The Weekly of Business Aviation

The U.S. aerospace and defense industry generated a $90 billion trade surplus in 2016, the largest of any industry.

View the February 2017 Business Aircraft Activity In North America and the Caribbean chart in PDF format.

Embraer rolled out its second E-Jet E2 variant, the E195-E2, at a March 7 ceremony for employees in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil.

Bell Helicopter has announced that Newfoundland Helicopters will receive delivery of a Bell 407GXP helicopter in March.

Smyrna Air Center, based in Smyrna, Tennessee, has changed its name to Hollingshead Aviation.

Nakanihon Air Service has signed an agreement for two Bell 429s at Heli-Expo 2017 in Dallas.

HeliFlite is expanding its fleet with the addition of its 10th twin-engine, dual-piloted helicopter, an Agusta Westland AW139.

Honeywell has selected Bird ExecuJet Airport Services at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi to enhance maintenance, repairs and upgrades services for business aviation customer in India.

Frasca International has sold a Level 7 Flight Training Device for the Bell CH-139 JetRanger helicopter used by the Royal Canadian Air Force No. 3 Flying Training School.

Frasca International has sold seven Advanced Aviation Training Devices for the Bell 206/407 series helicopters to Air Evac Lifeteam.

ASL and JetNetherlands have added a Piaggio P180 Avanti turboprop to its fleet.

Bell Helicopter signed a purchase agreement with the Arizona Department of Public Safety Aviation Bureau for a Bell 429 light twin-engine aircraft.

The FAA is superseding airworthiness directive (AD) 2014-05-06 for Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH (ECD) Model EC135 and MBBBK 117 C-2 helicopters to correct an error in the compliance time.

Tecnam celebrated the delivery of its 200th P2006T Twin aircraft.

For information about placing Classified Advertising in BA’s Marketplace Section, please contact Miguel Ornelas at 1 (661) 480-7000.

Caitlin Windland has been appointed information technology project manager at AviationManuals.

Mar. 13-16—International Operators Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, https://www.nbaa.org/events/ioc/2017/

The CEO of oil and gas operator CHC says Airbus will be “very challenged” to return the H225/EC225 heavy helicopter to service in the North Sea following the crash of a CHC-operated aircraft in Norway last April.

Airbus will accelerate the development of the military version of its H160 medium twin-engine helicopter following the type’s selection for a significant joint French requirement.

Embraer remains “cautiously optimistic” about its executive jet segment amid a used aircraft market that remains challenging, the company said March 9 as it released fourth-quarter and full-year 2016 financial results.

A coalition of aviation groups have written to leaders of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees to reassert the vital role that contract air traffic control towers play in improving safety and saving taxpayer dollars.

Business aircraft traffic in North America rose 1.3% in February, which was one day shorter than the same month a year ago.

Leading consumer UAV manufacturer DJI is pushing for a higher weight limit of 2.2 kg (4.8 lb.) below which small unmanned aircraft systems are considered relatively harmless and do not require registration and are only lightly regulated.

European business aviation activity in February totaled 53,526 flights, an increase of 0.9% compared to February 2016, which was one day longer.

Johnson County Executive Airport in Olathe, Kansas, has reopened to air traffic after straight-line winds moved through the area on March 6, damaging multiple hangars and aircraft and disrupting business.