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Your essential weekly digest of International Business and Private Aviation Industry news
Petaluma, California:
Leading private aviation services provider, Solairus Aviation, has announced an agreement to acquire the Aircraft Management and Charter divisions of Clay Lacy Aviation.
Solairus currently manages approximately 360 aircraft from more than 100 base locations across North America, while Clay Lacy manages approximately 140 aircraft.
Upon completion of the transaction, Solairus will operate the world’s largest managed fleet, comprising more than 500 aircraft. The company will remain headquartered in Petaluma, California, with offices in Los Angeles and New York.
“With this transaction, Solairus solidifies its position as the leading pure-play aircraft management company in the world,” said Dan Drohan, Founder and CEO of Solairus.
“As key players in the aircraft management business, Solairus and Clay Lacy Aviation have both been successful because of our fundamental belief that the aviation business is not simply about airplanes,” he continued.
“It is about people, relationships, trust and service. Together, we will be better equipped to enhance the client experience while maintaining the high-touch, personalized management services that have been the hallmark of Solairus and Clay Lacy. Ultimately, our goal is simple: to ensure the combined company is the clear provider of choice for private aircraft management and charter services.”
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Miami, Florida:
Velocity FBO Network has acquired SkyPlace FBO at San Antonio International Airport (KSAT), expanding its network to six locations.
The deal gives Velocity its first operation in the San Antonio market and adds a sizeable FBO facility serving both domestic and international general aviation traffic.
SkyPlace provides 24-hour fuel service and ground support, with hangar and office space for aircraft ranging from single-engine turboprops to large-cabin business jets. Its facilities include a recently renovated passenger lounge and lobby, a covered entrance and direct access to the local highway network.
The FBO also has an on-site US Customs and Border Protection Federal Inspection Station, enabling it to handle international arrivals.
Velocity is backed by investment firm Tallvine Partners, which has been building the FBO operator through acquisitions in major general aviation markets.
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Los Angeles & Santa Cruz, California:
Industrial AI and Infrastructure company, Atoms, and Joby Aviation have announced a strategic partnership to acquire and develop vertiport sites in the United States.
The companies will initially focus on Florida, New York, and Texas, the markets where Joby is preparing to launch early operations under the White House-backed eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), as well as California.
Joby's aircraft is approaching commercial readiness. The company has flown its first FAA-conforming aircraft and entered the final stage of FAA type certification. Piloted flights across the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City have demonstrated its operational capability.
As air taxis move from certification to early operations, the constraint will shift to the ground: aircraft will need places to land, charge, and connect passengers to the rest of their journey. Building that infrastructure rapidly, in the right locations, and at scale is expected to be the critical path to making electric flight part of daily life.
"Smart cities require innovative real estate and infrastructure development," said Travis Kalanick, Founder and CEO of Atoms.
“As new transport modes and smart city services become available, designing and deploying a new asset class to support them is critical. We’re focused on serving city stakeholders with inspired, efficient buildouts that deliver great experiences for residents and communities alike.”
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Montreal:
The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) has announced that its globally recognized International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH) is now offering an option to self-declare conformity to its ground handling safety programme.
A ground handling service provider (GHSP) may now pursue conformance with the IS-BAH standard either through its recognized independent third-party audit and stage registration path, or through self-declaration.
Self-declaration refers to a process where an organization states its conformity with certain standards, in this case the IS-BAH, without the need for an external audit or certification. The intent is to support the industry in efforts to meet their obligations as ground handling regulation is rapidly evolving globally.
Terry Yeomans, Director of the IS-BAH programme, commented, “We have introduced this self-declaration option to allow organizations to use the IS-BAH as a tool to help them meet their obligations to safe operations and imminent regulatory oversight of ground handling service providers.
"We believe most organizations will continue to seek independent confirmation that their internal processes meet the requirements of the IS-BAH. Third-party verification continues to provide the highest level of credibility."
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Washington, DC:
The National Business Aviation Association has commended two government agencies for reflecting input from NBAA and other industry stakeholders in the collaborative process that has produced a final rulemaking for mandatory replacement of radio altimeters (RAs) in tens of thousands of aircraft.
