Your essential weekly digest of International Business and Private Aviation Industry news
 Las Vegas, Nevada: Universal Aviation rebrands as Affinity AviationUniversal Aviation has rebranded as Affinity Aviation, with the Evans family-owned FBO and ground support business beginning a phased transition across its global network. The company operates more than 75 locations in over 20 countries. The new name was announced at NBAA-BACE 2026 in Las Vegas and will replace Universal Aviation progressively through 2027. The Evans family will continue to own and lead the business, which has more than 65 years of experience in business aviation. The company said the rebrand would be accompanied by continued investment in facilities, personnel, safety and operational capabilities.
Several major infrastructure projects are under way. In Saudi Arabia, the company has begun operations at a new general aviation terminal and FBO in Dammam, the first of three planned facilities in the Kingdom. Further developments are planned in Jeddah, including an approximately 108,000-square-foot private aviation hangar, and Riyadh, where a dedicated private aviation lounge and ground handling operation are planned.
Las Vegas, Nevada: Gogo unveils long-term Galileo service roadmapGogo has outlined its long-term roadmap for Gogo Galileo, with significant improvements to extend the value of customers’ investments through the mid-2030s and beyond. For aircraft owners and operators, the roadmap provides a basis for investing confidently today, with a clear path to meet rising connectivity expectations over the life of their aircraft. The roadmap, unveiled this week at NBAA-BACE 2026, positions Gogo Galileo as an enduring best-in-class connectivity platform purpose-built for business aviation and military/government aircraft, with a chassis architecture designed to support successive generations of technology. Customers installing Galileo today or in the near term, whether the HDX or FDX antenna, are assured of a defined, predictable path to higher performance as onboard technology and satellite networks advance. Customers are also expected to benefit from broader service availability over the next decade as additional countries authorize low Earth orbit (LEO) operations.
Columbus, Ohio: Goodwin acquires STACK.aero to combine aviation operations and financial technologyGoodwin Company, a financial technology platform built for charter aviation, has announced its acquisition of STACK.aero, a global aviation business operations platform purpose-built for charter brokers, aircraft operators, and corporate flight departments. The acquisition combines STACK.aero's aviation-specific operational technology, industry relationships, and international experience with Goodwin's AI-based workflows, banking-service integrations, and automated financial operations. Together, the companies aim to connect the charter lifecycle from initial inquiry through booking, trip management, payments, and financial reconciliation. Both companies believe private aviation depends on relationships. Brokers are trusted advisors, while aircraft operators bring essential expertise and connections. Goodwin and STACK.aero are building technology that empowers these professionals rather than replacing them.
Irvine, California: FlightPath3D extends exclusive inflight map contract for Cessna Citation jetsFlightPath3D, the global leader in moving map technology, has announced a contract extension with Textron Aviation. The multi-year agreement continues the cooperation between the companies that started nearly a decade ago. FlightPath3D’s award-winning 3D Moving Map is seamlessly integrated as a factory-configured option on the Cessna Citation Ascend, Latitude and Longitude business jets. The solution can also be added as an aftermarket alternative for aircraft owners. It is currently flying on more than 325 Cessna Citation aircraft globally. Delivering innovation to the cabin FlightPath3D’s business aviation moving map experience provides an engaging way for passengers to follow their flight and explore their journey throughout the trip. Engineered specifically for the modern cabin, the map can be effortlessly accessed via smartphones and tablets, as well as on bulkhead monitors.
New Castle, Deleware: Velocity Maintenance Solutions expands hangar facilities at Delaware's Wilmington AirportVelocity Maintenance Solutions (Velocity), an FAA-certified provider of MRO services, has announced a major expansion of its hangar facilities at its headquarters at Wilmington Airport (ILG) in Delaware. Velocity currently operates a 20,000-square-foot hangar facility at ILG and is preparing to move into a neighboring 75,000-square-foot facility, with 40,000 square feet of hangar space. The new location will double the company’s hangar footprint, providing significantly greater capacity to support scheduled maintenance, inspections and other MRO work. The move is expected to be complete by the end of the month. As Velocity continues to expand its capabilities and customer base, the company also expects to grow its workforce over the next 12 to 18 months, adding certified technicians and other aviation professionals in the Wilmington area. Velocity offers AOG support, scheduled maintenance, avionics, pre-buy inspections, non-destructive testing, state-of-the-art digital dent assessment and mapping, and parts procurement.
