Signature Aviation has launched a partnership with Wisk Aero to prepare ground infrastructure to support commercial operations with the Boeing subsidiary’s autonomous eVTOL. Under a memorandum of understanding signed today, the FBO group said it will develop vertiports alongside its private aviation terminals in Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami, which Wisk expects to be launch markets for its pilotless, four-seat aircraft.

Wisk is preparing to start flight testing its Generation 6 prototype, having previously conducted more than 1,750 flights with five earlier iterations. The company has not yet established a basis for certifying the aircraft for autonomous operations with the FAA and appears to be targeting service entry no sooner than 2030.

In June, Wisk announced partnerships with Miami and Kaga, Japan, aimed at developing plans for eVTOL air services. The manufacturer’s agreement with Miami-Dade Aviation Department covers plans for vertiports at Miami International (KMIA), Miami Executive (KTMB), and Opa Locka Executive (KOPF) airports.

In 2024, Wisk signed an agreement with Houston-area airports George Bush Intercontinental (KIAH), William P. Hobby (KHOU), and Ellington (KEFD), as well as with the nearby city of Sugar Land. The partnership with Signature specifically covers plans for a vertiport at Ellington Airport, and the group has FBOs at all three Miami-area airports.

Trimec Aviation received the first FAA STC for a fuselage-mount installation of Gogo’s Galileo HDX low-earth-orbit antenna system on a Gulfstream G200, marking the initial North American approval for the compact electronically steered antenna configuration. Only two line replaceable units are required for the retrofit installation: the fuselage-mounted electronically steered antenna and Gogo Avance system.

With the STC approval, G200 operators will be able to access global high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity through the Eutelsat OneWeb constellation, providing enhanced performance for productivity, entertainment, and communications across all flight routes. The flat panel antenna system adds network redundancy to boost reliability and ensure consistent LEO coverage worldwide.

“We’re incredibly excited to receive the STC for installing the Gogo Galileo HDX system on the G200,” said Trimec Aviation v-p of development Peter Rabadi. “This achievement reflects the dedication of John Holland, general manager, and our highly skilled avionics team.”

Trimec Aviation, an FAA-certified MRO and avionics solutions provider based in Fort Worth, Texas, collaborated closely with Gogo to secure the certification. The approval provides super-midsize jet owners access to high-speed connectivity along with technical support, customized training, and cybersecurity products.

“We’re very pleased to have our first FAA-approved STC and expect to have several more confirmed before the end of the year, covering a wide variety of aircraft,” said Gogo CEO Chris Moore.

Falcon Technic has completed a 60-month inspection on a Bombardier Global Express XRS at its Dubai MRO facility. The work included some structural repairs to sections of the wing trailing edge and dry bay areas that had been damaged by corrosion.

The inspection covered the entire XRS airframe, as well as avionics, flight control, and hydraulic systems. A team of eight engineers completed the work, which took more than 2,000 man hours.

Before the aircraft returned to service on August 9, it made a test flight to verify its performance after the inspection and remedial work. The XRS—tail number A6-AFC—is part of the charter fleet operated by Falcon, a business unit at Alex Group Investment. The twinjet’s next major inspection is scheduled after a further 500 flight hours.

Falcon Technic is the MRO division of the Dubai-based group, and it recently extended the scope of its approvals with the UAE aviation regulator to include the Dassault Falcon 900EX. The group also includes the Falcon Elite FBO at Dubai Al Maktoum International Airport (OMDW) and the charter services are marketed by its Falcon Luxe division.

Signia Aerospace has purchased Bend, Oregon-based Precise Flight, maker of the Pulselite pulsing lighting system installed on more than 25,000 aircraft, as well as speed brakes, oxygen systems, environmental control systems, electromechanical controls, and spoiler systems. The company is retaining Precise Flight COO Bill Hoback, who will report to Signia Aerospace Group president Keith Bagley.

Pulselite can also be integrated with traffic alert and collision avoidance systems. “Research has shown that the airplanes equipped with the Pulselite technology experience up to 60% fewer bird strikes, saving [operators] millions of dollars annually, while increasing passenger safety,” according to Precise Flight.

“Precise Flight is a critical supplier of innovative products to aviation customers worldwide and leads with forward-thinking design and manufacturing,” said Signia Aerospace CEO Norman Jordan. “Their reputation for quality, innovation, and reliability makes them a natural fit for our growing platform.”

Signia Aerospace is owned by private equity firm Arcline Investment Management. Signia has added a number of aerospace companies to its portfolio, including Hartzell Propeller, Hartzell Aviation, Cleveland Wheel & Brake Systems, International Water Guard, and others.

“This partnership strengthens our foundation and positions us to accelerate product development, expand market reach, and continue delivering exceptional value to our customers,” said Hoback.

Portside subsidiary Baldwin Safety & Compliance has launched an Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) facilitator program to help operators manage FAA-approved ASAP initiatives. The program offers organizations a secure employee portal for reporting, tracking, and analyzing safety-related events in accordance with the FAA’s voluntary reporting initiatives.

Designed to support the work of an organization’s ASAP event review committee, Baldwin’s facilitator program helps ensure that meetings with FAA safety inspectors are documented and that corrective actions are tracked to closure. By streamlining administrative needs and recordkeeping, the platform aims to improve responsiveness and insight across the safety reporting process.

Business jet charter firm Talon Air was among the first adopters of the new program. “Baldwin’s responsiveness to our needs and commitment to continuous improvement far exceed what we’ve experienced before,” said Talon director of safety Timothy Martins.

Baldwin noted that many operators benefit from consolidating their ASAP and safety management system under one provider. As part of Portside, Baldwin also integrates with broader aviation management software, enabling more unified operational oversight.

Germany-based MRO provider and aircraft operator Atlas Air Service has partnered with FTI Engineering Network to earn an EASA STC for the installation of the Gogo Galileo HDX system and Avance SCS router in the Cessna Citation CJ1+. This is the second STC for the Galileo HDX install that the companies have received over the past year, with the first being for the Embraer Phenom 300 in January.

The system uses the Eutelsat OneWeb low-earth-orbit satellite constellation and can provide data transfers at up to 60 Mbps down and up to 11 Mbps up, offering a stable broadband connection with low latency. It represents a major improvement over the previous systems available to small and medium-sized business jets.

At the Atlas locations in Bremen and Augsburg, Germany, and Altenrhein, Switzerland, the system can be installed in 10 to 14 business days, and as authorized Gogo distribution partners, the two companies will provide the Galileo hardware to other maintenance providers along with an STC for integration. They will continue their collaboration to develop additional Galileo HDX STCs for other CJ models.

In related news, Textron Aviation is now offering Galileo HDX as an option for new-production Citation CJ4 Gen3 twinjets. The CJ4 Gen3 is expected to enter service next year.