Embraer delivered 44 aircraft in the first quarter, 47% more than the 30 jets reported delivered in the same period last year, as production leveling efforts continued to show progress.

The Brazilian manufacturer’s executive jets division handed over 29 business aircraft in the first three months, up from 23 a year earlier. These deliveries included one Phenom 100, 15 Phenom 300s, nine Praetor 500s, and four Praetor 600s. The increase in light and midsize jets reflected sustained demand across the business aviation segment.

Its commercial aviation unit shipped 10 airliners in the quarter: six E175s, one E190-E2, and three E195-E2s, compared with seven aircraft in the same period a year ago. The E195-E2 is Embraer’s largest in-production airliner.

Defense and security delivered five aircraft in the quarter: one KC-390 Millennium multi-mission military transport and four A-29 Super Tucanos. The division had no deliveries in the first quarter of 2025.

Embraer projects 80 to 85 commercial aircraft deliveries for 2026, representing 6% growth at the midpoint compared with last year. The company forecasts 160 to 170 executive jet deliveries for the year, also 6% growth at the midpoint. Combined commercial and executive aviation forecast totals 240 to 255 aircraft for 2026.

Gogo is seeking to meet rising Indian demand for multi-orbit connectivity by getting aircraft supplemental type certificate (STC) approvals for its low-earth-orbit (LEO) systems. According to the U.S. company, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation is close to granting STCs for Gogo’s Avance connectivity systems installed on aircraft registered in the country.

According to Tom Phillips, Gogo’s regional director for the Asia-Pacific market, the regulatory process is expected to be finished by July. He told AIN that at least four Indian aircraft operators are ready to sign letters of intent for the equipment once the approvals are in hand. Gogo said its lightweight electronically steered array antenna avoids major fuselage modifications.

Gogo is boosting its presence in the Asian market through alliances with local companies Hughes and Elektronik Lab India. The LEO capability ensures fewer breaks in coverage as the system hands off between satellites, as well as steadier coverage and fiber-like connection speeds, the company said.

Entry-level monthly usage costs start at $3,500 per aircraft, which is lower than Starlink’s rates. According to Gogo, it is the only in-flight connectivity provider with Level 4 cybersecurity clearance, with all data routed through the company’s secure data center.

John J. Sheehan III, a decorated U.S. Navy aviator, general aviation advocate, and author, passed away late last month at his home in Wilmington, North Carolina. He was 85.

Sheehan’s four-decade career in aviation spanned military service, association leadership, consulting, and publishing. After retiring from the U.S. Navy in 1980, he served as executive v-p at AOPA and later as secretary general of the International Council of AOPA. Next, he worked as an aviation consultant with Phaneuf Associates in Washington, D.C., before founding Professional Aviation Inc., a firm that advised corporate flight departments on safety, training, and management practices.

Sheehan contributed to NBAA and IBAC as a consultant, auditor, and presenter. His book, “Business and Corporate Aviation Management,” remains a standard reference for professional flight departments and is included in NBAA’s Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) curriculum. He also authored several articles on safety, leadership, and management for two NBAA quarterly publications.

NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen said: “John was a true advocate for the general aviation community, promoting its value and protecting its access for nearly 40 years. He quite literally wrote the book on business aviation. His life’s work has made us better, safer, and more professional. His mark on our industry will long endure.”

He is survived by his wife of 55 years and three daughters.

AEG Fuels added two FBOs to its Connect Network: Caribbean Support & Flight Services at Barranquilla, Colombia, and Velocity Havasu at Lake Havasu City, Arizona, bringing its network to 44 locations. The additions extend the network's coverage in South America, the Caribbean, and U.S. Southwest.

Caribbean Support & Flight Services operates from Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (SKBQ) in Barranquilla. The company, headquartered in Cartagena, has more than 20 years of experience providing aviation services in the region. Services include trip support, international flight planning, overflight and landing permits, fueling coordination, and passenger handling.

“CSFS strengthens our presence across the Caribbean with unmatched regional expertise and trip support capabilities,” said Justin Clementi, v-p of general aviation at AEG Fuels.

Velocity Havasu serves Lake Havasu City Airport (KHII). The facility offers executive lounges, pilot quiet rooms, a private theater, and concierge services with transportation and rental vehicle coordination. The location provides access to Lake Havasu’s recreational areas and the London Bridge, which uses the original masonry of the 1830s bridge from London, England. “Velocity KHII brings a distinctive, hospitality-focused approach in a premier U.S. destination,” Clementi said.

