and CEO of Gulfstream parent General Dynamics, noted that revenues and earnings were lower than anticipated for its Aerospace group, including both Gulfstream and Jet Aviation. In all, the manufacturer handed over 136 aircraft in 2024, a 22.5% increase over the 111 in 2023. That also reflected a four-unit decline in G280 deliveries to 18 in 2024.

CHARTER FLIGHTS HIT WITH PASSENGER TAXES IN FRANCE

Business aircraft charter flights from French airports will be subject to a steep increase in passenger taxes beginning March 1 in a move the European Business Aviation Association warned could threaten operators based in France. Under a budget pushed through by new French Prime Minister François Bayrou, charter operators may be obliged to collect taxes ranging from €210 to €2,100 ($2,200) per passenger. The new “taxe sur les billets d’avions” levy was proposed in October 2024.

FAA ORDER REVERSES NOTAM ACRONYM TERMINOLOGY

The FAA issued a notice reversing Notam terminology from the December 2021 “Notice to Air Missions” to the previous “Notice to Airmen.” In 2021, the term was changed to be gender-neutral and to account for the growing number of unmanned drone operations. The agency ordered that all directives and publications be updated “as soon as practicable.” The International Civil Aviation Organization’s definition of Notam remained the same after the 2021 FAA change, with the “Notam” used as a word, rather than acronym.

Gulfstream closes a chapter with rollout of the last G650

BY CHAD TRAUTVETTER

The model that redefined the ultra-longrange (ULR) business jet segment—the G650/650ER—is now out of production.

Gulfstream Aerospace announced in February that the last one, a G650ER model, had rolled off the production line at the company’s Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport campus in Georgia. It will undergo completion at Gulfstream’s Appleton, Wisconsin facility before being delivered to a customer later this year.

Gulfstream launched the G650 program in March 2008, unveiled the first prototype (dubbed T1) in September 2009, and flew T1 two months later. On Sept. 7, 2012, the G650 obtained FAA certification.

The G650 and its longer-legged (7,700 nm) G650ER sibling will be succeeded by the G800, which is poised to enter service later this year.

“With the G650 and the follow-on G650ER, Gulfstream created the large ULR segment,” JetNet iQ director Rollie Vincent told AIN . “With almost 600 jets in service today, there is nothing diminutive about this family of business jets. With service entry in 2012, the G650 quickly established itself as the aircraft of choice

for many corporations, high-net-worth individuals, and governments needing the capabilities of a high-speed wide-cabin intercontinental jet. The ER version, introduced in 2014 and perfectly timed to capture demand from customers seeking access to the farthest corners of the world, became the high watermark in Gulfstream’s portfolio.”

“Since their inception, the G650 and G650ER have become the industry standard that all others have followed, recently surpassing a staggering one million flight hours,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. “Beyond the program’s innumerable accolades and 125+ world speed records, innovations introduced with the form, fit, and precision manufacturing process of the G650 laid the groundwork for today’s next-generation Gulfstream fleet.”

The Rolls-Royce BR725-powered G650 won the prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy in 2014.

“While this will be the final G650 produced, the fleet’s high utilization and dispatch reliability mean these aircraft will serve customers for decades to come,” Burns added. z

News Briefs

TEXTRON AVIATION DELIVERIES SAG DUE TO STRIKE IMPACTS

Textron Aviation experienced a challenging 2024, marked by a labor strike and subsequent production disruptions. Textron Aviation delivered 32 jets and 38 commercial turboprops in the fourth quarter, down from 50 jets and 44 turboprops during the same period in 2023. In the quarter, the company reported revenues of $1.3 billion, down $242 million year over year. For the full year, the company delivered 151 jets, 70 Caravans, 13 SkyCouriers, and 44 King Airs, a decline from the 168 jets, 79 Caravans, 18 SkyCouriers, and 56 King Airs delivered in 2023.

BAYKAR SIGNS PRELIMINARY CONTRACT TO ACQUIRE PIAGGIO

Turkish defense group Baykar expects to close its acquisition of Piaggio Aerospace in the second quarter after signing a preliminary contract for the Italian group’s assets. Piaggio and Baykar said the deal will close once all remaining conditions have been met, including approval from the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers, which has veto powers. On December 27, the Italian government’s Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy department authorized the transaction.

AIRBUS: HYDROGEN AIRLINERS FACE DELAYS

Airbus has acknowledged that its plans to bring hydrogen-powered airliners into commercial service will not be achieved by the 2035 target date set when the company announced the ZeroE project in September 2020. The European aerospace group confirmed that the work is taking longer than expected but did not specify an adjusted timeline. According to reports by French news agency AFP, Airbus told o cials at the Force Ouvrière trade union that the objective could take five to 10 years longer than first anticipated.

After more than 13 years of production, the last G650 has rolled o the manufacturing line.

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Hero pilot apprehends teen gunman at Arkansas airport

BY CURT EPSTEIN

Tuesday, February 4 started out as a relatively normal morning for Justen Spinks, chief pilot for Wholesale Electric Supply’s flight department that is based at Signature Aviation at Texarkana Regional Airport (KTXK) on the Texas-Arkansas border. It was 7:30 a.m., and Spinks had just learned that the day’s scheduled flight in the company’s Cessna Citation XLS+ had been canceled.

“I was kind of getting ready to maybe head to the gym and call it a day since our flight canceled when I heard a lot of commotion,” he told AIN.

As he got up from his desk to see what was going on, several FBO workers ran into the hangar offices and told him there was a gunman in the terminal. Moments earlier, a teenager carrying an assault rifle had entered the FBO, placed a gun on the counter, and informed a customer service agent that he wanted an airplane. Under the guise of assisting with his demand, the agent managed to get away and alert the police as the gunman forced open a door to the ramp and left the building.

“I had windows looking onto the ramp and spotted him,” said Spinks, who joined the people fleeing out the back of the hangar into a parking lot behind it. “I keep a pistol in my truck and I was able to see [the gunman] while standing behind my

truck, and I could see that I could make my way back into the hangar.”

Gun in hand, Spinks crept back into the hangar and cautiously peeked around the corner. “He was crouched down, maybe getting into the backpack when I saw him. That’s when I came around the corner [and] pointed my gun at him… I think I surprised him. I walked toward him as briskly as I could and he complied.”

At Spinks’ command, the teen lay on the ground and kicked the loaded rifle out of reach. “He kept his hands behind his back. I searched him at one point, kept my knee in his back, basically sat on him and held that position pretty much until officers arrived.”

During the wait, Spinks conversed with his captive. “I noticed at that time he was a young kid and I asked him, ‘Why did you do this?’” His response was chilling. “He started telling me that he either wanted to go to jail or wanted to be killed.” The youth went on to describe his troubled home life and interactions with child protective services.

After a matter of minutes, authorities arrived and took the suspect into custody. That night Spinks slept less than an hour, his mind churning over the day’s events. “I guess I just realized how bad it could have been,” he said. “I’m just so glad I didn’t have to kill a 15-year-old kid.” z

News Briefs

REVENUES RISE AS DAHER IMPROVES PRODUCTIVITY

Two years into its Take O 2027 plan, Daher continues to step up e orts to improve productivity in its aircraft and aerostructures manufacturing activities. Announcing a 9% revenue hike in 2024 to $1.8 billion, chairman and CEO Didier Kayat told reporters that it faces ongoing challenges to become more competitive as it deals with inflationary pressures. Last year, the group’s Daher Aircraft division delivered 82 turboprop singles (56 TBM 960s, 15 Kodiak 100s, and 11 Kodiak 900s), an 11% increase from 2023, and logged net orders for 100 TBMs and Kodiaks in 2024.

AIR BRAVO TAKES DELIVERY OF FIRST SKYCOURIER IN CANADA

Textron Aviation has delivered its first Cessna SkyCourier to Canadian operator Air Bravo. The Ontario-based passenger, cargo, and air ambulance services provider will deploy the turboprop twin as an aerial freighter. The aircraft can carry three LD3 shipping containers with 6,000 pounds of payload capability. The aircraft, which features single-point pressure fueling, received FAA certification in March 2022, followed soon after by its first delivery. In passenger configuration, the SkyCourier— launched in 2017—and has seating for 19.

BOOM ACHIEVES SUPERSONIC FLIGHT WITH XB - 1 DEMONSTRATOR

Boom Supersonic successfully broke the sound barrier for the first time on January 28 with its XB-1 flight demonstrator, accelerating beyond Mach 1 three times. The XB-1 took o from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California—in the same airspace where Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in 1947. The XB-1 first flew on March 22, 2024. It is a one-third-scale demonstrator for the Overture, a planned 80-passenger commercial airliner designed to cruise at a speed of Mach 1.7 to a range of up to 4,250 nm.

A hangar surveillance camera captured the suspected gunman (left) and the pilot who subdued him.

Asian business aviation gets its own trade show again

BY CHARLES ALCOCK

Singapore’s Changi Exhibition Centre is set to stage the Asia-Pacific region’s first dedicated business aviation trade show since April 2019, when the most recent edition of the Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition was held in Shanghai. The new Business Aviation Asia Forum & Expo (BAAFEx) will run from March 4 to 6 against a backdrop of strong market growth that has been sustained in many countries since the end of the Covid pandemic.

According to management consultancy Alton Aviation, there has been a strong

uptick in business jet departures across the region. “[Traffic] is almost double what it was in 2019, and the region has seen the second highest growth rate after Latin America, far exceeding [that of] North America and Europe over the past five years,” managing director Adam Cowburn told AIN

The Alton team, which advises multiple companies on business aviation opportunities worldwide, has seen especially dynamic market expansion in India, where strong economic growth has boosted personal and corporate wealth and demand for private aircraft, including through charter services. Between 2019 and 2024,

the number of business jet movements at Indian airports reportedly grew by around 27%.

That said, Asian business aviation has a long way to grow to match activity levels in the West. Alton pointed out that while Mumbai is the busiest airport for the sector in the Asia-Pacific region, it would not make the list of the top 100 business aviation airports in the U.S.

ASIAN BIZAV SHOWS SUSTAINED GROWTH

In more mature Asia-Pacific markets such as Singapore and Hong Kong, Cowburn reported “some pullback from

The first BAAFEx event will be staged in Singapore by Experia Events, the organizer of the biennial Singapore Airshow (shown here).

the post-Covid highs,” but with wellestablished business aviation support infrastructure. From a lower base, there has been impressive growth in Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand and Vietnam.

Alton, which helps investors respond to the dynamics of local markets, advises clients that the region is not without its challenges. These include regulatory processes that can be constrained by the bandwidth of local agencies and establishing local operations.

According to BAAFEx organizer Experia Events, which also stages the biennial Singapore Airshow at the purpose-built Changi site, there were around 1,200 business jets based in Asia-Pacific countries at the end of 2022, ranking it as the industry’s third largest region behind Europe and North America. The company said the fleet in Southeast Asian countries has been growing annually at around 5% in recent years.

Global aircraft charter operators such as Vista, Gama Aviation, and TAG Aviation Asia are included on the show’s exhibitor list. According to Vista, in the first three quarters of 2024, the number of flights it operated in the Asia-Pacific region increased by 20% year over year.

“We have been waiting for half a decade to finally have a dedicated business aviation show back in Asia,” said Vista’s chief commercial officer, Ian Moore. “AsiaPacific is one of the fastest growing regions at Vista, and Southeast Asia is playing a key role in Vista’s expansion in the region.”

The Europe-based operator will exhibit one of its Bombardier Global 7500 jets at BAAFEx, with the static display at Changi also featuring models such as a Gulfstream G450 operated by Amber Aviation.

BAAFEX EXHIBITORS INCLUDE LOCAL COMPANIES

Other BAAFEx exhibitors confirmed as of press time include Boeing Business Jets, Lufthansa Technik, Glenair, MedAire, Viasat, Gogo Business Aviation, Honeywell,

THE PERFECT PLACE FOR BUSINESS AIRCRAFT

and the Bermuda Aircraft Registry. Several charter operators based in the region are also included in the lineup, including China’s Sino Jet, Air 7 Asia, Phenix Jet, Ivy Aviation, Jet Set, and Premier, as well as FBOs and MROs such as Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre, Universal Aviation Japan, and ExecuJet Haite Aviation Services China.

“The response from the major aircraft manufacturers, aircraft management companies, and operators to BAAFEx 2025 has been very positive,” said Leck Chet Lam, managing director of Experia Events. “We have [also] worked to sign up companies representing the entire business aviation ecosystem.”

According to Cowburn at Alton, the proliferation of Asian high-net-worth individuals has been the main driver of business

aviation market growth in that part of the world. “There is a clear correlation between [national] GDP, and the numbers and aggregate wealth of individuals, and once you get past a point of critical mass, the appeal [of this mode of transportation] grows,” he commented.

However, the sector’s growth trajectory is by no means uniform. Cowburn pointed to countries such as Japan where factors such as a more egalitarian culture and high-speed trains have somewhat suppressed demand for private aviation. In China, he pointed to “a double-whammy of underwhelming economic performance and strong [government] oversight [of private wealth]” as speed bumps to the industry’s growth there.

Another factor is that the Asia-Pacific region lacks the highly-developed

network of smaller, local airports offering more convenient access for business aviation trips.

At the major airports, where most private flights originate, there remains a lack of dedicated infrastructure and specialist support for operators and their customers—all of which feed into the growth opportunities the new BAAFEx show is looking to exploit.

The new event features a three-day conference program covering multiple aspects of business aviation, including the charter market in Asia, the passenger experience, women in aviation, maintenance providers, airports and FBOs, sustainability, and safety. Planned presentations also include a new Asia Business Aviation Market Outlook and panel sessions on China and Southeast Asia. z

Southeast Asia’s business aviation sector on the rise

BY JENNIFER MESZAROS

manager of sales at Phenix Jet’s Seletar Airport office in Singapore.

terms of flight volume and the total number of aircraft in the region.”

Despite uneven economic development across the region, Southeast Asia’s business aviation sector is gaining traction, driven by a rising population of ultra-highnet-worth individuals (UHNWIs), luxury tourism trends, and increased corporate and government demand for private, flexible air connectivity. Industry leaders highlight that while pandemic-era disruptions destabilized commercial networks, they also reshaped regional travel priorities, fueling long-term interest in business jets.

“Up to the pandemic, the business aviation market in Southeast Asia experienced steady growth, driven by expanding local economies and China’s growing business jet market,” said Hibiki Umemoto, branch

“During the pandemic, the market saw a boom from 2021 to 2023, but growth has normalized in 2024. There is clear expansion in Southeast Asian markets, both in

As a high-end provider of aircraft management, AOC services, charters, and acquisition support, Phenix Jet reports that it operates approximately 25% of all its private and commercial flights to, from, or within Southeast Asia. With a fleet featuring the Global 7500, Boeing Business Jet, Gulfstream G650ER, and an executive Airbus H175 helicopter available for charter in Southern France and the Mediterranean, the company logs 9,000 to 10,000 business jet departures monthly across Asia-Pacific.

Observing similar growth, Paul Desgrosseilliers, general manager of ExecuJet Haite General Aviation Services, cites data showing a 30% year-over-year rise in flights between China and Vietnam

BAAFEx

HIBIKI UMEMOTO BRANCH MANAGER OF SALES AT PHE

in 2023 and 2024, with Indonesia trailing closely at 25%. Both Malaysia and Thailand recorded approximately 15% annual increases, while the Philippines saw a modest 6% to 7% uptick. In contrast, Singapore remained stagnant.

