A Crimson Edition Beechcraft King Air 360 and the Cessna Citation CJ3 Gen2 will make their first show appearances at EAA AirVenture next week in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Both aircraft will be on display alongside a broader lineup of Textron products.

Charleston, South Carolina-based paint manufacturer Mankiewicz Coatings supplied the King Air’s red finish. The company specializes in niche markets such as aviation, marine, and rail, and offers primer-to-clearcoat coatings in metallic, gloss, semi-gloss, and matte finishes. Mankiewicz has historically focused on airliner coatings within aviation but is working to expand its general and business aviation business. For darker colors such as the King Air’s red, the company offers an infrared-reflective coating designed to reflect heat, extending paint longevity and helping keep interiors cooler.

“EAA AirVenture is one of the most important opportunities each year for us to connect with customers and the broader aviation community,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior v-p of sales and marketing at Textron Aviation. “Being on the ground in Oshkosh allows us to showcase the breadth of our portfolio.”

Other aircraft expected at the Textron Aviation booth include the Citation CJ4 Gen3 and Beechcraft Denali cockpit mockups, the Citation M2 Gen2, Grand Caravan EX, and several piston models, along with Pipistrel’s Panthera, Sinus MAX, and Alpha Trainer. A Bell 505 and a Lycoming engine will also be on display.

South Korea is increasing its fleet of Bombardier Global 6500s under an agreement to buy two for its Electronic Warfare (EW) program. The EW aircraft are in addition to the four announced last year for the country’s Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) program.

Korean Air purchased the Globals for the EW program at a signing ceremony held in Seoul with Bombardier Defense. In October, L3Harris Technologies received a contract to deliver the four modified (AEW&C-configured) Global 6500s to the Republic of Korea Air Force. The EW Globals will be operated for Stand Off Jammer missions to disrupt enemy electromagnetic signals from a safe distance.

Noting its long-range (6,600 nm) and high-altitude (51,000 feet) capabilities, Bombardier said the Global 6500 has been selected for multiple special missions ranging from Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) to medical evacuation and head-of-state transport.

“The Global 6500 aircraft is in demand around the world because of its performance and versatility, and we’re extremely proud that it was chosen for two very advanced, yet different defense missions in South Korea,” said Michael Anckner, v-p of worldwide sales for Bombardier Defense. “This aircraft is trusted because of its proven military track record, yet it remains highly adaptable as defense needs evolve.”

Part 145 repair station Sky Aircraft Maintenance, a member of Atlantic Jet Partners, has been named an authorized Garmin Aviation dealer. The designation allows the Lexington, North Carolina-based facility to provide factory-authorized Garmin avionics sales, installation, integration, and support for private and business aircraft operators.

The MRO’s offerings include Garmin’s G5000 integrated flight deck retrofit program for select aircraft, including the Beechjet 400A/Hawker 400XP and Cessna Citation Excel/XLS series. The retrofit replaces existing avionics with a system featuring touchscreen controllers, digital autopilot integration, wireless cockpit technology, and enhanced situational awareness.

Sky Aircraft Maintenance said it can also support GTN Xi navigator installations, TXi flight display upgrades, GI 275 electronic flight instrument retrofits, Garmin digital autopilot installations, ADS-B compliance solutions, and wireless cockpit and connected aircraft technologies. The facility can coordinate Garmin upgrades alongside scheduled inspections, maintenance events, connectivity upgrades, and interior refurbishments to reduce aircraft downtime.

“Aircraft owners and operators are looking for solutions that improve capability, reduce pilot workload, and help protect the long-term value of their aircraft,” said Sky Aircraft Maintenance avionics sales and business development manager Christopher Arnett. “Garmin continues to lead the industry with products that accomplish those goals, and we’re excited to bring those solutions to our customers as an authorized Garmin dealer.”

Preowned business jet sales slowed slightly in the first half as fewer aircraft were added to the market, according to data from AircraftPost. The number of aircraft sold dipped to 502 in the first six months, marking a 2.3% decline from the 514 in the same period last year, AircraftPost, an AIN Media Group company, reported. At the same time, 728 business jets were added to the market, a 3.6% drop from 755 in the first half of 2025.

More large-cabin business jets were added to the market and sold in the first six months than any other aircraft category. AircraftPost noted that the Gulfstream IV-SP was a driver of those results. In the first half, 168 large-cabin business jets came on the market, while 116 were sold.

The midsize jet category followed closely behind with 159 aircraft added and 115 sold. AircraftPost noted that the Cessna Citation Sovereign was tops in market additions in this category, while the Citation XLS+ was the best seller in this segment.

As for the other categories, 76 ultra-long-range business jets were added to the market in the first half and 59 were sold; 92 super-midsize jets were added and 48 sold; 146 light jets were added and 100 sold; and 87 very light jets came onto the market and 51 were sold.

