Leonardo Helicopters has made the first flight of its Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor (NGCTR) demonstrator aircraft from its Costa di Samarate facility in Italy. Part of an EU-funded initiative, NGCTR was first launched in 2015 under the European Union’s Clean Aviation Clean Sky 2 program, which described the project’s aims to “design, install and demonstrate, in flight, innovative civil tiltrotor technologies enabling future prototype development.” At the time, Clean Aviation suggested a first flight in 2023.

Ground runs in June 2024 paved the way for the latest milestone, which “represents a fundamental step towards validating the five new technologies and performance improvements,” Leonardo said. To help achieve this, the demonstrator includes “advanced wing architecture, innovative tail layout, non-tilting engine installation…[and] an advanced, modular, distributed and scalable flight control system.”

The Italian OEM intends for the NGCTR to “revolutionise civil vertical lift by combining helicopter versatility with fixed-wing aircraft performance.” Its prototype aircraft offers a cruise speed of 280 knots and a range of around 1,000 nm. According to Leonardo, this will open “new scenarios for mobility, freight transport, and search-and-rescue missions, enabling faster coverage of larger areas.”

More than 85 organizations from 15 countries are collaborating on the NGCTR project, which has received around €116 million ($136 million) in EU funding.

A new per-passenger tax on private air charter flights from Dutch airports is set to take effect from Jan. 1, 2030, after the country’s Senate confirmed an amendment to the Air Travel Tax Differentiation Bill on December 16. EBAA and the local industry group in the Netherlands said they will continue to oppose the measure in the hope that an anticipated new coalition government may reverse the tax before it is implemented.

The tax would apply to aircraft with 19 or fewer passenger seats and is almost identical to France’s “solidarity” tax. Per-passenger rates will range from €420 ($488) for flights of up to 2,000 km (1,087 nm), rising to €2,100 for sectors exceeding 5,500 km.

Research recently published by EBAA France shows that the tax in that country has disproportionately affected French air charter operators. While the overall volume of flights has not decreased, more of these are now being operated by foreign companies not subject to fiscal reporting requirements. The group is pressing for tax reductions under the country’s 2026 budget.

According to an EBAA spokesman, some politicians who voted for the new tax in the Netherlands are now acknowledging that they did not understand it stands to negatively impact Dutch air charter operators at the expense of foreign competitors.

Saudi Arabia’s General Aviation Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has awarded global aviation services provider Jetex a ground-handling license at Red Sea International Airport (OERS), the FBO chain's first location in the kingdom. Located in Hanak in the northwestern part of the kingdom, OERS—which began operations in 2023—serves the Red Sea Destination, a rapidly expanding coastal tourism area.

“The issuance of this license reflects the continued growth of general aviation at [OERS] and its expanding role in supporting premium tourism at The Red Sea Destination,” said GACA executive v-p Awad AlSulami. “By enabling high-quality ground-handling services at this airport, GACA is strengthening private aviation infrastructure to meet rising demand and to support Saudi Arabia’s emerging luxury destinations in line with Vision 2030.”

Announced late last week at Supply Chain & Logistics 2025 Conference in Riyadh, the authorization reflects GACA’s role in enabling qualified international operators while ensuring high levels of safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.

“Receiving approval from GACA to operate at Red Sea International Airport is a significant milestone for Jetex in Saudi Arabia,” said company founder and CEO Adel Mardini. “This license allows us to support the Red Sea destination with our private aviation services, and we are proud to collaborate with GACA and [OERS] in advancing Vision 2030.”

Aviation real estate developer and operator Sky Harbour Group will increase the size of its pending private hangar project at New York’s Stewart International Airport (KSWF). Announced last year, the company’s leasehold will now expand from 12.5 acres to 26 acres, while the investment will also rise from $60 million to more than $100 million. Projected hangar space in the campus—which will also include a dedicated fuel farm for tenants—will double from initial estimates to 400,000 sq ft.

Vertically-integrated Sky Harbour manufactures its own prefabricated hangars in several sizes as part of its “Home Base Operator” concept of turnkey aircraft shelters. According to the company, the site plan for KSWF is still under development, but the facility will feature its SH-37 model, with the 37,000-sq-ft hangar capable of being divided into two 18,000-sq-ft hangars.

Sky Harbour is also engaging in a relationship with Red Tail Flight Academy, a KSWF-based flight school/charity that creates opportunities for traditionally underserved communities to enter the aviation industry. Sky Harbour will provide hangar and classroom space in its facility. Groundbreaking is anticipated in early 2027, with the opening a year later.

“Sky Harbour is seeking to expand the square footage of our existing airport ground leases in the nation’s top markets,” explained chairman and CEO Tal Keinan, adding that the New York City area is the top home-basing market in business aviation.

New systems help pilots, simplify flight – and keep humans at the helm.

The FAA should establish measurable goals and more consistently assess its air traffic controller recruiting, hiring, and training processes, the Government Accountability Office asserted in a new report addressing persistent air traffic controller staffing challenges. Controller staffing numbers are down, even as hiring rose, and GAO looked into what is causing the attrition amid rising traffic in the National Airspace System.