For Desgrosseilliers, the rise in flight activity reflects a broader business narrative, driven by Chinese companies’ growing focus on Southeast Asia. He emphasized markets like Vietnam as increasingly attractive destinations for businesses expanding regionally and diversifying supply chains—a trend that aligns with China’s push to enhance economic engagement in the region.

“This is a business story. Chinese companies are seeing opportunities in markets like Vietnam and Indonesia,” he told AIN. “Looking at the data and seeing a 30% yearon-year increase, it really shows China reaching outward for additional investment opportunities.”

Having weathered the pandemic—a period that saw many aviation competitors scale back or shutter operations—ExecuJet Haite has capitalized on post-crisis growth. In April 2024, it opened a purpose-built MRO facility at Subang Airport near Kuala Lumpur, supporting Dassault, Bombardier, and Gulfstream aircraft with a full suite of MRO services. This was followed by the September 2024 launch of a new MRO at Beijing Daxing International Airport, and a month later, business jet ground handling services at Beijing Capital International.

Beyond China, Carlos Brana, executive v-p of civil aircraft for Dassault Aviation, noted that Southeast Asia is attracting heightened foreign investment from South Korea and Japan. This influx, he said, is driving regional production capacity, export growth, wealth creation, and global business linkages. “These trends are all positive for business aviation,” he added.

Echoing these sentiments, Sino Jet

president Jenny Lau attributed sector growth to regional economic development and geopolitical stability, emphasizing that economic expansion continues to drive private jet demand.

With dual headquarters in Hong Kong and Beijing, Sino Jet also navigated the pandemic’s challenges, aided in part by its global presence and luxury offerings. In 2019, the company opened its first o ffi ce outside Greater China, in Singapore. Last December, it partnered with ground handler Jetex, based at Al Maktoum International Airport, to establish its Middle East international headquarters.

Today, Sino Jet operates in more than 20 cities worldwide, including Europe and North America, offering aircraft management, charter flights, ground handling, FBO services, and luxury travel. Its fleet of more than 40 aircraft is 90% composed of large-cabin jets from Gulfstream, Bombardier, Dassault, Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer.

Phenix Jet operates approximately 25% of all its private and commercial flights in Southeast Asia. Its fleet features a Bombardier Global 7500.

For five consecutive years, SinoJet has maintained the largest business aviation fleet in the Asia-Pacific region.

UHNWIS DRIVE DEMAND

“The most significant growth potential in Southeast Asia’s business aviation market is tied to the robust expansion of regional businesses and the swift ascent of ultrahigh-net-worth individuals,” Lau told AIN “These clients are increasingly seeking premium, bespoke travel experiences, with a particular focus on the efficiency and security offered by business aviation services.”

In looking at ultra-high-net-worth individuals, a 2024 Knight Frank Wealth report ranks Singapore as Southeast Asia’s top market for UHNWIs, placing it 17th globally with 4,783 UHNWIs in 2023. Hong Kong follows closely at 16th.

Other regional entries include Indonesia (24th, 1,479 UHNWIs), Thailand (26th, 889), Malaysia (29th, 754), and Vietnam (30th, 752).

Globally, the U.S. dominates with 225,077 UHNWIs and the highest count, trailed by China (98,551) and Germany (29,021).

Against this backdrop, global charter company VistaJet, operating in Asia-Pacific for roughly 15 years, has seen growing demand across its three membership types—Program, VJ25, and Corporate. Ian Moore, chief commercial officer, noted that the Program membership is particularly gaining popularity, thanks to its guaranteed availability, consistent fleet, and fixed hourly rates.

“Up to Q3 2024, total hours flown in Asia-Pacific were up 14%, with total legs up 20%. The Program membership grew by 15% from Q1 to Q3. Southeast Asia has seen moderate growth in terms of total hours and legs, around 1% to 2% for the entire year, but our program membership grew by 11%.”

CHARTER VERSUS OWNERSHIP

In Southeast Asia, there is a noticeable trend toward charter services over ownership, with business jet ownership remaining relatively subdued compared to more mature markets such as North America, Europe, and the Middle East, explained Yvonne Chan, regional director–AsiaPacific for Universal Aviation.

“This could be due to global economic and geopolitical uncertainties. Operating costs have also skyrocketed since coming out of lockdown, brought about by inflation and supply chain issues,” she said, adding that the region is also seeing a move towards larger, longer-range aircraft.

While Singapore is hailed as the region’s business aviation hub, it has no registered business jets, Chan noted. Despite this, the city-state leads with approximately 80 aircraft based there.

Looking at the region, Desgrosseilliers explained there were approximately 282

registered business jets in Southeast Asia by the end of 2023, with the total potentially reaching 300 by late 2024. In individual markets, Malaysia has roughly 50 business jets, while Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines each have around 40 to 50, with slight fluctuations.

In terms of emerging markets, Vietnam now has eight to 10 business jets, a significant increase from pre-pandemic levels when it had virtually none. There is also growing activity in Laos and Cambodia, although these countries are still seeing only single-digit numbers, he said.

While the pandemic has brought new entrants to private aviation, industry stakeholders won’t have to wait long for updated figures. Data from Asian Sky Group on regional fleet numbers is set to be released in March 2025 at the inaugural Business Aviation Asia Forum and Expo (BAAFEx) in Singapore.

Hosting the event is Experia Events, the organizer of the biennial Singapore Airshow, which views BAAFEx as an opportunity to unite the business aviation community. Speaking to AIN , the company’s managing director, Leck Chet Lam, highlighted that Southeast Asia is in growth mode rather than just recovery, which is unlocking new opportunities.

IAN MOORE CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER, VISTAJET

Sino Jet customers place a high value on the range and space o ered by jets like its G650.

“There are inward investments into this part of the world, and there are also outward investments into the rest of the world,” Leck said, pointing to key economic dynamics.

RISING ECONOMIES

Indeed, Southeast Asia—home to nearly 700 million people—continues to demonstrate resilience, even as growth trajectories vary across the region. A December 2024 McKinsey & Company report attributes this momentum to robust exports, surging investments, expanding industrial output, and stable consumer spending in most markets.

The report also emphasizes the region’s escalating role in global trade and supply chains, driven by geopolitical realignments, infrastructure modernization, and deepening economic integration. Bolstering this ascent is the Regional

LECK CHET LAM MANAGING DIRECTOR, EXPERIA EVENTS

Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)—the world’s largest trade bloc, spanning China and ASEAN nations— which is reducing tariffs, streamlining cross-border commerce, and cementing Southeast Asia’s position as a critical nexus linking East Asia, South Asia, and global markets.

Despite rising investments, Moore echoes Chan’s view that aircraft ownership is declining, with most opting out unless

they fly more than 500 hours annually. “Typically, most people fly less than 250 hours per year,” he added.

Phenix Jet’s Umemoto sees most of these flyers as private end users, who make up a larger share of the region’s market than corporate users. He also noted that while approximately 80% of flights in Southeast Asia are regional routes with flight times under three to four hours, end users generally prefer mid- to longrange jets.

Leck and Moore attributed part of this trend to the luxury leisure sector. For VistaJet, this means focusing on cabin enhancements to ensure a continuation of members’ lifestyles while in the air.

“High-net-worth individuals are expecting more than just going from A to B. They want to go from A to B, then to C, and have amazing, unique experiences along the way. There are so many assets you can purchase,

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so many houses and cars you can own. But it’s experiences—and unique experiences— that are really driving high-net-worth individuals in this sector today.”

With a diverse fleet of 215 aircraft, anchored by its flagship Bombardier Global 7500 ultra-long-range business jets—set to be showcased at BAAFEx—VistaJet emphasizes global connectivity. The demand for intercontinental reach and cabin versatility is also reflected by other operators, whose members prioritize aircraft capable of connecting Southeast Asia with key global economic hubs.

“In the case of Sino Jet, our clients place a high value on range and space, which is why large business jets are a popular choice among them,” Lau said. “Frequently requested models include the Gulfstream G650, G550, Bombardier Global 7500, and Dassault Falcon 8X.”

This trend is also observed on the ownership side, where Chan and Brana have seen an increase in owners purchasing larger aircraft.

“Original equipment manufacturers report that regional owners will be taking new aircraft in the next four to five years, which will cause a spillover for Singapore,” Chan said. “The boom in charter and

medevac operations will also see the introduction of more operators in Singapore and the region.”

Brana added that owners are primarily large enterprises with global operations. “They need range, and they require comfort and productivity on long-haul flights—typically 10 hours or more,” he said, highlighting that Dassault’s new long-range jets, the Falcon 6X introduced at the end of 2023, and the 8X, which entered service in 2016, meet these demands.

The Falcon 10X, expected to enter service in 2027, will set a new standard for long-range comfort, productivity, and efficiency, Brana said.

Meanwhile, for island hoppers, Desgrosseilliers noted that the Philippines and

Indonesia somewhat buck the regional trend due to their vast geography, with operators favoring smaller aircraft such as Textron Aviation’s Cessna and Beechcraft models.

Beyond personalized services and global connectivity, Lau emphasized the growing importance of integrating technology, prioritizing environmental sustainability, and diversifying services.

“These trends highlight not only the evolving needs of the market but also the future trajectory of the business jet service sector,” she said, noting that Sino Jet is an example of this shift. Among its initiatives, the “Digital Sino Jet” program aims to enhance operational efficiency, while “Green Sino Jet” focuses on sustainability through energy conservation and new energy aircraft development.

CHALLENGES REMAIN

While operators are adapting to shifting market demands, countries have been slower to respond, often grappling with capacity constraints, workforce shortages, and infrastructure limitations.

In Singapore, the market is oversaturated with ground handlers and supervision companies, Chan explained. Aircraft parking remains a major challenge, and land scarcity restricts expansion. Tight airspace around Seletar Airport, coupled with night curfews and limited training hours, further complicates operations. She added that lengthy approval processes for charter flights reduce flexibility, making it harder for operators to meet demand. Meanwhile, the introduction of a minimum departure flight charge at Seletar has coincided with a drop in traffic, adding financial strain on operators.

“We know that operators and clients are complaining that operating in and out of Singapore is getting more expensive.”

In Thailand, Chan said business aviation growth is restricted by airport and regulatory constraints, including a limited number of approved entry and exit points.

Dassault’s Falcon 8X entered service in 2016 and is a popular jet in the Asia-Pacific region.

JENNY LAU

SINO JET PRESIDENT

Rising wealth in India drives demand for personal air mobility

BY CHARLES ALCOCK

India’s exceptional economic performance that has spawned a burgeoning population of high-net-worth individuals is driving strong growth in the business aviation sector, according to Delhi-based private charter operator JetSetGo, which is intently focused on efforts to expand its fleet. The company is also investing management bandwidth in plans to launch new advanced air mobility (AAM) services that could include urban and regional flights using new eVTOL and hybrid-electric aircraft.

According to accountancy group Deloitte, India’s gross domestic product is expected to grow at a rate of between 6.5% and 6.8% in the current financial year, rising to between 6.7% and 7.3% in the following 12-month period. While still below the World Bank-logged rate of 7.6% in 2023, the growth is more than double that of the U.S. and well above the anemic state of Europe’s economies.

Today, JetSetGo’s fleet consists of 10 jets including a Cessna Citation CJ2, three Hawker 800XPs, a Hawker 750, a Hawker 900, a Gulfstream G200, a Dassault Falcon 2000, an Embraer Legacy 600, and a Bombardier Global 6000. It also operates a pair of Leonardo AW109 helicopters.

These aircraft are primarily managed on behalf of their private and corporate owners, with spare capacity made available through the charter market. Based mainly on its core fleet of Hawkers, JetSetGo— which was formed in 2012—has introduced a jet card program and, according to the group’s chief strategy officer, Jonathan Sumner, it is now exploring how block flight-time o ff erings—potentially including fractional ownership—could support

the addition of new-build business jets. “There is enormous untapped potential for us to provide what is essentially personal air mobility, but [with current business aircraft] the entry price is very high,” Sumner told AIN . This has prompted JetSetGo’s intense interest in what new aircraft could enable in terms of economies of scale that would reduce the price point for alternatives to road and rail connections.

JONATHAN SUMNER CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICE, JETSETGO

EVTOLS COULD BE IN THE MIX

In January, JetSetGo signed a memorandum of understanding with Japanese start-up SkyDrive to explore the business case for deploying its in-development SD05 threeseat eVTOL aircraft for short hops around cities in India’s Gujarat state. The business jet operator has also started a partnership with Embraer spinoff Eve Air Mobility to prepare for the deployment of its Vector urban air traffic management software platform to support eVTOL operations in Indian cities.

JetSetGo has already made provisional commitments to buy Overair’s larger Butterfly eVTOL aircraft and Horizon’s Cavorite model—both of which have longer range than the SD-05. In January 2024, the company signed a sales agreement with Electra Aero covering possible orders for

its hybrid-electric nine-passenger blown-lift wing short takeoff and landing aircraft, which it views as being suitable for new routes of up to around 500 kilometers (270 nm).

“We’re now seeing an extension of wealth growth outside India’s tier one cities into the tier two and three cities, and that is driving demand for better air connections,” Sumner explained. “We’re seeing growth in private jet demand because there is a service gap for flights where airlines don’t want to go.”

While efforts have been made to use helicopters to fill this gap, it has proved challenging to scale up operations at affordable rates for flights. This is where JetSetGo sees an opening for the new electric and hybrid-electric aircraft it expects to see entering the market from around 2028.

The company has not yet determined how this aspect of its fleet diversification will be funded. For now, its focus is defining the right business model with what Sumner called “a laser focus on the early adopter customer.”

“Outside the U.S., India is probably the best opportunity to see how the new [AAM] model could work,” said Sumner, who is a former managing director of private charter flight platform Victor and a veteran of air taxi start-up Farnborough Aircraft. Between 2001 and 2004, Farnborough Aircraft had tried to bring the F1 Kestrel light aircraft to market at the height of the very light jet revolution that never came to fruition.

A big factor in JetSetGo’s optimism is the current Indian government’s resolve in boosting airport infrastructure and encouraging air transport growth. “Over the past year, we’ve seen all the major [aircraft] OEMs taking India seriously, whereas before we were struggling to get on their radar,” Sumner concluded. z

Business aviation regional snapshot

BUSINESS JETS BASED IN ASIA 2023 VS 2024 GLOBAL FLEET OF

In Southeast Asia, large-cabin jets dominated at 55.4% of the market share in 2024. Large-cabin jets were also the only aircraft category to see a year-over-year (YOY) drop in market share from 2023. Activity across all models was up 2.1% in 2024.

BREAKDOWN OF 2024 BUSINESS AVIATION FLIGHT ACTIVITY BY COUNTRY FOR SOUTHEAST ASIA AND A YEAR-OVER-YEAR COMPARISON OF MARKET SHARE FOR EACH COUNTRY FROM 2023. BUSINESS AVIATION FLIGHT ACTIVITY ACROSS ASIA 2023 VS 2024

New Rotorcraft: Some new tech, some old

BY MATT THURBER

With the exception of the still-developing urban air mobility segment, rotorcraft development remains a slow and steady activity. Few new aircraft are under development and some, such as the Bell 525 and Leonardo AW609, seem stuck in endless certification delays. There are bright spots, however, and we expect to hear some interesting news from rotorcraft OEMs at this month’s Verticon show (formerly HeliExpo). Meanwhile, here is what is going on at the rotorcraft OEMs.

