On Saturday, Beechcraft King Air B200, registered as N479BR, landed at Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (KBJC) after the aircraft’s Garmin Autoland system was activated. This marks the first in-service activation of an Autoland-equipped airplane, although neither of the two pilots on board was incapacitated.

The King Air, managed by Buffalo River Aviation, was being operated under Part 91 on a repositioning flight from Aspen, Colorado, with only the two pilots on board. According to Buffalo River Aviation, “Climbing through 23,000 feet msl, the aircraft experienced a rapid, uncommanded loss of pressurization. As per standard procedures, the two pilots immediately put on their oxygen masks. The aircraft, equipped with Garmin Aviation’s latest Emergency Descent Mode (EDM) and Autoland systems, automatically engaged exactly as designed when the cabin altitude exceeded the prescribed safe levels. The system selected a suitable airport per Garmin criteria (KBJC), navigated to it, and communicated automatically along the way.”

In a statement, Buffalo River Aviation CEO Chris Townsley added more context: “Due to the complexity of the specific situation, including instrument meteorological conditions, mountainous terrain, active icing conditions, unknown reasons for loss of pressure, and the binary (all-or-nothing) function of the Garmin emergency systems; the pilots, exercising conservative judgement under their emergency command authority (FAR 91.3), made the decision to leave the system engaged while monitoring its performance.”

Stakeholders at Arizona’s Falcon Field Airport (KFFZ) in Mesa are up in arms about the airport’s proposal to implement landing fees for the first time, as well as hike costs for hangar space. The measure—which will come up for a vote by the Mesa city council on February 9—is being introduced as a means to ensure KFFZ’s self-sustainability through revenues collected by airport tenants. According to the council, city general funds may not be used to operate, maintain, or improve the airport.

Under the newly-released schedule, based aircraft weighing less than 6,000 pounds would be charged nearly $30 per landing (with five free per month), while those of more than 6,000 pounds would be assessed $5.50 per 1,000 pounds per landing (also with five free landings per month). For small transient aircraft, landings would cost $33.95 per landing, while those weighing more than 6,000 pounds. would be charged $6.50 per 1,000 pounds.

Monthly hangar rental fees would also see a rise, along with hangar security deposits. Airport management believes the fees combined would generate approximately $3.5 million in additional revenue to offset increased operating costs. The airport is in the midst of a series of virtual information sessions on the measure, with the last sessions scheduled for January 7, 8, 12, and 14.

U.S. House lawmakers have advanced two aviation-related bills addressing both near-term operational stability for the FAA and longer-term changes to civil supersonic flight policy.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the Aviation Funding Solvency Act (H.R.6086), legislation intended to keep FAA air traffic operations running during a future federal government shutdown. This bill would allow the FAA to use aviation user fees already collected to pay air traffic controllers and sustain other critical functions if appropriations lapse. It is sponsored by committee chairman Sam Graves and ranking member Rick Larsen, along with Aviation Subcommittee leaders Troy Nehls and Andre Carson.

Committee action follows a 43-day government shutdown that ended last month, during which unpaid air traffic controllers contributed to reduced capacity at dozens of major airports and restrictions on general aviation activity at several facilities.

Separately, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Aviation Subcommittee voted to advance H.R.3410, the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act. It would direct the FAA to issue regulations permitting civil supersonic flight over land, provided no sonic boom reaches the ground. Supersonic flight over land in the U.S. has been largely prohibited since 1973, with limited military exceptions.

NBAA issued statements noting the measures address longstanding concerns within the aviation community. Both bills must advance through the full House and Senate before becoming law.

Wheels Up has advanced its fleet modernization plan through a sale-leaseback transaction covering 10 aircraft and the entry into service of its first Embraer Phenom 300 equipped with Gogo Galileo HDX satellite connectivity.

The company said today that it has struck an agreement with an institutional capital provider to sell three Bombardier Challenger 300s and seven Phenom 300s and lease the aircraft back under long-term operating contracts. Wheels Up will continue to operate the aircraft, providing uninterrupted access for members and customers. The transaction supports the company’s ongoing shift toward an asset-light operating model while enabling planned fleet expansion in 2026.

