Aircraft & Propulsion

Richard “Dick” Aarons, renowned former editor of Aviation Week’s Business and Commercial Aviation (BCA) for more than 50 years, died Dec. 11 at the age of 82.

Textron Aviation delivered the first Citation CJ3 Gen2 light jet over the holidays to longtime Citation owners Dave Mecartney and Shannon Day.

Helicopter lessor GD Helicopter Finance (GDHF) plans to become a rotorcraft operator with the takeover of Belgium-based NHV Group.

Business leaders from across a variety of segments within the business aviation industry weigh in on what they predict will be in store for 2026.

As 2025 came to a close, Textron Aviation delivered the first Cessna Citation Ascend midsize jets to a retail customer, the company announced.

India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has completed the first flight of the commercial version of the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter.

A Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decision to ban Chinese-made drones for communications has instilled uncertainty among public-sector users.

The delivery of the first MC-55 Peregrine multi-intelligence platform to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is imminent.

A Super King Air 200 became the first aircraft to deploy the Garmin Autoland system in an emergency, which engaged and landed the aircraft on Dec. 20.

The market for crewed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, as well as for maritime patrol, will reach $23 billion through 2034.

As 2026 beckons, engine-makers position themselves for the industry’s most valuable prize: a place on the next-gen Airbus and Boeing single-aisle aircraft.

Eve Air Mobility conducted the long-awaited first flight of its electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing engineering prototype on Dec. 19.

Lufthansa plans to upgrade 134 Airbus A320 family aircraft with the FANS-C digital communications system to improve operations and lower CO2 emissions.

A Cessna Citation II carrying seven people, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, 55, and his family, crashed and caught fire Dec. 18.

The business aviation industry delivered 90 aircraft in November 2025, including 64 business jets, 22 business turboprop and piston aircraft, one commercial airliner and one commercial turboprop, according to Aviation Week Network Fleet Discovery Database. That compares to 102 in the same period a year ago.

A new Honda Aircraft performance package upgrades earlier model HondaJets with technical innovations introduced on later iterations of the light twinjet.

Cirrus Aircraft delivered its 11,000th SR Series single-engine aircraft, the company announced.

A service bulletin would update the Global 7500 to the 8000’s better performance.

Italy’s Tecnam has launched the P2008JC NG single-engine flight training aircraft with a carbon fiber fuselage and metal wings.

China issued draft guidance on type certification of powered-lift aircraft for public comment in a move intended to streamline airworthiness approval of eVTOLs.

Aviation Week projects the Williams FJ44, Honeywell HTF7000 and PW&C PT6 series will lead deliveries of new-build engines for business aviation over 2026-35.

Forecasts, snapshots and commercial aircraft programs to watch.

The Canadian Defense Investment Agency awarded the Montreal-based aircraft manufacturer a roughly $400 million contract to supply six Global 6500s.

As new ultra-large jets and single turboprops enter the market, a midsize makeover is next.

A few key factors from 2025 are strong indicators for business aviation’s performance in 2026.