Rolling Business Aviation Daily Briefs (August 2026)

August 21, 2026

Loganair Picks Beta For UK Electric Regional Service

UK regional airline Loganair has signed a term sheet with Beta Technologies for five Alia CX300 electric conventional takeoff-and-landing aircraft to enter service in 2029, with options for five more. In March, Beta completed 23 flights across Loganair’s Scottish network, connecting Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness, Wick and Kirkwall.

Loft Books VR Simulator Orders For Airbus Helicopters

Helicopter EMS operator Babcock France has signed an LOI with Loft Dynamics for the first multi-pilot virtual-reality flight simulator for the Airbus H145. India’s Indocopters is to install a Loft VR simulator for the Airbus H125, which is now being produced in India.

August 20, 2026

AXIS Flight Display Family Launched For Certified Aircraft

Garmin announced AXIS, a new family of flight displays, designed from the ground up to offer a highly integrated and flexible cockpit display solution. AXIS brings Garmin’s latest avionics technology to certified piston-powered single- and twin-engine aircraft via an expansive AML STC covering hundreds of models, as well as experimental and light sport aircraft.

Horizon’s Cavorite Hybrid EVTOL Tapped For Australian EMS

Canada’s Horizon Aircraft has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Australian startup V-Star Powered Lift Aviation to purchase five Cavorite X7 hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft for planned emergency medical services, with options for up to 95 more.

August 19, 2026

Factorial Sells First Lithium-Metal Batteries For Drones

Boston-based Factorial Energy has secured its first commercial aerospace order for lithium-metal batteries and will supply the high-energy-density cells to a U.S.-based battery pack integrator that supplies the drone industry.

Fly Flyte To Offer Cirrus Jet Flights Via Blade’s App

Regional air mobility provider Fly Flyte has partnered with Joby Aviation-owned Blade Urban Air Mobility to offer access to its Cirrus Vision Jet fleet via Blade’s booking platform, alongside its on-demand helicopter services.

August 18, 2026

CAE To Design Montreal Drone Hub Control Center

CAE is collaborating with Aéroports de Montréal to design the YMX Control Center, a key element of the Uncrewed Systems Defense Innovation Secure Hub to be established in the Espace Aero Aerospace Innovation Zone at Montreal–Mirabel International Airport.

Acron Aviation To Supply Flight Recorder Solutions For D328eco

Deutsche Aircraft and Acron Aviation announced a long-term partnership and the signing of a supply agreement for Flight Recorder and Standby solutions for the next-generation D328eco, a regional turboprop that is designed, certified and industrialized in Europe.

August 17, 2026

Global 8000 Sets New Speed Record On Transatlantic Flight

Bombardier announced that the Global 8000 business jet has set a new speed record on a mission departing from Los Angeles and landing in Farnborough. The aircraft completed the city pair in 8 hr. and 46 min. In setting the record, the Global 8000 flight crew was able to overcome unfavorable tailwinds, reaching a top speed of Mach 0.93.

CAAC Picks Four EVTOL Startups For Streamlined Certification

The Civil Aviation Administration of China has selected an initial batch of four eVTOL developers as qualifying for a streamlined certification pathway: Aridge (also known as XPeng AeroHT), AutoFlight, EHang and Volant Aerotech.

August 14, 2026

700th Bell 505 Delivered To Private VIP Operator

Bell Textron delivered its 700th Bell 505 to a private VIP operator during the Farnborough Airshow 2026. Since its inception in 2017, the Bell 505 has accumulated more than 390,000 flight hours.

CAAC Picks Four EVTOL Startups For Streamlined Certification

The Civil Aviation Administration of China has selected an initial batch of four eVTOL developers as qualifying for a streamlined certification pathway: Aridge (also known as XPeng AeroHT), AutoFlight, EHang and Volant Aerotech.

August 13, 2026

Aura Aero Signs Turbogenerator Supply Deal With Safran

Safran Helicopter Engines has signed an agreement with France’s Aura Aero to supply two 600-kW TG600 turbogenerators for the prototype 19-seat Electric Regional Aircraft. The turbogenerators will power eight Safran ENGINeUS electric engines.

Drone Vertiport Planned For Europe’s Biggest Food Market

Bayards Vertiports has signed an MOU with DragonFlyPads to support development of vertiport infrastructure for planned drone logistics operations at the Marché International de Rungis in France, Europe’s largest fresh food market.

August 12, 2026

Wingtip Aviation Opens Chicago Hangar

A new $12 million, 47,000 ft.² Wingtip Aviation hangar has opened at Gary/Chicago International Airport (GCIA) in Northwest Indiana. The facility will serve as the new home of Wingtip’s consolidated operations at GCIA and further expands the airport’s ability to accommodate corporate and general aviation activity.

Airbus’ Flexrotor VTOL UAS Begins Baltic Surveillance

Airbus Helicopters’ U030 Flexrotor uncrewed aircraft has begun maritime surveillance operations in the Baltic Sea for the European Maritime Security Agency. Canada’s Voyageur Aviation has purchased a Flexrotor for security operations in Canada.