AIRBUS HELICOPTERS

Airbus Helicopters is taking a break from development of the CityAirbus eVTOL aircraft. While it plans to continue flying the prototype electric aircraft this year, the company is also pausing the program due to a lack of progress in battery technology.

Apart from that, Airbus Helicopters is committed to innovation and its roadmap focuses on short-term solutions for the in-service fleet of more than 12,000 helicopters; testing of new technology that will be ready for market demand and customers’ future needs; and longer-term “disruptive mobility solutions of the future.”

“We are convinced that innovation is always the best way to continue to bring value to our customers,” said CEO Bruno Even.

Work continues with three research rotorcraft—FlightLab, DisruptiveLab, and PioneerLab—for testing new technologies that could make their way onto existing helicopters plus evaluating “disruptive” technologies for future aircraft such as fixed-wing or eVTOL types. Last year, the high-speed compound rotorcraft Racer

exceeded its 220-knot target speed by flying at 227 knots. Flights will resume this year.

In Marignane, France, the FlightLab H130 platform has tested a rotor strike alerting system, a HUMS for single-engine helicopters, and fly-by-wire simplified flight controls. The Vertex demo tested new flight sensors, high-speed computing, and a new human-machine interface designed to “enhance safety, reduce pilot workload, and explore automation features” for VTOL aircraft.

DisruptiveLab flights in 2023 logged 42 hours toward maturing new technologies to improve performance and reduce emissions as much as 50% with a parallel hybrid propulsion system that recharges the battery in flight. Major modifications are planned this year in preparation for the next flight test campaign.

Airbus’ Racer high-speed compound rotorcraft achieved a 227-knot top speed during flight testing last year.

An H145 serves as the PioneerLab platform but it is also acting as a twin-engine FlightLab. The focus of testing in Donauwörth, Germany, is on systems and airframe improvements including autonomy. Testing will include a lidar-based rotor strike alerting system in hover operations; lidar-based wire detection; automatic takeoff and landing; sensors and image processing to enhance situational awareness; active trim actuators to enable tactile cues and optionally piloted vehicle operations.

Airbus Helicopters is working with Garmin to certify a three-axis autopilot for the H130, and that is expected to be approved and available this year.

The Garmin autopilot features progressive resistance on the cyclic as the pilot approaches pre-defined limits; visual and audible alerts for speed or altitude exceedances; and a level button to return to straight-and-level flight.

Meanwhile, larger helicopters in the Airbus family are seeing growing success, with the new five-blade H145 securing 300 orders during the past two years and delivery of the 2,000th in December 2024.

The H160 fleet exceeds 30, and last year, Airbus lowered the H160’s empty weight and fuel consumption to increase range by 60 nm and payload by 220 pounds.

Last year, the Super Puma made a significant comeback, and Airbus already has booked a contract for 12. “We are committed to this product,” said Even, “and I’m optimistic we’ll be able to confirm this positive trend in the years to come.”

BELL

Bell delivered 172 aircraft in 2024 and signed up fleet sales that include ten 525s to Equinor and fifteen 407GXis to Global Medical Response.

A major milestone for Bell remains certification of the fly-by-wire, super-medium 525. Former president and CEO Mitch Snyder in early 2023 said he expected the FAA to certify the 525 by the end of that year. Last year, new Bell president and CEO Lisa

Atherton said that certification was going to take place by the end of 2024, but that has pushed into 2025. The Equinor order is expected to begin deliveries in 2026, according to Bell, and this would require EASA certification.

In addition to fly-by-wire flight controls, with which Bell has much experience on the V-22 tiltrotor, the 525’s main rotor gearbox has no high-speed drives and uses independent and redundant reduction and accessory drive gearboxes.

Power is provided by two GE CT7-2F1 turboshaft engines, each delivering 1,979 shp for takeoff and 1,714 shp max continuous power.

With a maximum cruise speed of 160 knots, the 525 can carry up to 16

passengers and two pilots. Maximum range at full gross weight is 619 nm. Avionics are Garmin’s G5000H integrated suite with touchscreen controllers.

Bell is producing the 525 at its Amarillo, Texas assembly center.

Other Bell developments include new upgrades such as the BasiX-Pro glass cockpit for the 412 and 429 and EASA certification of Garmin’s GFC 600H helicopter flight control system in the 505.

ENSTROM HELICOPTER

Since Surack Enterprises bought Enstrom Helicopter in May 2022, the Menominee, Michigan-based helicopter manufacturer has resumed manufacturing helicopters

After a long gestation period, Bell aims to certify the fly-by-wire 525 this year.

The turbine-powered 480B is Enstrom’s top-of-the line helicopter.

and developing upgrades. Before Chuck Surack—a longtime helicopter pilot who learned to fly in an Enstrom 280—rescued the company, it had filed for Chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy after 64 years in business. Enstrom has made more than 1,300 helicopters, most of which are still flying, and the employee ranks have grown to 165 from 135 before the bankruptcy.

“Chuck is very committed to seeing this company get back on its feet,” said Charles Wade, senior v-p of product, sales, and customer experience. “He’s got a vision of what he wants; that’s what we’re working towards.”

Enstrom manufactures three helicopters, the turbocharged piston-engine F28F and 280FX and the turbine 480B. The 280FX is a more aerodynamically refined version of the F28F and also is equipped with touchscreen Garmin avionics.

A key upgrade program for Enstrom is the crash-resistant fuel system (CRFS) for the 480B, and work on this project is ramping up. Enstrom was working on the CRFS before the bankruptcy, so that put a bit of a slowdown into the process.

Another program is the Garmin G500H TXi touchscreen display with Howell Instruments engine display, expected to enter service in June. The avionics have been demonstrated in the 280FX but are intended

for the 480B. In addition to the G500H TXi, the package will include the GTN 750 touchscreen GPS com/navigator or the GTN 650 as an option. “We’re evaluating our options on the 280FX,” Wade said. “We’re trying to make sure it’s price-sensitive.”

Last year, Enstrom announced a Genesys three-axis autopilot for the 480B, and this is available in two configurations.

The original is the legacy 480B with an Aspen Avionics primary flight display and the newest version with the Genesys autopilot is being certified with the G500H TXi. This will make the 480B qualified for IFR training.

HILL HELICOPTERS

Development of the HX50 single-engine light helicopter is proceeding, and Hill Helicopters founder and chief engineer Jason Hill last October revealed key targets for the program. The company has taken on the challenge of building its own turboshaft engine and plans for first run of the GT50 engine on June 28, first flight of the HX50 on December 20, and start of production on Dec. 7, 2026.

Based at a 76,000-sq-ft production center in Stafford, UK, Hill is developing two versions of the helicopter, the experimental amateur-built HX50 to be followed by a certified HC50. Both will feature

modern avionics and a stability augmentation system as well as a fully articulated rotor system.

“The comprehensive testing of the GT50 engine is underway, and we are progressing through the necessary stages to meet Part 33 [certification] requirements,” the company told AIN

Three prototype HX50s are under construction and will be used for flight testing. Hill said the timeline for certification of the HC50 is one year following the HX50’s start of production in December 2026. “These prototypes will complete all the testing required for certification. Our plan is to achieve type certification first, immediately followed by production certification, to ensure a smooth transition from development to manufacturing.”

Plans call for the HC50 to be certified by the UK CAA followed by the FAA, Transport Canada, and other regulators.

In addition to the HX50’s airframe,the rotor blades are all-composite. Flight controls will be mechanical and augmented by a hydraulic system. All airframe structures will be manufactured at the Stafford facility, where a composites testing lab has been built to test and validate materials and processes.

“Using the dual-role model with the HX50 being in the permit-to-fly/

Hill Aircraft’s HX50 will start as an experimental amateur-built kit aircraft that will then be fully certified.

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amateur-built category and the HC50 being fully certified ensures the quickest way to market,” the company explained. “This comprehensive expertise, combined with our commitment to leveraging the latest technologies, positions us to achieve certification within our projected timeline.”

LEONARDO

Two major programs are underway at Leonardo. The AW609 is working towards type inspection authorization (TIA), the next milestone in the tiltrotor program, following a number of achievements in the past 12 months. Meanwhile, the light- single AW09, formerly the Kopter program, has completed some key tests on its path to the marketplace.

Leonardo has secured more preliminary sales contracts and added several more distributors for the AW09 along with firm customer orders. Recent achievements include the completion of engine icing tests, phase 2 bird strike testing, all main and tail rotor blade fatigue tests, and the first engine start of the Tie Down helicopter.

Engine icing tests were conducted with Safran, which makes the AW09’s Arriel 2K engine. For the phase 2 bird-strike tests, engineers tested a second bird-strike location on the helicopter’s canopy.

EASA flight testing for certification began in May 2024, and Leonardo expects the helicopter to receive approval under CS-27 regulations this year.

An AW09 can seat up to eight passengers and features a Garmin G3000H avionics suite. With a maximum speed of 140 knots, it will fly up to 430 nm or five hours. Maximum weight with internal load is 6,284 pounds and with an external load is 6,614 pounds. Sling capacity is 3,300 pounds.

In early February, AW609 tiltrotor aircraft 5 marked a significant step in the long-running program, the first flight in the U.S. in that aircraft by the FAA pilot who will conduct TIA flights. The FAA pilot had previously flown in aircraft 4 in Italy. During that week, Leonardo’s AW609 team delivered the risk management process and existing test risks to the FAA, and this paves the way for the FAA test pilot and test engineer to “participate in onboard flights,” according to Leonardo.

Aircraft 5 will be used for TIA flights and has flown 62 hours for key certification tests, including handling qualities, avionics systems performance, and cold weather operations down to -10 degrees C.

In Italy, Leonardo has been running tests of a digital twin version of the AW609. Activities and maneuvers were first flown with the digital twin on the

AW609 development/engineering simulator in Cascina Costa and then later flown in the prototype aircraft.

These tests included the first ship trials on an Italian navy aircraft carrier in the second quarter of 2024, under a working group formed to study tiltrotor potential. Included in the group are the Italian navy, army, and Italy’s customs police, and the intent of the testing is to evaluate the potential of tiltrotors’ capabilities in complementary operation with existing assets, according to Leonardo. “The assessment performed by the working group would help to define the benefits for logistic transport (vertical takeoff/landing, longrange, fast point-to-point connection with above-the-weather cruise) and, later in the future, maritime surveillance (vertical takeoff/landing, fast transfer to patrolling area, and larger area coverage).

Leonardo’s virtual extended reality (VxR) helicopter flight simulation training device has achieved FAA Level 7 approval, “marking a historic milestone as the firstever VR [virtual reality]-based training device to attain this level,” according to the Italian rotorcraft manufacturer. With a motion base and VR technology, the VxR can replicate single-engine and light twin-engine helicopters at a fraction of the cost of a full-flight simulator.

An Equinor AW189 (left) and Leonardo’s recently certified VxR full-motion virtual reality flight simulator.

Capable of replicating the AW09, AW119, and AW109 helicopters, the VxR uses previously qualified level-D full-flight simulator flight dynamics and performance data and cockpit components. VxR simulators can be connected so flight crew can train together on the same mission.

MD HELICOPTERS

Mesa, Arizona-based MD Helicopters exited bankruptcy in late 2022, having delivered just five helicopters that year. New investors and leadership have since turned the company around, although sales haven’t accelerated as quickly as projected, with just nine helicopters delivered in 2023. Numbers for 2024 weren’t available at the time this was written.

However, the company has focused on supporting the more than 1,700 MD helicopters still operating. To that end, it has launched an AOG team, smoothed out the parts supply chain, and built up a strong field support team. In addition to establishing a goal of 95%-plus spares fill rate within 24 hours, MD has also been working on ensuring that more than 1,000 unique spare parts are available on the “never-out” list.

The latest program update for MD Helicopters involves a ramp-up of its 530E to 530F conversion program. The first conversion was completed last October for the Cleveland Police Department. Upgrades add 350 pounds to internal load and 200 pounds external and a 5,500-foot increase in hover out of ground effect, thanks to a larger Rolls-Royce 250-C30 engine; longer main and tail rotor blades and tail rotor drive-shaft; extended tail rotor gearbox; modified tailboom; and new vertical and horizontal stabilizers.

MD Helicopters sees strong demand for these upgrades and plans to release more performance improvements for the MD 500D, MD 500E, and MD 520N.

ROBINSON HELICOPTER

Under the leadership of president and CEO

David Smith, who took over the position in early 2024, Robinson Helicopter has

purchased a drone manufacturing company—Ascent AeroSystems—and further moved into exploration of electric and hydrogen power for its traditional helicopters. The helicopter manufacturer

is also providing support to Skyryse’s efforts to obtain supplemental type certificate approval for a fly-by-wire version of the R66 helicopter and Rotor Technologies’ conversion of the R44 into a

WINGX GLOBAL INSIGHT POWERS GROWTH

Upgrades are planned for more MD helicopters like this MD 500E.

remotely operated utility or agricultural spray helicopter.

Robinson has partnered with United Therapeutics on the development of a hydrogen-powered R44 and R66, and progress continues on that program. “My team and the team at United Therapeutics that’s doing the development work…everyone’s learning quickly,” he said. “There’s a lot of things to learn…particularly around cooling, that are very important parts of keeping fuel cells working nominally. The design is quite clean. [But] it still has another generation to go before [it’s ready]. So we’re actively working through that.

“We’re going to make this an initial proof of concept, to maximize its learning, and then take that and do the application in more detail with the authorities. We’re in good discussions with them so far, so there is lots of good progress on that.”

Skyryse’s work involves removing all the conventional controls from an R66 and replacing them with a fly-by-wire control system managed with a single control and two screens. “We’re cheering them on,” Smith said. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us to make sure that we’re ready to support them in the next phase, where they’re taking on aircraft and modifying them in larger volumes. We’re ready to support them in that.”

Helicopter fly-by-wire is not an easy change, and long delays in the certification program of the Bell 525 suggest that there is a big learning curve for all involved, especially the FAA. “Fly-by-wire is many great things,” he said, “but it’s also challenging and particularly in helicopters where the time constants are so much faster. In fixed-wing, system response has time that the aircraft doesn’t immediately go into an unstable condition. In helicopters, it’s a different matter entirely. We’ve seen attempts in the past to go to fly-bywire. Airbus jettisoned it on the H160; the Sikorsky S-92 had an attempt to do it and

backed away. The Bell 525 has taken so long, at least partially due to the fly-bywire content, so it’s a long road. But we’re very supportive of Skyryse and are trying to help them do it as safely as possible.”

Another fly-by-wire program that Robinson is supporting is the Rotor Technologies R44 remotely piloted helicopter. “We love their product and team,” he said. “They don’t need a lot of help, but they want to productionize, and that’s our end of the world.”

Another area of opportunity for Robinson is in pilot training and the growing application of virtual reality technology in flight simulation. “I see this as an enormous opportunity,” Smith said. “We have more than 100 dealers and 400 service centers, and many of them would host a device and train their customers. We’ve got to make it easy for them to do that.”