ACI Jet Adam BarronCalifornia-headquartered ACI Jet has announced the appointment of Adam Barron as its Vice President of Aircraft Maintenance. In this executive leadership role, Barron will direct all maintenance operations across ACI Jet’s Flight Operations and MRO business units. Since 2021, he has served as ACI Jet’s Director of Maintenance, successfully building and managing a Part 135 flight operations maintenance department for a fleet of 17 aircraft, including Bombardier Global series, Challenger 300 and 600 series, Cessna Citations, Phenom 300, and Gulfstream IV jets. His extensive background spans both military defense and corporate aviation. Barron served as an F-15 Dedicated Crew Chief and 7-Level Craftsman in the United States Air Force at Eglin Air Force Base. He later worked as Lead Field Engineer on the USAF BACN program with Northrop Grumman Defense Services, directing maintenance for the world’s highest-timed Bombardier Global Express fleet, and served as an OEM Field Service Representative at Bombardier Aerospace supporting a specialized fleet of over 110 aircraft. Barron holds an FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) License, a US Department of Defense Secret Security Clearance, and the FlightSafety Bombardier Global Express Master Technician Award. An alumnus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the Air Force Community College, he is currently pursuing an MBA in Aviation. The Air Charter Association Emily WilliamsGlobal trade body The Air Charter Association (The ACA), formally announces Emily Williams as its new Chair, with the news having been shared with members at the recent Air Charter Excellence Awards ceremony in London. Williams is the Co-Founder and Director of IW Aviation and has served as an ACA board member since 2021. She succeeds outgoing Chair Kevin Ducksbury, who has held the role for the past seven years. Ducksbury has been a prominent figure, overseeing a period of significant growth for the Association and helping to firmly solidify its position as the leading voice in the air charter industry. Under Ducksbury’s tenure, The ACA has grown to 454 members across 64 countries and significantly expanded its executive team, allowing it to better deliver value for members and the wider industry. Through initiatives such as The ACA Internship, the NextGen Group, Fly Legal Day, and specialist air charter training programmes including the Air Charter Qualification, The Broker Qualification and Air Charter Essentials Certificate, Williams will seek to continue this momentum with a particular focus on supporting the next generation of air charter professionals. Emily Williams will formally take on the responsibilities of Chair from 01 January 2027.
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Global bizjet activity eased 1.0% year-on-year in Week 42 (12-18 Oct), with over 83,300 departures operated globally. This was the first weekly decline since the Labor Day timing shift pulled Week 36 negative, and the four-week trend has slowed to +1.0%. The year-to-date figure holds at +3.3% ahead of last year through 18 October. North America slipped 1.3% and Europe 1.0%, while Central America (-26.7%) and the Middle East (-13.7%) remained the weakest regions. On the positive side, Asia was up 17.7% and South America 14.1%. What Drove the Week The chart below breaks global growth down by sub-region. North America took 0.96 points off global growth and Central America a further 0.58 points, while Asia (+0.51 points) and South America (+0.42 points) offset about half of the decline. Part of North America’s weakness reflects last year’s NBAA-BACE convention in Las Vegas, which inflated the comparison week: excluding Nevada, global departures were down 0.6%.
Las Vegas, Nevada: NetJets flight activity in Las Vegas rises as new airport facility opensNetJets and Signature Aviation have opened a new facility at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, combining a private terminal, two hangars and aircraft maintenance and support facilities.
The development covers more than 300,000 square feet and is designed to support NetJets’ growing flight activity in Las Vegas. The companies said the project is the first new-build facility they have jointly developed. NetJets reported that its flight activity in Las Vegas increased by almost 45% between 2022 and the end of 2025, reaching nearly 8,000 flights. Activity in the first part of 2026 was almost 30% higher than in the same period last year.
