The first of 34 Epic E1000s ordered by Avantto is now at the fractional provider’s hangar at Congonhas Airport in São Paulo, Brazil. The company expects the final import stages to be completed later this week after Carnaval ends. Bend, Oregon-based Epic Aircraft is readying two more of the all-composite turboprop singles for delivery to Avantto next month, with another two expected to follow in the second quarter.

Avantto’s E1000 is the first of the type to be delivered to a Brazilian customer. Last month, three senior Avantto pilots spent two weeks training at the OEM’s factory, which included both simulator and in-airplane time. An Avantto official told AIN that, despite the bad weather in Oregon, “They’ve all come back having only positive things, very positive things, to say about the aircraft.”

Maintenance will be handled by VOAR Aviation, which has expanded from its Goiânia base to Congonhas. VOAR’s aircraft technicians have already completed maintenance training on the E1000.

The E1000s are part of Avantto’s strategy to extend its fractional share operation, now largely concentrated in Brazil’s southeast region, to the agribusiness public of the central-west region. This is facilitated by the turboprop single’s capability to fly nonstop from ranch runways to urban centers.

Business aircraft activity last year dipped by 3.3 percent in North America and by 10.2 percent in Europe but managed to remain strong in the rest of the world as it continued to normalize following the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Argus International.

Releasing its 2023 Annual Business Aviation Review, Argus said last year began with numerous questions on whether the flight activity declines that began at the end of 2022 would continue and what the impact of a possible recession and supply chain issues would be. Questions also remained on Part 91 activity levels.

In fact, Part 91 flights did ebb in 2023, but nominally—by 2.6 percent. Outside of midsize jet activity, most of Part 91 was down by just 1 percent or less, Argus added. An economic recession did not materialize, but supply chain and personnel issues remained problematic.

However, Argus added, “That didn’t slow down fractional activity, which grew at a formidable 8.9 percent in 2023.” This is all the more impressive considering Part 135 activity dropped by 8.6 percent year-over-year.

In North America, Argus noted that activity was still up by 11.8 percent over the pre-pandemic 2019. “At this point, it is worth noting that, had the industry not seen Covid-19 and grew at 2 percent to 3 percent annually, then 2023 was right about where we would have been regardless.”

Buyers of satellite communication equipment have a new option for airborne hardware to connect to Viasat’s Jet ConneX Ka-band network: Satcom Direct’s Plane Simple Ka-band terminal.

The equipment recently received qualification approval, and Satcom Direct has confirmed a first customer for installation. The first supplemental type certificate for installation of the Plane Simple Ka-band terminal is expected by the end of March.

Satcom Direct also added an office in Basel, Switzerland, to provide customer support, develop product enhancements and software, and support further development of its SD Pro flight operations management platform. In addition to facilitating Satcom Direct’s European sales and marketing activities, the Basel office’s location “provides access to a pool of talented professionals in the technology and commercial sectors, which will help Satcom Direct foster a dynamic environment for software engineers and developers,” the company said.

“This strategic investment underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional support to our clients while driving innovation in software development for the business aviation community,” said Satcom Direct international v-p David Falberg. “Basel is home to a number of our major MRO partners. As we continue embedding ourselves in the immediate and wider vicinity, we will continue providing localized 24/7/365 support, enriched training solutions, and a facility that enables us to engage regularly with our customers through workshops and customer-focused events to optimize their connectivity potential.”

Helicopter passengers flying to Nice International Airport in France can now go through security clearance on the helipad side of the airport and then connect directly to commercial flights, according to Blade Air Mobility. This eliminates the need to join general security screening lines at the airport when arriving at Nice Airport via helicopter from nearby cities in the south of France.

Blade also announced that it has appointed Rémi Bouysset as CEO of Blade Europe. Bouysset has decades of experience in the luxury travel industry, including with CWT, Hogg Robinson Group France, and cruise line Ponant, where he was head of the Global Partners & Charters division. Before taking on the new role, he was CEO of Monacair Group, Blade’s operating partner in France and Monaco. Benoît Cocheteux also joined Blade Europe recently as COO.

According to Bouysset, “The addition of the new helipad-side security screening at Nice Airport not only enhances time savings and convenience for our passengers but also allows us to scale our airport transfer services as we transition to quiet, emission-free, electric vertical aircraft.”

Typical cities that Blade flies to Nice from include Monaco, Cannes, St. Tropez, Geneva, and Courchevel.

Embraer Services & Support and Saudia Technic have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on maintenance and training capabilities. The agreement, reached at Riyadh’s World Defense Show 2024 on February 4, aims to enhance cooperation on civil aviation, namely the E2 jets family and Embraer Executive Jets maintenance.

“Through this memorandum of understanding, we embark on a journey of collaboration and growth,” said Saudia Technic CEO Fahd Cynndy. “The aerospace industry in Saudi Arabia is thriving, and together with Embraer Services & Support, we are poised to make remarkable advancements. This partnership will propel us towards new horizons, shaping the future of commercial aviation and paving the way for excellence in maintenance.”

Saudia Technic performs services in line, base, components, and engines across the aviation industry.

“We are very pleased to sign a broad memorandum of understanding with Saudia Technic,” added Carlos Naufel, president and CEO of Embraer Services & Support. “The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has one of the fastest-growing aerospace industries worldwide, and Embraer Services & Support is well-positioned to advance in the region by working in partnership with Saudia Technic.”

APP Jet Center, the lone service provider at Florida’s Treasure Coast International Airport (KFPR), has broken ground on another hangar complex and an upgrade to its terminal.

The company has 150,000 sq ft of hangar space at KFPR, and it will add another 30,000 sq ft of shelter, including five private 3,600-foot hangars, each capable of accommodating up to a midsize business jet, and six T-hangars. The new complex is scheduled for completion by September.

Meanwhile, the FBO’s 6,000-sq-ft terminal will receive an interior refresh, along with improvements to its parking lot and landscaping. These improvements will enhance the facility’s appeal for dignitaries, business people, and private visitors, APP said. Retained will be the Tiki, the airport’s only onsite restaurant and a favored venue for aviators and local residents alike.

“APP Jet Center’s services and investment are central to the ongoing success and growth of Treasure Coast International Airport,” said Pete Tesch, president of the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County. “This airport is truly a jewel—with more acreage than Miami International, a foreign trade zone, on-site U.S. Customs, and a strategic location midway between Orlando and Miami.”

Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based FBO Banyan Air Service has dedicated a crew at its master technician facility at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE) to support an increased level of upgrade demand for Gogo Avance system installations.

Gogo has begun migrating its network technology to LTE (long-term evolution) for installation in early 2026. Once Gogo completes the migration, customers with a legacy ATG system (ATG 1000, 2000, 4000, 5000) who do not upgrade to Avance will lose their Gogo inflight connectivity.

Banyan technicians have installed more than 60 Avance L3 and L5 systems since their introduction in 2017. Operators flying with one of Gogo’s legacy ATG systems who upgrade to Avance will see an immediate improvement in performance and another boost once Gogo completes the network transition to LTE, the connectivity provider said. Customers who operate a legacy ATG system and upgrade to Avance can take advantage of Gogo rebates that range from $25,000 to $50,000.

As of September 30, Gogo reported 7,150 business aircraft flying with its broadband ATG systems onboard, 3,784 of which fly with a Gogo Avance L5 or L3 system and 4,395 aircraft with narrowband satellite connectivity installed.