Business Aviation

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Safety

South Korea Accepts Country’s First Embraer Praetor 600

Specially equipped aircraft will perform navaid inspections and other duties
Korean Flight Inspection Service Center Embraer Praetor 600
Regulations and Government

Congress Takes Up Parks Air Tour Management Program

Critics charge that new rules will cripple air tour industry
Rushmore Helicopters photo in South Dakota
Maintenance and Modifications

Solution to MRO Capacity Shortage a Multi-pronged Endeavor

Labor and parts shortages remain key drivers
Elevate MRO mechanic working on landing gear
Charter & Fractional

After SPAC Merger, Fractional Jet Provider Volato Goes Public on NYSE

Company operates the world's largest HondaJet fleet
Volato jet on runway
Charter & Fractional

Wheels Up Focusing on Business Travelers

New programs designed to entice small and medium businesses
Wheels Up King Air
Finance, Taxes, Insurance

Jet Buyers Still Finding Financing among Higher Interest Rates

Cash is still king, but financing is available
Illustration of Jet and business men
Avionics

ForeFlight Oceanic Plotting Now Available

The plotting feature can help pilots eliminate paper charts
ForeFlight Oceanic Plotting
Maintenance and Modifications

Offshore Heavy Helicopter Issues Open Gates for Super-mediums

Covid supply chain overhang could be the perfect opportunity for offshore super-medium helicopters
Phi Sikorsky s-92 and oil rigs
FBOs

While Hangar Space Remains Tight, FBOs Face Challenges in Adding Capacity

Supply chain issues, airport demands, and rising interest rates are issues faced
Hangar under construction
Airports

Early Winter Snow Stops Flights at Munich Airport

All flights into Munich were canceled on December 2 due to snowstorm
Cessna Citation aircraft trapped in snow at Munich International Airport
ATC

How WAAS Turned into a Must-have System

Once the subject of criticism, WAAS is on the majority of general aviation aircraft
WAAS locations (Image: the FAA)
Regulations and Government

Former FAA Head David Hinson Flies West

Hinson, 90, had amassed more than 9,000 fight hours on 70 types
Former FAA Administrator David Hinson, former FAA acting Administrator Robert A. Sturgell, and Russell Meyer, Cessna chairman emeritus (Photo: Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association)
Aircraft

The Fast, the Far-reaching, and the Future

A range of technologies forwarded in 2023
Bombardier blended-wing body demonstrator
Avionics

FAA Proposes Increase in CVR Recording to 25 Hours

Rule would not expand CVR applicability in the general aviation fleet
The HCR-25
Aircraft

First Falcon 6X Enters Service

The Falcon 6X can fly up to 5,500 nm
Dassault Falcon 6X business jet
Safety

Focus on FOQA at Citation Jet Pilots Convention

CJP members have an enviable safety record
Charlie Precourt Citation Jet Pilots meeting
Accidents

Business Aviation Gives Back

Tales of business aviation charitable works
business jet landing
Accidents

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: December 2023

Preliminary and final accident reports, December 2023
rural runway
Aircraft

Treasury Auction Planned for Avenatti’s HondaJet

The aircraft was seized by the government in April 2019
Michael Avenatti HondaJet being auctioned
Maintenance and Modifications

USCG Begins Sikorsky Jayhawk Rebuilding Program

Coast Guard will rebuild 45 Jayhawks with new airframes
MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter
Charter & Fractional

TAM AE Again Rated Top Air Charter Operator in Brazil

Marks operator's eighth year of being named "Biggest and Best" in the country
TAM Aviação Executiva
FBOs

Nashville-area FBO Has Many Irons in the Fire

Hollingshead Aviation at Tennessee's Smyrna Airport is on a building spree
Hollingshead Aviation
Accidents

Departing European Rotors Helicopter Crashes

Three injured as Enstrom crashes onto busy Madrid motorway
Aircraft

Twenty Years Later: First Flight of the HondaJet Prototype

After three years of intense effort, the HondaJet prototype took to the skies
HondaJet proof-of-concept prototype 2003
Training and Workforce

People in Aviation

Patrick Shanahan is interim president for Spirit AeroSystems, Alain-Jory Barthe senior v-p of industry for Daher
People in Aviation - December 2023 headshots
Training and Workforce

AIN Year-end Report 2023

A letter from AIN CEO and Co-founder, Wilson Leach
Wilson Leach, AIN Co-founder and Chairman Emeritus
Aircraft

AINsight: I Can Almost See the New Year

Business aircraft buyers are already looking ahead to 2024
Holiday Presents
Maintenance and Modifications

MRO Profile: Omni Aircraft Maintenance Poised for Major Expansion

Operation to see MRO capacity double by year-end
Omni Aircraft Maintenance mechanics working on landing gear
Rotorcraft

Air Ambulances Fly Through Economic Turbulence

Below cost reimbursements threaten the industry
Air Methods helicopter ambulance
Avionics

HondaJet Added to ForeFlight Runway Analysis 

The new ForeFlight service simplifies HondaJet performance planning
HondaJet