Buisness aviation news
Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced that the company has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval of the company’s new Safety Management System (SMS) implementation plan to support the design and manufacturing of Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft. This approval builds on the company’s previously FAA-accepted and approved SMS program supporting the maintenance and support of iconic Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft, and underscores the company’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards of product quality at every level of operations.
With just one month to go, the highly anticipated Dubai Helishow 2024 is set to open its doors from October 22-24, 2024, at the Spectacular Skydive Dubai, bringing together global leaders in the VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing), UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), and Helicopter industries.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. announced the first Gulfstream G400 intended for dedicated charter operations has been purchased by German-based DC Aviation Group. The sale was announced during a signing ceremony at Gulfstream’s Customer Support facility in Farnborough, England.
Bizjet demand has wobbled in September, significantly behind September last year, the slowdown mainly in the US, with bizjet cycles in California down 15% YOY. In Europe, both France and Germany saw big drops in demand this month.
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) published the Second Quarter 2024 General Aviation Aircraft Shipment and Billing Report. The general aviation aircraft manufacturing industry’s results for the first six months of 2024, when compared to the same period in 2023, show increased deliveries across the piston airplane, business jet and piston helicopter segments along with an increase in the overall value of aircraft shipments.
The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) have published their manifesto for the 2024-2029 European legislative term, highlighting their commitment to driving a sustainable, competitive and safe aviation sector in partnership with the next European Commission and Members of the European Parliament.
The fifth annual AIRTAXI World Congress (ATWC) opens in Dubai, UAE, October 7th-10th at the Grand Hyatt Dubai Conference & Exhibition Centre.
The European market is slowing sharply in September compared to the Olympics-boosted August, also now trailing September 2023, especially in the Charter market, and especially in Germany, Italy also faring less well. In the US, the year-on-year Labor Day bizjet activity was slightly adrift, although it spiked in Florida, flights up 12% YOY, 9% gain in Part 135 and 91K flights.
Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced the successful delivery of a customized Bell 505 to All Motors Brazil, a Brazilian luxury automotive dealership.
IBAC has renewed its alliance with Carbon Trade eXchange (CTX) to provide a new transparent and efficient platform for business aviation companies to voluntarily purchase carbon credits to offset their CO2 emissions as part of an overall sustainability plan. The new ACE platform is hosted at www.offsetflights.com.
Part 135 and 91K flights out of Texas and Florida were up more than 10% in the latest week and are trending up 5% in August, contrast the 1% decline in bizjet activity in the US, 8 months into 2024. The late summer surge in the US compares to a post-Olympics slowdown in Europe, although Nice is still seeing strong growth, and there are record breaking levels of flight activity at Tivat in Montenegro.
The Swiss manufacturer of the popular PC-12 single-engine turboprop and PC-24 Super Versatile Jet inks deal to develop a factory-owned flagship sales, design, and service center in Bradenton, Florida.
Textron announced that the Cessna SkyCourier twin utility turboprop has been awarded type certification by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), expanding the aircraft’s ability to support operational activities in remote areas of southeast Asia. The first SkyCourier in the region – A 19-seat passenger variant – is planned to be delivered in the second half of 2025 to Leading Edge Air Services Corporation (LEASCOR), a wholly owned subsidiary of ACDI Multipurpose Cooperative in the Philippines.
Lilium (NASDAQ: LILM), a leading electric aircraft manufacturer and pioneer in Regional Air Mobility (RAM), has successfully completed the first phase of integration testing of the Lilium Jet’s electrical power system at the company’s purpose-built laboratory. The test completion represents a key milestone on the path to flight conditions approval and type-certification of the revolutionary Lilium Jet. It means that, while the first two Lilium Jets take shape on the production line, engineers are already verifying the design of the aircraft’s core powertrain functionalities that will support certification according to EASA’s SC-VTOL rules.
The US market is trending just a fraction below last year, with weakness in corporate flight departments, whilst fractional operations continue to hit peaks. The popularity of fractional programs is particularly evident in transatlantic visits to Europe this summer, catalysed by the Olympics. Within Europe, US visitors have driven spikes in activity since the start of the Olympics, demand starting to taper off in France this week but still very strong in the UK.
Privileged dogs flying with Luxaviation UK are set for a welcome upgrade, as – large or small – all will now be allowed to join their owners in the cabin throughout a flight.