Textron Aviation president and CEO Ron Draper has announced his retirement after eight years as leader of Textron Aviation and 27 years at parent company Textron Inc. Brian Rohloff, senior v-p of customer support, will succeed him as president and CEO of Textron Aviation on August 31, while Draper will remain with the company until the year-end to support the transition.

A former U.S. Army captain, company commander, and Black Hawk helicopter pilot, Draper holds a fixed-wing commercial pilot certificate. He became president and CEO of Textron Aviation in 2018 and has led the rapid pace of product upgrades in the Citation series, as well as the introduction of the Cessna SkyCourier utility twin and development of the Beechcraft Denali turboprop single.

“Serving as president and CEO of Textron Aviation has been the greatest honor of my career,” Draper said. “What I will be most proud of is the incredible people who make this company what it is every day. Together, we’ve navigated challenges, celebrated successes, and continued advancing aviation while staying true to our commitment to our customers, communities, and each other. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of this team, and I have tremendous confidence in Brian and the future of Textron Aviation.”

Rohloff has held other leadership roles at Textron Aviation, including v-p of quality and v-p of sales.

After a decade under Signature Aviation operation, the lone FBO at Chicago-area Waukegan National Airport (KUGN) will change hands on Oct. 1, 2026. Signature told AIN that it had expressed its interest in continuing to operate the FBO and making additional investments in the location, but with the ending of the chain’s lease, the Waukegan Port District—which manages KUGN—will assume control of the facility and rebrand it as North Shore Jet Center.

The port district plans to invest in significant facility enhancements, including remodeling the existing 1970s-vintage two-story FBO terminal—which has a passenger lounge with fireplace and refreshment bar, pilot lounge with snooze room, conference room, and flight planning area/business center—within the next year. It will also add U.S. Customs assistance and ramp-side vehicle access with enhanced features such as expanded concierge services. A new $5 million terminal is planned for 2031.

As part of the change in operations, the FBO will also join the Avfuel dealer network, providing customers with access to the fuel provider’s suite of fuel, payment, and rewards programs.

“Our goal is to create an FBO where customers look forward to visiting, and employees are proud to grow their careers,” said industry veteran Steve Bowlin, who will take over as general manager of the location. “We’re committed to delivering safe, reliable service with a personal touch, creating a first-class experience for every customer.”

A Beechcraft King Air 350 struck a deer during its landing roll at Bella Bella/Campbell Island Airport (CBBC), British Columbia, on July 14, 2026, damaging the left engine, propeller, and wing structure, according to a preliminary occurrence report from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB). None of the seven people aboard was injured. The investigation is ongoing.

A post-occurrence inspection identified damage to the left engine, its mount assembly, the propeller, and the cowling. Inspectors also found dents and buckling to the left nacelle, the wing’s leading edge, and both inboard and outboard flaps.

The aircraft had departed Red Deer Regional Airport (CYQF), Alberta, bound for CBBC. The accident was recorded at approximately 10:30 a.m. local time, and the TSB classified the occurrence as Class 5, which the agency has identified as having “little likelihood of identifying new safety lessons that will advance transportation safety…The investigation is limited to data gathering, and the data are recorded for statistical reporting and future analysis.”

About 1,000 feet past the Runway 31 threshold, the pilot saw a deer approaching from the left side of the runway and responded by holding reverse thrust and braking hard; the deer struck the left propeller roughly 200 feet later.

The pilot reported feeling “extreme vibration on the left engine” after stopping. The pilot shut down the affected engine, taxied on the remaining engine, and radioed the traffic frequency to report the strike before the King Air was parked and powered down. The passengers exited normally.

The Air Charter Association (ACA) has expanded its NextGen Group of young professionals with the addition of five more members. The group consists of people aged 35 and younger working for member companies.

The newly nominated members are Alexandre Fabre, a key account executive at Luxaviation One; Alexandra Robinson, head of charter sales at DragonFly Executive Air Charter; Joey Hole, revenue management and commercial operations executive at Flexjet; Julia Gstrein, flight manager at IW Aviation; and Maisey Greenhow, commercial executive at Chapman Freeborn. The NextGen Group is chaired by Rachel Harvey, who is deputy head of ground operations and sales at Saxon Air.

ACA formed the NextGen Group in 2020 to develop engagement with young professionals among its member companies. Members of the group are involved in outreach to colleges and universities to help promote careers in air charter, as well as the association’s annual internship program.

“The NextGen Group plays a significant role in supporting the work of the association and engaging and inspiring young people to pursue a career in the air charter sector,” said ACA CEO Glenn Hogben. “We are delighted to welcome five more talented young professionals into the group and have no doubt they will be excellent ambassadors for both ACA and the wider industry, as they provide us with greater resources to enhance our outreach and further our core initiatives.”

AEG Connect continues to grow its global network with 57 trusted FBO partners and counting. By connecting operators with premier service providers, the network helps FBOs increase visibility, build lasting customer relationships, and unlock new business opportunities while delivering a seamless experience for operators worldwide.

