An 18-day strike that brought Global 5500, 6500, and 7500 assembly to a halt at Bombardier’s production facility at Toronto Pearson Airport ended this morning. The 1,350 unionized plant workers, represented by Unifor Locals 112 and 673, ratified a three-year collective agreement today that provides a 12.5% wage increase over that span.

It also increases pension contributions and ensures better job security via work commitments for union members over the entire Global fleet, including the forthcoming Model 8000 and any future derivatives.

“Our union’s top priority in these negotiations was to secure an agreement that reflects our members’ skills, hard work, and dedication which have made Bombardier’s Global jet program so successful,” said Unifor national president Lana Payne. “After a highly effective strike, I am proud to say that our members ratified a landmark agreement that delivers a substantial economic package at a time when aerospace workers need it most.”

In a statement, Bombardier said it “is committed to the [Toronto] site and the continued success of its industry-leading Global family of aircraft, for which normal assembly operations will resume today.” Bombardier opened the $500 million aircraft production facility in early May.

The aviation community paid tribute to former Sen. James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), who died yesterday at the age of 89. Known as a passionate pilot who speared headed two Pilots Bill of Rights measures and maneuvered to help bring the landmark General Aviation Revitalization Act (GARA) of 1994 to the House floor, Inhofe had retired from the Senate in January 2023 after a career spanning 36 years.

“Sen. Inhofe was a master legislator and general aviation’s great champion,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “Those two truths are reflected in every aviation bill that has passed Congress and been signed into law over the past 35 years.”

Bolen pointed to Inhofe's involvement with the discharge petition—largely credited for getting GARA to the floor—as well as the Pilots Bill of Rights, Basic Med, and numerous FAA reauthorization bills as measures that have protected general aviation’s access to airspace and airports and said this is just a fraction of what he had done to promote aviation.

NATA president and CEO Curt Castagna remarked, “Sen. Inhofe’s legislative skill and deep understanding of the importance of general aviation left an indelible mark on our nation’s aviation infrastructure and skilled workforce. We are a stronger, more resilient industry because of the Senator’s wisdom, leadership, and dedication.”

Elevate MRO has opened its new business aircraft maintenance center at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (KBJC) in Denver. The expansion includes increased staff and maintenance teams to support the existing client base and boost service availability while supporting Elevate Jet's management, charter, and aircraft sales capabilities.

The 17,000-sq-ft facility provides hangar and office space, allowing Elevate to expand its maintenance and management capacity. Also, it will introduce avionics services, including custom installations and maintenance. Notably, SpaceX recently selected Elevate MRO as an approved Starlink dealer and installer for business aircraft.

Elevate aims to tap into the region's pool of aviation technicians and industry veterans, while offering aircraft owners another local aircraft management option. Elevate’s AOG team provides support to the Denver metropolitan area and surrounding resort airports.

"In addition to expanding our MRO footprint, this new facility will provide Elevate clients a home for owners who are looking for aircraft management services," said Elevate MRO president Jim Slack. "With its client-centric approach, Elevate MRO maintains a wide array of current airframes representing 43 unique aircraft models across 11 manufacturers. This expansion underscores our commitment to delivering top-tier services and innovative solutions to the private jet community."

PrivateSky, the lone FBO at Southwest Florida International Airport (KRSW) in Fort Myers, has filed a lawsuit against its landlord, Lee County Port Authority (LCPA), seeking an injunction over a request for proposals that the authority issued on May 31 for a second FBO at KRSW. In its complaint, PrivateSky alleges that the retail fuel sales volumes at KRSW (which it must report to the authority) are not large enough to support two FBOs and claims that this is an attempt to eventually drive it out of business following a change in LCPA leadership.

The FBO operator indicated that jet-A sales at KRSW dropped from 1.2 million gallons in 2022 to 900,000 last year, while movements declined 32%—from 9,161 to 6,227. Yet, according to the airport’s master plan, growth is anticipated and there is space designated for additional general aviation development.

This is not the first time PrivateSky has sought legal action against LCPA, which is not only its landlord but also its rival. LCPA owns and operates the sole FBO at nearby Page Field (KFMY), which PrivateSky said can undercut it on pricing due to not having to pay any rent or fuel flowage fees. PrivateSky argued that LCPA illegally used government funds to build its new FBO at KMFY in competition with its own at KRSW. That lawsuit was later dismissed.