Wichita, Kansas: Cessna Citation Gen3 programmes pass 1,220 flight test hoursTextron Aviation’s Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen3, CJ3 Gen3 and M2 Gen3 light jet programmes have accumulated more than 1,220 combined flight test hours as they progress towards Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification.
Cessna Citation M2 Gen 3 first flight. The CJ4 Gen3 accounts for nearly 1,100 hours across two test aircraft, with recent testing covering hot-weather operations and electrical systems. The programme is expected to make the CJ4 Gen3 the first light jet to enter the market equipped with Garmin Emergency Autoland. The system is designed to take control of the aircraft if the pilot becomes incapacitated or another emergency occurs, selecting a suitable airport, landing automatically and bringing the aircraft to a stop.
Broomfield, Colorado: PlaneSense to equip entire fleet of PC-12 turboprops and PC-24 Jets with Gogo Galileo connectivityLeading US fractional ownership company, PlaneSense, has announced today plans to equip its entire fleet of Pilatus PC-12 turboprops and PC-24 jets with Gogo Galileo satellite Wi-Fi Following extensive research and evaluation, PlaneSense selected Gogo’s low Earth orbit (LEO) technology to enhance the onboard experience and help clients stay connected throughout their travels.
PlaneSense operates the largest US fleet of Pilatus PC-12 turboprops and PC-24 jets and will equip all 71 aircraft in its current fleet, as well as future deliveries, with Gogo Galileo’s compact, lightweight HDX antenna.
Savannah, Georgia: Gulfstream G400 completes first outfitted flight and sets new speed record en route to NBAA-BACEGulfstream has announced two significant milestones for the Gulfstream G400: the first flight of the program’s fully outfitted test aircraft and a new city-pair speed record achieved using a blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) en route to NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas. The fully outfitted G400 completed its first flight from Dallas Love Field, flying for 2 hours, 46 minutes, and reaching an altitude of 48,000 feet. The aircraft features an 11-passenger configuration over two-and-a-half living areas and is dedicated to evaluating cabin systems at altitude and testing functionality and comfort in flight.
Heading into Las Vegas for NBAA-BACE, one of three experimental G400 test aircraft established a new city-pair speed record from Miami, completing the flight in 4 hours and 8 minutes at an average speed of Mach 0.89, using a blend of SAF. In addition, the G400 program has completed a broad range of missions including high-altitude testing in Telluride, Colorado, and cold-weather testing in Iqaluit, Canada, among other validation efforts.
Aircraft ownership has changed considerably over the past three decades, but some of the priorities behind choosing a registry have remained remarkably consistent. Sir Jorge Colindres, Founder and Chairman of The Registry of Aruba, reflects on what owners really expect from an aircraft registry and how those expectations continue to evolve. When we established The Registry of Aruba in 1995, business aviation looked very different from the industry we know today. Aircraft themselves have become vastly improved in capability. Global operations represent an entirely new level of expansion compared to the industry’s roots. Financing structures have increased in complexity, and aircraft record-keeping technologies now enable more efficient management and processing of information. But owners themselves have evolved, too. An owner could reside in one country, hold their aircraft through a corporation based in a second, finance it through a third, and keep it based hundreds, possibly even thousands of kilometers distant from any of these jurisdictions. An aircraft could regularly travel across numerous continents on an ongoing basis. Yet despite the many changes witnessed over nearly a quarter-century within the business aviation industry, many things that owners expect from a registry appear unchanged.
Wichita, Kansas: Textron brings mobile support teams under single leadershipTextron Aviation has brought its Mobile Service Units, Go Teams and 1CALL operation together under a single management structure, in a move aimed at improving coordination of field maintenance and aircraft-on-ground (AOG) support.
The combined operation is intended to improve coordination between initial customer contact and the deployment of technicians, helping connect aircraft operators with the appropriate technical support when assistance is needed away from a service centre.