The Robinson team is working on a training product, details of which Smith wasn’t ready to reveal when interviewed in February.

For bringing e ff ective simulator-based training to the helicopter market, the key is not expensive, regulator-approved programs with simulators that cost hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars. “The

future is not regulated training; it is gamified, immersive training that changes how pilots make decisions,” Smith said.

Having run a large OEM-based fixedwing simulation network, he added, “Not one of them felt like I was making pilots substantially better or pause about their own judgment. They always were trained for proficiency in maneuvers and systems knowledge. That’s important. You have to do that. But I think that if you look at the data, the things that kill the pilots in my [helicopters], my customers, it’s decision making, and it’s a mix of human factors, mission preparation, and flight into IMC happens because of improper weather planning or the limitations of decision making in the moment.

“I think our e ff orts with simulation are going to go right at the teeth of that, solve the problem of how do you simulate to make pilots think twice about their preparation. That will make an enormous difference on safety. It won’t solve everything, nothing will, but that will solve something that nobody else is solving right now.”

An avid gamer, Smith said, “I study all these game companies and how people sit in front of screens and play games for forever and ever, and there’s no intrinsic

A key upgrade for the R66 and other Robinson models is the new horizontal stabilizer.

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return on that, no credit, no hours get gathered.” But if passionate people are competitive and the games are engaging, then creating a leaderboard might motivate them to improve. “[If] you’re in the bottom quarter, who isn’t going to go back into the machine and try again?” he asked.

“When our simulation product that we’re working on hits the market, it will be something that will change safety and change the expectation of general aviation. That’s my goal, that general aviation should be safer because we don’t have all the same regulatory complexities and burden that a big airliner has. We should be better than that. And that’s where we’ll set the bar.”

As for an entirely new helicopter, all Smith would say is, “Robinson has more than doubled its engineering staff in the last 12 to 18 months. We’ve got folks in every discipline required to develop the next generation of Robinson product. They’ve been hard at work, putting in long hours to build a product that will give more capability to our customers. There’s a lot to that, and it’s not just one product that’s on the roadmap. It’s intended to go after places where we see really significant needs not being met in the market. And I think what Robinson produces are extremely affordable, field supportable, simple aircraft to maintain, operate, and fly, and you’ll get that in bigger doses in the months ahead.”

SCHWEIZER

Schweizer, which produces the pistonpowered S300C and S300CBi light helicopters, supports the more than 1,200 model 269 (Hughes 300) helicopters that are still flying. Since 2018, when the company was created to buy the assets of the 269 program from Sikorsky in 2018, it has built up its product support activities and parts supply chain.

One of its biggest upgrades was approval for a CFRS for the S300C and S300CBi. Schweizer has 16 service centers

worldwide and its helicopters are used primarily for civil and military pilot training, cattle mustering, and fishspotting.

A turbine version of the iconic 300—the S333—is also available and in service, but there is no plan to manufacture more without firm orders, according to Schweizer president and CEO David Horton.

A refurbishing program for 300s has proven popular, both for helicopters owned by the factory and those that customers want to have refurbished. This brings older helicopters up to fresh standards with new canopy and door plexiglass, fresh upholstery and paint, new main and tail rotor blades, and an overhauled or new engine plus many options. Schweizer also offers a certified preowned helicopter program with factory inspection of the aircraft and optional add-ons such as avionics upgrades.

The 300CBi is targeted at the training market with a lighter maximum takeo ff weight, lower horsepower rating, and lower direct operating costs. With a higher horsepower rating, the heavier 300C can fill more missions, including training that requires more power such as at higher altitudes. Operating costs are lower than other helicopters, he explained, because none of the parts have calendar limits. “Everything

is limited by the hours flown, to the individual components based on their time in service. There’s no single point where the helicopter is required to have a complete overhaul. We replace various components when they’re due, and the helicopter remains in service.

“We have a very safe product,” Horton said. “It has a fully articulated [rotor system] with an independent cyclic and collective for the student and instructor, like what you’re going to see when you fly EMS or law enforcement or for a tour operator in a larger turbine.”

SIKORSKY

The Sikorsky Innovations unit continues exploring rotorcraft technology and future designs that could someday reach production. Meanwhile, the company is focusing on continual improvement of its largest civil helicopter, the S-92, of which some 300 are operating, 80% in offshore oil and gas flying. One recently retired with 30,000 hours logged, averaging more than 2,000 hours per year of reliable service.

“We now have a growing segment, which is VIP and head of state,” said Leon Silva, v-p commercial programs. Thirteen countries operate the S-92 for flying leaders, including the U.S. with the VH-92A,

The iconic Schweizer 300 is still in production and well supported.

which is slowly taking on more presidential flights as it transitions into the Marine Helicopter Squadron One role. “We anticipate that to be one of our growing markets. For that mission, it’s very comfortable and we can put restrooms in them.”

This year, Sikorsky expects to receive certification for the S-92’s Phase 4 gearbox. To create the gearbox, the company leveraged all the improvements and learnings from the past 10 years as well as Sikorsky’s experience making the massive CH53K gearbox plus $100 million in development.

The key feature of the new gearbox is a secondary oil system, which allows it to continue operating for more than seven hours after failure of the primary oil system. “Historically, that’s a 30-minute requirement,” said Silva. “This enables the aircraft and people in it to return to any location, using all the fuel available on the aircraft to bring it safely anywhere. This is a significant step in improving the S-92.”

The Sikorsky S-92A’s Phase 4 gearbox should receive FAA certification this year and features a secondary oil system.

In the latest configuration with the new gearbox, the helicopter will become the S-92A+, but the improvements will also be offered as an upgrade kit for any S-92. The upgrade includes a 1,200-pound maximum takeoff weight increase to 27,700 pounds, with structural changes to accommodate the higher weight. Lighter seats will also be offered along with an avionics management system software upgrade to version 11.0.

On the innovation front, Sikorsky has completed lab testing of a hybrid-electric powertrain using its own resources to design and build motors, power electronics, and flight controls. A GE turbine engine and turboelectric generator power the powertrain.

“We are in the next product cycle for Sikorsky,” said Igor Cherepinsky, director,

Sikorsky Innovations. “We are looking at what we’re going to launch next. We have not been ignorant of eVTOLs and propulsion system electrification.”

Sikorsky specializes in super-medium and heavy rotorcraft, so it is looking at those sizes or in the class of its intermediate twin-engine S-76. “We’re looking at what hybridization electrification brings to those platforms,” he said.

The tilt-wing HEX is how Sikorsky is testing these systems. As an uncrewed aircraft, the HEX allows for “rapid design integration migration so we don’t have to worry about safety to human beings as we go explore that configuration,” Cherepinsky explained. Additionally, the drivetrain uses the GE engine and turbogenerator and Sikorsky’s 1.2 MW triple-redundant electric motors, power electronics, and fly-by-wire flight controls. “We have experience in making transmissions,” he said, “so making motors was not a long stretch. We were pretty well poised to do that design work quite well.”

Before building an airframe, Sikorsky is building a power systems testbed that hosts all the components and will be used for ground and some hover testing. “We intend to fly that asset,” he said, either late this year or early next year. Once that flight testing is done, those components will be moved into a complete HEX airframe.

Another configuration will be more conventional—a single-rotor, hybridelectric helicopter. “We’ve been flying

single main rotors for many years,” he said. “We understand their advantages, and for a whole bunch of missions, nothing beats a very low disk loading. The very large single main rotor that spins relatively slow, it’s extremely efficient. That’s why single-rotor helicopters exist.”

The HEX rotors are quite large. “They’re certainly larger than the eVTOL [designs] and that’s because we want to take advantage of larger rotors as we understand them,” Cherepinsky said. “There’s still distributed electric propulsion, but distributed in a different manner [hybridelectric instead of batteries]. Both of these aircraft that we’re talking about are fairly agnostic to the source of power because we’re being pragmatic and we would like to launch the product. Turbines are the best at converting stored energy into mechanical energy. That’s why we are talking about hybrid-electric distribution today.

“We also have done quite a bit of work on fuel cells. We understand where that is, and hydrogen has a place in aviation. It remains to be seen how big and where that’s going to go, but both of these aircraft are up for

that. And, last but not least, when solidstate batteries or other technology like that matures, there might be an option.

“We even looked at the same vehicle having different sources of power. For example, some of our customers fly S-76s. They may fly fairly short missions that might be within the range of future batteries. Our future hybrid-electric product for those customers might be, here’s a batterypowered aircraft that gives you 150 nm of range. For other customers, like offshore oil or VIP transport with longer legs, you end up with hybrid-electric aircraft [that are] turbine-powered or hydrogenpowered. The neat part is the actual air vehicle remains the same. Now you’re talking about options for powerplants.”

When it comes to manufacturing, Sikorsky is designing in commonality between the two designs that will make manufacturing more streamlined and keep costs down.

“There’s a huge transformation happening with our manufacturing facility,” Cherepinsky said. The all-composite HEX with its 37-foot wingspan has no expensive and time-consuming castings or forgings. Motor housings are made with additive manufacturing by Sikorsky at its Stratford, Connecticut headquarters. “It’s not just hybrid-electric that’s enabling these new products, but definitely a manufacturing

revolution that’s helping quite a bit,” he said.

A further twist to simplifying manufacturing is integrating batteries into the structure, as structural elements themselves. “Obviously, any hybrid-electric system needs some energy storage, so how do you integrate that with structure? All of the big power buses that are carrying these megawatts of power are also structural. As we’re making them, we can make them do exactly what we need, which saves a lot of weight.”

Such a highly integrated vehicle extends to the computing elements as well, not just for flight controls but motor controllers and avionics. “It’s a much more integrated vehicle management system,” said Cherepinsky. “The whole aircraft is sort of a flying computing cluster, where, if failures occur, different nodes can pick up different functionality.”

None of this work is being done outside the purview of potential customers. “We always organize a customer advisory group,” said Silva, and these include a diverse cross-section of potential buyers and operators. “On a fairly regular basis, we give them an update. We ask them for their feedback, and that is one of the ways that we shape the future to make sure we land with something that is going to meet their expectations. But folks who participate in a group like that are also influenced by their

limited experience. So when we’re trying to push technology to the next level, [it may be] beyond what they’re imagining. It’s a balancing act. We don’t just build what the customers think should be the next thing, because they don’t always have the full toolset to recognize or appreciate the full potential of doing something new. So it’s a little bit of a balance.”

“We’re not just looking at traditional helicopter missions,” Cherepinsky added, “but looking to advance mobility in both civil and military markets and what you can do with vehicles that can go from downtown New York to downtown Chicago at almost business jet speeds but are able to hover and land in the middle of [downtown]. If you look at the logistics space and how we’re all used to the immediate delivery of things, we believe that these kinds of vehicles will help streamline the flow of goods for both civil and military customers.”

Both the HEX tilt-wing and the single-rotor configurations are candidates for product launch, although they are aimed at different markets, Cherepinsky said. “We hope to make a product launch in the next year or two. I promise the next helicopter is going to be very different for both commercial and [military] customers. And you [will] see a lot of jaw drops when they see what that looks like.” z

Sikorsky is investing heavily in hybrid-electric technology for potential new rotorcraft designs.

Paris International Air and Space Show is flling up very quickly.

Don’t be left in transit

Saudi Arabia signals desire to unlock business aviation growth

BY PETER SHAW-SMITH

Red Sea International Airport, shown here while under construction, opened in September 2023.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has long been regarded as the jewel in the crown of the Gulf region’s business aviation market, albeit a jewel that has often seemed quite unobtainable due to an array of complex obstacles. As has happened in China, albeit in a different context, anti-corruption initiatives—epitomized by the 2017 arrests of prominent ultra-high-net-worth Saudis— have resulted in private aviation maintaining a distinctly low profile.

More recently, there have been signs of hope for companies waiting patiently for improved market access, with Saudi regulators seemingly following directives from the very highest echelons to be more open to outsiders. The Kingdom’s spate of high-profile investments in projects on its Red Sea coast and efforts to attract major

sporting and cultural events appear to be fueling a renewed focus on the market.

These changes were openly discussed during a panel session at the MEBAA business aviation trade show held in Dubai in December. Industry leaders broadly welcomed improved prospects for exploiting opportunities in Saudi Arabia, with some caveats about how the country’s General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) is managing changes to the general and business aviation sector.

“Saudi Arabia is a large country—the size of mainland Europe,” said Khalid Alnatour, CEO of Aloula Aviation. “It needs a lot of connectivity. It is the world’s 17th-largest economy. That type of economy and the [inherent] growth in the next five years is, I think, half the job.”

GACA was revamped in 2021 under new president Abdulaziz Al-Duailej. Try as his team might, it was not until 2024 that a new general aviation plan was announced. Saudi Arabia’s primary aviation focus has always been commercial aviation, as the advent of Riyadh Air, the revamp of Saudia, and a 330-million-passenger target by 2030 make clear.

It was not until 2011 that Saudi Arabia’s civilian aviation sector was removed from defense ministry control.

REGULATOR NOW LESS RIGID

Nonetheless, the recent progress has been welcomed; GACA was long perceived as too rigid. For instance, it has only been since 2021 that the time needed to obtain an air operator certificate has

been cut down to a reported six months.

In December, GACA announced a new directive approving annual permits for private aircraft owners that should reduce bureaucracy. The permits apply to domestic or international aircraft used for personal, non-commercial purposes, provided they meet the approved requirements.

Before the measure was introduced, private operators were obliged to obtain individual permits for each flight. The regulator said the initiative would complement existing individual flight permits, allowing private aircraft owners to travel to, from, and within the country more easily without needing a separate permit for each flight.

Although GACA’s Part 125 operator certificates—similar to FAA Part 91—prohibit revenue-earning flights on private aircraft, the reality is that the agency can find it difficult to be certain about the basis on which the flight is being operated. According to an industry source speaking with AIN on condition of anonymity, Part 125 management operators illegally carrying passengers for hire often simply say the equivalent of “this is my friend” in cases where investigations are conducted.

Even though a workable roadmap for general aviation has been put forward, market participants are impatient to get moving. There are now plans to establish FBOs at a further nine general aviation terminals at existing airports, including those with international traffic. An example of this trend is the recent agreement for Jetex to develop an FBO at the new Red Sea International Airport on the west coast, evidence of international interest in supporting the needs of wealthy visitors to the emerging resort area.

CAN THE SAUDIS ATTRACT SERVICE PROVIDERS?

But Dubai’s success in developing FBOs and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities could hinder Saudi Arabia’s development. Jet Aviation has spent tens of millions of dollars developing its facilities in Dubai, which begs the question

as to whether the group and its rivals in the UAE will feel the need to invest in the neighboring Saudi market.

“What [GACA] needs to do is just to go to other [business aviation] organizations that we know. There are a few in Europe and the U.S. and you bring them in,” said an industry executive speaking with AIN on condition of anonymity. “We want MROs and FBOs; we want to have that support. If GACA were to present them with a reasonable business model, they will come.”

Nonetheless, from the industry’s perspective, some improvements have already been achieved in Saudi Arabia. For instance, since October 2023 there is no longer a requirement for local investors to have at least a 51% majority stake in business aviation companies.

