The lone FBO at Barkley Regional Airport in West Paducah, Kentucky (KPAH) has a new operator for the first time in more than three decades with the awarding of the facility to Airport Management Solutions (AMS), which has rebranded it as Four Rivers Aviation and made it a part of the Avfuel branded dealer network.

The FBO—which is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day—features a 7,700-sq-ft two-story terminal with passenger and pilot lounges, kitchenette, refreshment bar, crew cars, and onsite car rental. It has more than 23,000 sq ft of hangar space that can accommodate light jets.

AMS—which operates four other FBOs in the South and Midwest—was selected by the airport authority over three other applicants in the RFP process. Incumbent Midwest Aviation, which had operated the location since the early 1990s, chose not to submit a proposal, preferring to concentrate on its maintenance operations at nearby Mayfield Graves County Airport and at Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois in Marion. “AMS has a proven history of successfully managing FBOs and is excited for this new venture,” said Erick Larson, the company’s director of business development.

According to KPAH director Dennis Rouleau, the airport is about to begin a $3 million renovation of the terminal, to be followed by a $2 million replacement of the fuel farm.

Cirrus Aircraft released the latest version of its Apple iOS-based Cirrus IQ digital aircraft management app this week at the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo. The upgraded app, which sports a cleaner, more streamlined user interface, allows users to pair their connected Cirrus aircraft to check aircraft status such as fuel, fluids, battery health, and flight hours through their iPhone or the My Hangar online portal.

With the Cirrus IQ PRO subscription plan—free trial until Jan. 1, 2026, with pricing to be announced later this year—owners of SR20/22 pistons or SF50 Vision Jets can receive real-time aircraft status updates; manage inspections and maintenance; review flight summaries and pilot approach scores (in beta testing); and export flight data. According to Cirrus, IQ PRO consolidates what other apps do into one integrated solution.

IQ PRO features include remote aircraft sync and real-time status to check on aircraft health, maintenance, and operations, in addition to a flight summary with passenger manifest and flight purpose, the latter of which allows Cirrus owners to categorize for business or personal use. Also included is data export of flight details, as well as aircraft data that can be used in third-party flight debriefing tools; approach score that grades pilots on how stabilized their approaches are; inspection manager to digitally track and manage inspections and life-limited parts; and tech publications such as service bulletins and service advisories.

Rolls-Royce has approved ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia to maintain the BR710A2-20 engines for Bombardier’s Global Express aircraft. The Kuala Lumpur-based operation is already authorized to conduct routine maintenance, inspections, and minor repairs on the turbofan, but it now holds hub status from the engine manufacturer, allowing it to perform more advanced diagnostics and repairs.

In 2024, ExecuJet MRO Services opened a new maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility at the Malaysian capital’s Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (also known as Subang Airport) with almost 150,000 sq ft of space. This base has been approved by several national civil aviation regulators to conduct heavy airframe maintenance on Global Express jets.

According to Ivan Lim, ExecuJet MRO Services’ regional v-p for Asia, the company—a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dassault Aviation—made investments in infrastructure, tooling, training, and technology to secure hub MRO status from Rolls-Royce. “We continually strive to meet the evolving needs of business aviation customers,” he commented. “Offering airframe maintenance and engine support under one roof streamlines the maintenance process for customers.”

Eighteen business and general aviation organizations are collaborating with the FAA on a “2025 National Pause for General Aviation Safety.” Launched yesterday during the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo, the initiative is designed to encourage general aviation pilots to take as little as 15 minutes and up to an hour within the next six months to sharpen their focus on safe flight operations by reviewing a video, article, or other information housed on the website GAsafe.org, which contains dozens of links to safety content.

In an open letter to pilots, backers of the initiative noted that improvements in technology, training, and focus on safety have helped with the decline of general aviation accidents over the past 30 years. During that period, the general aviation fatal accident rate has fallen 60% from 1.73 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours in 1994 to 0.68 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours in 2023, organizations pointed out.