The word “innovation” has become ever more closely associated with technology. Across aviation, discussions about the future quickly turn to AI, automation and digitalisation. These developments have significant potential, but they are only part of how our industry can innovate. For airports, innovation should start with understanding the problems that need solving. We can then determine the appropriate response. In some cases, technology will play a central role. In others, progress may come through infrastructure changes, new approaches or closer collaboration across the industry. This broader view of innovation is increasingly important as aviation considers how it can become more efficient and resilient while preparing for the future. Start with the problem
United Kingdom: The Adventure of Flight: Three intrepid aviators come together in support of AerobilityThree remarkable aviators will come together for ‘The Adventure of Flight’ at London’s Royal Geographical Society (with The Institute of British Geographers), on Sunday the 1st November 2026.
The Adventure of Flight will bring together John McFall, former Paralympian, Astronaut Reserve and disabled pilot, Jon Hunt, former BBC reporter and host of the popular YouTube channel The Flying Reporter, and John Romain MBE, aircraft restorer, air display and movie pilot, who will each share their unique experiences from the world of aviation. All profits from the event will be donated to Aerobility, helping the charity continue its work enabling people with disabilities to experience the magic and wonder of flight. |
 Las Vegas, Nevada: What's driving business aircraft flying? Seefeld Group and JIQ launch UtilizationEx to examine demandSeefeld Group and JIQ, the market intelligence platform of JETNET have announced the launch of UtilizationEx, a new global Seefeld Group survey combining JIQ flight activity intelligence, drawing on JETNET’s WINGX data, with operator insights into sentiment, intentions and decision-making to better understand the drivers of business aircraft utilization and forecast future demand. Business aviation has increasingly sophisticated data showing how much aircraft are flying and how activity is changing. But flight activity measures realized use - not necessarily the underlying demand or the factors shaping future utilization. Aircraft availability, maintenance downtime, fleet transitions, economic and geopolitical conditions, crew availability, operating costs and other factors can prevent mission demand from being fully reflected in observed utilization. Latest JIQ flight activity data for September shows global business jet activity about 3% above 2025 levels year to date.
Farnborough, UK: Affinity Aviation Group welcomes strategic UK partnership with AeronautX amid strong year of growthAffinity Aviation Group (AAG), the business aircraft sales, acquisitions and charter specialist, has announced a new strategic collaboration with Austria’s AeronautX, Europe’s newest business aviation training provider. As AeronautX prepares to open its new pilot academy near Amsterdam Airport Schiphol next spring, Affinity has invested in a significant shareholding in AeronautX UK Ltd, who recently set up an office within AAG’s existing HQ at Farnborough Airport, Hampshire. Jörg Oberhofer, Founder and CEO of AeronautX commented: "This new partnership with Affinity Aviation Group and our presence at Farnborough Airport are key to AeronautX's growing UK operations. Our new training centre opens in Q1 2027 with Bombardier Challenger 350/3500 and Challenger 650 full flight simulators, all of which will be UK CAA certified. This builds on the Base Training approvals AeronautX already holds for Embraer and Gulfstream aircraft." “This partnership represents an exciting step forward for both teams as we also strengthen our presence in the business aviation sector,” commented Andrew Hoy, Founding CEO of Affinity Aviation Group. "With AeronautX investing heavily in the future of business aviation training, this is an exciting opportunity to build a relationship with a like-minded organisation that shares our commitment to expertise, quality and long-term growth.”
Beijing: ExecuJet Haite to bolster its ground handling services at Beijing Daxing InternationalCapital Airport Holding Business Aviation Management Co., Ltd., (CBM) and ExecuJet Haite Aviation Services China Co., Ltd., have signed a binding agreement allowing ExecuJet Haite to provide ground handling support services at Beijing Daxing International Airport (ZBAD). Beijing Daxing International Airport is now the primary international gateway to China and the region for business aviation. The airport’s recent investment into business aviation includes an area of over 300,000m2 for business aviation including FBO, business aviation MRO and parking ramp and hangars, making it Asia Pacific’s largest business aviation center.