Insiders di ff er on where and how additional FBO and MRO facilities will be added. Some say outsider locations, such as the new Al-Ula International Airport, will be first to test market interest before the big-ticket items come up on the block, while others believe sites like Riyadh are up next to get the market moving.

“Al-Ula is going to be low traffic,” the same source said. “No matter how much traffic you’re going to have in Al-Ula, in Riyadh there will be more. Al-Ula is seasonal. If I want to invest 10, 20, 30, 50 million dollars in an airport, would I want to do it in Al-Ula or a bigger city? There’s a big difference.”

Development of the private aviation terminal at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh peaked around five years ago. However, it is now expected to be demolished to make way for a new facility at King Salman Airport to open in time to meet the 2030 target.

Meanwhile, GACA’s general manager for general aviation, Imtiyaz Manzary, is doing his best to keep everyone happy. With the World Expo coming to Saudi Arabia the year Vision 2030 culminates, there’s much to prepare for. Hot on the Expo’s heels will be FIFA World Cup 2034. z

Charles Alcock contributed to this report

BIZJET MOVEMENTS RISE 24% IN SAUDI ARABIA

Business jet activity in Saudi Arabia jumped a record 24% last year, the General Authority of Civil Aviation announced at the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in February. Movements rose from around 19,000 in 2023 to more than 23,600 in 2024, with domestic flights up 26%, to 9,200, and international trips rising 15%, to 14,400.

Business jet tra c at major airport hubs in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam climbed 30%, 22%, and 7%, respectively.

GACA said tourism destinations Sindalah, Red Sea, and Al Ula were popular new locations for business, while events such as the Future Investment Initiative conference and Formula One Grand Prix in Jeddah also supported the record growth.

“A thriving business jet sector is essential to support Saudi Arabia’s luxury tourism and business sectors,” said Mohammed Alkhuraisi, GACA’s executive v-p of strategy and business. “To build on the record business jet growth achieved in 2024, an unprecedented investment program is underway to ensure the Kingdom o ers unparalleled business jet aviation infrastructure and services.”

Last year, GACA announced plans worth $2 billion for six dedicated private airports and a further nine private terminals at other facilities, with FBOs and MROs also set to increase in number. This includes Jetex’s agreement to develop and operate the sole FBO at Red Sea International Airport. P.S.S.

Fire Response

Business aviation steps up in LA wildfire fight

BY CURT EPSTEIN

StandardAero Van Nuys team members in front of the fully repaired Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper, which was damaged in a midair collision with a drone. Knowing the urgency to get the water bomber back in the fight as soon as possible, the company worked around the clock to get it back in the air.

The business aviation ecosystem played a critical role in helping mitigate the wildfires that raged through the Los Angeles area from January 7, even as local staffers faced their own concerns. Almost fully extinguished by the end of January, the blazes killed nearly 30 people, destroyed more than 12,000 buildings, and scorched close to 80 square miles.

A day after the fires began to spread across Los Angeles County, then-President Biden and California governor Gavin Newsom held a press conference at beleaguered Santa Monica Airport (KSMO), which is facing closure later in the decade. KSMO continues to support operations in the Palisades fire zone as a staging area for erosion control materials

as the area faces its next crisis in the form of mudslides, exacerbated by the destruction of vegetation on the charred hillsides.

On January 9, during the course of a mission, one of the Canadair CL-415 “Super Scooper” water bombers—sent from Canada to assist in fighting the fires—collided with a privately owned drone operating illegally in the skies over the conflagration, punching a six-inch hole in its wing leading edge. The twin-engine aircraft was able to return to Van Nuys Airport (KVNY), where it was grounded.

News of the accident spread quickly throughout the KVNY community until it reached the ears of Juan Vega, aerostructures team leader at the StandardAero repair facility there. He and a colleague immediately jumped in a golf cart and headed over to assess the situation.

“We noticed that there was a hole in the leading edge, which is mainly structure, and that’s our expertise,” he told AIN “Just by looking at it, without knowing what internal damage there was, we knew that we could fix it.” He introduced himself to the idled crew and offered his company’s services and contact information.

At the time, just two Super Scoopers were deployed as primary weapons in the battle to contain the conflagration (Canada later dispatched another pair to Los Angeles), and the sidelining of one was a major blow to the firefighting effort.

They returned to the StandardAero facility, and within two hours, Vega received a phone call from the Canadian government inquiring about the scope of the repair and the company’s capabilities. “We gave them two options,” said Vega. “The first option was for us to do a temporary repair, which is pretty much a scab patch over it with pop rivets, and the second would be a permanent repair.” In the end, the Canadian engineers opted for the permanent repair, and the aircraft taxied over to the StandardAero hangar on Friday morning.

While some technicians immediately began working on the custom-formed replacement skin section, Vega and his team opened up the wing and found extensive interior damage with three shattered stringers and one broken rib. Vega noted that his company could have fabricated replacements, but as time was of the essence, the replacement parts and fittings were dispatched overnight from the Canadian maintenance base in Quebec.

For the remainder of the weekend, the crew of nine worked in shifts around the clock to return the Super Scooper to its vital duty as soon as possible.

“We finished about two in the morning,” said Vega, adding that the vendor who operates the location’s paint department wanted to make sure the aircraft was perfect upon return. “He came in at 3:30 in the morning and helped us paint, and by 8 a.m., this aircraft was pushed out.” On a normal schedule, Vega estimates that the repair would have taken more than a week.

He and the staff initially volunteered to do the work in their own free time while juggling the facility’s packed schedule of aircraft jobs, but his company insisted on providing complete support to the team.

When they notified the Canadian government that the work was free, the Canadians demurred, and StandardAero eventually accepted half of the overall cost of the repair, explained Katherine Higgins, the facility manager.

“It was a pretty incredible experience,” said Vega, “not the fact that we did it in three days, but the fact that we contributed to what’s going on here and helped our community.”

Also at KVNY—one of the busiest general aviation airfields in the country—Signature Aviation fueled the quartet of Super Scoopers, which proved crucial in the effort to quench the flames. The company noted that it also assisted with the arrival of additional firefighting reserves at its Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX) location. According to a Signature spokesperson, it is supporting local firefighters and community members through donations to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and the California Community Foundation.

 It was a pretty incredible experience, not the fact that we did it in three days, but the fact that we contributed to what’s going on here and helped our community. 

— Juan Vega

Aerostructures team leader at StandardAero

Atlantic Aviation reported that its locations at KLAX, KSMO, and Burbank Airport (KBUR) provided fuel discounts to Cal Fire and any other firefighting agency needing aviation-related fuel or support, and its facility at Long Beach Airport (KLGB) hosted a donations collection site for fire victims in need of supplies. Jet Aviation, another FBO at KVNY, noted that its global network is supporting the Los Angeles region through the local chapter of the American Red Cross.

Meanwhile, the general aviation facility Camarillo Airport (KCMA) in nearby Ventura County hosted a pop-up 24-hour air traffic control facility that was established

to coordinate the orchestra of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters that were on the front lines, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire alone may have had 19 aircraft cycling through at a given time with the Grumman S-2T and Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules airtankers dropping broad swaths of fire retardant and Bell UH-1H Super Hueys and Sikorsky S-70i Firehawks supporting with more specific location drops. This was carefully coordinated with air tactical and helitack group supervisors flying above each group. Aircraft were also used to spot heat sources and warn of potential outbreaks.

The ATC facility at Camarillo managed this activity from the ground. A Cal Fire spokeswoman noted that this marked the first time it had a pop-up ATC facility— which really was an equipped trailer— staffed around the clock in that capacity. KCMA was among the many airports around the region hosting the range of aircraft combatting the various fires. Another significant staging site was Oxnard Airport (KOXR), which is also in Ventura County.

Cal Fire, coordinating with Los Angeles County, was among several agencies and contractors that joined in the herculean effort to fight to combat the numerous fires, including the Palisades, Eaton, and later Hughes outbreaks that spanned more than three weeks in January.

The firefighting effort involved a unified command between Angeles National Forest officials, Los Angeles County Fire, Los Angeles County Sheriffs, Cal Fire, and the Bureau of Land Management, among others.

In just the Hughes fire, which spanned nearly 10,500 acres burned from January 22 to 30, flames reached heights up to 200 feet and were spread by winds of up to 50 mph. More than 250,000 gallons of retardant and nearly 910,000 gallons of water were dropped there, thanks to 24 airtankers that were supported by a handful of lead planes and two dozen helicopters flying various missions.

Many of those involved viewed the missions as simply their jobs, noted the Cal

Fire Response

Fire spokeswoman. Some faced their own personal concerns about safety and devastation, even through past fires that occurred throughout California.

“When you see it from the air, you do have that sense of loss. It’s hard to step back to say, ‘We did things right,’” she said.

In early February, Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass held a press conference to discuss the recovery effort going forward. But

she opened with a nod to all those participating in the firefighting efforts, saying: “It has been 31 days since unprecedented fires engulfed our city. It’s been 31 days since the Palisades was destroyed and lives were changed forever. It’s been 31 days since our whole nation was inspired by the bravery of firefighters, police officers, and countless first responders who fought for days on end without rest to

protect Los Angeles. So, I want to thank our first responders. You are our heroes.” With industry members among those displaced by the disaster, Universal Weather and Aviation was inspired to partner with the Southern California Business Aviation Association to launch a GoFundMe to provide immediate relief to those affected, with the trip support provider kicking in an initial $20,000. z

DRONE PILOT WHO CRASHED INTO CL-415 WATERBOMBER PLEADS GUILTY

While firefighters battled multiple wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area in January, unauthorized drone activity in the region surged, leading to increased law enforcement.

Within the first week of the outbreak of the fires, Los Angeles County deputy fire chief Robert Harris told reporters that o cials had already detected four dozen privately-owned drones flying over the fires.

At least three people were arrested as a result, police o cials said at the time.

In one case, the pilot of a drone that collided with a firefighting aircraft on the third day of the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor

charge of unsafe drone operation, federal o cials announced.

Peter Tripp Akemann’s drone hit and damaged a water-dropping Canadian Super Scooper aircraft, Quebec 1. The firefighting aircraft was grounded on January 9 after managing to land safely, according to an FAA statement.

According to authorities, Akemann launched the drone from a Santa Monica parking structure on January 9, flying it more than 1.5 miles toward the Palisades Fire before losing visual contact. The drone collided with Quebec 1, which was carrying two firefighters.

Attorney Glen Jonas, who is representing his mistake” and “takes full respon -

sibility for his serious lapse in judgment.”

Akemann faces a potential one-year prison sentence, with the final decision resting with the judge, according to acting U.S. attorney Joseph McNally. Under the plea agreement, Akemann must complete 150 hours of wildfire-related community service and pay $65,000 in restitution for the aircraft’s damage, McNally stated.

The recent Los Angeles wildfires have caused significant devastation, destroying more than 10,000 structures and resulting in at least 30 deaths. Fueled by extreme drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds, the fires spread rapidly, forcing mass evacuations across LA County.

During rescue and firefighting operations throughout January, aircraft trying to contain the Palisades wildfire were frequently forced to leave the area because of unauthorized drones in the air.

These led to warnings from o cials about use of drones in the a ected areas. Los Angeles County sheri Robert Luna urged folks to avoid areas devastated by fire altogether.

“If you do not have business in the evacuation areas, do not go there,” Luna said in a press conference last month. “You are infringing upon the work that our first responders need to attend to.”

S.R.

Super Scoopers like this one proved extremely helpful during the Los Angeles fires.

Robinson helicopters support firefighting

BY MATT THURBER

During the Palisades fire, all sorts of aerial assets were put into play to try and mitigate the devastating damage and eventually contain the fire. While one might assume that light helicopters—such as those manufactured in nearby Torrance, California, by Robinson Helicopter—wouldn’t be suited for firefighting, that isn’t the case.

“Obviously, our aircraft are lower weight than what would be productive and practical for water dropping at this scale,” said Robinson CEO David Smith, although the turbine R66 does have the performance capability to carry water drop systems like the Bambi Bucket. “At the size and scale of these fires, they need big fixed-wing aircraft, and they need the larger helicopters when they want to get in close.”

Robinson did support the firefighters in other ways, Smith explained. “We flew some fire commanders in aerial support, and we flew a few crews of folks flying over the fires at the Palisades.” These included Santa Monica Fire Department chief Matthew Hallock and deputy chief

Tom Clemo; chief Mariana Ruiz-Temple from the Oregon State Fire Marshall (OSFM); deputy chief Steve Bregman, special operations, city of Portland, Oregon; and OSFM agency representatives chief Ian Yocum and chief Lance Lighty.

There are other ways Robinson can serve firefighters, Smith explained, including adding Ascent Aerosystems, its recently acquired drone company, to the mix. “Our main goal is helping to move VIPs,” he said, “and give them aerial command and control and then provide another way to do fire mapping, both with our rotary-wing assets, which they’re using right now, and drone assets that we have developed.”

In partnership with Data Blanket, an artificial intelligence hardware and software company, Robinson is working on putting all these assets together to help prevent and fight fires. “They’re doing incredible things that will allow our aircraft to team with the drones to provide mass surveillance for prevention of fire,

identification of when fire occurs, and to quickly put it out before it scales,” Smith said.

“Probably the biggest thing our law enforcement customers today tell us is that search and rescue and finding missing persons is a significant part of their role. And these swarm AI-enabled drones built into our aircraft will enable much quicker finding of the missing person.”

From a big-picture point of view, he explained, the mission is less that of flying an aircraft equipped with AI products than the aircraft becoming part of an aerial surveillance ecosystem. “We’ve been collaborating with [Data Blanket] for the most of a year,” he said. “You’re not flying the aircraft or the drone itself. You’re flying the mission. The drones manage the detail flying of the airspace. It’s an incredible capability that coordinates between the tactical flight officer and the aircraft. So it’s a low workload way to give them a substantial increase in sources of information.” z

Local Los Angeles and California state fire o cials used helicopters like this Robinson R66 to provide aerial support.

Avilution XFS software gains 1st FAA approval

BY MATT THURBER

An Eclipse 500 very light jet is now flying with an upgraded air data computer (ADC) developed by Resurgent Aviation Solutions and using Avilution’s eXtensible Flight System (XFS) software. This is the first FAA-approved use of XFS, according to Avilution, and offers “an efficient solution for upgrading older aircraft like the Eclipse 500 to meet modern standards.”

Integration of hardware components into the ADC upgrade was done by Skytron Avionics, and this work will help keep Eclipse 500s flying with a modern ADC solution.

“A big advantage of this outcome was that nothing changed with the pilots’ interface to the avionics,” said Avilution founder Mark Spencer. “This integration is completely invisible to the flight crew, avoiding the need for additional flight training or procedure changes.”

Based at Huntsville International Airport in Alabama, Avilution develops avionics software that can run on a variety of hardware, eliminating the dependency on proprietary software and hardware that is typical in the avionics industry.

“We are approaching avionics as the software product it has become and trying to address that in a way that takes advantage of the technological advances in the rest of the computer world,” Spencer explained. It doesn’t make sense to carry around a separate flashlight, camera, and text messaging device when all those functions are just software on a highly portable smartphone.