GAO concluded its report with three recommendations for action: that the FAA develop a system to allow applicants to efficiently access information about their application status and next steps; that the FAA “establish and document measurable goals for its processes to recruit, hire, and train air traffic controllers;” and that the FAA “use the information [it] collects across its databases to assess its processes for recruiting, hiring, and training air traffic controllers and inform decisions about any needed improvements.”

The FAA faces ongoing staffing challenges amid rising demand for air traffic services, even though the agency did ramp up hiring post-Covid. At the end of Fiscal Year 2025, the GAO found that the FAA employed 13,164 controllers, “about 6% fewer than in 2015,” while total flights using the air traffic control system increased about 10% between FY2015 and FY2024, to 30.8 million.

Fontainebleau Aviation’s FBO at Florida’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (KFLL) is the latest location to join the Paragon Aviation Group Network. The facility, which opened a year ago, features a 10,000-sq-ft terminal with an arrival canopy, expansive lobby, an executive suite with 20-seat conference room, pilot lounge, and concierge. Its 80,000-sq-ft hangar can shelter the latest ultra-long-range business jets and has 15,000 sq ft of tenant offices with direct hangar access.

The KFLL location joins Fontainebleau’s older flagship location at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport (KOPF) as a Paragon member.

“The new Fontainebleau Aviation facility represents a true step forward for the Fort Lauderdale market,” stated Paragon Group president Crystal Kubeczka. “Their state-of-the-art design, luxury amenities, and precision-driven service perfectly align with the Paragon Network’s elevated standards.”

To join the network—which was founded in 2011 and now exceeds 140 locations in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean—FBOs undergo a facility audit conducted by Paragon. Each member FBO must also comply with a set of core standards to remain in the group.

“Fontainebleau Aviation is dedicated to providing an exceptional and seamless experience for our clients,” said Benjamin Murray, president and CEO of parent company Skyservice Business Aviation. “Joining the Paragon Network allows us to extend our service excellence to a broader audience and deliver unparalleled support to operators and passengers alike.”

The Air Charter Safety Foundation plans to introduce a fully redesigned format for its 2026 Safety Symposium, scheduled April 7 to 9 at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. ACSF described the new approach as an immersive, operator-focused learning model that replaces traditional presentations with a “Day in the Life of an Operator” structure built around practical engagement.

ACSF board chairman Kent Stauffer said the format is “built as an active immersive learning experience, not a passive PowerPoint audience watch party.” The organization said the 2026 program emphasizes scenario-based discussions, interactive modules, and sessions that reflect real operational challenges for operators, MROs, FBOs, manufacturers, and safety teams.

The agenda includes a forward-looking session on the business value of safety and a workshop introducing concepts tied to safety return on investment. ACSF said the updated structure is designed to give participants content they can apply immediately to strengthen their organization’s safety culture and develop a clearer view of broader industry safety objectives.

Networking remains a significant component, with opportunities for operators, charter organizations, maintenance providers, FBOs, manufacturers, and safety professionals to collaborate on shared challenges. Each session is designed to equip attendees with tools, SOPs, strategies, and other resources they can use upon returning to their organizations.

“The 2026 Symposium represents a major step forward for our industry,” Stauffer said. ACSF president Debi Carpenter added that participants will leave with a practical roadmap they can implement right away. Early-bird registration is available through March 1.

GE Aerospace’s CT7-2E1 turboshaft engine has reached a utilization milestone, logging more than 500,000 in-service flight hours since it entered the market in 2013. Designed to meet requirements for long-range, high-speed performance, the engine powers Leonardo’s midsize-twin AW149 and super-mid AW189. It incorporates the architecture of the CT7/T700 engine family, which now has tallied more than 100 million flight hours across all variants.

Like its siblings, the CT7-2E1 features Fadec, use of advanced materials, lower weight and fuel consumption, and lower-cost maintenance advantages versus other powerplants in its class. The engine also has been used to demonstrate sustainable aviation fuel blend use in the AW149 at global airshows, illustrating GE’s efforts to support reduced carbon emissions.

“Crossing half a million flight hours is a testament to the CT7-2E1 engine’s performance, and we’re proud of the close partnerships we’ve built with customers around the globe that rely on this engine to power their helicopters to execute critical missions every day,” said Elissa Lee, the OEM’s executive director for commercial turboshaft engines. “The CT7-2E1 engine continues to deliver the dependability our customers need.”

AIN’s FBO survey is open for year-round feedback, but the deadline to vote in the 2026 survey (to be announced at our 2nd annual FBO Awards Dinner & Gala and published in April) is January 11. The survey takes only a minute, and you can do it while waiting for passengers, on the shuttle bus to/from the hotel, or at any other time that is convenient for you. Participants will be entered to win a $250 Amazon gift card (winner must reside in the U.S.).Log in to rate your experiences at the FBOs you visit.