Gulfstream Aerospace’s G800 long-range business jet is now certified in the U.S. and Europe. The Savannah, Georgia-based manufacturer announced today that it has secured type certificates from the FAA and EASA for the new aircraft, the longest-range business jet in its fleet, after exceeding expectations during performance testing.

According to Gulfstream, G800 certification tests demonstrated a range of 8,200 nm (15,186 kilometers) at the long-range cruise speed of Mach 0.85, which is 200 nm farther than the company had originally projected. Its maximum operating speed also increased to Mach 0.935 from Mach 0.925. At the Mach 0.90 high-speed cruise, the jet can travel 7,000 nm. At Mach 0.87, the range is 8,000 nm.

The G800's balanced field length takeoff distance of 5,812 feet (1,771 meters) and a landing distance of 3,105 feet are also shorter than Gulfstream's projection. This will give its customers access to more airports, the company said.

“With the certification of the G800, Gulfstream has again exceeded expectations, thanks to the expertise and rigor of our flight test, certification, and manufacturing teams,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. “The G800 marks the latest evolution of business aviation as we continue to build the next-generation fleet and bring industry-leading performance and efficiency to the market. With the capability enhancements we have achieved, Gulfstream customers will greatly benefit from the increased flexibility and range the G800 offers.”

The air carrier certificate of New York Helicopter Charter was suspended by an emergency order issued by the FAA on Monday, prompted by New York Helicopter Charter CEO Michael Roth firing operations director Jason Costello on April 13. This happened shortly after Costello spoke with the FAA and agreed to suspend operations until the NTSB investigation into the April 10 accident was complete. One of the operator’s Bell 206 L-4 LongRanger helicopters crashed into the Hudson River near Jersey City, New Jersey, on April 10, killing all six people aboard.

Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau announced the order on X on Monday, saying, “The FAA is taking this action in part because after the company’s director of operations voluntarily shut down flights, he was fired.” Monday’s order cites “an unacceptable risk to safety in air commerce” and took effect immediately.

The FAA’s order demands immediate surrender of the company’s air carrier certificate. Failure to comply could result in civil penalties of up to $17,062 per day. The company has the right to appeal the suspension within 10 days of the order's issuance.

According to the FAA, the Part 135 operator no longer has a qualified director of operations as required under 14 CFR Part 119.69(a)(1), and the removal of that position followed internal conflict over safety decisions made in the wake of the fatal crash.

EASA has issued a supplemental type certificate (STC) for the installation of the Gogo Galileo HDX OneWeb satcom antenna on the Embraer Phenom 300. This certification follows development and testing conducted by Atlas Air Service in collaboration with design organization FTI Engineering Network.

The STC represents the first approval of its kind for installing the OneWeb satellite-based connectivity solution on the Phenom 300 platform. With download speeds of up to 60 Mbps, the Gogo Galileo HDX antenna enables high-speed, low-latency in-flight internet connectivity via the Eutelsat OneWeb low-earth-orbit network.

Installations of the system are now available at Atlas Air Service’s facilities in Bremen and Augsburg, Germany, as well as at its location in Altenrhein, Switzerland. Depending on aircraft configuration, installation typically requires approximately 10 working days.

In addition to providing installation services, Atlas and FTI will offer the STC and Gogo Galileo hardware to other maintenance organizations as part of their distribution agreement with Gogo.

The companies have also begun work on an STC for the Cessna Citation CJ series, with an initial installation underway on a CJ1. EASA certification for the Citation platform is expected in the second quarter of 2025. Validation with other aviation authorities, including the FAA, ANAC, and TCAA, is being pursued.

NBAA has announced the keynote speakers for its annual Maintenance Conference, which will take place April 29 through May 1 in Columbus, Ohio.

Gregory Feith, a former senior air safety investigator with the NTSB, will address the conference’s opening day. A “go-team” captain with the agency, he investigated more than 2,500 accidents during his 36-year career, spending more than two decades with the NTSB. He served as the investigator-in-charge or the U.S.-accredited representative for many high-profile aircraft accidents. A member of the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association’s board of directors, he brought a thorough understanding of the relationship between maintenance and safety to his work.