The sale price is approximately $105 million. Proceeds are expected to be used to repay about $65 million of outstanding debt under the company’s revolving equipment notes facility, with roughly $40 million added to the balance sheet. Wheels Up said the transaction is expected to close before year-end.

Separately, the company confirmed that its first Phenom 300 equipped with Gogo Galileo HDX satellite connectivity has entered service. The milestone marks the start of a fleet-wide upgrade program that will extend into next year. Following FAA approval of the HDX system on the Phenom, Wheels Up expects its first Challenger 300 equipped with the system to enter service early next year.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s release of an advanced air mobility (AAM) roadmap for the next decade has drawn accolades from across the nation’s aviation industry, including several leading developers of electric and autonomous aircraft.

Drafted by the federal government’s AAM Interagency Working Group and published online on December 17—the 122nd anniversary of the Wright brothers’ first flight—the strategy document sets forth 40 policy recommendations organized into six pillars: airspace, infrastructure, security, community planning and engagement, workforce, and automation. A concurrently published comprehensive action plan translates those recommendations into a sequence of action items, including the formation of a White House-led interagency working group responsible for implementing the national strategy, tracking progress, and coordinating budgets.

“Today is a landmark moment for advanced air mobility,” said Marc Allen, CEO of Electra, a Virginia-based start-up developing electric short-takeoff-and-landing airplanes. “We applaud the administration’s visionary leadership in navigating the most significant shift in aviation in a generation.”

Part of the DOT’s roadmap is the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) that the White House directed the FAA to launch in an executive order issued earlier this year. Competing eVTOL developers Joby, Archer, and Beta plan to participate in the eIPP. Following the release of the national strategy, Archer announced plans to submit multiple applications under the eIPP to operate in several states, including California, Florida, and New York.

Bombardier is equipping new Challenger 650, Global 5500, and Global 6500 business jets with its new cabin Smart Router, developed in partnership with Collins Aerospace. All in-production Challengers and Globals will feature the Smart Router by the end of 2026. Owners of select Challengers and Globals can also have the Smart Router installed at Bombardier service centers.

The Smart Router is compatible with any airborne connectivity system, according to Bombardier, and features technology from the Collins CCR-3000, with “additional features to create a high-performance connectivity solution.” These include Wi-Fi 6, 5G cellular connectivity, virtual router redundancy protocol, “modern security features,” and real-time troubleshooting via remote support and fault isolation.

“Innovation is in Bombardier’s DNA, and the new Smart Router as a baseline device is another representation of a key product improvement,” said Peter Likoray, senior v-p aircraft sales. “Designed with security at the core and to elevate our support with real-time troubleshooting through remote support and fault isolation, the improved cyber protection gives confidence and peace of mind anywhere, any place, at any time.”

Global helicopter distributor Rotortrade will open a maintenance, sales, and services hub in Riyadh, marking its entry into the Saudi Arabian market. Construction of the facility is expected to start in February and be completed by the end of next year.

Following Rotortrade’s acquisition by Saudi Arabia-based The Helicopter Co., Rotortrade said its upcoming Helipark facility is intended to support its global activities while “establishing a permanent presence in Saudi Arabia.” This will complement its existing sites in Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific.

Design work is already underway for the 6,000-sq-m (64,583-sq-ft), three-floor center, which will include what Rotortrade describes as “a fully integrated service center offering [helicopter] maintenance, repair, and operational support.” Services initially offered will focus on sales support, maintenance, completion, and part-out projects for Airbus and Leonardo helicopters.

The Helipark hub will be situated within Saudi Arabia’s Special Integrated Logistics Zone (SILZ), eight kilometers from King Khalid International Airport. SILZ CEO Fadi Al-Buhairan described the Helipark as “a critical infrastructure that accelerates [the region’s] transformation into a multimodal logistics powerhouse,” helping to cement Saudi Arabia’s role as a regional aviation hub.