Ground handling will now bolster ExecuJet Haite’s already existing large MRO facility at Daxing Airport that includes a 5,000m2 air conditioned and heated hangar as well as ultra-modern office space and workshops. The hangar can accommodate eight mid-size to large business jets simultaneously. ExecuJet Haite will immediately begin to grow the ground handling team at Daxing Airport and provide the same level of extensive line technician and customer support services that ExecuJet Haite performs at Beijing Capital International Airport under a separate agreement signed two years ago.
Europe: Air Charter Service sees strong European performanceThe European offices of leading aircraft charter specialist, Air Charter Service, are enjoying an impressive year, with charter numbers increasing by 47% year-on-year. Andrew Summers, ACS’s Regional Director for Europe, commented: “Our offices across Mainland Europe have done exceptionally well so far this year, with the 47% increase partially down to our new offices, along with expanding our existing teams across the continent. "We have opened in several new locations in the past 12 months - including Brussels, Stuttgart, Monaco and Barcelona - all of which have hit the ground running, making big initial inroads. Our revenue has risen by an incredible 86%, to almost €130m, in the first six months of the year; in part due some big contracts on larger aircraft types. “Every region within our European network has achieved better results than last year, with strong performances from our German and Spanish offices and a better-than-expected return from our Italian office, in its first full year of trading. We are particularly pleased with the increase in market share from our French-speaking business, which we target from our offices in Paris, Geneva, Brussels and Monaco, with it significantly growing, by 49% year-on-year. ACS picks up top industry prize at the Air Charter Excellence Awards
Concord, North Carolina: FlyRight to relocate King Air simulator to BrazilPart 142 flight training center, FlyRight, will relocate its King Air C90A Level-C full-flight simulator from Concord, North Carolina, to EPA Training Center in São José dos Pinhais, Brazil, under an agreement between the two training providers. The move is scheduled to begin in November 2026, with Brazilian aviation authority ANAC certification for pilot training expected by early 2027. The full-motion simulator will enable pilots in Brazil and elsewhere in South America to complete initial and recurrent King Air C90A training locally, including instruction in Portuguese, reducing the need for overseas travel and associated costs.
FlyRight C90A Sim. The simulator features realistic flight dynamics and fully immersive visual systems capable of replicating complex operational scenarios. It offers full-motion capability designed to satisfy strict regulatory standards, ensuring seamless alignment with ANAC Brazil requirements during the upcoming certification window. EPA, one of Latin America’s largest regional aviation training centres, will add the simulator to its existing training fleet. FlyRight said the relocation would also allow it to optimise its training operations in North Carolina.
Friedrichshafen, Germany: Helicopters to feature prominently at AERO 2027AERO 2027 (April 14–17, 2027) will provide a greater profile for helicopters, building on the success of AERO 2026, organisers Fairnamic have confirmed. Helicopters (executive, GA and utility) will feature in three connected areas of AERO, Europe’s largest trade show for General Aviation & Business Aviation as the scope of the whole event widens. The increased interest in business aviation will expand to include helicopters alongside corporate jets and turboprops. Early exhibitors include a reshaped increased pavilion of the German Helicopter Association (DHV), Bell, Robinson, Guimbal and the DRF.
"With some 50 business aircraft (fixed wing and rotary) showcased in 2026, it became clear that this section of the show was not only welcomed, but that corporate helicopters are a complementary and highly valued part of executive aviation," said Tobias Bretzel, AERO Show Director at Fairnamic GmbH. "This is a logical extension for helicopter OEMs, operators and owners, many of whom are already closely involved in fixed wing operations."
NetJets expands US terminal network with four facility projects AeronautX launches new bizjet pilot training centre in Amsterdam with VistaJet as strategic partner Duncan Aviation orders 40 Gogo Galileo HDX systems in response to customer demand Beyond expectations: when technology disappears, By Anita Gradwohl, Group Director Customer Relations & Sales, F/LIST.
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Swiss couple take their adventures to the skies in new Kodiak 900
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