August 11, 2026

Skyports And Beta Team With Korean Helicopter Operator On AAM

Skyports Infrastructure, UI Helicopter and Beta Technologies have forged a partnership to launch commercial electric air taxi services in South Korea. Under the MOU, Korean operator UI has agreed to acquire up to 20 Beta Alia A250 eVTOL and/or Alia CX300 eCTOL aircraft for delivery beginning in 2029.

Western Aircraft Designates Blackhawk as Alaska Pilatus Center

Western Aircraft, a subsidiary of Greenwich AeroGroup, has designated Blackhawk Performance Center-Alaska as the Authorized Pilatus Satellite Service Center Supporting Pilatus customers throughout Alaska. As an authorized center, Western Aircraft designates satellite service centers to extend factory-authorized maintenance and support throughout its territory.

August 10, 2026

Partnership Targets Solid-State Drone Battery Roll-Out

Netherlands-based battery system manufacturer Tulip Tech Group has partnered with Factorial Energy to commercialize the U.S. company’s solid-state and lithium-metal cells for next-generation drones. Initial customer flight testing has shown an increase in flight endurance of more than 30%.

SkyDrive Begins eVTOL Certification Validation Process With FAA

Japan’s SkyDrive has begun formal familiarization meetings with the U.S. FAA on certification validation for its SD-05 eVTOL air taxi, which is planned to be type certified with the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau for commercial service beginning in 2028.

August 7, 2026

North Central Texas Offers Funding Support To Electrify Airports

The North Central Texas Council of Governments is making $1 million in funding available as grants up to $200,000 each for near-term projects to install electric aircraft charging infrastructure at public-use airports in the region, centered on Dallas and Fort Worth, to help prepare for AAM.

Orlando Airport Greenlighted To Build Vertistop For eVTOL Demos

The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority board has given Florida’s Orlando International Airport approval to develop a vertistop as a step toward opening an on-airport commercial vertiport by 2030. Located in a surface parking lot near the airport’s train station, the vertistop is planned to host eVTOL aircraft demonstrations.

August 6, 2026

Luxaviation Group Expands Global Fleet

Luxaviation Group is expanding its global fleet with nine recent and planned aircraft additions across Europe and Asia-Pacific, including two Gulfstream G700s and one Gulfstream G800. The expansion broadens Luxaviation’s offering across several aircraft categories and reinforces the group’s operational presence in key European and Asia-Pacific markets.

Matternet Expands Drone Delivery Network With New Operator

Matternet has added Beeline UAS to the FAA Part 135 certificate holders operating its drone delivery platform. Beeline joins Ameriflite and UPS Flight Forward and will focus initially on expanding BVLOS operations in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles.

August 5, 2026

Hop-A-Jet Adds G280 To Fleet

Hop-A-Jet Worldwide Jet Charter has added a Gulfstream G280 to its growing fleet, further expanding the company’s flight services and management portfolio. The aircraft has completed the onboarding process for inclusion on Hop-A-Jet’s FAA Part 135 certificate and is currently under final FAA review.

Lilium eVTOL Demonstrators Find New Home In German Museum

The Phoenix 2 and Phoenix 3 subscale uncrewed eVTOL aircraft built and flown by defunct German startup Lilium to test its ducted-fan vectored-thrust electric propulsion architecture have been acquired by the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin and Luftfahrtmuseum Wernigerode.

August 4, 2026

FAA’s Drone BVLOS Operations Rule Heads Into Final Review

According to industry association Vertical Aviation International, the FAA’s much-anticipated final Part 108 rule normalizing beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations by drones has been filed with the U.S. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for review—one of the final rulemaking stages before publication.

High Flying Hangars To Develop Lincoln, Nebraska Hangars

High Flying Hangars has been selected by the Lincoln Airport Authority following a competitive Request for Proposals process to enter into lease negotiations for a proposed 30-acre hangar development at Lincoln Airport in Lincoln, Nebraska. The proposed development would include up to 68 total premium aircraft hangars ranging in size from 50 feet wide by 40 feet deep to 70 feet wide by 60 feet deep.

August 3, 2026

Eve Books Binding eVTOL Orders From Helicopter Operators

Eve Air Mobility has received binding orders for its eVTOL air taxi from two established helicopter operators: Revo in Brazil, for up to 50 aircraft for high-frequency urban operations; and AirX in Japan for up to 50 aircraft for sightseeing and last-mile mobility.

Evolito Embarks On Certification For Electra EL9’s Electric Engine

Evolito has submitted its application to the UK Civil Aviation Authority for type certification of the E800-A1 electric engine for Electra’s EL9 Ultra Short hybrid-electric regional aircraft. Approval is planned under SC-E19, the special condition for electric and hybrid propulsion systems. Electra is aiming for FAA Part 23 certification of the EL9 in 2030.