The Weekly of Business Aviation

European business aircraft activity declined 1% in December compared to a year ago, WingX Advance says.

Business aircraft activity in North America rose 2% in December from a year ago, down from a forecasted 5.6% increase, Argus International says.

London Biggin Hill has set goals for the airport which include the creation of 2,300 new jobs in the next two years and a total of 3,000 new jobs by 2031.

StandardAero plans to cease operations at its repair center at Los Angeles International Airport by the end of March, the company said.

Registration to fly drones weighing 0.55–55 lb. (0.25–25 kg) as a hobby was required under a registration rule the FAA issued in December 2015.

Shareholder approval came despite significant concerns voiced over the proposed acquisition by leading aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing, as well as by some investors.

What does it take in 2018 to make a quadcopter stand out as an aircraft worth writing about?

Boeing HorizonX, which the airframer set up to pursue potentially disruptive ideas inside as well as outside the company, has flown a prototype electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) unmanned cargo aircraft. The eight-rotor cargo air vehicle (CAV), which can carry a payload of up to 500 lb., was designed and built in less than three months by a cross-company team. The prototype has completed initial flight tests at Boeing Research & Technology’s (BR&T) Collaborative Autonomous Systems Laboratory in St Louis.

Global aviation aftermarket services provider AAR on Jan. 18 said Chairman and CEO David Storch will retire as chief executive, effective May 31, and that President and Chief Operating Officer John Holmes will become CEO the next day. Storch hands over the reins after a lifetime career at AAR, especially after helping to build its presence in the increasingly popular aftermarket market in recent years, including high-profile contract awards.

Two former executives of Italian aerospace and defense firm Leonardo have been acquitted in a corruption case.

TruAtlantic already was reporting to Summit Aviation, another Greenwich subsidiary.

In collaboration with ride-hailing giant Uber, Bell Helicopter is developing an air taxi.

Jefferies analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu predicts a modest comeback for business jet deliveries in 2018.

Piper Aircraft, based in Vero Beach, Florida, has received FAA certification for the G1000 NXi integrated flight deck for the Piper M500 single-engine turboprop and the M350 pressurized, single-engine piston aircraft.

Dan takes over the FAA on an acting basis as the agency faces a March 31 congressional reauthorization deadline.

Dassault Aviation’s order and delivery numbers for 2017 indicate Falcon business jet sales have stopped sliding.

High-profile camera maker GoPro announced Jan. 8 it is getting out of the consumer unmanned air vehicle (UAV) business as part of major restructuring and layoff plan.

In a further step toward making the takeover of Zodiac Aerospace a reality, Safran has appointed Hélène Moreau-Leroy director of the Zodiac integration project, the Paris-based company announced Jan. 8.

Piper Aircraft has appointed the British European Aviation Group as its exclusive dealer for the UK, Ireland and the Channel Islands.

More than 25,000 pilots are now flying under BasicMed rather than with an FAA aviation medical certification, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association reports.

Bombardier Business Aircraft’s Global 7000 mockup will be on display at the Jetex private terminal in Dubai Jan. 11-Feb. 3.

Eastern Michigan University Aviation has added a remanufactured Ascend 172 aircraft to its training fleet for use in its pilot education program.

Airborne Wireless Network has entered into a support agreement with GE Aviation, which should “significantly accelerate” the development of Airborne Wireless’ Hybrid Radio and Free Optics Communications System.

ASL and JetNetherlands have added a fourth Cessna C680 Citation Sovereign midsize jet to their fleet.

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