Your essential weekly digest of International Business and Private Aviation Industry news
 Washington, DC:NBAA calls for stronger safety partnerships to maintain US aviation leadershipAs Senate leaders reviewed recent aviation incidents, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen emphasized stronger government-industry collaboration to improve safety and maintain US aviation leadership. “Safety is the foundation of business aviation, and informs every operational decision we make,” Bolen said in written testimony submitted for a hearing held today by the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation entitled, Close Calls: Improving Safety Across the NAS.
“The recent ‘close calls,’ both in the air and on the ground, underscore the need for continued vigilance and investment in safety for all operations.” As part of that redoubled safety focus, Bolen emphasized the importance of government-industry collaboration, citing partnerships between the Federal Aviation Administration and stakeholders that have identified the root causes of incidents, and measurably driven down accident rates. For example, two such partnerships - FAA’s Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) program and Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) program - have both harnessed data to help operators identify underlying causes for incidents and prevent their recurrence.
St. Paul, Minnesota:Special Olympics Airlift takes flight nationwide: Dove 1 arrives at St. Paul Downtown airportApproximately 130 Cessna, Beechcraft and Hawker aircraft and volunteer pilots mobilize to transport more than 800 Special Olympics athletes and coaches to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.The 2026 Special Olympics Airlift officially took flight on Friday (19th June) as all participating Cessna, Beechcraft and Hawker aircraft, known as Doves, departed from airports across the country. Dove 1 for arrival day, a Cessna Citation Latitude generously operated by Prent Corporation, landed at St. Paul Downtown Airport (STP) carrying Special Olympic athletes and delegation members, signaling the start of Airlift arrivals for the Special Olympics USA Games.
The arrival signals the start of the world’s largest cumulative peacetime airlift spanning more than 40 years, a coordinated aviation effort organized by Textron Aviation that transports hundreds of Special Olympics athletes and coaches from multiple states to compete on the national stage. Throughout the day, approximately 130 aircraft arrived at STP in a carefully orchestrated operation with aircraft landing every three to four minutes. “The arrival of Dove 1 is always a powerful moment,” said Ron Draper, president and CEO, Textron Aviation. “It represents months of planning, the generosity of the aviation community and most importantly, the excitement and anticipation of athletes arriving ready to compete.” |
Global bizjet activity expanded modestly 1.5% year-on-year in Week 25 (15-21 June), with the year-to-date figure through 21 June at +3.9% ahead of last year, a notable increase compared to the 2025 vs 2024 trend across the same dates.While accounting for 3% of all bizjet sectors flown last week, South America saw the strongest YOY growth, with sectors up by 9.2% vs Week 25 2025, while the Middle East remains more than 20% below YTD 2025 levels. Event Analysis: World Cup lifts bizjet demand, but the surge skips the mega-hubs for now This week’s event analysis looks at the opening days of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the attendant surge in business jet traffic to nearby airports. The opening days of the FIFA World Cup (11-22 June) delivered a clear, but uneven, boost to business jet traffic across the 16 host cities. Measuring movements in each market’s match window (day before, day of, and day after match), against a typical day, the sharpest surges landed not at the largest hubs, but at smaller markets. Seattle roughly doubled its normal daily activity for the USA - Australia match on 19 June, while Mexico City ran about 1.7x through the tournament opener, including a heavy day-after departure wave as the crowd cleared out of Estadio Azteca. Saint-Cloud, France:Dassault Falcon 10X makes maiden flightDassault Aviation’s all-new Falcon 10X successfully completed its first flight on June 19th, demonstrating the program’s maturity and marking the launch of the flight test campaign. Test Pilot Sébastien Dupont de Dinechin and copilot Fabrice Dougnac took off from runway 23 at Bordeaux-Mérignac at 11.10 a.m. for a two-hour and 30-minute flight.
The pilots evaluated handling qualities and systems at 15,000 feet, then retracted the landing gear and all movable surfaces before climbing to 40,000 feet, where they accelerated to Mach 0.82. They returned to Bordeaux-Mérignac for a smooth landing at 1.40 p.m.
Medical aviation, in most cases, implies an immediate response to the situation. If there is an indication that a patient should be transferred to another facility, people expect a medevac helicopter or jet to arrive promptly, with a crew prepared to begin immediately. In France, the reality is more structured. Medical flights operate within a system in which aviation capabilities, healthcare protocols, and regulatory requirements must align before a mission can begin.
Therefore, the answer to the question at hand should be viewed from another angle, as France undoubtedly has the means, technology, and infrastructure to provide a proper response in a timely manner. However, does France have a properly structured system to enable efficient medical evacuations and transportation? Aviation infrastructure in France From an aviation perspective, France can be considered prepared to provide medevacs, as the country is known for its comprehensive network of airports with varying capacities and specializations.
Basel, Switzerland:Nomad Technics redelivers Action Aviation BBJ following 12-year inspection and major cabin, connectivity upgradesNomad Technics has recently redelivered a Boeing BBJ after extensive maintenance and various upgrades.