A radio altimeter provides real-time, height-above-terrain altitude data that supports critical flight crew decisions and operations, while also feeding key data to numerous safety-critical aircraft systems.
The expected requirement to replace the device stems from a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposal to expand wireless telecommunications into the Upper C-band (3.98-4.2 GHz), a portion of the frequency spectrum used by aircraft altimeters for safety-data transmission. The agency intends to auction portions of the Upper C-band frequency, potentially for billions of dollars.
The FAA, in turn, has issued a mandate for the aviation sector to install new RAs, hardened against interference from signals introduced into the Upper C-band by non-aviation entities. An estimated 58,500 radio altimeters will require replacement.
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San Juan, Puerto Rico:
Blue Sky FBO breaks ground on $54m San Juan facility
Blue Sky FBO has broken ground on a new $54 million business aviation facility at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with operations expected to begin in autumn 2028.
The privately financed development will occupy five acres and feature an 8,000-square-foot executive terminal, more than 60,000 square feet of hangar space and approximately 275,000 square feet of aircraft apron.
Designed to cater to both US and international business aviation operators, the facility will include executive passenger and pilot lounges, conference and flight-planning facilities, concierge services and ground transportation.
A key feature will be an integrated US Customs and Border Protection facility, allowing eligible international passengers to complete customs procedures at the FBO rather than the main commercial terminal.
Blue Sky will also provide aircraft fuelling, line services, handling, hangar rental, ground support equipment and catering.
The project is expected to create 60-80 permanent jobs, in addition to around 30 construction positions and an estimated 110 indirect jobs.
The new FBO will strengthen San Juan’s position as a gateway between the US mainland, Caribbean and Latin America, while adding much-needed hangar capacity to the island’s business aviation infrastructure.
Yingling Aviation
Kerry Heiss
Yingling Aviation, a full-service business and general aviation MRO, parts, and FBO platform headquartered at Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, has named Kerry Heiss Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Heiss stepped into the role on July 13th.
Heiss leads sales and marketing across all of Yingling’s service lines: airframe maintenance, avionics, paint, interiors, parts distribution, accessories, AOG support, and FBO services. He reports to Gregg Fahrenbruch, who became Chief Executive Officer in March.
Heiss has spent 24 years in aviation, more than 20 of them in MRO. He joins Yingling from Western Aircraft in Boise, Idaho, where he was Director of MRO Sales and Marketing for more than nine years, leading the sales organization at one of the premier independent service centers in the western United States.
A former US Navy Supply Corps officer, he began his aviation career at GE Aircraft Engines, then held sales and marketing leadership roles at StandardAero and BendixKing Avionics. He holds a commercial pilot certificate with instrument and multi-engine ratings.
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WINGX Global Market Tracker:
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Global bizjet activity reversed its three straight weeks of YOY declines in Week 32 (3-9 August), expanding 2.3% vs Week 32 2025.
The year-to-date figure now sits at +3.8% ahead of last year through 9 August, a notable 0.6 percentage point increase from the 3.2% YTD trend through 2 August reported last week. South America and Africa continue to be consistent standout performers, while both expanding 11.0% last week.
Global Bizjet Departure Trends YTD (1 Jan-9 Aug) by Aircraft Certification.
Event Analysis: Golf’s Playoff Opener Spikes Traffic at KOLV
The FedEx St. Jude Championship (13-16 August), which opens the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs at TPC Southwind in Memphis, tees off this Thursday. Last year’s edition (7–10 August 2025) drove a sharp business jet spike into Olive Branch Airport (KOLV), the general aviation reliever beside the course, while Memphis International (KMEM), barely registered a surge compared to its baseline.
full report
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Charleston, South Carolina:
Aircraft management company and 14 CFR Part 135 aircraft operator, Capital Jets, has expanded its operations with the addition of a Learjet 60XR.
Based at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the aircraft will serve routes across the Southeast, focusing on New York and Miami.