In aviation, he added, the flight management system is “just another box, and so is an autopilot, but the bulk of these are software applications.” What Avilution is doing is making it possible to create avionics products that are software-based and

not stuck inside proprietary hardware, he said, “while recognizing the unique challenges of safety that are so important in the aviation sector.”

This work is underway not just in the general aviation arena but also for military and space products. The U.S. Army calls this the modular open systems approach, Spencer said, “and has been talking about this for a long time. Imagine a world where hardware is separate from software. If you like a Dynon primary flight display but want ForeFlight as the moving map, imagine those in your systems. With appropriate modularity, we can incorporate these components into an integrated system that is not currently supported. [Now] if you want to play in the Garmin sandbox, you can only play with their toys.”

Avilution is trying to make it possible for aircraft manufacturers to buy the

Avilution’s eXtensible Flight System (XFS) software powers a replacement for unreliable Eclipse 500 air data computers.

underlying hardware and run the desired avionics as software, not unlike buying a personal computer that can run almost any software product.

Work that Avilution is doing includes integrating components such as radio and attitude and heading reference systems using a common format to support data transfer, to meet the highest design assurance level (DAL) required by regulators. An example is Avilution’s software running on the latest Collins Aerospace operating system. Avilution also ran a demo for the U.S. Army where it installed software on a legacy Sikorsky Black Hawk equipped with a next-generation avionics suite.

To simplify the process, Avilution’s software is highly configurable, Spencer explained. “It’s just like how Microsoft’s Excel works. It has a number of formulas that you use to create a spreadsheet that ties them together to solve problems. We don’t have to implement every requirement; we just implement the design pattern and use a configuration to map requirements into the software.”

In the case of the Black Hawk demo, during the exercise, Avilution was asked to implement two new requirements that hadn’t previously been specified. “We were able to implement this in the field without having to change the operational flight program of the aircraft by making changes to those configuration files used to map the behaviors and control two other parts of the radio that we had not been asked to before,” he said.

The original ADC for the Eclipse 500 is one of three and has a high failure rate, according to Spencer. Resurgent Aviation Solutions was able to source a replacement but needed it to act like the original ADC to simplify the upgrade.

Another interesting aspect of this upgrade is that it was done using ASTM standards instead of DAL C, which usually applies to these products. “We used ASTM to replace a DAL C component,” he said. “This was a big deal, to get the feet-on-thestreet FAA certification folks to follow this

new regulatory effort. Resurgent was key to making that happen.”

The Black Hawk radio emulation, however, is a product that meets DAL C, an Army requirement. Avilution is also using the same software to drive three LRUs in another military aircraft type, including an anti-jam GPS antenna, military-grade transponder, and embedded GPS/INS.

Ultimately, Avilution wants to sell its software to manufacturers that want more control of the avionics interfaces in their aircraft, both civil and military. “We’re not expecting end users to fiddle with code,” he said. “OEMs have access to the underlying pieces that support their changing requirements. You can customize it, at the most extreme levels the way the flight deck is built up. You want an altimeter here, the airspeed here, and a gauge to display this parameter here? We’re building a configuration that is modular discrete pieces of software but presented to the pilot as a unified view.”

primary and multifunction display setup that has become ubiquitous. The result was a large screen with none of the distractions of instrument flying—because this is a VFR airplane—but with important information such as angle of attack, airspeed, altitude, and fuel level prominently displayed. “Those were the instruments and data that pilots needed that [if they didn’t have it] would most likely get them in trouble,” Spencer said.

Another way Avilution’s software can help is in the development of new electric- and hydrogen-powered aircraft types and presenting information about the level of hydrogen available and battery and fuel cell status. These are new parameters that are easily configured and testable with Avilution software.

“Seaplanes have unique requirements,” he said. The software can be used to create wrong-configuration warnings such as an alert if an amphibious airplane is landing on water with the landing gear down. “That is stuff we can do in software and add as a little configurable piece that flows in with the rest of the system.”

Avilution is now “at an inflection point,” Spencer said. “We’re getting a picture of how significantly faster and less expensive this approach is toward solving avionics issues. “I want to see advancement on the government side continue to fund improvements in general aviation, especially those that make it more accessible, reduce the cost of avionics, and provide for simpler interfaces so learning to fly is more easy and safer than what we have today. Hardware is a blank slate the designer can use. This should make it easier [to develop] unmanned aircraft, roadable airplanes, [and other advanced aircraft].”

An example of this is Zenith Aircraft’s installation of the Avilution Unpanel in a CH 750 Super Duty homebuilt airplane. Avilution asked Zenith customers what they wanted in their avionics, and it wasn’t the modern

At its Huntsville headquarters, he said, “We have a unique facility, a combined office and hangar. We write the software and put it on a USB stick, then plug it into the aircraft. It’s such a cool capability to work with the airport to build that blended-use facility that allows software development and flight test in the same place.” z

Avilution founder Mark Spencer wants aircraft manufacturers to have more control of their avionics interfaces.

Rotorcraft

Viola sees expansion at VAI, more work to do

BY KERRY LYNCH

As Vertical Aviation International (VAI) once again hosts the rebranded Verticon Convention and Exhibition March 10-13, the see-and-avoid safety topic comes back into focus. VAI president and CEO James Viola pointed to the recent tragic midair collision of a U.S. Army Black Hawk and a PSA CRJ700 that claimed the lives of all 67 aboard both aircraft at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

While it will be some time before the NTSB delivers its probable cause, Viola believes that an accident such as this highlights an ongoing effort to focus on see-and-avoid skills and that the issue likely will be addressed during the expo. He noted that focus is important not only as a lesson learned from accidents that have occurred but also as advanced air mobility vehicles begin to enter the market, sharing airspace and airports.

“We really have to use the technology available to deconflict,” he said. “The eyeball’s been a terrible deconfliction technique for many years. We continue to have midairs.” Technology is developing to help in these areas, he said.

Part of the difficulties with advancing technology stems from the varied helicopter types and missions. “I like to think about a helicopter as a tool for work, and we’ve got 44 different missions that helicopters do,” he said, citing activities from tour operators to power lines and firefighting. “You can’t put the same equipment

on all the helicopters like you do with aircraft or airliners. You have to look at the mission set that you’re trying to enhance the safety on.” For example, he noted that some equipment adds weight, which can cut the safety margins.

“The equipment that can go on those aircraft [such as offshore operations] to make them safer are not the same ones that need to go on ones that are doing power line patrol or moving Christmas trees up in in the Northeast for the holidays,” Viola added.

Part 135 operators could more closely align with fixed-wing commercial

requirements, he added. Viola further pointed to technologies developed for remote-piloted beyond-the-line-of-sight operations that provide deconfliction capabilities. “That same technology could be on manned aircraft as well.”

Moving toward such efforts is imperative, he said. “It’s not just even about risk; it’s about risk to your whole livelihood.”

LESSONS LEARNED

Efforts to embrace the technology and the proper tools for the mission are paying dividends, he said, adding helicopter operators largely are on board. Referencing fly-by-wire helicopter developer Skyryse, he cited the company’s exhibit at the most recent Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. “I was very impressed,” he said. Several helicopter operators put down money on a technology still in development. “I was happy to see that industry is leaning forward with the technology with the promise that it will make flying safer because it eliminates some of the human error.”

Viola is preparing to leave VAI to transition into his new role as president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association right after Verticon. In a sad and unfortunate coincidence, Viola is departing VAI as another high-profile accident confronts the rotorcraft industry— just as it did when he came aboard to what was then Helicopter Association International (HAI) in 2020.

VAI president and CEO James Viola will focus on safety for all of aviation.

EXTENDING THE REACH

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Visit us at VERTICON, Hall F, Stand 7750

Joining the association in early 2020, Viola immediately faced his first crisis with the high-profile crash of a Sikorsky S-76B in Calabasas, California, that killed nine people, including iconic basketball star Kobe Bryant

“I’m actually sad because there’s time, there’s the lessons to be learned, and there are things where there’s no quick fix like with Kobe Bryant’s accident—having an operator trying to fly in bad weather visually with their eyes again instead of just being on the machine. And it was a fully capable machine,” he said. “Helicopters can fly low. We don’t have to be up as high as airplanes, but we do have the capability to fly in the clouds. We have the technology to do that.

“The loss of life that day was certainly not the outcome that anybody wanted,” Viola continued. “Now we just had the accident in the river, and we go back to the eyeball again. Both times you’ll see where the human failed in the eye. It was all based on visual.”

He stressed the need for the industry to get to the point where it has the technology installed and “actually use the technology for separation, by space, by altitude.”

Viola, who came to the association with a strong safety background formerly as FAA director of general aviation safety assurance, had an ambitious agenda when joining HAI. This included expanding its reach, including into new frontiers such as advanced air mobility. This all led to a new identity for the association as well as for its hallmark annual convention.

TAKING A GLOBAL APPROACH

Expansion plans also involved the international safety stage, where VAI was able to formalize its activities with the International Civil Aviation Organization. VAI formerly did this through an umbrella organization, the International Federation of Helicopter Associations. But that organization wasn’t as recognizable.

“As other organizations all use their same names, we this year also have transitioned to VAI at ICAO so that everybody understands that we’re the global organization collaborating around the globe,” Viola explained. “We’ve been doing that since 1986, but nobody really realized it because we used kind of an alias. We hope that transitioning to VAI will help with that.”

 The thing that inspires me for the future is the sustainability of the helicopters that are currently in production as we welcome the new into the future. 

— James Viola , VAI president and CEO

This is important, he explained, as accidents such as the one outside of DCA airport reverberate around the globe and countries with less developed helicopter communities start to look at helicopters as dangerous and move to prevent their operations locally. “There’s going to be a lot of negative ramifications just because of the involvement of the helicopter,” he acknowledged.

He pointed to the “great work” done by helicopters such as the firefighting in California but said access to those assets isn’t as available in some locations because there aren’t global regulations for them.

He also highlighted the myriad of safety programs that VAI has developed or formed partnerships on such as for safety management systems—“anything we can do on the partnerships to help reduce the

cost for the members as well as lessons learned and shared.”

Important to Viola, as VAI expanded its reach, it also has worked to dispel the notion that eVTOL aircraft would replace helicopters. “We got rid of the ‘helicopters are going away,’ and the way we did that was trying to show people they have 44 missions out there,” he said.

But at the same time, helicopters are evolving with options of hydrogen and electric on the horizon. “The thing that inspires me for the future is the sustainability of the helicopters that are currently in production as we welcome the new into the future,” Viola said.

As he prepares to leave the association, Viola is enthusiastic about it remaining in good hands, praising the staff. “The pace at which VAI operates for 35 folks is amazing,” he said. “When members call, they don’t just pass on the information. They actually take on the problem, try to solve it, and then make sure others learn from it.”

As far as his transition to his new role at GAMA, he noted it is somewhat of a return for him. “When I was at the FAA, I was in charge of general aviation dealing with both airplanes and helicopters,” he noted. Coming over to VAI enabled him to focus on helicopters, “but my passion truly is aviation safety and still seeing the work that needs to be done in both areas.”

He noted how he’s worked with the GAMA staff and leadership for well more than a decade, going back to his days at the FAA. “They are very committed to safety. It’s a bigger, broader field. I will spread my wings a little going back to all of general aviation,” Viola said.

The outgoing VAI CEO also pointed to his relationship with current GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce, who is retiring in April after a transition period with Viola. “I think that is key, and I hope to have that same relationship with whoever the board decides will take VAI after me.” z

THE LEADING SHOW FOR GENERAL AVIATION

April 9 – 12, 2025

Friedrichshafen | Germany

On the Ground

Alabama Airport Welcomes Flightline First FBO

H.L. Sonny Callahan Airport (KCQF) in Fairhope, Alabama, has a new aircraft service provider with the opening of Flightline First. The company, which has operated an FBO at New Orleans Lakefront Airport (KNEW) since 2007, was the winning bidder in the airport’s request for proposal process among eight applicants.

The airport recently completed construction of a $3 million, 4,000-sq-ft terminal on the east side. It includes a pilot lounge with a pair of snooze rooms, shower facilities, 10-seat conference room, refreshment bar, kitchen, concierge, and crew car.

The Titan Fuels-branded facility also has 24,000 sq ft of hangar space that can accommodate up to midsize business jets.

Rebranded Indiana FBO Opens New GA Terminal

Tri-State Aero, the lone FBO operator at Indiana’s Evansville Regional Airport (KEVV) for more than six decades, has just undergone a variety of changes with the arrival of its new terminal, a company rebranding, and a new fuel provider. United Companies, a long-time tenant of the FBO, purchased it in 2022 and finally changed its name to United Companies Air Center as it moved into its new complex.

Construction began on the 10,000-sq-ft general aviation terminal in early 2023. Built by the airport, the two-story, glass-sheathed building features an airy double-height passenger lobby with a refreshment bar; crew suite with lounge, two snooze rooms, and dedicated shower facilities; two conference rooms seating eight and 20, respectively; flight-planning area; crew car and onsite car rental; and hotel within walking distance.

The company also welcomed a new 12,000-sq-ft hangar with 3,500 sq ft of office space capable of sheltering the latest ultra-long-range business jets which brings the complex to 112,000 sq ft of heated hangar space.

Premier Private Jets Expands with FBO in Dayton

Premier Private Jets expanded its aviation services at Ohio’s James M. Cox Dayton International Airport (KDAY) with the acquisition of the Aviation Sales Incorporated (ASI) FBO.

Early last year, Premier purchased the Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems MRO and FBO at KDAY, which was slated for closure. That complex occupies 8.5 acres on the field, and the ASI leasehold will add another four acres.

At 5,500 sq ft, the ASI terminal is much larger than Premier’s existing FBO, which is attached to the MRO facility and will be repurposed to support the maintenance operation. The ASI terminal includes a large passenger lobby, conference room, pilot lounge, and flight-planning room.

Premier also operates another FBO at Detroit-area Oakland County International Airport (KPTK) and an aircraft charter base/MRO at Witham Field (KSUA) in Stuart, Florida.

Virginia Airport Inaugurates New FBO Terminal

Winchester Aviation, the airport-owned service provider at Winchester Regional Airport (KOKV) in Virginia, opened its new terminal after 22 months of construction.

With its aesthetic inspired by the surrounding Shenandoah Valley, the $11.5 million, 16,300-sq-ft two-story building features a lobby furnished in natural materials, passenger lounge, pilot lounge with snooze room, large meeting room with seating for 60, business center suite, mother’s room, and family restroom. It was designed with eco-friendly features such as a “cool roof,” and the FBO’s ramp includes a conduit system to support electric aircraft charging.

The FBO has also joined the Avfuel branded dealer network, offering contract fuel and participating in the Avtrip customer loyalty program.

FBO AND AIRPORT NEWS BY CURT EPSTEIN

Nearly 60, KCAC Aviation Continues To Spread Wings

It was 1966 when Kansas City Aviation Center (KCAC Aviation) first opened its doors as a Piper Aircraft dealer. In the nearly six decades since, it has grown into a fullservice FBO o ering aircraft maintenance, charter, and management services, in addition to aircraft handling. The services provider has been under the same ownership for the past 34 years.

Occupying nine acres at Johnson County Executive Airport (KOJC) in Olathe, Kansas (home of Garmin), the FBO’s 19,000-sq-ft terminal dates back to the 1980s but has been expanded and renovated numerous times, with the latest improvement just a few months ago: the lobby was refurbished with all-leather seating and new tables.

