The Weekly of Business Aviation

Vertis Aviation, headquartered in Switzerland, has added an ultra-long-range Bombardier Global 5000 to its fleet for charters in North America, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

West Star Aviation has partnered with the Madison County Career and Technical Education Office and Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) to host a “Federal Apprenticeship Event” during National Apprenticeship Week.

NBT Bank has hired Doug Place as vice president and senior commercial banking relationship manager to head its new small-aircraft financing division.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department has selected Becker Avionics’ ADS-B transponders to update its Bell B412 and Sikorsky S-70 helicopters

German startup Volocopter is working with agricultural equipment manufacturer John Deere to demonstrate its VoloDrone heavy-lift unmanned cargo aircraft equipped for crop-protection spraying.

Extra Aircraft, based in Dinslaken, Germany, has received EASA type certification for its new Extra Next Generation (NG) aerobatic aircraft.

Clay Lacy Aviation has added three new jets for charters to its Northeast U.S. fleet.

eFlight Network plans to add four Bell 429 and four Bell 407 GXi helicopters to its emergency medical services fleet.

Safran’s board has chosen the head of Safran Aircraft Engines, Oliver Andries to be group CEO from January 2021.

Following a 14-month designation process, the FAA approved beyond-visual-line-of-sight UAS flights within an 8 x 4-mi. section of airspace near Griffiss International Airport.

Epic Aircraft has earned FAA type certification for its $3.25 million Epic E1000 aircraft, ending a seven-year effort.

Business aviation trade associations are denouncing calls by some British political leaders to ban private jets from UK airports because of emissions concerns.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Textron Beech Bonanza Models E33, E33A, E33C, F33, G33, 35-C33, 35-C33A, K35, M35, N35, P35, S35, V35, V35A and 36.

Business aviation activity in Europe in October was flat compared to a year ago with 74,420 departures, although charters rose for the first time in 2019.

The VoloDrone is designed to carry payloads up to 200 kg (440 lb.) with flight times up to 30 min. on a single charge.

Gulfstream Aerospace has selected GKN Aerospace as a key supplier for the company’s new $75 million flagship, the G700 ultra-long-range business jet.

A turboprop engine developed from the Franco-Chinese WZ-16 turboshaft could be in the works.

Texas-based helicopter operator Bristow Group has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

FAA says the second phase of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management (UTM) Pilot Program (UPP) will test technologies to remotely identify drones in high-density airspace.

The FAA has developed a plan to allow operators of aircraft equipped with ADS-B equipment to opt out of real-time flight-tracking.

Bye Aerospace and Oxis Energy have developed a research program aimed at increasing the flight time of Bye electric aircraft from a battery charge by 50-100%.

Two leasing companies plan to start implementing a system geared toward automating and digitizing critical parts of aircraft lease transitions.

Textron Aviation, through subsidiary Able Aerospace Services, said it has entered the Boeing 737NG landing gear aftermarket business.

Thrush Aircraft, based in Albany, Georgia, has completed a 10-week restructuring and has new ownership and leadership.

Officials of the town of Dover Foxcroft, Maine, are considering whether to close the Charles A. Chase Jr. Memorial Airfield and use the site for a solar generating plant.