The Learjet 60XR is known for its speed, range, and cabin comfort (~2,400 nm range, Mach 0.81 cruise speed, stand-up cabin), and is well-suited for travel throughout the United States. The aircraft accommodates up to seven passengers and provides access to airports not served by commercial airlines, offering greater flexibility and efficiency for business and leisure travelers.
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Wheeling, Illinois:
George J. Priester Aviation adds six aircraft to managed fleet
George J. Priester Aviation has added six aircraft to its managed fleet, bringing its total to nearly 100 aircraft nationwide.
The additions include a Bombardier Global 6000 at Centennial Airport, a Global XRS at Dallas Love Field and a Gulfstream G280 at Sheboygan County Memorial Airport. Three aircraft will join the company’s Part 135 certificate, providing opportunities for premium charter operations.
Bombardier Global 6000, Centennial Airport, Englewood, CO.
Two Challenger 604s and a Pilatus PC-12 have also been added for private owners.
The aircraft will be supported by Priester’s nationwide network, including Mayo Aviation and Omni Private Aviation, which joined the group in 2025.
Dubai:
Aviation Services Management (ASM) has expanded its private charter offering with the addition of another Bombardier Challenger 605 to the ASM Charter fleet, further strengthening the company’s long-range private aviation capability from Dubai.
The aircraft will be operated by ASM AIR under its UAE GCAA Air Operator Certificate (AOC), combining ASM Charter’s customer-facing charter service with the operational framework, safety oversight and regulatory standards of a UAE-certified aircraft operator.
The addition marks another step in the continued development of ASM Charter, providing clients with greater access to long-range private travel for business, personal and time-sensitive journeys.
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Wichita, Kansas:
Textron Aviation recently achieved a key milestone as the Cessna Citation CJ3 Gen3 prototype aircraft completed its first flight, advancing the next-generation light jet toward certification.
With this milestone, all three next-generation Citation light jets - the CJ4 Gen3, CJ3 Gen3 and M2 Gen3 - have entered flight testing, demonstrating continued momentum across the Cessna next-generation light jet portfolio.
Taking off from Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, pilots Steve Helmer and Dave Wellbrock focused on testing software functionality in the cockpit during the initial nearly two-hour flight. The aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet and a maximum speed of 278 knots indicated.
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São Paulo, Brazil:
The first TBM 980 for a Brazilian customer has been delivered by Daher Aircraft, marking the introduction of this newest fast and efficient turboprop-powered airplane in a market where the TBM family continues to expand among business aviation operators and entrepreneurs.
This milestone aircraft was received by a Brazilian entrepreneur who upgraded from a TBM 900 version, selecting the TBM 980 for its third-generation Garmin G3000 PRIME avionics and the TBM’s combination of speed, efficiency and operational flexibility. The customer owns multiple cattle ranches and farms throughout Brazil and will use the aircraft to travel between these locations, including operations performed from semi-prepared runways.
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Melbourne, Florida:
Eve Air Mobility's engineering prototype has completed its first partial transition flight, marking an important milestone in the development and testing of the company’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
The flight involved the activation of the aircraft's rear pusher propeller and thus signified the start of the transition phase from vertical to wing-borne flight. During the test, the aircraft attained a stabilized speed of 27 knots and a maximum ground speed of 30 knots whilst the pusher was activated up to 1,200 RPM.
The flight took 3 minutes and 9 seconds, travelled approximately 0.84 nautical miles and attained a maximum height of 90 feet above ground level.
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Savannah, Georgia:
G700 reclaims Los Angeles to Farnborough city pair speed record
The Gulfstream G700 has set a new Los Angeles to Farnborough, England, city pair speed record, completing the 4,740-nautical-mile/8,778-kilometer journey in 8 hours and 27 minutes from takeoff to touchdown.
The record-setting flight departed Los Angeles International Airport and landed at Farnborough Airport, shattering the most recent record by 19 minutes, 3.6% faster than the most recent record.
The accomplishment adds to the growing list of city pair records established by Gulfstream’s next-generation fleet and further demonstrates the aircraft’s ability to deliver unmatched speed, range and operational flexibility for customers around the world.
