ShowNews

In May, PrivateFly founder and CEO Adam Twidell told ShowNews he hoped his company’s competitors followed him into offering fixed-price private flying. His rationale was that any initiative that makes the sector more accessible would help improve business for everyone.

Gulfstream’s contribution to environmentally sustainable flight operations has moved up a gear at NBAA-BACE, with the company announcing a new scheme to assist customers in offsetting their emissions and making its first carbon-neutral flights when it brought five airplanes to Nevada for the event.

High-flying plans for its high-flying fleet, as acquisitions and initiatives come thick and fast at Wheels Up.

It has been almost a year since Piaggio entered insolvency, but the lawyer charged with turning the airframer around can see light at the end of the tunnel.

Leaving Schweizer prior to its closure in 2010, he took the top executive slot at Uniflight and then a vice presidency at Safran Helicopter Engines until he began working on the Schweizer acquisition from Lockheed Martin in 2017. His private goal? Earning a rotary wing rating.

Jet Aviation comes to NBAA-BACE having just opened its new 40,000-sq.-ft. hangar and completely renovated FBO at Teterboro, N.J. – fruit of a $25 million-plus investment. A pre-opening celebration was held at the hangar in August 2019, and Jet now has final operating approval.

Flying Colours has touched “thousands” of airplanes since it began business in Peterborough, Ontario, 30 years ago. Now it is one of the world’s leading independent providers of maintenance, modifications and completions of large-cabin business jets.

The fourth Million Air FBO in Texas and the 31st facility in the parent company’s network includes a 14,500-sq.-ft. FBO terminal as well as seven free-standing hangars totaling 100,000 sq. ft. and capable of accommodating aircraft as large as the Gulfstream G650ER.

Universal Weather and Aviation pledged last week to open Costa Rica’s first-ever GAT (general aviation terminal) in time for the busy holiday season.

Orlando, Fla.-headquartered Signature Flight Support – the world’s largest FBO chain with upward of 200 locations – has expanded in Italy with the addition of six airports, while service at Milan-Malpensa has been significantly enhanced with a first-ever terminal.

Cloaked in secrecy until unveiled this week by Rolls-Royce as the powerplant for Gulfstream’s long-range G700, the Pearl 700 has emerged as the second engine to evolve from the company’s Advance2 demonstrator program and is poised for first flight on the aircraft maker’s newest flagship.

Thales plans to certify a wearable head-up display (HUD) for business aviation that will confer the operational benefits of a HUD at half the cost, the company says.

Teterboro, N.J.-headquartered Meridian is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its jet charter business.

Despite ongoing concerns about fuel prices, maintaining profitability and safety, the FBO business in North America remains relatively stable, according to the Aviation Business Strategies Group.

The upgraded turboprop has been in development for more than three years, with flight testing having started in December 2017.

Aimed at toppling the 7,700-nm-range Bombardier Global 7500 as the reigning large-cabin uber jet, the $75 million G700 is the largest, heaviest, roomiest, most luxurious and, very likely, the longest-range business aircraft yet built by the U.S. manufacturer.

Textron Aviation is nearing mating of the wing on the prototype of its new utility SkyCourier twin turboprop, with first flight expected next year.

Winglet Technology has received FAA approval for a performance update for its Citation Sovereign Transitional winglet.

The satellite communications provider has announced that its Jet ConneX product, an inflight Wi-Fi system for business jets, has been installed on its 600th aircraft.

The addition of interior specialists F/List to Bombardier’s UK Service Center at Biggin Hill underscores the airport’s growing role as a center for business aviation in Europe.

Global connectivity expert Satcom Direct can synchronize an entire aircraft mission with the flight department with the unveiling of its latest data product, SD PostFlight, at the show here today.

A newcomer to NBAA-BACE is inviting platform OEMs, service providers and end-users to meet them this week as they aim to promote a new kind of inflight connectivity for the business aviation world.

Avfuel, citing “an effort to further carbon neutrality goals in the aviation industry,” teamed with its affiliated Avflight Salina FBO in Kansas to provide SAF – sustainable aviation (jet) fuel – for aircraft headed to NBAA-BACE 2019.

The business aviation sector has set itself some ambitious targets in terms of sustainability and emissions reduction. It is unlikely these goals will be reached without a broader take-up of sustainable fuel. But a key barrier to adoption remains the higher price of SAF versus traditional jet fuel.

General Electric’s Catalyst turboprop is doing well and exceeding performance predictions, but due mainly to the challenges of testing for more stringent certification requirements, development for its first application – the Cessna Denali ­– is behind schedule, says the company.