Six accidents involving U.S.-registered business jets killed 23 people last year versus zero fatalities in 2022, according to preliminary statistics gathered by AIN. Five occurred under Part 91, killing 15, and one charter accident accounted for eight fatalities last year.

Three fatal accidents of non-U.S.-registered business jets killed nine last year, down from four such accidents and 17 fatalities in 2022. The August 23 crash of a Legacy 600 in Russia is not included because suspicion of malfeasance persists in what downed the twinjet.

Meanwhile, the number of U.S.-registered business jet nonfatal accidents decreased by more than half—11 in 2023 versus 26 in 2022. There were no nonfatal mishaps involving Part 135 operations last year, compared with five in 2022. One nonfatal accident last year involved a Part 91K operation. Nonfatal accidents of non-U.S.-registered business jets ticked up by one, to six, from a year earlier.

The number of nonfatal and fatal accidents changed little over the last two-year period for U.S.-registered turboprops, but fatalities in this category decreased from 37 in 2022 to 25 last year. Fatalities climbed in non-U.S.-registered turboprop accidents, from 26 in 2022 to 46 last year.

Runway excursions continued to be the most common type of incident or accident. There were 71 excursions involving turbine business aircraft last year.

The Central Ops division of Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) recently simulated a road incident on a remote portion of the A87 Stuart Highway, landing a Pilatus PC-24 twinjet on the Traeger Road Strip. This was the first time a PC-24 landed on an Australian Outback highway, according to Pilatus Aircraft.

In a video of the landing and subsequent takeoff, the highway is closed to traffic, and an aiming point is painted across the highway to help guide the pilot’s touchdown point. The landing is done smoothly, despite the 12-knot crosswind and temperature greater than 100 degrees F. On takeoff, dust at the side of the road illustrates the effect of the crosswind as well as wingtip vortices on the downwind side of the road. 

The area where the simulation took place is north of Glendambo in South Australia, and the highway extends 1,740 miles (2,800 km), serving an area with a population of more than 2.1 million but with only five hospitals. “In comparison, Switzerland is 56 times smaller and has approximately 276 hospitals. The RFDS plays an essential role in enabling communities to exist in such remote areas,” according to Pilatus.

NASA late Friday revealed the X-59 quiet supersonic technology (Quesst) demonstrator aircraft that the agency said could pave the way for overland supersonic flight. The X-59 was unveiled during a public ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility near NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Palmdale, California. 

The aircraft, which is expected to fly at Mach 1.4, measures 99.7 feet long, with a thin, tapered nose accounting for about one-third of its length. According to NASA, the long nose will help to break up shock waves that would otherwise cause a sonic boom. 

Perhaps one of the most interesting qualities of the X-59 is the absence of a forward-facing window in the cockpit. “We made that decision to make it quieter, but it's actually an important step forward…in advancing aviation technology,” said NASA deputy administrator Pam Melroy. “The external vision system has the potential to influence future aircraft designs.”

NASA intends to fly the X-59 for the first time later this year, after which the agency will begin flying the aircraft over several as-yet-unnamed cities in the U.S. to collect noise data from the sonic boom produced by the aircraft.

ExecuJet South Africa, part of the Luxembourg-based Luxaviation Group, is the first FBO operator to be approved by the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry (IOMAR) for the reduced inspection and evaluation (RIE) program.

The RIE program is designed to give aircraft operators more flexibility in extending the rectification cycle for some minimum equipment list items, which can help streamline processes and improve efficiency while maintaining safety standards. According to the company, its approval for the program underlines its approach to safety and its “continuous pursuit of process optimization and operation efficiency.”

ExecuJet South Africa achieved Stage 3 registration under the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) following its most recent audit and earned a Gold Aviation Safety Award from aviation safety training consultancy Litson and Associates.

“Safety is at the core of Luxaviation Group’s mission,” stated CEO Patrick Hansen. “ExecuJet South Africa’s accomplishments highlight our dedication to the highest safety standards, solidifying our pioneering role in African aviation, setting new benchmarks, and fostering a culture of safety and operational excellence that benefits the entire aviation industry.”

Airbus Helicopters is expanding its uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) portfolio with the acquisition of Aerovel and its Flexrotor program. The vehicle is a small tactical UAS developed for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance missions at sea and over land.

The transaction announced by the European aerospace group today is expected to be completed in 2024 once regulatory approvals have been completed. Aerovel, based in Bingen, Washington, will remain a U.S.-owned company and continue to work with the U.S. Department of Defense under Airbus’ Special Security Agreement.

According to Aerovel CEO Ali Dian, having the backing of Airbus “will allow us to scale innovation, accelerate our mission to advance unmanned aviation, and maintain our unwavering support for the U.S. military and its allies."

The Flexrotor is a VTOL aircraft with a maximum launch weight of 55 pounds that can handle missions lasting more than 12 to 14 hours. It can carry different payloads, including an electro-optical system and advanced sensors, requiring just a 12-foot-by-12-foot area for launch and recovery.

“This strategic acquisition aligns with our vision to expand our UAS offering and respond to a growing customer demand worldwide for additional mission capabilities such as manned-unmanned teaming,” commented Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even. He said that the Flexrotor will complement Airbus’ in-development VSR700 UAS and its work on interoperability.