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New Delhi, India and Sandefjord, Norway:
NOEMI Aerospace has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pawan Hans Ltd., India's leading helicopter operator, to explore the introduction of electric amphibious aircraft for regional air transport across India.
The agreement marks an important milestone for the NOEMI programme and strengthens the company's international commercial momentum. It also reflects growing confidence in electric amphibious aviation from one of the world's most ambitious aviation markets.
The MoU was signed in the presence of the Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Ram Mohan Naidu Ji and Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation Shri Samir Kumar Sinha Ji, underlining the strategic importance India places on sustainable regional aviation and enhanced connectivity.
Shri Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India, said: “Our vision is not limited to operating seaplanes in India; we also want to build them in India guided by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s Make in India vision.
"Further, the Union Budget 2026 strongly puts forward the government’s vision for Seaplane promotion. It proposes to give incentives to indigenize manufacturing of seaplanes. A Seaplane VGF Scheme will also be introduced to provide support for operations.
"If we combine global technology partnerships with Indian manufacturing capability, then we can cater to the local and regional demand for Seaplanes.”
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United Kingdom:
Leading aircraft charter specialist, Air Charter Service, has enjoyed an excellent first six months of its financial year, in which charter flight numbers saw significant growth, and revenues rose by 38% to more than $845m for the six months.
Chris Leach, Chairman and Founder of ACS said: “We are delighted with performance across every aspect of the company for the first half of the year [our financial year starts on February 1st], with all three of our main divisions performing exceptionally well, with top line growth in charter contracts of 16%. We also saw a move to more higher value contracts, which has resulted in a revenue increase of 38%.
Chris Leach.
“Regionally, we saw particular growth in our offices across the US, Europe and Greater China, with the six offices that we opened in 2025 playing their parts in these figures, all having hit the ground running. We hope for the same for the three new offices that we have opened in the past six months, in Brussels, Monaco, and Stuttgart, which bring our total worldwide to 43.
“Our private jet division saw healthy growth in charter contract numbers and revenue was up by 26%. This rise in turnover was propelled by an increased average size of aircraft, as well as seeing longer sectors, as larger customers turn to ACS for our global reach and local expertise. Jet Card sales also were also strong - up by 85% with revenue increasing by almost 60%. Margins were squeezed slightly, however, as we absorbed the costs related to the increased fuel prices.
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For the VIP charter segment in EMEA, the first half of 2026 was marked by geopolitical instability redrawing long-established routes, newcomers turning to private travel for the first time, and a shift from aircraft ownership toward fractional models and chartered flights.
According to Marton Modis, CCO, VIP Operations at KlasJet, the summer season’s slow start had another clear cause: the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted in North America rather than Europe.
“This summer is shaping up to be similar to last year, though it started more slowly - the World Cup pushed football summer camps later in the calendar, and the volatile fuel situation held things back even further,” Marton Modis says.
The World Cup effect
Staged across the US, Canada and Mexico through June and July, the World Cup had an outsized impact on private jet movement in North America. As the tournament opened, market intelligence and data analytics provider WINGX recorded sharp surges at host-city airports - Seattle roughly doubled its normal daily traffic around its opening group match, and Mexico City ran about 1.7 times its baseline for the tournament opener.
The divergence with Europe was just as clear in the monthly figures: North American business-aviation activity rose 2.2% year-on-year in June and was forecast to climb 4.3% in July as the tournament reached its climax, while Europe stayed essentially flat - up just 0.1% in June according to ARGUS TRAQPak data.
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Phoenix, Arizona:
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil-headquartered Omni Taxi Aereo, one of the world's leading offshore helicopter operators, has selected Honeywell Aerospace's IntuVue RDR-7000 weather radar system to equip its entire fleet of 33 Leonardo AW139 helicopters.
The fleetwide upgrade underscores Omni's focus on safety and operational reliability across its critical offshore missions.
