Fractional aircraft flights reached a new record in 2022, with hours flown growing even more than charter flights or wholly owned flights, according to data from ARGUS TRAQPak. SherpaReport President Nick Copley said: "The next 12 months will continue to be very busy for the fractional market. The reasons are multifaceted, but key trends for increased activity relate to a...
Another significant UK investment and innovation milestone with the opening of the Vertical Energy Centre, believed to be the UK’s most advanced aerospace battery facility, based in Bristol. The multi-million-pound, 15,000ft2 facility, is one of the only dedicated aerospace battery facilities in the UK. It is home to Vertical’s current 50-strong battery team – drawn fro...
New Saudi Arabian carrier Riyadh Air has chosen Boeing 787 Dreamliner to power its global launch and support its goal of operating one of the most efficient and sustainable fleets in the world. Owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Riyadh Air said it will purchase 39 highly efficient 787-9s, with options for an additional 33 787-9s. Based in the capital...
Wayman Aviation Academy took delivery of its first Tecnam P2006T for fleet modernization program. Wayman Aviation Academy chose this modern twin engine to improve the MEP training and updating their twin fleet with the most efficient and versatile aircraft of its category for Multi – IFR training.The P2006T has been chosen after a careful evaluation to increase multi-engine ai...
Volocopter and SITA entered a partnership, with SITA selected as Volocopter’ preferred digital and IT systems partner for vertiports. Under the agreement, SITA has become the latest investor to join Volocopter’s Series E funding round, cementing the strategic vision espoused by this partnership. UAM will offer a new form of sustainable aviation, replete w...
Wizz Air announces the launch of its She can fly cadet programme, part of Wizz Air Pilot Academy, for women who aim at becoming commercial pilots. The airline’s Wizz Air Pilot Academy is a training programme for highly motivated candidates to obtain their Commercial Pilot Licenses. Since its launch in 2017, over +150 candidates have successfully graduated f...
Our new episode of the sustainable aviation discussion panel takes you to a very special and well-known island - St. Barts. We have the pleasure to talk with Bertrand Magras. Bertrand is the Managing Partner of St Barth Commuter, located on the exclusive island of St Barthelemy in the Caribbean. After studying Aviation Business Administration at Embry-Riddle in Florida, Bertrand joined the fa...
Mesinger Jet Sales, led by well-known private aircraft broker and company founder and CEO Jay Mesinger, has joined IADA. Located in Boulder, Colo., and operating internationally, Mesinger has been in business nearly 50 years. IADA Executive Director Wayne Starling, commented: "Jay has created a series of information tools, regularly speaks on important industry topics, and has penned...
Royal Schiphol Group is starting a collaboration with security technology company Pangiam to develop a new way to screen hand baggage quickly and safely. The new technology, powered by artificial intelligence, could eventually help enable travellers to go through security checks faster, without compromising on safety. The aim of the collaboration is to explore how Pangiam's new technology...
For this Mother Day, some of easyJet’s high-flying parents took their daughters behind the scenes at work, in a bid to inspire the next generation of women in STEM. The airline is raising awareness of STEM career opportunities in aviation and in professions where women are underrepresented across the industry, including its apprenticeships in Engineering, IT, Data and Artificial In...
flyExclusive introduced Platinum Jet Club, a new option that allows new members to access a completely fixed pricing experience. The major enhancements, which still use flyExclusive daily and hourly rate structure, include access with no monthly membership, no Peak Day premiums, and fixed pricing for a 12-month period. While other programs may offer fixed pricing, most also charge Peak D...
Taiwan to Ginger Aviation signed purchase agreement of the first Bell 407GXi helicopter in Taiwan.Founded by Taiwanese conglomerates in the utilities and aviation industry in 2022, Ginger Aviation plans to use their Bell 407GXi to address a growing demand for helicopter powerline wash and inspections in country. Jacinto Monge, managing director, Asia Pacific, Bell, commented: &l...
Airbus Corporate Helicopters has unveiled an eye-catching new range of external liveries and cabin interiors for its ACH130 Aston Martin Edition. Launched at Heli Expo 2023, the updated selection of colour schemes and finishings reflects the latest thinking of Aston Martin’s design team applied to its ultra-luxury sports cars. The refresh features a spectrum of distinctive external...
by Cdr. Bud Slabbaert A vision is the catalyst to raise aspirations for what can become, and to release energies to get there. In 2015, a visiting British aviation journalist suggested to me that I would be the designated person to create a Caribbean Business Aviation Association. Knowing the complexities and issues in the region, I rejected the suggestion. Instead, I considered it t...
Pratt & Whitney GTF MRO network welcomed its second operational facility in Japan, and 11th worldwide, with the addition of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Aero Engines Ltd., part of Japanese Aero Engine Corporation. MHIAEL, a Pratt & Whitney maintenance partner since the Wasp engine and most recently the PW4000 and V2500 engines, have inducted their first PW1100G-JM engine at their...
Airbus is continuing its testing of this bio-jet fuel with a new VOLCAN flight test campaign using the best-selling A320 Family aircraft. An A321neo took off today from Airbus’ headquarters in Toulouse, France with both of its engines powered by 100% unblended SAF. Since the end of February, the aircraft is being closely followed by a data-collecting aeroplane with the mission to gathe...
ZeroAvia has achieved record-breaking performance in testing of its High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (HTPEM) systems. Early testing of the pressurized 20kW HTPEM stack power module in ZeroAvia UK R&D location has demonstrated a record 2.5 kW/kg specific power at the cell level, paving the way for 3+ kW/kg system level densities in the next 24 months. Developing fuel cell...
An LOI was signed between Diamond Aircraft Austria and Lufthansa Aviation Training to jointly explore and develop opportunities for a more sustainable flight training. The cooperation includes testing of the all-electric eDA40 in a real training environment, an eDA40 purchase intention to supplement the current DA40 NG fleet as well as analyses for the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels . ...
The Spanish Air Force has now decided to buy another 16 PC-21s. The contract signed with the Dirección General de Armamento y Material (DGAM) makes Spain the largest PC-21 operator in Europe. Spain is convinced by the PC-21: since summer 2022, its future military pilots have trained with the world’s most advanced training system by Pilatus. After a very professional negotiation p...
Bell signed purchase agreement for a Bell 429 to be operated by World Aviation, the Independent Representative for Bell in Spain. The aircraft will be delivered to a private owner and operated for charter and corporate VIP transport in the Costa del Sol and other regions in the country. The Bell 429 has proved popular for the corporate VIP mission in many of the most prestigious loc...
Airhub Airlines has received the GACAR PART-129 approval from the General Civil Aviation Authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (GACA). This approval will allow the Maltese carrier to operate flights to and from Saudi Arabia on its call sign, a fast-growing market in Middle East. Airhub Airlines is already slated to deploy its widebody and narrowbody fleet in the region, with plans to perform Ha...
