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.

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
Aircraft

AINsight: I Can Almost See the New Year

Business aircraft buyers are already looking ahead to 2024
Holiday Presents
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
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
Charter & Fractional

App-based Vaunt Offers Empty Leg Membership Program

Company looks to bring the thrill of private aviation to non-traditional customers
Volato Honda Jets at airport
FBOs

California FBO Completes Specialized Gulfstream Handling Course

Airframer's ground handling course is designed for all Gulfstream models
Gulfstream in front of Sun Air Jets hangar at Camarillo Airport
Airports

Toronto-area Buttonville Airport Calls It Quits

The GA airport once ranked among Canada's busiest
Aerial view of Buttonville Airport
Avionics

FAA Revises Safety Alert on 5G Interference

Update encourages operators to upgrade to 5G-resistant radar altimeters
Charter & Fractional

Air Charter Association Announces Excellence Awards

Winners from across the industry were honored at an event in Brighton
Air Charter Association 2023 Excellence award winners
Aircraft

The HondaJet Prototype First Flight Was 20 Years Ago, and We Look Back

Take a look at original footage from the first flight.
HondaJet HA-420 prototype taking off
Regulations and Government

Lawmakers, Industry Urge Senate Action on FAA Bill

House lawmakers stepping up call for Senate to move on stalled reauthorization bill
U.S. Capitol Building (Photo: Bill Carey)
Accidents

Helijet Lightning Strike Worse Than Initially Reported

S-76 landed safely after being substantially damaged
Maintenance and Modifications

Piaggio Delivers First Retrofitted Avanti II+

Upgraded Avanti now carries new configuration of Avanti II+
Piaggio P.180 MSN 1053 sits parked at the company's center of excellence in Villanova d’Albenga ahead of delivery to its Genoa customer support center.
Airports

Aviation Alliance's Selena Shilad Dies at 45

Shilad was called a 'fierce industry advocate'
Selena Shilad headshot (Photo: the Alliance for Aviation Across America)
Avionics

FAA Opens CPDLC to All Equipped Operators in U.S.

En route datalink is available in many areas of the U.S. national airspace
FAA Data Comm coverage map for U.S. airspace
Maintenance and Modifications

Blackhawk Wins Garmin GI-275 STC for 500-series Citations

Install provides for a lower-cost, more reliable electronic standby instrument system
Cessna Citation with Garmin GI-275 ESIS
Avionics

Honeywell Launches Darwin Single-pilot AI Project

Project addresses minimum-crew challenges
Honeywell Darwin artificial intelligence project
Regulations and Government

Coulson Wins $16 Million SoCal Firefighting Contract

Coulson will fly firefighting CH-47s for California's Quick Reaction Force
Coulson CH-47
Rotorcraft

Airbus Helicopters Announces Orders, New Training Center

Airbus Helicopters training center will open in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, in 2025
Airbus Helicopters and ÖAMTC Air Rescue sign contract for H135s
Maintenance and Modifications

NAA, FAI Recognize Record Tamarack King Air Flight

Tamarack winglets enabled the record-breaking flight
Nick Guida Tamarack Aerospace record-breaking King Air flight
Aircraft

Bombardier Delivers 150th Global 7500, Looks Forward to Global 8000

There's plenty of space to relax on 7,700nm flights.
Bombardier Global 7500 taking off
Training and Workforce

Bell Valencia Trains Hundreds Annually

Bell 429 simulator at Valencia Spain logs more than 1,000 hours each year
Airports

Indiana Airport Completes Runway Extension Project

The three-year-long $15 million project increased KTYQ's runway to 7,000 feet
Guests at the celebration of KTYQ's lengthened runway reopening.