Hammond Northshore Regional Airport (KHDC)—located on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain near New Orleans—is now served by three FBOs with the opening of its latest: Sky X. The newly built complex features a two-story, 10,000-sq-ft terminal with an airy lobby, passenger lounge with refreshment bar, 14-seat conference room, theater room, recreation room with pool table, and showers.

Its 30,000-sq-ft hangar can accommodate ultra-long-range business jets, and a second phase of development—slated to conclude by year-end—will triple that space with the addition of two more hangars.

The full-service facility also offers maintenance through its FAA Part 145 repair station, an AOG rapid response team, and Part 135 charter operations, all onsite. As a member of the Avfuel dealer network, the FBO will offer the fuel provider’s contract fuel and customer loyalty program.

“Our new facility represents an exciting new chapter for Sky X and reinforces our commitment to delivering a world-class experience tailored to our customers’ needs,” said Sky X owner and president Rob Scariano, a U.S. Air Force veteran whose career includes credentials as a commercial pilot and flight instructor, as well as an FAA mechanic certificate with airframe and powerplant ratings. “From our modern amenities and expansive hangar space to our tailored concierge support, every aspect of our operation was designed with customers in mind.”

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, which plays a key role in manufacturing, support, and training for the Airbus BK117/H145 helicopter series in Asia-Pacific, will be the first to deploy Loft Dynamics’ new H145 Multi-Pilot virtual-reality (VR) simulator in the region. Loft Dynamics developed the simulator in collaboration with Airbus Helicopters.

The Loft VR simulators feature a six-degree-of-freedom full-motion platform, a virtual full-scale cockpit, and, with the trainee wearing a VR headset, 360-degree views of the helicopter interior, avionics, and the outside world. As a multi-pilot simulator, according to Loft Dynamics, the device enables pilots and crew to train together, and instructors and trainees can safely replicate flight scenarios and emergencies.

“As an Airbus Helicopters-approved training center, our responsibility is to provide operators with the highest standard of H145 training available,” said Hitoshi Kawaguchi, head of the BK117/H145 program at Kawasaki. “Loft Dynamics’ H145 Multi-Pilot VR simulator significantly expands our ability to do just that.

“By combining immersive multi-crew training with OEM-provided aircraft data, we can give pilots more opportunities to build proficiency, prepare for complex missions, and train using the same procedures they use in the aircraft. Adding this capability to our training center advances our long-term plans for advanced H145/BK117 training and allows us to serve more operators across Japan and the wider Asia-Pacific region.”

German charter operator FAI Aviation has added a second Bombardier Global 6000 to its fleet, expanding capacity for long-range flights. With approximately 900 hours on the airframe, the jet is based at FAI’s Nuremberg headquarters and is now bookable for worldwide charter.

The business jet is the seventh Global-series aircraft in FAI’s lineup, pushing the operator’s all-Bombardier fleet, which also includes five Challenger 604s and six Learjet 60/60XRs, to 18 jets. The aircraft changed hands roughly five weeks after FAI signed the letter of intent with its previous owner.

According to FAI Aviation founder and chairman Siegfried Axtmann, the addition addresses rising demand for long-range charter. “With its exceptional range, comfort and reliability, the aircraft is ideally suited to the needs of our international clientele. Presented in immaculate condition and with its exceptionally low hours, it is a superb addition to our fleet,” he said.

With a 6,000-nm range, the Global 6000 can link distant business centers without a fuel stop, including pairings such as London-Dubai, Frankfurt-Singapore, or Geneva-New York. The cabin seats up to 14 passengers across three zones and includes Gogo Galileo satcom. FAI’s association with the Global line dates to 2010.

The FAA has issued an Information for Operators (InFO 26013) highlighting the mandated timelines for the installation of cockpit voice recorders (CVRs) that capture and retain at least 25 hours of audio data. The InFO is based on the 25-hour CVR rules published on February 2. The final rule applies only to aircraft currently required to have a CVR.

For operations under Parts 91, 125, or 135, aircraft that have an MTOW of 59,525 pounds or more, 29 or fewer passenger seats, and are manufactured starting Feb. 2, 2027, must be equipped with a 25-hour CVR. Aircraft weighing under 59,525 pounds and built on or after Feb. 2, 2029, must have a 25-hour CVR installed. There is no retrofit requirement for business aircraft.

Air carriers operating aircraft with 30 or more passenger seats that were built on or after May 16, 2025, must already comply. Air carrier aircraft with 30 or more passenger seats still in use but manufactured before May 16, 2025, must be retrofitted with 25-hour CVRs by May 16, 2030.

The InFO emphasizes that “aircraft owners and operators should assess their fleets, engage with CVR and aircraft manufacturers, and allocate necessary resources to comply with these requirements.”

Our lunch on Wednesday, October 21, during NBAA-BACE will explore one of the most important questions facing business aviation today: do we really understand what principals expect from in-flight connectivity? Drawing on one of business aviation's most comprehensive connectivity surveys, and one of the first to compare perspectives from both industry professionals and aircraft principals, this session reveals where assumptions and reality diverge, and what that means for the future of connectivity in the air. Co-hosted by Honeywell Aerospace and Viasat.