Action Aviation BBJ at Nomad Technics hangar, Basel. The aircraft, owned and operated by Action Aviation, came to Basel for a 12-year inspection and landing gear overhaul. To make optimal use of the ground time, Action Aviation selected a number of upgrades for the aircraft and its interior.
London:Air Charter Service unveils first phase of London HQ upgradeLeading aircraft charter specialist, Air Charter Service, has recently completed the first phase of upgrades to its £18m, 47,000 square ft, London headquarters, which included an upgraded staff restaurant and gym.
Chris Leach, ACS’s Chairman, commented: “Our headquarters is the largest and most significant building in the ACS group. Over five stories, covering more than 47,000 square feet, it houses our three main UK sales departments, as well as centralised teams including finance, IT, 24-hour flight operations, marketing, legal & compliance and human resources, along with other management and support departments. However, the office space is also hugely important to the whole group as it contains the ACS Training Centre.
A growing number of regions in Africa offer varying levels of business aviation operational support. Dawit Lemma, Chairman of the African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA), discusses the diversity across the continent and highlights the characteristics that define the differences.Business aviation is rapidly growing across Africa, having surged to record levels in 2025, with flight activity increasing by 12.3% year-on-year. While this growth has boosted international operators' confidence in the market's vast potential, the diverse capabilities, needs, and wealth of the more than 50 nations mean that different regions are evolving at different paces.
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Beyond expectations: the art of listening By Michael Müller, Managing Director, F/LIST. |
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The most successful interior projects do not begin with materials. They begin with listening. In business aviation, our customers - MROs, completion centres, refurbishment houses and designers - expect extraordinary results, as their customers expect extraordinary as well.
They all expect flawless craftsmanship, impeccable quality, on-time delivery and absolute reliability. But increasingly, our customers expect something else as well: a partner who truly understands what they are trying to achieve.
At F/LIST, we have learned that creating remarkable interiors is rarely about conceiving products. It is about understanding people.
Behind every completion or refurbishment is a vision. Sometimes it is clearly defined. Sometimes it exists only as a feeling, an inspiration or a fleeting idea that is difficult to put into words. Our role is to help bring clarity to that vision and transform it into something tangible - to make what was deemed impossible a reality.
That process begins with trust.
Brussels:
Associations welcome Court decision on EU Taxonomy
The General Court of the European Union has delivered a significant victory for Europe’s business aviation sector, annulling provisions of the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance that excluded the manufacture of business aviation aircraft from the framework’s scope.
The ruling has been welcomed by both the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), which said the judgment restores a more balanced, evidence-based and technology-neutral approach to sustainable finance policy.
The Court annulled Section 3.21 of the Climate Delegated Act, which had effectively excluded aircraft intended for private or commercial business aviation from qualifying under the EU Taxonomy.
In its judgment, the Court found that the European Commission had failed to demonstrate that alternative transport modes necessarily constituted credible low-carbon substitutes for business aviation in all cases. It also noted that the criteria used by the Commission related to the operation of aircraft rather than their manufacture.
For GAMA, the ruling represents an important recognition that sustainable-finance policy must be founded on legally sound, equitable and technology-neutral criteria.
The association has argued for more than five years that business aircraft manufacturing should not be assessed through operational metrics that are not recognised in EU law, nor through assumptions that other transport modes are inherently lower-carbon alternatives.
Stuttgart & Aruba:
DC Aviation Group expands aircraft management services to include Aruba P4 registration
New facility in Aruba enables aircraft management in accordance with EASA Part NCC.
The DC Aviation Group is expanding its international aircraft management portfolio by offering private aircraft operations under the Aruba P4 registration from its new base in Aruba
Flight operations are conducted in accordance with EASA Part NCC, meeting the requirements of European regulations governing non-commercial flights involving complex motor-powered aircraft. This ensures structured operational oversight, transparent processes, and full compliance with applicable European aviation standards.
Operations are tailored to the specific requirements of private, non-commercial missions. The Aruba P4 registration therefore combines the highest safety and compliance standards with considerable operational flexibility and discretion.
“With the launch of our Aruba service, we are expanding the options available to aircraft owners who demand the highest possible standards of professional, efficient, comprehensive aircraft management in a private setting,” says Svenja Wortmann, Managing Director of DC Aviation Group.
Kuala Lumpur:
Shaping tomorrow’s aviation workforce: ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia expands apprenticeship programme
ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia's new apprenticeship programme, aimed at developing the next generation of aircraft maintenance professionals, has produced its first batch of qualified, full-time employees.
All six apprentices in the programme have successfully completed their apprenticeship and have accepted full-time jobs at the company’s Kuala Lumpur facility.
The apprenticeship programme, developed in collaboration with Malaysian MRO training organisation, D’viation, is part of ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia’s long-term workforce development strategy to address growing industry challenges in attracting and retaining skilled aviation talent, particularly as aircraft systems become increasingly advanced and technically complex.