AEG Connect helps to link FBOs and aviation service providers with operators. AEG Fuels provides jet-A at more than 3,000 locations worldwide.

West Star Aviation urges Challenger 605 operators to prioritize scheduling TOSE wing anti-icing inspections ahead of peak season to ensure kit availability amid spring's variable conditions.

The Global Aircraft Dealers Association (GLADA) rolled out a learning management system (LMS) as the organization seeks to expand its tools and help elevate the sector through its Broker Education Program. GLADA said the Broker Education Program is part of its commitment to advancing the education, professionalism, and collaboration of the business aviation marketplace.

Its LMS provides a platform for participants to access course materials and follow structured learning paths. Participants can move through the program at their own pace. In addition, the platform paves the way for GLADA to expand its educational offering with new modules and resources that reflect the evolving needs of its members, the organization said.

“This launch reflects our commitment to investing in our members and the future of the industry,” said GLADA operating director Christine Blair. “By bringing the Broker Education Program into a dedicated LMS, we’re enhancing the learning experience today while building a scalable foundation for ongoing education and professional development.”

NTSB member Michael Graham was appointed to serve as vice chair, filling the slot vacated last year after the White House ousted Alvin Brown from the safety agency. Graham joined the Safety Board as the 45th member in January 2020 and has been nominated for a second term as a member that would extend through Dec. 31, 2030. His initial appointment as vice chair, meanwhile, is for three years.

Appointment to the vice chair role comes less than a month after the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee voted 21 to seven to forward the nomination for full Senate consideration.

Graham joined the NTSB with extensive operational experience and deep business aviation knowledge. He previously served as director of flight operations safety, security, and standardization at Textron Aviation, overseeing safety management systems, emergency response planning, air safety investigations, and airport operations. A former naval aviator, he was also active in business aviation organizations, including serving as an Air Charter Safety Foundation chairman and on safety committees at NBAA.

While on the Board, Graham has served as member on the scene for several major investigations, including the May 2025 accident involving a Mexican naval vessel striking the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City; February 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio; November 2022 Wings Over Dallas midair collision; and October 2021 MD-87 runway excursion in Brookshire, Texas.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is selling its 2013 Cessna Citation M2, with no plans to replace it, the organization confirmed to AIN. The decision to dispose of the business jet was announced internally last week in an email from Luke Wippler, the new AOPA board chairman.

“After hearing from Jill and Katie, the board agreed with their view and made the decision to sell the jet, and I want to be clear about why,” Wippler wrote in the staff memo. “This is not about needing cash. It’s about being thoughtful stewards of member dollars and making sure the choices we make reflect the expectations our members and donors have of us.”

Wippler said the board is working with the acting co-CEOs, Jill Baker and Katie Pribyl, to evaluate where the organization “can do better.” The aircraft will be listed for sale soon.

According to FAA registration records, AOPA acquired the preowned M2 in 2019. The M2 is one of the latest variants of the CitationJet/CJ1 series.

The FAA restructured its federal contract tower (FCT) program and expanded controller training initiatives, but the program remained understaffed by 276 controllers, or roughly 18%, as of last April, according to a recent Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG) audit. The report examines the agency’s actions to improve monitoring of air traffic controller staffing levels and evaluated training requirements affecting staffing.

Three recommendations were made: develop a process to validate hours worked and recover overpayments; evaluate the impact of training and retention initiatives on the FCT hiring pool and implement improvements; and collaborate with contractors and stakeholders to explore alternative approaches to expand the controller hiring pool.

The FCT program includes 266 contract towers staffed by more than 1,500 controllers in 46 states and territories. Contract towers represent 50% of air traffic control towers in the National Airspace System (NAS) and handled more than 18 million tower operations, 30% of the total, in 2024, according to the report.

Between February and May 2025, DOT-OIG identified 334 ATC-zero events due to staffing, with 269 events (81% of those) exceeding the threshold and subject to price adjustments totaling about $175,000 among four contractors.

The FAA increased the minimum staffing requirement from four full-time equivalent controllers (including the air traffic manager) to four controllers, not including the manager, requiring contractors to hire an additional 129 controllers.

Tell us about the product support you receive from business aviation OEMs. The 2026 AIN Product Support Survey is now open, ready for selected readers to rate aircraft, engine, and avionics support. AIN readers who have been picked to participate in this year’s Product Support Survey should have received their password and link to the online survey by email. The survey needs to be completed by midnight on May 31. Please contact Lisa Valladares if you have not received your access code.