The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) is seeking to break into the large-cabin VIP aircraft market with a modified version of the C909 narrowbody airliner. The state-backed airframer believes the Comac Business Jet (CBJ) will prove attractive, especially in an Asia-Pacific regional market that has long been dominated by leading Western manufacturers.

Comac’s 90-seat ARJ21-700 airliner, which has since been rebranded as the C909, is the original CBJ airframe. In March 2021, the Civil Aviation Administration of China issued the aircraft’s type certificate validation, almost six years after the airliner was approved.

Typical CBJ cabin configurations seat between 12 and 19 passengers, but it can be fitted out with 29 seats. Powered by a pair of General Electric CF34-10A engines, range with eight passengers is around 2,700 nm, and the aircraft cruises at 520 knots with a maximum altitude of 39,000 feet.

The CBJ has been validated to operate at high-altitude airfields such as China’s Daocheng Yading Airport at 14,470 feet. The twinjet’s required takeoff roll is 6,722 feet.

CBJ operators can benefit from the extensive technical support Comac has put in place for more than 170 C909s it has so far delivered to airlines in China and across Southeast Asia.

Universal Aviation and airport operator Aerodom have inaugurated the new FBO terminal at Presidente Juan Bosch International Airport (MDCY) in Samaná, on the northeastern corner of the Dominican Republic.

Aerodom—a division of global airport operator Vinci—holds the concession to manage six state-owned airports in the island nation through 2060. Earlier this year, it announced that Universal would operate the FBO at MDCY, which underwent a major renovation.

The 3,200-sq-ft terminal—in step with Vinci’s sustainability commitments—features eco-friendly construction and technology. It offers a modern lobby, private passenger lounge, an ocean view terrace, onsite immigration and customs services, concierge, crew lounge, and catering kitchen. It marks Universal’s third FBO on the island, along with providing ground handling at four other locations.

The opening comes amid sustained growth and tourism infrastructure investment in the area, which has emerged as a destination for luxury travel.

“With this new terminal, we reaffirm our commitment to the development of private and executive aviation in the Dominican Republic,” said Alexandra Malvezin, Aerodom’s chief commercial officer. “This FBO places Samaná on par with the most exclusive international destinations, strengthening its tourism appeal and contributing to the economic growth of the entire northeastern region.”

Bombardier remains on track for a 2026 opening of its planned 120,000-sq-ft service center in the UAE, with key structures going up at the company’s site at Al Bateen Executive Airport (OMAD) in Abu Dhabi. The facility, to become a key hub for Bombardier’s growing business aviation fleet in the Middle East, will service the breadth of the company’s products—including the recently certified Global 8000.

Structural frameworks of the main building and hangar are now rising, Bombardier reported. “Seeing this flagship facility take shape is a powerful symbol of Bombardier’s commitment to delivering world-class maintenance capabilities in the Middle East,” said Paul Sislian, executive v-p for Bombardier's aftermarket services and strategy.

With a 55,000-sq-ft hangar and a dedicated parts depot, the center will offer a full suite of maintenance services—including scheduled and unscheduled heavy maintenance, aircraft modifications, and AOG support. It will create 100 jobs in Abu Dhabi and complement the airframer's existing line maintenance station in Dubai.

The facility is part of a global services expansion that Bombardier has undertaken over the past decade, resulting in several new facilities. In addition to the UAE, the Canadian airframer is adding a service facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and a paint shop at its already expanded London-Biggin Hill service center.

The path to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is taking significant steps forward—with availability at 130 FBOs—but business aviation must continue to generate demand to ensure that access continues to grow, said Nancy Bsales, COO for sustainability specialist 4Air.

During the Irish Business and General Aviation Association’s International Business Aviation Conference last month, Bsales held a fireside chat with Smitha Hariharan, v-p and chief sustainability officer at Gulfstream Aerospace, to discuss progress on the business aviation sustainability goal of net zero by 2050. “It seems lofty,” Bsales said. “We do know that SAF is the near-term solution to get us to net zero by 2050.”

Gulfstream recognized that SAF is a critical path and, in 2023, flew across the Atlantic with 100% (neat) SAF in both engines of a G600. The net result is Gulfstream can tell its customers: “You should find absolutely no difference between flying the 70/30 blend and the 100% jet-A,” Hariharan said. The next major step is striving towards 100% SAF. Manufacturers have banded together to work towards a drop-in standard for “Jet X” (100% SAF drop-in standard).

Momentum is building, Bsales said. In 2020, there were only 20 FBOs worldwide carrying SAF. “Now we’re close to 130 FBOs worldwide. You have the opportunity to uplift almost anywhere you’re going,” Bsales noted.

But challenges remain. “Price parity and supply are some things that worry me,” Hariharan noted.

Long-range operators crossing the South Pacific are facing business aviation constraints at NTAA Tahiti, according to OpsGroup, which reports that the airport’s capacity strain is driving multiple daily blackout periods and stricter alternate-use rules through early 2026.

Visiting business aircraft are restricted during several daily morning and evening airline rushes unless the airport manager grants an exception. These windows vary by day of week, with the tightest restrictions on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Outside those blocks, business aircraft can operate normally, but small schedule shifts can determine whether flights are accepted or told to wait.

There are also separate restrictions on filing Tahiti as an alternate. During many of the same peak hours, operators not based in French Polynesia or not already operating at NTAA that day cannot list the airport as a diversion without prior approval. Medevac flights are the only automatic exception. Operators should review notams for exact hours restricting stops or alternate filings.

Because alternates in the region are limited, OpsGroup warns that these rules materially affect Pacific crossing plans and advised careful planning. Local operational factors also come into play. Apron space is limited and ATC staffing can delay evening departures. Fuel arrangements differ by handler, and landing permits must be obtained directly through the French Polynesia CAA portal. Nearby Bora Bora and Raiatea airports also cannot serve as international alternates.

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.