Signature Aviation has opened its new FBO at Iowa’s Des Moines International Airport (KDSM), the Hawkeye State’s largest airport. The facility on the south side of the field replaces the company's previous one, east of the airline terminal, built in the 1970s.

The 20-month-long construction project included a 5,000-sq-ft LEED-certified terminal—which more than doubles the previous private aviation facility's size—with floor-to-ceiling windows in the lobby. It offers a conference room, internet café, coffee bar, pilot lounge with snooze room, business center, crew cars, a porte cochere, and an outside firepit area.

The terminal adjoins a new 30,000-sq-ft hangar with office space, capable of sheltering aircraft as large as Gulfstream’s soon-to-be-certified G700.

“As one of the fastest-growing cities in the Midwest, Des Moines is a key stop for aircraft operators traveling to and from Iowa, and a vital aspect of Signature’s presence in the region,” said Derek DeCross, the chain’s chief commercial officer. “The design and amenities at the reimagined Signature Des Moines will instantly make it one of the most recognizable and unforgettable stops within our network, bringing an exceptional experience to life for every guest.”

The NTSB's day-long aviation safety summit on navigating mental health in aviation concluded yesterday with encouragement across industry leaders that the issue is getting more attention. In addition to the summit, the FAA also this week announced that it formed an aviation rulemaking committee on breaking through barriers to seeking medical health.

However, the summit spotlighted those barriers, particularly the lack of trust aviation professionals have that they would lose their ability to continue in their profession if they seek help and then report that help.

NTSB member Bruce Landsberg emphasized the lack of clarity around acceptable medications, the special issuance process for medicals, and the data in determining the approach to mental health issues. “We need to be very transparent now about what the medical requirements are and the evaluation process and that needs to be shared in total with the [aviation medical examiners],” Landsberg said. “I think we need to train and empower [the FAA's] AMEs because you're never going get enough money out of the government to sufficiently staff for this." Landsberg also stressed the need for a non-punitive process for people to self-report.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy added, “I'd say yes on data, but also yes on action.” She also said the participants—who ranged from educators to medical experts, and association leaders—need to continue to collaborate to chart the next steps forward.

Global business aviation flight activity remained stable in November, according to industry data analyst Argus International's latest monthly TraqPak report. Compared to November 2022, last month was up by 0.4 percent.

The dominant North American market saw a year-over-year (YOY) decrease in activity of 0.3 percent. While fractional flying posted a more than 16 percent increase from a year ago, Part 135 activity dropped by 8.7 percent, with only large-cabin jets in this operating category seeing any gains from November 2022. Part 91 usage overall was up by 1.5 percent YOY. For December, Argus analysts predict an improvement of half a percentage point in North American flight activity.

While the report noted that European activity has seemingly returned to its normal patterns, overall usage was down from November 2022 by more than 8 percent as the continent enters its slowest travel period of the year. Following that typical trend, Argus expects a similar YOY decrease this month.

For the remaining regions, including Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America, November activity was strong, with a 16 percent increase overall, and all segments except for large-cabin jets posted an improvement over the previous year.

Hill Helicopters has surpassed 1,000 orders and secured a flight operations facility at the Halfpenny Green Airport at Wolverhampton, UK, and will soon begin ground testing of its proprietary GT50 turbine engine. CEO Jason Hill reported these developments yesterday during an in-person product reveal and live-streamed event showcasing non-flying examples of wheeled and skid gear versions of its HX50 kit helicopter at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford.

Hill also announced significantly discounted pricing over the next week and said it would make the certified version of the helicopter, the HC50, available to the general public. Heretofore, the HC50 was only available to HX50 position holders.

As of December 1, its order book stood at 975—789 HX50s and 186 HC50s—and a company spokesman told AIN that the company crossed the 1,000 threshold soon after yesterday's event concluded. The HX50 has a base price of $747,000 and the HC50 retails at $910,210. However, the limited-time promotion, good through next Monday, offers new depositors those aircraft at a substantial discount—$784,600 for the HC50 ($721,890 for customers already holding HX50 positions) and $673,000 for the HX50.

Hill maintains that the company can offer the aircraft at those price points due to its extensive manufacturing vertical integration, including developing and building the GT50 engine.

Aircraft operators in Europe have been able to fly more direct routes since the November 30 launch of Eurocontrol’s new cross-border free route airspace operations over Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Germany. The changes were jointly implemented last week by Eurocontrol’s Maastricht Upper Area Control and the DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung’s Upper Area Control Center in Karlsruhe, Germany.

According to Eurocontrol, thousands more direct route options are now available, and these will reduce fuel burn and cut greenhouse gas emissions. The air traffic management agency said it will give aircraft operators more efficient flight planning options not only over Germany and the Benelux countries but on longer cross-border routes between the UK and Poland.

The free route airspace concept allows airspace users to plan routes closer to the flight profiles they would prefer, rather than having to restrict choices to published routes. It is now available on a 24-hour basis for flights within and between the Benelux countries, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Switzerland, and at night in Austrian airspace. The system has been progressively rolled out since 2019.

According to Eurocontrol, the airspace over Germany and the Benelux countries is used by around 35 percent of all European air traffic. “With the new route options, [aircraft operators] can realize flexible but at the same time reliable planning procedures,” said DFS COO Dirk Mahns.

Air ambulance provider Air Methods has received approval for its pre-packaged Chapter 11 reorganization plan from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Air Methods continues to operate normally since filing for bankruptcy protection on October 24 and said it expects to emerge from Chapter 11 before year-end. The reorganization plan was approved by the company’s lenders and noteholders and will reduce its overall debt by $1.7 billion while infusing it with $185 million of fresh capital from investors.

“We look forward to moving ahead with a substantially stronger balance sheet and additional financial flexibility as we continue providing industry-leading air medical service to our healthcare partners, communities, customers, and patients,” said Air Methods CEO JaeLynn Williams. She said the company will continue executing “growth initiatives, including opening new greenfield bases, growing our frontline team, and going in-network with additional commercial insurers.”

Air Methods operates 365 aircraft—mainly helicopters—from 275 bases in 47 states. It was acquired by private equity firm American Securities for $2.5 billion in 2017, when it operated from more than 300 bases. In its bankruptcy filing, it listed liabilities estimated at between $1 billion and $10 billion.

With the holiday season underway, aviation companies are looking to make a difference in their community, sponsoring drives to help the less fortunate.

American Aero FTW, an FBO at Dallas area Fort Worth Meacham International Airport, is holding its 10th annual toy drive in partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. Through December 15, customers and guests are invited to stop by the FBO to drop off a new, unwrapped toy or make a financial contribution benefiting the program. Since 2014, the company has distributed more than 4,000 bikes and other gifts and collected more than $30,000 in donations.

“It is exciting to see the toys and gifts pile up each year and know that we are helping to put smiles on the faces of children on Christmas morning,” said FBO general manager Angela Thurmond. “Our aviation community is extraordinarily generous, and their gifts will mean area families don’t have to make a choice between buying toys for their children or putting food on the table this holiday season.”

Florida-based FBO chain Sheltair has several locations conducting gift drives, including its corporate office at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, as well as its FBOs at Tampa International Airport and Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg.

On December 12, the chain’s facility at Melbourne Orlando International Airport (KMLB) will host the annual Jingle Jet event.