West Star Aviation is pleased to announce Jeff Messmer has been named Manager of Technical Sales, supporting the company’s operations in Perryville, Missouri, at Perryville Regional Airport (PCD).

A benefit dinner tomorrow evening will help raise funds for W Aviation’s Hope on Wings initiative after the project has completed 12 humanitarian flights and delivered more than 250,000 pounds of aid to Venezuela, which was struck by powerful earthquakes on June 24. Tickets for the dinner are available online or in person at W Aviation.

W Aviation’s largest aircraft hangar at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE) will host the dinner, and guests may view the aircraft actively used in flying the humanitarian missions. The event includes food donated by South Florida restaurants, wellness treatments donated by a Weston medical spa, live musical performances, and an art auction featuring work from artists based in South Florida, Venezuela, Colombia, and Hawaii. MGC Events and Gaby Cubeddu organized the event.

The flights have delivered medicines, first-aid supplies, generators, rescue equipment, tents, sleeping bags, food, diapers, and communications equipment to communities affected by recent earthquakes, and have also returned rescuers and humanitarian personnel home after completing missions in Venezuela.

The operation involves several partner organizations. Sunrisas receives donations transported to Maiquetía and coordinates their distribution to affected areas. Giving Smiles TTLO coordinates the collection, organization, and preparation of donations at W Aviation’s base at KFXE. We Love Foundation and Global Empowerment Mission have also joined the operation and are working with Hope on Wings on future projects.

The FAA is recommending that operators upgrade certain Collins Aerospace GNSS receivers that are not meeting minimum operational performance standards for processing an integrity message from Europe’s satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS), the agency noted in a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB). Currently, the condition does not warrant an airworthiness directive, the FAA said. EASA issued a mandatory directive last year, AD 2025-0088, requiring replacement of affected receivers for aircraft registered in member states.

According to the FAA, the issue stems from a November 2023 ground system update to the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), which exposed noncompliance in affected Collins GPS-4000S, GLU-2100, GLUS-2100, and GLUS-2100A receivers. This noncompliance results in incorrect processing of the Message Type 6 integrity alert, which the FAA said may affect the availability of Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance and other SBAS-based approach types. The issue is most prevalent within EGNOS coverage but may affect other SBAS regions.

The FAA recommends that operators with affected hardware and software configurations upgrade to serviceable receivers per Collins Aerospace service documentation.

Collins GPS-4000S and GLU-2100 receivers were previously the subject of a separate, unrelated service disruption in 2019 that affected GPS navigation and ADS-B transponder functionality in the U.S., prompting the FAA to issue temporary operational exemptions. That earlier issue was resolved through a GPS constellation update.

The Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) Show opens for its 11th iteration on December 8 at Dubai World Central, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of MEBAA, led by founding and executive chairman Ali Alnaqbi.

Program features this year include the return of the BizAv Talks program, an “Operators Program” offering pre-arranged meetings, a “NextGen Leaders’ Program” for students on the show’s final day, and a new “Platinum Guest Program” offering VIP experiences for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, including private aircraft viewing and chauffeured FBO transfers.

“No other event connects global business aviation brands with high-value buyers, operators, and decision makers from across the Middle East and Africa, Asia, and Europe,” Alnaqbi said. This year’s show is under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline and Group.

The 2024 edition of the biennial show drew 10,000 attendees from more than 100 countries, along with 145 exhibitors and 30 aircraft on static display. Confirmed exhibitors for 2026 include Bombardier, Dassault Aviation, Jet Aviation, Harrods Aviation, Universal Aviation, AEG Fuels, Lufthansa Technik, Gama Aviation, Falcon Aviation, and RoyalJet, with Jetex, Registry of Aruba, and DC Aviation confirmed as sponsors.

DAS Aviation has expanded its heat exchanger inspection, repair, and overhaul service to include Cessna Citation business jets. The Part 145 repair station—which has locations in Texas, Ohio, and Colorado—begins each project with a comprehensive inspection to assess a heat exchanger unit’s condition, both internally and externally.

Using pressure testing and defect evaluation, the team determines whether a unit remains serviceable and what corrective action is required. It can perform everything from minor local repairs for small, isolated defects to complete overhauls for more extensive damage, including replacement of the core assembly.

“Heat exchangers operate in one of the harshest environments on the aircraft, facing both structural and thermal stress,” said DAS new product development engineer Andrew Rietschel. “Our job is to return these units to a fully serviceable condition as quickly as possible, without altering the certified design.”

The program delivers an average two-week turnaround while restoring every unit to original manufacturer specifications. When that timeframe is too long, the company maintains flat-rate exchange units in stock and ready to ship, providing an immediate option to return aircraft to service.

“Our customers expect fast, dependable turn times,” added Rietschel. “By standardizing our evaluation and repair workflow and adhering to OEM specifications, we deliver consistent quality across the Cessna fleet.”