Omni operates approximately 88 helicopters worldwide, with the AW139 representing a significant portion of that fleet. The decision to upgrade every AW139 aircraft - rather than a subset - reflects the operator's confidence in the RDR-7000's ability to strengthen pilot decision-making in demanding offshore conditions, where weather can change quickly and diversion options are limited.
"Safety is the foundation of everything we do at Omni, and that starts with giving our pilots the clearest possible picture of what's ahead," said Roberto Coimbra, CEO of Omni Taxi Aereo.
The RDR-7000 gives pilots earlier, clearer warning of hazardous weather - including turbulence, hail, lightning and wind shear - by continuously scanning the atmosphere and building a real-time picture of conditions along the flight path.
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Luxembourg:
Revenue projected to increase by 150% and flights by 80% in 2026.
Luxaviation ONE, the dedicated charter brokerage division of Luxaviation Group, has announced that its team has grown to 15 specialists across Europe and the United States, less than one year after its launch in October 2025.
Since its launch, Luxaviation ONE has strengthened its US operations, established a dedicated Cargo Charter Department and initiated preparations to expand into Asia-Pacific, initially focusing on the Sydney and Melbourne areas.
In 2026, Luxaviation ONE expects revenue to increase by 150% and the number of flights by 80% compared with 2025.
The company plans to grow its workforce to 30 by the end of 2027.
Private jet charter remains at the centre of the business. Of Luxaviation ONE’s 15 specialists, three are dedicated to cargo charter in Europe, while the remaining 12 cover private jet and group passenger charter, with a strong focus on private aviation.
This enables Luxaviation ONE to manage a broader range of charter requirements across markets and mission profiles.
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Dubai:
The companies shaping the future of global business aviation are choosing MEBAA Show 2026, underlining the event's position as the Middle East's leading business aviation exhibition and reinforcing the region's growing importance within the global aviation industry.
Taking place from 8th–10th December 2026 at DWC, Dubai Airshow Site, the 11th edition of MEBAA Show will bring together aircraft manufacturers, operators, charter companies, FBOs, MRO providers and technology innovators from more than 100 countries.
Their collective presence not only reflects more than the strength of the event itself, it also demonstrates the industry's confidence in the UAE as one of the world's most dynamic and resilient business aviation markets.
That confidence is underpinned by the UAE's strong economic and aviation fundamentals. The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) recently surpassed 10,000 active registered companies, with active company registrations increasing by 30% year on year, reflecting continued international investment and business confidence. Further reinforcing the sector's momentum, the UAE surpassed 1,000 registered aircraft in July 2026, according to the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), highlighting the country's continued growth as a global aviation hub.
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Aero Asset reports tightening supply and strong liquidity in the single-engine helicopter market
GetJet Group to establish new MRO facility at Vilnius International
Daher achieves 400th Kodiak delivery milestone
Trust before take-off: Why relationships matter more than transactions in aviation. By Kevin Singh, President and Founder of Icarus Jet.
Joby and Virgin Atlantic finalize deal to bring electric air taxi service to the UK
Coulson C-130H becomes first large airtanker contracted by US Wildland Fire Service
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Do228 NXT adds new imaging capability through Trakka partnership
General Atomics AeroTec Systems GmbH (GA-ATS), the German aircraft manufacturer of the Do228 NXT, and TRAKKA Systems AB, a Swedish mission equipment specialist for imaging and mission software system, have announced a strategic partnership to offer TRAKKA's advanced camera systems as an integrated equipment option for the Do228 NXT multi-purpose aircraft.
The Do228 NXT, premiered in June 2026, is the next generation of the iconic Dornier 228 - a proven, versatile multi-role aircraft designed for a wide range of special missions. With this new partnership, GA-ATS continues to expand the aircraft's growing list of sensor and mission equipment options.
TrakkaCam TC-375 is a cutting-edge, gyro-stabilized multispectral imaging system designed for high-performance surveillance and reconnaissance across a broad spectrum of operational environments.
| Delivering full HD imagery both day and night, it enables real-time detection and identification across a variety of mission scenarios, capturing high-resolution images and video to support rapid decision-making during law enforcement, search and rescue, civil protection, military ISR and environmental monitoring missions. |
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