Business & Commercial Aviation

The medium and light business jet resale markets began 2017 with two of the best first quarters in the past 10 years, according to a report by market research company Amstat.

Tradewind Aviation, which operates shuttle and on-demand flights in the U.S. and Caribbean, has added three Pilatus PC-12 eight-seat aircraft to its fleet as well as a hub at Hanscom Field in Bedford, Massachusetts. Tradewind, which operates scheduled service from Westchester County Airport in New York, now operates 21 aircraft, including 18 PC-12s and three Cessna Citations.

Textron Aviation ended production of its Model 510 Cessna Citation Mustang light jet on May 11. No jobs will be lost as a result, as Textron Aviation is moving production of its Caravan turboprop to the plant where the Mustang was assembled.

ForeFlight, one of the aviation industry's leading providers of mobile electronic flight bag applications, and Jeppesen, a global powerhouse in aeronautical data, are teaming up to offer a broad range of products to business and general aviation, military and airline customers.

Gulfstream Aerospace has added its third G600 aircraft to its flight-test program. The aircraft completed its first flight May 5 and will undergo numerous system tests required for FAA certification, expected in 2018.

Uber announces partnerships with vehicle developers and infrastructure providers to support its planned electric vertical takeoff and landing flight demonstrations in Dallas and Dubai in 2020.

Japan has set ambitious targets to double foreign visitors to 40 million a year by the 2020 Summer Olympics, and business aviation is expected to play a role.

AirspaceX, a new company set up by design house Detroit Aircraft, is developing a tail-sitting electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft that can carry modular payloads, including a four-seat passenger cabin for air taxi operations.

Completions specialist Flying Colours Corp. has delivered the first three Bombardier CRJ200 ex-airliner-to-VIP conversions for Chinese luxury company Sparkle Roll's SR Jet, and will deliver three more by year-end.

​Aircare International has launched an enhanced hypoxia training course for pilots and cabin crewmembers. The training involves both classroom instruction on high-altitude physiology and actual exposure using a hypoxia training platform.

Shenzhen, China-based Amber Aviation has launched its business jet management services. The company was founded by Chairman Chang Qiu Sheng. It will also have an office in Hong Kong.

Hawthorne Global Aviation Services has acquired JetSun Aviation Centre, an FBO located at Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City, Iowa. The facility has more than 100,000 sq. ft. of hangar space, a reception area, conference room, pilot lounge and flight planning.

The FAA has adopted a new Airworthiness Directive for certain Learjet Model 60 airplanes. This AD was prompted by an evaluation by the design approval holder indicating the upper fuselage skin under the aft oxygen line fairing is subject to multi-site damage.

Business aviation flight activity increased globally during the first quarter of 2017 compared to the last three months of 2016. In fact, it was the highest utilization of aircraft for any first quarter since 2008, according to Jet Support Services Inc., a provider of maintenance support and financial services.

Wingly, an internet-based private-pilot ride-sharing service, a concept ruled as a violation of air regulations by the FAA—a position upheld in federal court—is operating in the UK, France and Germany.

Jet Aviation has signed an FBO management agreement with Pazos FBO at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in Puerto Rico. It is the only FBO in Puerto Rico with a full-service on-site U.S. Customs and Border Protection terminal for customs, immigration and agriculture processing of international flights.

Gulf stream Aerospace's G280 set two speed records in April on flights to and from the 2017 Avalon Airshow. The aircraft flew 3,332 nm from Singapore to Melbourne, Australia, in 7 hr. and 21 min., at an average cruise speed of Mach 0.81. It then flew from Singapore to Dubai's Al Maktoum Airport, 3,177 nm, in 7 hr. and 18 min. at Mach 0.82.

The engineering of Universal Avionics' InSight display system is now fulfilled, and the company is working toward completion of the STC and TSO package in preparation for TIA.

London Oxford Airport is seeing an increase in large business jets using its facilities this year. Its FBO has seen a 37% increase in large jet movements and a 46% increase over the past two years, the airport reports.

Blackhawk Modifications in Waco, Texas, has received an STC for the installation of True Blue Power TB44 lithium-ion batteries on Blackhawk-powered Cessna Caravan 208 and 208B models.

The fourth Cessna Citation Longitude test aircraft has joined the flight-test program. The aircraft is expected to receive FAA type certification later this year. The fourth Longitude flew for the first time on May 6.

Bombardier's third Global 7000 flight test aircraft flew for the first time May 10 and has entered the flight-test program. It will soon join Bombardier's flight-test center in Wichita.

Dassault's new Falcon 8X ultra-long-range jet has received approval to operate at London City Airport, which has some of the most restrictive steep approach and noise abatement regulations in business aviation.

Sometimes you come upon a physical construct of such wrongheadedness that the natural question is: What were they thinking?

Questions for Shawn Vick, CEO of Global Jet Capital Inc., Boca Raton, Florida.