Business & Commercial Aviation

FlightSafety International has started master-level advanced training courses for the Falcon 2000EX EASy and 900EX EASy series aircraft.

Astronics Corp. through its wholly owned subsidiary Astronics Max-Viz, has certified its 2300 Enhanced Vision System to the DO-160G standard.

Paris Le Bourget Airport was the top airport for business aviation in Europe between May 2016 and April 2017, according to an analysis of acukwik.com usage. Six airports serving London ranked among the top 50. With seven of the top 50 airports, Italy accounted for the most airports of any of the 22 countries represented on the list.

Of all European airports requested by Aircharterguide.com users between May 2016 and April 2017, Paris Le Bourget Airport was requested as a destination and departure airport most, according to Air Charter Guide Worldwide Trip Builder records.

How will Brandon Mitchener's skills as a journalist and a corporate business communicator be utilized as CEO of the European Business Aviation Association?

PhilJets Group will be the Philippines’ largest operator of Airbus helicopters, following its new order for one twin-engine H145 and two single-engine H130s.

The Pilatus PC-12 NG has been approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency for commercial operations in Europe. The decision means the single-engine turboprop can be operated commercially at night and under instrument flight rules across all 32 EASA member states.

Pentastar Aviation has received FAA certification of compatibility of wireless data technologies on Gulfstream Aerospace GIV-X (G350/G450) series aircraft, the company said. The Supplemental Type Certificate allows operators to approve the use of Transmitting Portable Electronic Devices onboard aircraft with wireless networks or Wi-Fi hot spots for passengers, who may email, talk, text and video conference without interfering with safety critical systems on the aircraft.

Textron Aviation has begun assembly of its Citation Longitude super-midsize jet. The first four production aircraft are in progress inside the company's Plant IV in East Wichita, Textron Aviation reports. T he Longitude is the first Cessna product to be manufactured inside a former Beechcraft facility. In addition, the third Cessna Citation Longitude test aircraft has completed its first flight and has joined the flight test program. During the recent 1 hr., 40 min.

CIT Group marked the end of an era April 4 as the financial holding company exited the aircraft leasing market and closed the sale of its commercial aircraft leasing business to Avolon Holdings for a final purchase price of $10.4 billion.

Frasca International has delivered a Cessna 510 Citation Mustang business jet simulator to its new training center in Paris, the company said.

Charles McKinnon, founder and retired manager of IBM's flight department, died March 30 in Trussville, Alabama. He was 101.

Bombardier has opened a business jet service center in Tianjin, China, in a joint venture with the Tianjin Airport Economic Area. The Tianjin Service Center, located near Beijing, includes 95,766 sq. ft. of hangar space and back shop areas for maintenance, repair, overhaul and other activities. Bombardier forecasts demand for 1,100 business jets in Greater China, South Asia and the Asia-Pacific region over the next 10 years.

According to the chief economic adviser to President Donald Trump, air traffic control (ATC) reform—including privatizing ATC—could be a major element of the new administration's infrastructure buildup, but general aviation operators should not fear paying more for it. "We're probably not even going to tax general aviation," said Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council. "There's enough money in the aviation tax right now." Cohn made that comment during a so-called White House town hall on the U.S.

RUAG Aviation in Munich has completed a customer interior refurbishment of a new Bombardier Global 5000 registered in India to an unnamed customer. The client chose Bombardier's Authorized Service Center to install a custom configuration and RUAG to add upgrades to its inflight entertainment system and restyle additional interior elements, RUAG said. The refurbishment was completed on schedule, the company said.

The FAA has issued its first airspace restrictions that specifically apply only to unmanned aerial vehicles, banning flights under 400 ft. AGL within the boundaries of 133 military facilities. The special security restrictions took effect April 14. The agency warns that violations could result in criminal charges, civil penalties and the revocation of certificates and authorizations to operate UAVs. More restrictions may be coming.

Jet Aviation's maintenance center in Vienna has gained FAA repair station approval and is registered to provide line and base maintenance services to all N-registered aircraft it is allowed to support. The Vienna facility provides maintenance support to owners and operators in Eastern Europe, where about 10% of all N-registered aircraft in EMEA and Asia are based or operating.

Oil and gas helicopter operator CHC reports emerging as an economically robust and agile competitor, 10 months after filing for bankruptcy protection. The Canadian operator, which has its headquarters in Texas, says the court confirmed its financial restructuring on March 24. The new CHC is lighter to the tune of 80 helicopters, $1 billion of debt, and another $1.4 billion in lease obligations.

A years-long effort to rewrite European aircraft certification standards for many types of light aircraft is finished and the European Aviation Safety Agency's (EASA) new CS-23 takes effect Aug. 15. In general, the new rules are in harmony with the FAA's new Part 23 regulations, which were published in December. Both regulations shift from design-specific requirements to consensus-based standards in helping determine compliance and airworthiness.

Buyers of the Textron Aviation TTx single-engine aircraft may now customize their order through an online virtual-aircraft generator that allows them to choose from one-dozen exterior paint colors and striping, along with interior and avionics options. Those include a traffic advisory system; Garmin XM weather and radio datalink; Jeppesen Chartview; automatic direction finder; distance measuring equipment; and other features. other extras. The aircraft’s base price is $715,000.

BCA subscribers, log in to download the Avionics Marketplace charts exclusive to the digital version of the 2017 Purchase Planning Handbook.

Harlow Aerostructures, a component supplier to the aviation industry, has developed its first autothrottle for new general aviation aircraft.

BCA subscribers, log in to download the entire 2017 Purchase Planning Handbook, including airplane comparison tables as well as Avionics Marketplace charts, which are available only in digital format.

United Airlines is not the only aviation company to be confronted with public outrage recently. Angry protestors gathered outside Bombardier's Montreal headquarters recently to express their ire over the company's plan to raise the compensation of its senior executives by $32 million. As a result, on March 31, Pierre Beaudoin, the company's executive chairman, opted to forgo his extra pay—but his announcement was quickly followed by a combative statement from Bombardier's head of human resources, Jean Monty.

Wearable technology—including head-up displays, embedded sensors, advanced textiles, embedded computing, energy harvesters, exoskeletons and communications—is being integrated into a variety of civil and military systems and components in ways not previously possible. Over the next decade, the wearable technologies market is expected to grow at a cumulative compound annual growth rate of nearly 40% and produce a cumulative global market of nearly $8 billion, according to Global Wearables Technologies Market Forecast to 2025.