Daher will begin the conceptual design phase later this year of a hybrid-electric TBM model, said aviation division senior v-p Nicolas Chabbert this morning at the 2024 Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo. The end product will be influenced by the TBM 940-based EcoPulse technology demonstrator that was developed and is now being tested in partnership with Safran and Airbus. Chabbert announced the hybrid-electric model last year at Sun ’n Fun, pledging to have it in service in 2027.

While he intends to keep that schedule, he told AIN that “it’s not an easy certification path for hybrid-electric aircraft. At Daher, we have the advantage of knowing how to certify products. But, for example, high-voltage electrical system certification is still an unknown path. Despite that, we’ll start outlining aircraft specifications later this year.”

To date, EcoPulse has performed 14 “e-flights” using its six 50-kilowatt electric power units, the turbogenerator, and six sets of electric thrusters installed along the wing—since November 10. Under this Phase 3 testing, the aircraft’s APU has logged 10 hours and the high-voltage battery pack has logged six hours. Daher has also done “identification flights” that are providing data to establish comparisons with Airbus computer models.

Up next are noise flight tests, followed by fully opening the envelope and aircraft configurations that will mark the completion of Phase 3. Follow-on Phase 4 tests will focus on the hybrid-electric system.

The FAA has issued a production certificate (PC) to Gulfstream Aerospace for the recently certified, ultra-long-range G700. Gulfstream also received a supplemental type certificate for the twinjet's cabin interior and cabin air purification system.

“Receiving these additional clearances so quickly on the heels of FAA type certification showcases how mature the G700 program is,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. “Thanks to the investments made in advanced manufacturing and interior innovations, operators will benefit from the industry-leading quality, fit, and finish of the G700. We look forward to our customers experiencing firsthand the cabin comfort and performance capabilities of this fine aircraft.”

"The FAA issued the PC after an extensive audit of Gulfstream’s engineering, supplier, manufacturing, and quality systems to ensure the aircraft will be produced in accordance with the FAA-approved design,” according to Gulfstream.

The air-purification system delivers 100 percent fresh cabin air, while the G700 offers a cabin altitude of 2,840 feet at 41,000 feet, “the lowest cabin altitude in the industry,” Gulfstream said. In September, Gulfstream announced that the G700’s range grew to 7,750 nm at Mach 0.85 and 6,650 nm at Mach 0.90, up 250 nm at both speeds from previous projections.

Meanwhile, G700 pilot training has commenced at FlightSafety International as Gulfstream conducts pre-delivery activities in preparation for handing over the first of the type to customers.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has returned to the full slate of five board members with the additions of Alvin Brown and J. Todd Inman. Each confirmed by the Senate on March 8, Brown stepped into a position that has been vacant since former chair Robert Sumwalt stepped down in 2021, while Inman succeeded Bruce Landsberg, whose term expired last year.

To serve through 2026, Brown was originally nominated to the post in 2022 but—after the Senate failed to act—was renominated last year. He brings to the board a lengthy background in urban and community affairs, most recently as senior advisor for community infrastructure opportunities for the U.S. Department of Transportation. The first African American to be elected mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, Brown served with the White House leadership team under former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore and served as senior advisor for urban policy and vice chair of the White House Community Empowerment Board, leading $4 billion in community initiatives.

Inman, who serves a term extending through 2027, joins the NTSB after serving as a senior director with the consultancy APCO Worldwide. He also has served as secretary of the Florida Department of Management Services and was chief of staff for former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

Canada’s House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance (FINA) has recommended for the second time that the country’s new budget proposal “exclude aircraft from the Luxury Items Tax Act and place a moratorium on the luxury tax on aircraft pending further industry consultation.”

The recommendation follows a period in which FINA requested comments on various aspects of the upcoming budget. The Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA) and other general aviation associations have been fighting the tax since it was initially proposed in 2019 and continued their battle after it was adopted in 2022. In addition to the exemption recommendation, the report also adopted three other CBAA motions.