Gogo Business Aviation is bringing a new satellite-based inflight connectivity service, Gogo Galileo, to business aviation operators worldwide that will deliver a broadband experience with fast data rates and low latency to accommodate more devices onboard and data-hungry services like streaming video, video conferencing, cloud computing, and gaming. It is designed to fit on business aircraft of all sizes.

Butler National subsidiary Avcon Industries has obtained an FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) for a dual camera port installation and its "Special Mission Pod" modification on the Cessna Caravan and Grand Caravan. The design allows for simultaneous modifications to provide about 80 cu ft of additional space in the fuselage-mounted pod, which can accommodate sensors, cameras, and radars with a full 360-degree swept volume. The Avcon dual camera ports work with the lower fuselage pod and allow the installation of cabin-mounted Lidar/camera sensors.

The Special Mission Pod optimizes sensor operational capabilities for the turboprop singles, noted Butler National president and CEO Chris Reedy. "Similarly, the combination of a Special Mission Pod with the Avcon Caravan camera ports expands the functionality of the aircraft to other applications.”

List prices for the standard Avcon Special Mission Pod for the Model 208 and 208B start at $225,000. The Avcon dual camera port modification costs $248,000.

"Avcon continues to look for opportunities to grow the utility of airplanes,” said Avcon sales director Aric Peters. “While Avcon offers many special mission modifications for King Air airplanes…now Avcon has extended its available platforms to include the Model 208/208B Caravan family. The Avcon modifications are designed for generic functionality, to include installation, retraction, and extension of lights, and cameras, and are compatible with a wide range of radar bands, including X/P/L-bands.”

With some in aviation questioning the industry’s ability to meet the European mandates being set on sustainable aviation fuel use (SAF), EASA has set up an SAF clearinghouse. Similar to the UK’s efforts in April to support the production and adoption of SAF, the EU version will “remove as many barriers as possible to support the EU [and] international deployment of SAFs as well as the approval of new pathways.”

Intended to streamline the regulatory processes, it will act as a one-stop shop for fuel producers, providing them with everything needed for efficient standard evaluation under ASTM D4054 (the standard for new SAF pathways), including partial funding for testing and report writing. According to EASA, SAF accounts for less than 0.05% of total EU aviation fuel use, and meeting the goals set in the announced mandates will require a variety of production pathways and new feedstocks.

“The demand for SAF will grow ever more to meet the goals set in the ReFuel EU Aviation Regulation and increasingly reduce the emissions from aviation,” said Maria Rueda, EASA’s director of strategy and safety management. “Via the EU SAF Clearing House, EASA wants to ensure that the fuel industry gets the support needed to succeed in developing SAF for aviation so that their innovation efforts are not in vain and more SAF is brought to the market.”

FBO operator and aviation real estate developer Sheltair has broken ground on a hangar complex at Melbourne Orlando International Airport (KMLB) in Central Florida. The 34,500-sq-ft structure will feature thirty 40-foot by 30-foot deep T-hangars with a 15-foot door height, each capable of sheltering very light jets such as the Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet. The development will also include 37 customer vehicle parking spaces and a pair of restrooms.

Located adjacent to KMLB’s tower, the complex is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2025, and the company is already accepting pre-opening leases.

“The ability to accommodate an additional 30 smaller aircraft with new T-hangar facilities will be an invaluable asset to our Melbourne operation,” said Sheltair COO Todd Anderson. “As the region’s businesses thrive, so does the airport. We’re dedicated to meeting its needs every step of the way.”

Sheltair acquired the Melbourne location in 2021. The Florida-based, family-owned company operates 16 FBOs, the majority of them in the Sunshine State. Over its entire network, it has a portfolio of more than 4.5 million sq ft of aviation-related properties.

Vertical Aviation International (VAI) is hosting an Air Tour Safety Conference from September 23 to 24 at the Hawaii Convention Center in Oahu. The two-day event is designed for pilots, operators, safety directors, and others in the industry and will address key topics to provide “practical insights and actionable strategies,” according to VAI.

Topics range from elevating air tour risk management and personal professionalism to understanding compliance with the safety management system mandate, complete information awareness, and passenger safety technologies.

This conference comes as air tour safety has continually remained under the spotlight, particularly in Hawaii. Last year, the FAA announced an initiative to help boost Hawaii air tour safety, outlining a “consistent new process" under which operators receive authorization to safely descend below specific altitudes to avoid flying into bad weather. However, operators are skeptical that the process will have the intended effect.