The Phenom 100, Embraer’s four-place, $2.98 million entry into the very light jet market, flew for the first time this morning from São Jose dos Campos, Brazil. According to the company, the one hour, thirty-six minute flight was successful. Test pilot captain Antonio Bragança Silva said, “We had a successful first flight. All maneuvers and tests were performed as planned.” Company preside more

Nicholas Chabraja, chairman and CEO of General Dynamics, the parent company of Gulfstream and its General Dynamics Aviation Services cousin, said yesterday that this year’s second quarter was “the best quarter from an intake perspective that Gulfstream has ever experienced.” The Savannah, Ga.-based OEM achieved $1.2 billion in sales in the second quarter, up more than 13 percent from the sam more

Signature Flight Support’s parent BBA Aviation has sold Oxford Airport in the UK to private investment group OA Acquisitions for £40 million ($80 million). The new owner is part of the Aldersgate Investments group controlled by multi-millionaire British real estate developers David and Simon Reuben. The brothers have declined to comment publicly about their intentions for the airport, which has more

Eclipse Aviation selected radar manufacturer Japan Radio to provide a new weather radar that will come standard in the Eclipse 500 very light jet. The original Honeywell radar will be an extra-cost option, but the Japan Radio radar will not be retrofittable to Eclipse 500s already equipped with the Honeywell radars, according to Vern Raburn, Eclipse president and CEO. Japan Radio has been manufact more

UK charter operator LyddAir has launched its own fractional ownership program, offering shares in a variety of pre-owned twin-engine piston and turboprop airplanes. Initially, the company is offering shares in a pair of Piper Chieftains and a Beech Baron B58, but it is preparing to add a King Air 200 to the fleet. The company bills the Air Share package as an affordable introduction to fractional more