Textron Aviation’s Cessna Citation Latitude has hit a key milestone with the handing over of the 400th to Simmons Foods, a long-time Citation customer. The landmark delivery comes less than a decade after the midsize jet was certified in 2015.

Simmons Foods—a Siloam Springs, Arkansas-based, family-owned and -operated company since 1949—is adding the Latitude to its existing fleet of three Citations. The company uses the jets to manage operations across multiple locations, Textron Aviation said.

“Over the years, we’ve found that Citation jets mean business in every way. Our fleet of Citations has significantly enhanced our company’s operational capabilities, allowing us to serve our customers, employees, and farmers more effectively,” said Simmons Foods CEO Todd Simmons. “The Latitude's performance and reliability are a natural fit for our business.”

The flat-floor, nine-passenger business jet has a 2,700-nm range, capable of flying nonstop between destinations such as New York and Los Angeles or Vancouver and Guatemala City.

“This milestone not only reinforces the Latitude's status as the leader in the midsize jet segment but also underscores our commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction, setting new standards for comfort, efficiency, and performance in the aviation industry,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior v-p of global sales and flight operations at Textron Aviation.

Is the pilot shortage over? The short answer is no. We might be catching our breath and experiencing a little relief right now, but the underlying issues remain. What we have today isn’t exactly a shortage of pilots, but rather a shortage of qualified pilots, particularly in business aviation. Despite what some might say, the reality is that it’s still a pilot’s market—and a maintenance technician’s market, too.

What does that mean for us? If you post a pilot opening today, you might see more applicants than you did last year. Some military pilots are bypassing the airlines entirely, looking straight to business aviation. And a few pilots who left business aviation for the airlines are now returning.

Every week, I hear from retired airline pilots over age 65 who are eyeing opportunities in our space. But will companies invest in a type rating for someone at the very end of their career? And are they willing to transition from a strictly flying role to one that encompasses handling every phase of a trip?

And yes, there’s growing interest from younger folks in business aviation. But here’s the challenge: How do we bring in low-time pilots and keep them? It’s not just about getting them hours—it’s about getting them the proficiency required for our operations.

Incorrect extension of the lift dump spoilers on a Beechcraft Premier I led to a sudden loss of lift and control that caused the business jet to crash on approach to Kuala Lumpur’s Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport. That's according to a just-released final report into the Aug. 17, 2023, fatal accident by Malaysia’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Both pilots and six passengers on board were killed, as well as the drivers of a car and a motorbike.

The report states that the second-in-command (SIC) pilot, who was not type-rated in the Premier I, had been assigned to run through the "Before Landing" checklist for operating some of the controls while the pilot-in-command (PIC) had control of the aircraft. On the cockpit voice recording, the SIC pilot was heard saying “lift dump unlocked” as the third item on the checklist, with the PIC acknowledging this incorrect instruction.

At that point, the aircraft was at 1,000 feet on the final nonprecision approach to the airport’s Runway 15, and the landing gear had already been lowered. Less than two seconds after the PIC acknowledged that the lift dump spoilers had been extended, the SIC was heard expressing concern as multiple cockpit alarms sounded. The lift dump handle was confirmed to have been extended when the aircraft wreckage was examined.

Million Air Dallas, one of three service providers at Addison Airport (KADS), has broken ground on an approximately three-acre ramp on a parcel of land adjoining the airport’s existing six-acre U.S. Customs facility and administrative office building. The project is expected to be completed by the end of next month and will provide direct access to Million Air’s facility.

Additionally, the more-than-$5 million development will allow the FBO to offer ramp-side vehicle access for arriving aircraft. Following clearance, those aircraft will then be towed from the customs ramp and either prepared for departure or moved to one of Million Air’s hangars. According to the company, the elimination of an engine cycle will result in fuel cost savings and faster, more efficient turnarounds.

“This project represents an expansion of Million Air’s nationally recognized service to the U.S. Customs ramp, enhancing both service quality and operational efficiency for international aircraft arriving to Addison,” said Jeff Zimmerman, the franchisee’s v-p of FBO services.

Vance Street Capital has rebranded its general aviation brands to Victor Sierra Aviation Holdings (VS Aviation) and has also acquired Aviation Products Systems (APS), a manufacturer of wheels, brakes, hose kits, and other parts. Among APS's products are longer-wear, FAA-approved Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) replacement brakes for the Pilatus PC-12's original Cleveland brakes.

In October 2021, Vance Street bought McFarlane Aviation, a manufacturer of PMA parts for light single-engine and turboprop airplanes, including those from Beechcraft, Cessna, and Piper. Vance Street added six FAA-PMA brands in April 2023 with an investment in Tempest Aero Group. Based in Burlington, North Carolina, Tempest has developed its own PMAs for oil filters, vacuum pumps, and other products and acquired brands such as Alcor, Consolidated Fuel Systems, Marvel-Schebler, Precision Airmotive, and Stratus Tool Technologies.

Recent Vance Street acquisitions include Airforms, an engine baffle manufacturer; Great Planes Fuel Metering, which services Continental fuel injection systems; and PMA Products, a manufacturer of PMA bearings, bushings, and fuel nozzles for Beechcraft and Piper airplanes and Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 engines. 

"The addition of APS creates another key pillar in our portfolio of brands by expanding our proprietary PMA offering into the wheel and brakes segment for general and business aviation aircraft, another avenue to help our customers keep flying,” said VS Aviation CEO Scott Still.

Textron Aviation has expanded its service offerings with the rollout of a new standard repair process for main landing gear on Cessna Citation Excel, XLS, and XLS+ twinjets. Developed in collaboration with subsidiary Able Aerospace Services, the process allows for significant main landing gear repairs without a full replacement, providing a cost-effective option for customers.

“Our priority is delivering the best aviation experience for our customers, and having the option to repair main landing gear gives customers additional flexibility when servicing their aircraft,” said Textron Aviation senior v-p of customer support Brian Rohloff. “This investment in a new solution for Citation 560XL aircraft supports reducing operating costs and minimizing aircraft downtime so that we can keep our customers moving.”

The process is similar to the main landing gear repair capabilities launched in 2020 for Citation CJ-series aircraft. Besides offering greater efficiency for customers, the service also supports Textron Aviation’s efforts to reduce and reuse by allowing customers to repair parts and use exchanges and rentals.

Air Charter Service is celebrating a good year for its services in India, saying it has seen increases in both passenger and cargo numbers driving up income by 42% year over year.

“The growth in our passenger divisions has been fuelled by a lot of flights for sports events, weddings, movie stars, and singers. We have also seen incredible growth in our cargo division, driven by pro-industry government initiatives, e-commerce, and maritime trade uncertainties,” said Air Charter Service India CEO Ashish Wastrad.

“A proud moment for the team and I came at the beginning of last month, when we chartered a B777 to fly the victorious Indian cricket team home from Barbados after winning the T20 World Cup. Hurricane Beryl had scuppered their original travel plans, so they approached us, and we had to work swiftly to arrange everything for them,” he added.

Formed in 1990, Air Charter Service is a global aircraft charter broker with 35 offices worldwide.