In addition to housing the company’s o ces, the building features a kitchen area, dining area, refreshment bar, and reclinerequipped pilot lounge with quiet area and shower facilities. There is an eight-seat conference room, with a slightly larger one across the ramp in the aircraft sales building. In the nearby maintenance hangar is a fully-equipped gym that is accessible by customers. Onsite car rental is available, as are courtesy cars. With Kansas City barbeque a popular choice for catering in the area, the FBO has several restaurants ready to sling some ribs and sauce for customers.

The complex has 135,000 sq ft of heated hangar space that can accommodate aircraft up to a midsize business jet. Of that total, 72,000 sq ft is dedicated to aircraft storage. The FBO is home to 25 turbine-powered aircraft, ranging from a Cessna Citation Sovereign+ to a Piper M600 turboprop single and a handful of helicopters. Ten of the airplanes are on KCAC’s charter certificate. “We’re pretty much at capacity all the time,” said general manager Tony Mateer. “Fortunately, a lot of my

charter airplanes are out flying so it gives us room to put the transients in a hangar.”

A Phillips 66-branded location, the FBO— which is open every day from 5 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. with after-hours call-out available—has a fuel farm with a capacity of 18,000 gallons of jet-A and up to 24,000 gallons of avgas, although Mateer admits the demand for the latter rarely justifies the topping o of that tank. It is served by two 3,000-gallon jet refuelers and one 1,200-gallon avgas truck, handled by the company’s NATA Safety 1st-certified line sta

Mateer told AIN that his facility, with its staff of nearly 100 among all its divisions, handles 10 to 15 aircraft a day and last year pumped approximately 600,000 gallons of fuel. One of two service providers on the field—which started out as an auxiliary airfield for the U.S. Navy in World War II—KCAC claims the lion’s share of business at the airfield, according to Mateer. He added that the 4,100-foot runway can lead to a potential dip in activity on the field around this time of year. “We’re a fairly short runway, so if there is any snow or ice around, the bigger aircraft are going elsewhere.”

In late December, Olathe was hit by a blizzard. “I had facility and line guys here for 54 hours straight trying to keep our parking lots and ramp space cleared,” recalled Mateer. “It was bad enough that our airport was shut down for three days because they couldn’t get the ice o the runway.”

Not forgetting its roots as an aircraft dealership, KCAC is still an active Piper sales outlet and has added Pilatus aircraft sales. The company also operates an FAA Part 145 repair station with an avionics shop. It is in this segment where Mateer sees growth.

“The maintenance business has become so competitive, and it’s tough for aircraft owners to get in because everyone is just slammed with maintenance work,” he said, adding that he receives calls every day from operators who can’t schedule their aircraft for work in their home areas, forcing them to look for slots further afield.

To help alleviate that maintenance backlog, KCAC will inaugurate a new $6 million, 30,000-sq-ft maintenance hangar in April. “I told the owners that as soon as this one is done, I want to start talking about the next one,” said Mateer. C.E.

Kansas City Aviation Center, in operation since 1966, started out as a Piper Aircraft dealer. It is now a full-function FBO o ering aircraft maintenance, charter, management, and sales.

Atlantic Jet Partners Buys Component MRO Specialist

Pompano Beach, Florida-based Atlantic Jet Partners has added more MRO capability to its offerings with the acquisition of Great Lakes Turbines. Based in Holland, Ohio, Great Lakes Turbines specializes in OEMapproved turbine engine component repair, fabrication and machining, and aircraft interior refurbishing.

The acquisition strengthens the services provided by Atlantic Jet Partners family companies, including Sky Aviation Holdings, Sky Aircraft Maintenance, SkyVue Avionics, Aerospace Design & Compliance, Aerodyne Engine Repair & Maintenance, Sky Aviation Insurance Services, Sky Flight Air, and TBO Extension.

Great Lakes is a Part 145 repair station and specializes in welding and fabrication, painting and coatings, cold and thermospray processes, tool and equipment design and fabrication, non-destructive testing, conventional and CNC programmable machining and manufacturing, and finishing and cleaning.

FAA Issues Part 145 Repair Station Approval to Jets MRO

Two months after moving into its new heavy aircraft maintenance facility at Texas’ Dallas Executive Airport (KRBD), Jets MRO received approval from the FAA as a Part 145 repair station. The approval covers maintenance on Textron Aviation Beechjets, Cessna Citations, and Hawkers, in addition to Bombardier Challenger 300 and 600 series and Learjets, as well as authority to serve customers with mobile AOG and line maintenance in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Former JSX COO Suresh Narayanan launched Jets MRO in January 2024 with a team of experienced technicians providing scheduled maintenance services, focusing on professional maintenance and putting employees first. The process took 12 months from application to FAA approval.

Empire Aviation Expands AOG Network in California

Nationwide AOG services provider Empire Aviation USA has established a new mobile team based out of the Skyservice FBO at Napa County Airport (KAPC) in California. The New Jersey-based company’s capabilities at Napa feature 24/7 regional AOG support including troubleshooting and repairs, as well as routine and emergency maintenance.

In addition to another California-based team at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY), Empire provides service at Teterboro (KTEB) in New Jersey; Boston Hanscom Field (KBED); Scottsdale, Arizona (KSDL); Dallas Love Field (KDAL); Nashville International (KBNA); Colorado’s Rifle Garfield County (KRIL); Las Vegas Harry Reid International (KLAS); and Florida’s Orlando Executive (KORL), Miami–Opa Locka Executive (KOPF), and Palm Beach International (KPBI) airports.

MRO Toledo Jet Center Is Now under New Ownership

Toledo Jet Center (TJC) has been acquired by private-equity firm 313 Equity Partners. The company, which specializes in Cessna jets, began operations at the former Citation Service Center at Ohio’s Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport (KTOL) in 2009 and expanded with a satellite location at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE) in 2012.

At KTOL, it occupies 31,800 sq ft of hangar space, and at FXE, the company operates a similarly sized facility on the northwest side of the airport. TJC is also an authorized dealer and installer for Garmin, Universal Avionics, and Honeywell Aerospace.

Greg Fell, a veteran of the aviation industry and partner at 313 Equity Partners, will serve as the maintenance provider’s CEO. Fell said he believes TJC is positioned for significant growth, with upgrades to the KTOL facility’s hangar enabling it to perform major inspections on larger aircraft.

Fargo Jet Center Eyes Growth with New MRO Facility

Fargo Jet Center (FJC) at North Dakota’s Hector International Airport (KFAR) is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, but while the company has offered aircraft maintenance and special mission outfitting and modification since it began, it only of late has had a dedicated-purpose built facility in which to handle those activities.

Last September, the company inaugurated its $25 million, 112,000-sq-ft expansion that had been under construction since 2022. It features 50,000 sq ft of hangar space surrounded by 30,000 sq ft of workshops specifically designed to support FJC’s MRO business, including a composites work area, sheet metal fabrication, welding shop, and avionics shop.

“One of the things that is really nice in our new facility is we’ve got the overhead crane,” said Mike Clancy, the company’s v-p of technical services. He noted that it enabled FJC to perform its first float-to-landing gear swap on a Cessna Caravan last year.

With 30-foot-high doors, the facility—part of FJC’s 14-acre campus—can handle the latest ultra-long-range business jets. Its approvals include FAA Part 145, EASA Part 145, and Transport Canada, and FJC is an authorized service center for Textron Aviation’s turboprops including the King Airs and Caravans, as well as for the Pilatus PC-12, Daher Kodiak, and Cirrus aircraft.

“As a service center for the different platforms, we’re required to have factoryauthorized training for a minimum number of people for each model,” Clancy told AIN , adding that he has a contract with FlightSafety International for that training. “The company is committed to sending people to training on whatever model aircraft we happen to be servicing on a regular basis.”

Altogether, that amounts to approximately 200 aircraft including customers,

FJC’s own charter fleet, flight school, and those of sister company Weather Modification International, according to Darren Hall, the company’s v-p of business development. The MRO can handle a wide range of maintenance work such as mandatory airframe checks and engine inspections. It is an authorized hot-section service center of the ubiquitous Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6 turboprop engine. Its avionics shop is authorized by the major OEMs including Garmin and Honeywell for repairs and installs. FJC’s engineering division is working with an airborne connectivity hardware provider to develop a new antenna.

Approximately half of the space in the new maintenance center is devoted to FJC’s special mission completions work. Since it began operations in the mid-90s, the company has completed more than 140 conversions for missions ranging from air ambulance to cloud seeding and atmospheric research and reconnaissance and surveillance.

Clancy told AIN that the facility has a three-month backlog for scheduled maintenance and 15 to 20 aircraft in the shop at any given time. Yet while it now has the space

to accommodate them, the company faces another limitation. “We’re fighting the same battle everyone else in the industry is,” said Clancy. “There’s more work than there are people. I would hire 10 to 15 guys right now if I could find them.”

To remedy that situation, FJC has nurtured relationships with local aircraft maintenance schools and created a robust internship program. “We really focus on getting the interns integrated in the shop working on aircraft," Hall said, "so when they go back to the school they become our advocates and talk about how positive the program is.”

The pipeline has been successful, according to Hall. Of the four interns in last year’s class, three have committed to working for the company after graduation, while the fourth is still considering. “Internship is a key resource for us to grow,” he said. “It gives the student the opportunity to see what we do in this part of aviation, and it gives us a chance to evaluate them.”

Among the recent enhancements to the program, FJC has instituted a $15,000 tuition reimbursement. C.E

As it enters its fourth decade, Fargo Jet Center’s MRO division is primed and ready for growth, having recently opened its first purpose-built maintenance hangar.

Accidents

BY DAVID JACK KENNY

Preliminary Reports

Super Puma Investigation Focuses on Tail Rotor Drive Assembly

Aerospatiale (Airbus Helicopters) AS332L1 Super Puma, Nov, 22, 2024, 41 km north-northwest of Hay Aerodrome, New South Wales, Australia

Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigators probing the emergency forced landing of the twin-engine helicopter found that “the splined sleeve supporting the pitch change control plate had fractured at the mounting flange.” The detachment of the control plate appeared to be “the likely reason for the uncommanded yaw” that precipitated the accident sequence.

The helicopter departed from Broken Hill Airport in New South Wales (YBHI) on the last leg of a ferry flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Albury, N.S.W. where it was to be used in firefighting over the summer season. While in cruise at 3,500 feet, about an hour and a half after takeoff, the pilot and passenger noticed a high-frequency vibration “throughout the airframe.”

The pilot lowered the collective and began descending with the intention of landing at Hay Airport (YHAY), then about 22 nm from their position. Recorded flight track data indicates a descent rate of about 1,500 fpm at an airspeed of 115 knots.

During the descent, “a loud thud…was immediately followed by an uncommanded yaw to the left.” The pilot set up a straight-in autorotation to an open field and tried to reduce both throttles to idle, accidentally shutting down the number two engine in the process. The yaw stopped with the reduction in power but resumed when the pilot raised the collective in the landing flare. The helicopter initially touched down upright facing opposite the direction of flight, then rolled

onto its right side. There was no post-impact fire. Both the pilot and passenger were seriously injured; the passenger subsequently died, and the helicopter was destroyed.

Citation Damaged in Rejected Takeo

Cessna Citation 560, Dec. 27, 2024, Pagosa Springs, Colorado

The twin-engine corporate jet sustained “substantial damage to both wings” when it overran the end of Runway 01 following a rejected takeoff. The two pilots, eight passengers, and three dogs on board were not injured. The Part 91 personal flight was departing for Tulsa Riverside Airport (KRVS).

The pilot recalled that the airplane seemed to accelerate normally to its calculated 96-knot decision speed (V1) and 103-knot rotation speed (Vr) but would not rotate even with full aft yoke.

At an indicated airspeed of 120 knots, she rejected the takeoff, using full reverse thrust and maximum braking. The jet went off the end of the 8,001-foot runway and into the grass, where the passengers and crew deplaned. The pilot subsequently said that “the airplane did not feel like it had enough power and did not seem to accelerate at the correct rate based on the calculated performance data.” The apparent discrepancy between the statements was not initially explained.

Final Reports

Flight-Test Procedures Faulted in Caravan Break-Up

Textron Aviation C208B, Nov. 18, 2022, Snohomish, Washington

Onboard video recordings, ADS-B track data, and post-accident simulation confirmed

that the flight-test crew exceeded the airplane’s airspeed limitations not only on the accident flight but also during a flight on the previous day. All four crew members died when the Caravan broke up about 7,000 feet above ground level; the final ADS-B data point showed a descent rate of 8,700 fpm.

The flights were conducted as part of the test protocol in support of a new supplemental type certificate. After flying several other maneuvers from their test card, they configured the airplane to perform an accelerated stall with full flaps in a 30-degree bank and the engine set to produce 930 foot-pounds of torque. ADS-B data adjusted for winds aloft indicated that after a gradual left roll to 30 degrees bank, calibrated airspeed quickly dropped from 105 to 48 knots. Data recorded by the Pratt & Whitney engine monitoring system showed the airspeed dropping to 35 knots as the Caravan climbed at 2,560 fpm, then quickly increasing to 223 knots as it descended at a rate that peaked at 14,000 fpm. Engine torque increased to 2,200 footpounds. The airplane’s published maximum operating speed was 175 knots; maximum flap extended speed was 150 knots.

Witnesses saw the airplane break apart in flight. The resulting debris field spanned 1,830 square feet. The onboard flight test data acquisition system was destroyed, and no data from the accident flight was recovered.

An NTSB simulation informed by ADS-B flight track data showed that after the stall the Caravan rapidly rolled 120 degrees left while pitching 60 degrees nose-down. Analysis of the aerodynamic loads imposed showed that they exceeded the wing’s designed stress load limits. Onboard footage recovered from one of the previous day’s test flights also showed that during a full-flaps stall at idle power in a 30-degree

bank, the airplane rolled left to a maximum bank of 83 degrees before the pilot could level the wings. During the recovery he pitched down 25 degrees to “get some airspeed back.” Airspeed reached 183 knots before the pilot corrected the acceleration.

The NTSB report noted that although the 83-degree bank “exceeded the allowable roll limit during this maneuver,” the crew did not identify the exceedance or even query the onboard data acquisition system to determine the maximum bank angle reached. Under the test plan, the roll exceedance should have been considered a failed test, halting further testing until the reason for the exceedance could be determined and corrective measures implemented prior to attempting higher-risk maneuvers. The airspeed excursion above the maximum operating speed should also have triggered the overspeed inspection laid out in the Caravan’s maintenance manual, but there is no record of that inspection having been performed.

Cause Undetermined in 2022 Runway Overrun

HondaJet HA-420, March 7, 2022, Quebec, Canada

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) could not determine a cause for a 2022 runway overrun in Canada, according to a final investigation report issued January 28. The event occurred at Montréal/ St-Hubert Airport, Quebec (CYHU), and the aircraft was operated by Skyservice Business Aviation.

According to the report, the aircraft touched down on a wet runway and the pilot applied brakes. However, the deceleration was significantly lower than expected, causing the HondaJet to overrun the runway by approximately 700 feet. Two crew members and four passengers were on board, but no injuries were reported, and there was no damage to the aircraft in the incident.