Structured selection and industry-aligned training
The programme was designed with a rigorous entry process to ensure only candidates with strong technical and cognitive foundations were selected.
Applicants were required to hold a diploma or degree in relevant engineering or aviation disciplines and successfully complete technical and non-technical assessments, including IQ and emotional quotient (EQ) evaluations.
Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany:
NGO launch customer orders Do228 NXT for humanitarian missions
Following the successful first flight and Roll-Out of the demonstrator aircraft of the Do228 NXT series, German aircraft manufacturer General Atomics AeroTec Systems has announced the sale of the first Do228 NXT to its launch customer, an NGO engaged in humanitarian operations.
The NGO prefers to remain anonymous due to operational reasons.
The agreement marks an important milestone for the Do228 NXT program and reflects confidence in the aircraft’s versatility, operational flexibility and suitability for demanding environments.
Humanitarian and multi-role operations
The Do228 NXT will provide the customer with a modern and adaptable aircraft designed to support a broad range of humanitarian and special mission requirements.
The aircraft will serve as a flexible platform for search and rescue, medical evacuation support, disaster relief, logistics and transport, environmental monitoring, reconnaissance and assessment flights, coordination missions and aerial support for emergency response operations.
Donauwörth, Germany:
Belgium takes delivery of first Airbus H145M helicopter
Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first H145M helicopter to the Kingdom of Belgium, marking a major milestone in the modernisation of the nation’s defence and security capabilities.
The aircraft is part of a wider procurement contract signed in 2024 via the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) to equip both the Belgian armed forces and the Federal Police. Highlighting the growing momentum of the programme,
Belgium has also recently exercised its option for three additional H145M helicopters, bringing the nation’s total fleet on order to 20 aircraft.
The H145M is a multi-role military helicopter that provides a broad range of mission capabilities.
Within minutes, the helicopter can be reconfigured from a light attack role with axial ballistic and guided weapons and a state-of-the-art self-protection system into a special operations version with fast-rappelling equipment.
Brussels:
ExecuJet MRO Services Belgium completes extensive Falcon 7X project
ExecuJet MRO Services Europe has completed a major project on a Dassault Falcon 7X that included installing a Starlink system and antennae, performing an avionics upgrade, an engine change, exterior repainting and a cabin refurbishment.
The customer chose ExecuJet’s Kortrijk facility in Belgium, because it was the first company in the world to install the Starlink satcom system on a Falcon 8X, says ExecuJet MRO Services’ regional VP for Europe, Matthijs Hutsebaut.
“It was a new customer for us, but they were confident in our abilities because of our reputation of installing Starlink efficiently, and because we’re a one-stop-shop that can make the most of the downtime to complete a significant amount of additional work,” he says.
Friedrichshafen:
AERO 2027 to build on business aviation momentum
AERO 2027 aims to build on the great success of AERO 2026 with an enhanced programme for business aviation, organisers Fairnamic have confirmed.
For the second year running, AERO was Europe’s largest trade show for business aviation. Some 50 business jets and turboprops showcased, with 400-plus international exhibitors participating from the sector, versus its 2025 edition. The number of Show visitors swelled to 37,000.
In addition to debutantes and numerous new innovations, aircraft orders announced on-site totalled an estimated US$500m.
The latest, Platoon Aviation’s order for up to 16 Cessna Longitudes, was concluded at AERO, pending legal formalities, which followed just weeks later.
Tobias Bretzel, Show Director of AERO at Fairnamic GmbH, said: “We’re delighted with the positive response and pro-active feedback from customers, who helped shape the trade show with us.
"Further developing AERO generally and the AERO Business Aviation Show Hub, in collaboration with our industry partners, is our top priority.“
Flexjet acquires The Jet Business, appoints founder Steve Varsano to lead global expansion
Air bp marks 100 years of aviation refuelling
Gogo expands Galileo connectivity availability with Falcon 7X and 8X STC approval
Avincis signs contract for up to 15 Airbus H145 helicopters
A new Air Force One, courtesy of QatarFor most people, upgrading their transport means trading in an ageing hatchback for something with fewer warning lights. For the President of the United States, it means unveiling a flying palace complete with state-of-the-art communications, missile defence systems and enough luxury to make first class look positively budget. Last week saw the introduction of America's newest Air Force One - or, more accurately, the aircraft that will temporarily carry that famous call sign. The Boeing 747-8 was originally used by the Qatari royal family before being gifted to the United States and extensively modified for presidential use. It is expected to serve as a stopgap while Boeing completes the long-delayed next generation of presidential aircraft.
The aircraft's journey from Gulf luxury liner to airborne Oval Office has inevitably attracted attention. Supporters argue that the gift provides a practical solution while replacement aircraft remain years behind schedule. Critics, meanwhile, have questioned both the optics and the security implications of accepting such an extravagant present from a foreign government. What nobody disputes is that the aircraft makes a statement. Freshly repainted in a bold new colour scheme and packed with upgraded technology, it is intended to project American power, even if its origins lie on the other side of the world.
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