President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that the U.S. is revoking type certificates of all “Bombardier Global Expresses and all aircraft made in Canada” until Gulfstream “is fully certified” by Transport Canada. Further, he has threatened 50% tariffs on any aircraft produced in Canada and sold in the U.S. if the situation is not “immediately corrected.” In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that Canada has steadfastly refused to certify the Gulfstream G500, G600, G700, and G800. “Canada is effectively prohibiting the sale of Gulfstream products in Canada through this very same process.”

In response, Bombardier said it has taken note of the post and is in contact with the Canadian government. “Thousands of private and civilian jets built in Canada fly in the U.S. every day,” the Montreal-based airframer said. “We hope this is quickly resolved to avoid a significant impact on air traffic and the flying public.” Bombardier further pointed out that it employs more than 3,000 people in the U.S. across nine major facilities and has created thousands more jobs through 2,800 suppliers. 

The FAA deferred comment on whether action has been taken yet to revoke the type certificates, but a White House spokesman said, "This does not affect aircraft that are currently operational and in service." 

Gulfstream Aerospace had not yet responded to the post.

The consensus seems to be in—the preowned business aircraft market will remain robust this year, according to most professionals’ opinions. I personally agree with this.

If this is indeed the outcome and the market remains strong, the most attractive time to purchase an aircraft will be in the first half of the year, because tax-driven purchasing will ramp up in the second half. So if you plan on purchasing early in the year and taking the depreciation properly, it will be necessary to make sure you qualify and are disciplined with business versus personal use.

If you can be, then you will likely capitalize on a market that will have more choices and more reasonable pricing than what it may look like in the third and fourth quarters. In short, the savviest buyers will make their moves early this year as opposed to later. If you’re thinking about doing something along these lines, assemble your purchasing team (a good aviation attorney and a broker or acquisition agent) and get things in gear now as opposed to waiting.

These seasoned professionals will start providing you with good market intelligence now, so you can make a very educated purchase within the next few months before you have a lot more competition around you in the market.

Indian aviation officials are probing the cause of a fatal accident on Wednesday that killed all five people on board a Learjet 45 that crashed while landing at Baramati Airport, including Ajit Pawar, deputy chief minister of Maharashtra state. The chartered aircraft (VT-SSK), operated by VSR Ventures, was at the end of a short flight from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (VABB).

Group captain G.V.G. Yugandhar, director general of India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), is leading the operation, in which manufacturer Bombardier is also involved. Both flight data and cockpit voice recorders have been recovered from the wreckage of the twinjet.

Eyewitness reports mentioned that the aircraft had appeared unstable on approach to Baramati, with smoke trailing from it and elevated levels of noise from the engines. Radar data showed the Learjet vanishing seconds before hitting the ground around 100 feet short of Runway 11 and erupting into flames.

An initial review of the accident by India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation indicated that the crew executed a go‑around after losing visual contact with the runway on the first approach. No mayday call was made before the aircraft impacted terrain.

Baramati is an uncontrolled Category A airfield operating purely under visual flight rules. The airport has no VOR or precision approach procedures. 

As it looks to the future, Avfuel has announced several executive promotions and the formation of a new senior leadership team to collectively oversee its companywide operations.

After working his way through positions of increasing responsibility, C.R. Sincock—son of company owner, chairman, and CEO Craig Sincock—has been promoted to president as the Michigan-based fuel distributor solidifies its succession plan. A member of the executive team for nearly two decades, the younger Sincock has played an integral role in forming Avfuel’s strategies.

In addition, Joel Hirst, who has been with Avfuel for more than three decades, has been promoted from senior v-p of sales to executive v-p, overseeing critical business functions and operational effectiveness.

Marci Ammerman, most recently v-p of marketing, with nearly 40 years at Avfuel, was named senior v-p of marketing and strategic planning, while Jonathan Boyle, v-p of sales for the contract fuel group, was tapped to head up bulk fuel sales as well. He will work closely with the company’s FBO, airport, and operator customers to deliver reliable fueling solutions and long-term value throughout its global network.

Hirst, Ammerman, and Boyle will be joined by Mike Zultowski, senior v-p of finance and operations; Ron Cagle, v-p of credit; and Craig LaVigne, v-p of finance; to form the senior leadership team that will support both Avfuel’s day-to-day operations and its long-range priorities.

The Air Charter Association (ACA) is expanding its training program with the launch of an Air Charter Essentials course. The industry group announced the initiative this week, along with the appointment of Claudia Schimansky as training manager to run the course, which is available to both members and non-members.

The Air Charter Essentials curriculum is intended to provide a comprehensive introduction to the industry. It is aimed at people starting careers in air charter.

Schimansky will work alongside Julie Ellis, who has been promoted to head of training at ACA. Having started her career as a member of cabin crew with European Aviation Air Charter, Schimansky has worked in the industry across three decades, mainly with charter brokering group Air Partner in the UK, Germany, Italy, France, and the UAE.

This year, ACA will hold three Air Charter Essentials courses, offering discounted rates for people under age 25. These will be offered on March 4 in London, April 21 at Aero Friedrichshafen in Germany, and on October 14 in London.

“I am pleased to be joining the well-respected team at ACA,” Schimansky commented. “Supporting both new and experienced aviation professionals has been a long-standing passion throughout my career, and I am excited to bring that commitment to this new role.”

Lake Charles, Louisiana-based Citadel Completions has rebranded as Citadel Aviation to reflect the company’s expanded global aviation services, not just VIP aircraft completions. The move is part of new CEO Greg Colgan’s marking “a new chapter,” which includes becoming “the preferred global partner for maintenance, modification, refurbishment, and completions in the VIP and elite custom aircraft market.”

Growing demand in the VIP aircraft market led to the expansion to full-service capabilities that include custom completion and refurbishment projects, fleet services, and maintenance. Colgan took on the CEO role at Citadel in August 2025, having previously worked as CEO at air carrier maintenance provider MRO Holdings.

“Operational credibility is our most valuable asset,” Colgan said. “My role is to empower the right experts to succeed. Talented people thrive on accountability and the drive to win. By combining technical expertise with a long-term, partnership-focused mindset, we are building a resilient, high-performing organization that delivers predictable, high-quality solutions for our clients.”

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