“However, we continue to experience far too many completely avoidable general aviation accidents,” the letter added. “We believe every pilot has a responsibility to themselves, their loved ones, the industry, and the public, to be as conscientious, disciplined, and deliberate about general aviation safety as possible.”

Simply participating in the National Pause for GA Safety will improve safety preparedness by focusing on areas relevant to the pilot, the letter stated.

The Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA) has voiced strong opposition to a proposed tax policy announced by Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre that seeks to eliminate tax write-offs for what he termed “luxury corporate jets.”

In a letter addressed to Poilievre published on X (formerly Twitter), CBAA president and CEO Anthony Norejko expressed concerns that the proposed changes to the Income Tax Act would unfairly impact the business aviation sector, which the association argues plays a crucial role in Canada’s economy. “These are not the ‘jet-setting executives’ of caricature, but rather the backbone of an industry that connects remote communities, drives productivity, and positions Canada as a leader in aerospace technology,” the letter states.

The letter highlights the industry’s contributions, including thousands of skilled jobs and billions in economic activity, emphasizing that business aviation extends beyond executive travel to serve remote job sites, resource industries, and technological innovation. CBAA also pointed out that such policies risk driving investment and talent outside of Canada, particularly at a time when the country is facing economic productivity challenges.

Comparing the situation to Canada’s historical Avro Arrow program—a widely debated aerospace decision that led to job losses and the migration of innovation—the association warned that similar consequences could arise from the proposed tax changes.

While the Conservative Party has traditionally championed manufacturing and high-skilled labor, CBAA contends this proposal contradicts those values.

Viavi Solutions took the wraps off of its Osprey GPS Simulator at the recent AEA Convention, offering avionics technicians and maintenance facilities a portable solution for GPS testing in hangar environments.

Osprey (operational simulated positioning for real-time evaluation of systems) is designed to address growing challenges in GPS testing as acquiring GPS repeaters becomes more difficult and potential regulatory restrictions loom for the industry. Viavi has positioned the device as a solution for conducting GPS-dependent testing without requiring aircraft to be moved outdoors, saving significant time and resources.

The portable system provides both static waypoints and dynamic routes for avionics testing purposes, with daily almanac data that can be seamlessly uploaded to ensure position lock for GPS receivers. Among its key technical features are an 18-channel configuration, real-time transcoding capabilities, and compatibility with global avionics test sets.

Two configurations are offered for the Osprey system: the single-antenna Osprey-1 and a dual-antenna Osprey-2. Both are self-contained units with remote control interfaces via Apple iOS and Google Android applications.

Viavi highlighted several practical applications for the simulator, including in-hangar simulation of specific locations, enabling safer and more cost-effective pilot training for new equipment installations, testing GPS receiver sensitivity, conducting ADS-B testing, and verifying installation of any component requiring GPS input.

A start-up program to teach aircraft painting skills will begin this June in the UK under a partnership between the Hartlepool College of Further Education and aircraft painting and refinishing company Airbourne Colours, which is based at Teesside International Airport (EGNV). The six-week course, funded by the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority’s Adult Skills Fund and held at the college, will provide local residents age 19 or older with essential skills in aircraft spray painting.

Following that, successful trainees will progress to a 1.5-year paid, hands-on training internship at Airbourne Colours’ aircraft paint facility at EGNV. In addition, they can complete the 21-month course to receive SAE AS7489 certification. An open information event will be held at Hartlepool College on April 9, and the application window closes on April 27.

“We’re committed to providing skills that directly meet industry needs, and this aircraft painting program is a prime example of how targeted training can create substantial employment opportunities,” said Helen Gott, head of Hartlepool College’s School of Engineering. “We look forward to welcoming trainees and helping them launch rewarding careers in this growing field.”

Airborne Colours also operates paint shops at East Midlands and Exeter airports that can accommodate aircraft up to narrowbodies such as the Airbus A321 or Boeing 737 Max 10.