The U.S. Air Force recently named Nextant Aerospace as a subcontractor to Field Aerospace on the service's T-1A Avionics Modernization Program. The T-1A is a military derivative of the Hawker Beechcraft 400A business jet.
XOJet has enhanced its XOJet Elite Access Program, giving guaranteed rates on light and midsize business jets, in addition to its super-mid business jet product.
Oriens Aviation recorded a strong 2017, with the sale of five new Pilatus PC-12 aircraft to customers. The company also has secured its first new-build delivery position for 2018.
XTI Aircraft says its TriFan 600 prototype is on budget and on schedule for a first flight later this year. A unique design, it is a six-passenger vertical- and short-takeoff luxury aircraft expected to reach speeds of more than 260 kt. and have a range of slightly more than 1,200 nm.
Owners and operators of about 100,000 of the 160,000 general and business aviation aircraft in the U.S. are expected to upgrade their aircraft with ADS-B equipment to comply with the FAA's Jan. 1, 2020, mandate.
Initial wind-tunnel testing of the Cessna SkyCourier twin turboprop has been completed and Brad Thress, senior vice president-engineering, reported making "outstanding progress" in development of the all-new design.
According to the U.S. Transportation Department Inspector General's Office, evaluations in 2013 and 2014 found that the FAA's Civil Aviation Registry lacked accurate and complete information on pilots and aircraft registered in the U.S., including aircraft owned under trusts.
Bell is equipping its Model 407GXi single-engine light helicopter with Garmin's G1000H NXi integrated avionics suite and powering it with an uprated version of the Rolls-Royce M250 turbine engine.
When Duncan Aviation recently installed LoPresti Aviation "Boom Beam" high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting in a Phenom 300 light jet, the technology was described by Vice President of Sales David LoPresti as a work in progress.” Indeed it was, and is. The Sebastian, Florida-based company has already installed the HID lighting in 550 different aircraft models, from owner-flown light turboprops to widebody VIP personal jets.
Editor's Note: As promised last month and in honor of our late former colleague and editor-in-chief, Archie Trammell, we once again offer up his last article for this magazine, published in our March 2016 edition.
Piper's $3 million PA-46-600TP flagship, marketed as the M600, is settling solidly into a niche between the $2 million M500/Meridian turboprop and $4-5 million rivals.
Airbus Helicopters plans to build a second commercial helicopter, the EC145e, in the U.S. to support the emergency medical services (EMS) market. The company's Columbus, Mississippi, facility will build 25 of the models, following an order from Metro Aviation, an EMS operator and completion firm.
Flying Colours Corp. has signed an agreement with the Conair Group to modify six production Bombardier Q400MR aircraft to support multipurpose missions. Conair Group provides fixed-wing firefighting aircraft.
