Business Aviation

Turbomeca’s Arrius 2R turboshaft—the first European engine to be fitted to a Bell-produced helicopter—has been certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

The Senate passed the Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2, which includes third-class medical reform, on Dec. 15. The bill passed by unanimous consent.

Business-aviation flight activity in the U.S. and Canada rose 2.8% in November when compared to the same time a year ago. But activity fell 6.8% when compared to October 2015, according to TraqPak data from Argus.

Flexjet and Flight Options pilots voted on Dec. 15 to join the Teamsters Union.

Airbus Corporate Jet Center (ACJC) claims “a new level of innovation and quality,” with early delivery of a unique ACJ319 green VIP-cabin completion.

Tecnam’s P Twenty Ten single-engine, high-wing, four-seat aircraft has earned type certification from the FAA.

Bombardier Business Aircraft has received an order from Zetta Jet for one Global 6000 ultra-long-range aircraft, with options for four more, in a transaction valued at about $318 million.

TRU Simulation + Training has opened a new Aviation Maintenance Academy in 35,000 sq. ft. of renovated space in the former Wichita Textron Aviation Caravan delivery center.

Teterboro Airport was the business aviation airport searched the most worldwide on acukwik.com in November 2015, according to an analysis of AC-U-KWIK site traffic. The top airport outside the United States was the second most searched airport overall: Paris Le Bourget Airport.

A detailed study of more than 900 unmanned-aircraft sightings reported to the FAA by pilots and air traffic controllers has concluded that 90 involved encounters with commercial aircraft close enough to meet the agency’s definition of a near midair collision.

Buyers and owners of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and model aircraft must register their aircraft with the FAA beginning on Dec. 21.

Honeywell says it will begin offering a traffic-alert and collision-avoidance system (TCAS)-coupled autopilot option as part of a Primus Epic avionics-suite upgrade that will be available within the next two years.

The Pilot's Bill of Rights 2 will now go to the full Senate for consideration.

For the first 11 months of 2015, business aviation activity in Europe was down 0.8% as compared to 2014, with 5,700 fewer flights.

Gulfstream Aerospace delivered the first of up to 30 Gulfstream aircraft to Qatar Airways on Dec. 11.

Boeing is set to begin preflight tests of the first 737 MAX, following an unveiling event for employees at its Renton, Washington, facility on Dec 8.

Long in coming—its unique outlines were first sketched on the back of a wall calendar in 1997—the HA-420 HondaJet was awarded its FAR 23 Type Certificate on Dec. 8.

In the not-too-distant future, it will be possible to fly anywhere over the planet in an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast environment affording benefits equally to flight crews, operators and air traffic controllers.

Textron Aviation is the “Wizard of Wichita,” with new products, increased sales efforts and rising operating margins and revenue.

Global Jet Capital—which provides financing for large-cabin private jets—has completed about 90% of its acquisition of GE’s fixed-wing corporate-aircraft portfolio in the Americas, it said.

Piper Aircraft, based in Vero Beach, Florida, has sold its first new diesel engine Archer DX into Scandinavia, the company said.

System-performance improvements, in part due to recent space-borne receiver software upgrades, should allow space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) provider Aireon to offer air navigation service providers (ANSPs) with both terrestrial and oceanic ADS-B surveillance capabilities.

Airbus Helicopters is flight testing Turbomeca’s Ardiden 3C turboshaft engine on its prototype H175/EC175 for its Chinese partner.

Airbus Helicopters has delivered its first H125 AStar single-engine helicopter from its newly established assembly line in Columbus, Mississippi.

In less than two years, Innova went from nonexistence to a multifaceted aerospace conglomerate whose services range from pumping fuel and providing jet charters, to reengining, certifying and manufacturing aircraft and parts.