The TSB found that the runway used was sufficiently long for the landing and not

contaminated by ice at the time of the incident. There were no signs of hydroplaning, and the aircraft’s speed was appropriate. The flight crew adhered to the operator’s stabilized approach criteria, and the aircraft was found to be in compliance with maintenance regulations. A post-occurrence inspection detected no failures in the braking system.

Skyservice Business Aviation has implemented safety actions for the operation of its HondaJet HA-420 aircraft, including modifications to the aircraft’s flight manual supplement concerning landing performance on wet and contaminated runways.

The TSB has noted that runway overruns remain a key focus area on its Watchlist. The report underscores the importance of having adequate safety areas beyond runway ends to mitigate the potential consequences of overrun events.

Inoperative CHT Gauge One Factor in Ferry Flight Crash

Antonov AN-2, Nov. 14, 2022, Opa-Locka, Florida

The ferry flight crew experienced engine loss and attempted to land the radial engine-biplane on a levee. Evidence showed “the main landing gear being too wide for the airplane to land on the levee, and damage consistent with the airplane having traveled off the left side of the levee, nosing over, and coming to rest inverted.”

Post-accident investigations revealed that the airplane was equipped with an oil cooler under the fuselage with electricallycontrolled shutters to regulate airflow. These shutters were found in the closed position at the time of the accident. The engine cowling’s flaps, which control airflow to the engine, were also closed during both engine runup and takeoff. Examination of the engine’s oil system revealed metal contamination inside the oil filter, pump filter, and strainers, suggesting internal damage had occurred before the power loss.

The cockpit instruments and switches

were labeled in Cyrillic script, and the pilot had only partial excerpts of the aircraft’s flight manual, which were in Spanish. “The manual also listed reference airspeeds in miles per hour, though the airplane was marked in kilometers per hour,” the NTSB final report stated. The oil cooler and cowl flap switches, located next to each other, were found in the off position after the accident.

The pilot, who was also an airframe and powerplant mechanic with an inspection authorization, said he had performed preflight inspections on three separate visits before the accident. However, he did not use a checklist and could not recall whether the cowl flaps were open during the flight. He also did not remember any details about the oil cooler operation. “When asked if everything was working correctly, he advised that the cylinder head temperature [CHT] gauge did not work,” the report noted. “When asked when he noticed that it did not work, he advised that it was on the very first runup.”

The NTSB concluded that the pilot’s failure to properly configure the engine’s cooling systems and his decision to fly with an inoperative CHT gauge were the primary causes of the engine’s overheating and subsequent power loss. The pilot’s lack of familiarity with the aircraft’s systems, combined with his failure to monitor engine temperatures, directly led to the loss of power. z The latest news, data, and analysis on the future of

GET UP TO

Compliance Countdown

BY GORDON GILBERT

JUST AROUND THE CORNER

April 1, 2025

Hong Kong: Advance Passenger Information System

Hong Kong started rolling out its Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) program in the third quarter of 2024. To allow time for airlines and general aviation operators to connect to the APIS and to ensure the smooth and orderly running of the system, a transitional period of about 12 months was adopted, during which the application of o enses and penalties from non-compliance with the requirements will be suspended. However, according to business aviation flight planning organization OpsGroup, general aviation operators will have to start using the system on April 1, 2025.

March 6, 2025

U.S.: Pilot Schools

An FAA-sponsored virtual public meeting is scheduled on March 6 to solicit input on the agency’s plan for proposing regulations intended to modernize FAR Part 141 pilot school requirements. This will be the first in a series of public meetings on this topic before any proposals are published. The meeting is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST. Written comments are requested by March 21, 2025. “Modernizing Part 141 would address challenges pertaining to certification, certification management, examining authority, and evolving technology and learning methods,” said the FAA.

March 19, 2025

Europe: Electronic Licensing

EASA is seeking comments on its proposed regulations to introduce electronic licenses for aviation personnel, including pilots. The new rules would cover how EASA will issue, display, validate, and verify licenses on mobile devices, while also allowing them to be available in hardcopy format. The proposed amendments also cover how such issues as security, confidentiality, and data protection for electronic licenses will be assured. Being mindful of the complexity associated with the migration of data to an integrated system, the proposal provides up to 10 years from the effective date of a final rule to

include medical information in a license issued in electronic format. Comments on the proposal are due by March 19, 2025.

March 19, 2025

Canada: ATIS Phone Broadcasts

Nav Canada, the country’s provider of civil air navigation services, will on March 19, 2025, complete its months-long decommissioning of all ATIS telephone voice broadcasts. To continue providing remote access to ATIS, Nav Canada has been upgrading technology to allow the promulgation of ATIS on the web, including ATIS sites that do not currently have phone service. The population of ATIS information on the web page begun last year is ongoing, and appropriate aeronautical publications are being amended to remove phone number information.

March 25, 2025

Cuba: Sanction Recordkeeping

Record-keeping requirements for sanctioned (approved) items are changing. After March 25, 2025, the retention period for documents related to Cuba and other sanctioned countries is expanding to 10 years (up from five). Specifically, individuals under U.S. jurisdiction must retain a customer certification for at least 10 years indicating the general license authorizing travel or remittances to Cuba. Universal Weather and Aviation recommends that

customers receiving licenses for traveling under any of 12 sanctioned categories keep either the license number or a copy of the license on file.

April 1, 2025

U.S.: Agricultural Inspection Fees

Changes have been made to the fee and payment structure associated with U.S. Department of Agriculture inspections that apply to commercial vessels, including aircraft. One of the most significant revisions is to eliminate the user fee exemption previously applied to commercial aircraft with fewer than 64 seats. After April 1, 2025, previously exempted aircraft will have to follow the FDA’s food and plant inspection and guideline requirements. The revised rules go into effect Oct. 1, 2024, for all other operators.

April 1, 2025

UK: Air Passenger Tax

Air passenger duty (APD) taxes of between $105 and $875 per passenger, depending on the length of the flight, are part of the UK’s latest proposed federal budget plan. The new rates, planned to start on April 1, 2025, apply only to corporate jets having a mtow of more than 44,000 pounds with 18 or fewer passenger seats. However, in late 2024, the UK issued a proposal for comments that would make the APD applicable to all business jets.

April 2, 2025

U.S.: Designating a U.S. Agent

The FAA will require individuals with foreign addresses and no U.S. physical address on file with the agency who hold or apply for certain certificates, ratings, or authorizations to designate a U.S. agent for service of related documents. The U.S. agent will receive FAA document service on the certificate holder or applican’s behalf. According to the agency, “This rule facilitates the FAA’s ability to accomplish prompt and cost-effective process and service of other safety-critical or time-sensitive documents to individuals abroad through their U.S. agents.” The compliance date is April 2, 2025, for applicants and July 7, 2025, for certificate holders.

April 10, 2025

Brazil: Visa Requirements

Brazil plans to reinstate visa requirements for Australian, Canadian, and U.S. citizens (including flight crews) starting April 10, 2025. According to business aircraft flight planning service Universal Weather and Aviation, travelers should apply online at least 15 days before their intended arrival to account for the fiveday processing period.

April 25, 2025

U.S.: Airport Safety Management Systems

Air carrier airports certified under FAR Part 139 are required to submit an implementation plan for a safety management system (SMS) on the following deadlines: April 24, 2024, for airports designated as hubs; Oct. 24, 2024, for airports with 100,000 or more annual operations over the previous three years; and April 25, 2025, for airports classified as port of entry, landing rights, user fee, and international facilities.

For the most current compliance status, see: ainonline.com/compliance

SATELLITES FILL INDUSTRY NEED

People in Aviation

BY JESSICA REED

President Trump appointed former NBAA COO Chris Rocheleau as the acting administrator of the FAA . Rocheleau had spent 22 years with the FAA in various roles, rising to the position of deputy associate administrator for aviation safety before joining NBAA in 2022. He also served as FAA deputy assistant administrator for policy, international affairs, and environment and chief of staff.

Éric Trappier began his new role as CEO of French industrial group Dassault, which includes Dassault Aviation, as well as IT specialist Dassault Systèmes and real estate division Immobilière Dassault. Trappier replaces Charles Edelstenne, who has led Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault since 2018, while retaining his existing position as CEO of Dassault Aviation. Trappier has spent his entire career with Dassault, having joined the company after graduating with an engineering degree from Telecom SudParis university in 1983. He became the head of Dassault Aviation in 2013, as well as holding the position of chairman of the company’s U.S. subsidiary, Dassault Falcon Jet.

The U.S. Senate on January 28 confirmed the nomination of former U.S. congressman Sean Duffy to become secretary of transportation. The Senate Commerce Committee unanimously approved Duffy’s nomination the week prior, clearing a path for one of the smoother confirmations in the White House administration.

The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I) selected Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) to chair its aviation subcommittee. In that role, Nehls succeeds former Rep. Garret Graves (R-Louisiana), who retired. A former law enforcement officer, Nehls has served in Congress since 2021.

Gulfstream Aerospace announced leadership changes to strengthen its enterprise supply chain and customer support operations. Derek Zimmerman was appointed senior v-p of enterprise supply chain, a newly established role aimed at enhancing procurement, inventory management,

logistics, warehousing, repair and overhaul, distribution, and spare parts operations. Zimmerman joined Gulfstream in 2011 and has held leadership positions in product support and customer service, most recently serving as president of customer support. In parallel, Lor Izzard was named senior v-p of Gulfstream customer support. Izzard, a member of the Gulfstream team since 1999, will oversee sales support, service center operations, government programs, and field support. Previously, he served as v-p of field support, leveraging his engineering background to deliver service solutions. These appointments coincide with the retirement of Dennis Stuligross, senior v-p of program management, quality, and supply chain, who is stepping down in March after more than 30 years with Gulfstream.

Richard Layson was named COO at Modern Aviation. Layson has more than two decades of aviation industry experience and most recently served as v-p of operations for Jet Aviation.

Titan Aviation Fuels tapped Kathy Moss as v-p of global business development. Her prior experience includes serving as v-p of FBO sales programs and the Air Elite FBO network at World Fuel Services.

Luke Bessler has taken on the role of executive director of sales of Bravo Territory at GlobalAir. Bessler previously completed an internship at the company and has also worked at Central Kentucky Regional Airport, where he refueled and serviced general aviation and private aircraft.

The Lee County Port Authority appointed Steven Roque as deputy executive director of aviation and COO, leading more than 300 employees at Southwest Florida International Airport and Page Field in Fort Myers, Florida. Roque was previously the assistant v-p of infrastructure maintenance at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

Rep. Mike Ezell (R-Mississippi) was selected as the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure

DENNIS STULIGROSS

KATHY MOSS

CHRIS ROCHELEAU

SEAN DUFFY

Committee’s vice chairman for the 119th Congress, serving alongside chairman Sam Graves.

Jessica McClintock was hired as v-p of leasing at Sky Harbour Group . McClintock previously worked at FuelerLinx for 11 years as v-p of global account management.

Jeff Lake , previously CEO and president of Duncan Aviation, named Mike Minchow the company’s new president. Lake will continue as CEO. Minchow has worked for the company since 1993 and most recently served as COO of Duncan’s MRO facility in Lincoln, Nebraska. Kasey Harwick, v-p of aircraft services and quality, was promoted to executive v-p and COO of the Lincoln facility. Harwick has been with the company since 1999.

Leah Alexander, who works in aircraft sales and acquisitions at Duncan Aviation, relocated from the UK to Chicago in mid-February to expand the company’s client base in the area. Alexander has provided coverage for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region since early 2023.

Ben Munson took over as president of air charter operator Contour Aviation. He founded consultancy Embark Aviation, which has provided services to Countour since 2017, and previously served as CEO of Seaborne Airlines.

Bettina Fetzer was appointed to Bombardier ’s board of directors. Fetzer serves as v-p of digital and communications at Mercedes–Benz.

The company also announced the departures of Ji-Xun Foo and Eric Sprunk , who have transitioned out of the board of

directors for personal reasons and had served on the board since 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The Air Charter Safety Foundation appointed attorney Ron Brower as its legal counsel. Brower founded RBAvLaw and has more than 28 years of experience in the aviation sector, including senior legal and advisory roles at Executive Jet Management, FlyExclusive, NetJets, Northwest Airlines, and Wheels Up.

Bill Richards, previously Falcon project manager at West Star Aviation’s facility in East Alton, Illinois, was promoted to regional sales manager for the U.S. Midwest. Richards has more than 27 years of experience in aviation, including working for Garrett Aviation in Springfield, Illinois.

Balan Varma was hired by FCG OPS as its business development manager in India. Varma’s 30-plus years of experience include working for Air Works India Engineering, Quikjet Cargo Airlines, and Air Deccan.

DAS Aviation hired JP Epps as regional sales manager for the U.S. Southeast. Epps brings substantial experience to DAS, previously working at Embraer Executive Jets as an aftermarket sales executive and at Constant Aviation/Flexjet as aftermarket sales manager.

Cam Bolton-Wilson was hired as v-p of Chapman Freeborn ’s humanitarian and government division in the Americas. Bolton-Wilson served as a commando in the UK’s Royal Marines for six years, and he has 18 additional years of experience in both the defense and humanitarian sectors. z

AWARDS AND HONORS

The FAA awarded Ray Segarra , master technician at Flexjet, the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award. Segarra served as a crew chief mechanic for the U.S. Army, and he has also worked for Sikorsky Aircraft and Raco Helicopters.

Charles Etter was recognized by NBAA with its Silk Scarf Award. Etter was a sta scientist and technical fellow at Gulfstream Aerospace who recently retired from the company. He joined Gulfstream in 1996 and contributed to educating industry stakeholders about sustainable aviation fuel.

RON BROWER

JP EPPS

JESSICA MCCLINTOCK

BETTINA FETZER

However, the government’s expansion of its visa-free entry scheme to 93 countries and territories is providing a slight boost to private jet activity.

In the Philippines market, demand in Manila is rebounding but extended general aviation bans continue to restrict operations. Parking and hangar shortages are a challenge, though ongoing renovations could improve efficiency with a dedicated terminal for international bizav flights.

Another challenge facing the industry is the illegal charter market, Umemoto said, noting that while some governments have tightened regulations, other parts of Southeast Asia continue to see a high volume of such operations. These flights are priced well below sustainable commercial rates, making it di ffi cult for legal charter operators to compete and establish viable businesses, he said.

On the MRO front, Umemoto, along with Lau and Desgrosseilliers, has noted that support is strengthening, with Singapore remaining the region’s leading hub due to its market size, talent pool, and facilities. Meanwhile, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam are expanding their maintenance capabilities to meet growing demand.

In terms of FBO infrastructure, Southeast Asia shows varying levels of development, Lau added, with Singapore and Malaysia having well-established facilities, while Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar still have limited options. “We hope to see continued investment and improvements in these facilities and services from governments and relevant institutions, which will further drive the growth of the industry,” she said.

A shortage of skilled personnel remains an issue, Leck said, emphasizing that “the sector is in urgent need of engineers, technicians, and pilots” to support the expanding industry. “A sustainable pipeline for this talent is necessary to meet future demands.” z

JAMES HOLAHAN (1921-2015), FOUNDING EDITOR, WILSON S. LEACH, FOUNDER & CHAIR EMERITUS

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