Retired U.S. Navy commander Manny Sanchez will address the audience during the Day 2 opening session. During three decades of service, he held multiple maintenance leadership roles across the Navy’s operational and test squadrons, carrier air wings, and fleet readiness centers, including a two-year stint as maintenance officer for the Blue Angels flight demonstration team.

He was recognized as the Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing Pacific senior maintenance officer in 2018, and his final assignment was as commanding officer of the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit, in charge of the training of the sea service’s aviation maintenance technicians. Since his retirement in 2023, Sanchez has served as a senior logistics analyst with a company that helps integrate new technologies into the military.

Tamarack Aerospace has expanded its authorized active winglet service network by adding Toledo Jet Center as a winglet dealer and installation center. According to the manufacturer, the winglets—which can be installed in less than 10 days—offer performance benefits, including fuel burn reduction, improved climb performance, and extended range.

Tamarack has approval for the installation of its active winglets on all eight variants of the Cessna CitationJet/CJ1/M2, CJ2, and CJ3 in the U.S., European Union, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.

Toledo Jet—founded in 2009 after Textron Aviation closed its Toledo, Ohio service center—recently changed hands. “We are excited about the partnership with Tamarack Aerospace and the opportunities it brings,” said industry veteran and new CEO Greg Fell. “We believe Toledo Jet Center is well-positioned for significant growth due to the high demand for Tamarack active winglets.”

The MRO provider operates facilities at Toledo Express Airport (KTOL) and in Florida at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE). Toledo Jet specializes in supporting Cessna Citations.

“Tamarack Aerospace Group has made a great move by expanding its dealership network with Toledo Jet,” said Eric Cunningham, Tamarack’s v-p of sales. “These locations ensure CitationJet operators can easily access our factory-trained installation services, enhancing their aircraft performance and safety with every flight.”

Aerospace Technologies Group (ATG) launched AerLuxe, a new family of window shades developed for VIP aircraft and first-class suites on airliners, last week at AIX 2025. Designed for multi-window applications, the AerLuxe system replaces individual window shades with a unified panel that offers both light-filtering and opaque modes.

The system allows users to transition between settings with a single control, concealing multiple windows behind a continuous fabric panel designed to integrate with surrounding cabin interiors. Internally, AerLuxe incorporates ATG’s NextGen electronic control platform, which supports quiet operation and automated performance features.

Electronic controls offer IoT connectivity for integration with aircraft cabin and maintenance systems. This enables performance monitoring, remote diagnostics, and software updates without the need to remove the unit from the aircraft. The system’s sensor-less control and self-learning algorithms are designed to extend product life and minimize noise during operation.

An optional feature, ShadePT, provides preventive maintenance functionality by reshaping the fabric panel to its original form, which can be activated manually by cabin crew without generating a maintenance request.

AerLuxe builds on ATG’s existing Modular Series and will replace the company’s MS2 and MS3 models. Future variants are planned for use across a broader range of commercial aircraft configured for premium cabins.

Expansion of facilities, product development milestones, and strategic acquisitions were highlights Hartzell Propeller president JJ Frigge shared last week at an Aero Friedrichshafen press briefing. Based in Piqua, Ohio, Hartzell Propeller is one company under the umbrella of Hartzell Aviation, along with Hartzell Engine Technologies, Aerospace Welding Minneapolis, and Quality Aircraft Accessories.

Among the more physical markers of growth, the company acquired Whirlwind Propellers last year and relocated it to the Piqua campus in the third quarter. Hartzell has also acquired Reiff Preheat Systems and expanded its network with five new maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) acquisitions.

“We believe that having a directly owned network of shops enables us to take care of the customer’s product and the entire life cycle of the propeller, all the way through its different stages,” he said.

According to Frigge, the company was producing fewer than 1,000 composite propellers annually a decade ago; this year, it anticipates making more than 7,000. Employment has expanded apace, with growth from fewer than 10 to more than 70 employees during that time.

Beyond several recent STCs for carbon props for platforms from Caravans to Aviat Husky aircraft to the Red Bull Carbon Cub on the side of Hartzell Propellers, Hartzell Engine Technologies has received FAA parts manufacturer approval for its S-20 and S-200 magnetos, which are compatible with Cirrus SR22 and Robinson aircraft.