“We remain committed to educating and advocating on behalf of our industry regarding the true cost of the luxury tax on aircraft,” CBAA president and CEO Anthony Norejko told AIN. “In the end, it hurts Canadian jobs and our economic productivity. We appreciate the Standing Committee's willingness to support our efforts.” Meanwhile, the Canadian Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association said it “will be monitoring the government of Canada's 2024 budget to confirm the change comes into effect.”

In July, the government did incorporate a concession to business aviation by adding the use of aircraft for business to the list of “qualifying flights” that are exempted from the tax.

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Southern Sky Aviation, which has operated an FBO at Mississippi’s Trent Lott International Airport (KPQL) for the past three years, has expanded with a new location at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (KECP) in Panama City.

Construction on the $30 million-plus facility began in early 2023, and its soft opening was held at the beginning of April. The facility gives aircraft operators a choice of service providers on the field.

The 11-acre complex features an 11,000-sq-ft terminal with passenger lobby, pilot lounge, snooze room furnished with heated massage recliners, shower facilities, refreshment bars, a business center, a 10-seat conference room, and covered guest parking. Go Rentals has formed a partnership with Southern Sky, which named it its designated onsite car rental service provider.

Helmed by industry veteran Scott Capehart, the Titan Aviation Fuels-branded FBO has a grand opening event slated for April 24.

The facility also includes 68,000 sq ft of hangar space that can accommodate the latest ultra-long-range business jets.

"We are thrilled to partner with the airport at KECP to launch this beautiful new FBO in response to the demand for a higher level of service in this area," Darryl Brewer, president of the company's FBO division, told AIN, adding that the airport is near the some of the most stunning white sand beaches and clear blue waters in the world.

Honeywell Aerospace's HTF7000 engine has reached two major milestones: recently surpassing 10 million flight hours and logging 20 years in service. According to the company, HTF7000 engines collectively accumulate nearly 2,000 flight hours every day.

The first HTF7000 engines entered service in 2004 on the Bombardier Challenger 300. The engines also power the Challenger 350 and 3500; Gulfstream G280; Cessna Citation Longitude; and Embraer Legacy 450/500 and Praetor 500/600.

“We’re expecting to build more than 400 HTF7000 series engines in 2024, and as many as 4,500 over the next decade or so as the demand for super-midsize jets continues to grow,” said Honeywell president of engines and power systems Dave Marinick. “In all, we anticipate a production run of close to 8,000 engines over the life of the program. Those numbers are a tribute to the thousands of Honeywell employees—past, present, and future—who contributed to this landmark program. We can all feel enormous pride in reaching this significant 10-million-hour milestone.”

Honeywell senior chief engineer Jeff Aitchison said the engines have gained a reputation for their reliability. “It was the first engine family we designed for on-condition maintenance,” he said. “We also used techniques like accelerated life testing to make components more reliable, and pioneered the use of data analytics to extend maintenance intervals. The engines are easy to maintain on wing.”

Web Manuals has launched a search tool using artificial intelligence (AI) for pilots’ flight manuals. According to the Swedish company, flight crewmembers will be able to ask questions via the platform to get descriptive answers from their manuals, helping them to quickly make well-informed operational decisions and potentially avoid flight diversions and delays.

The Amelia AI system integrates natural language processing that can accelerate the process of understanding factors such as aircraft faults to support decisions over airworthiness. Once initial information from the manuals has been shared, pilots can continue to interrogate the platform to find out more details and assess the responses.

For instance, Amelia AI can help the crew understand whether there are any applicable safety notices or bulletins that are relevant to a particular flight procedure they are working on. The pilots then get a summarized response based on the manuals along with sources referencing relevant content from the documents.

As part of its security protections, the system only conducts searches within the documentation available to the user and relevant to their specific needs. It does not access any external public data. All responses provide specific references to parts of the manuals to ensure that users can validate the search results.

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