Saudi Arabian commercial helicopter operator The Helicopter Company (THC) is planning its first foray into business jet services, signing a letter of intent today for up to 60 Bombardier Challengers and Globals potentially worth $2.9 billion at list prices. The tentative agreement inked with Bombardier at the Farnborough International Airshow is a firm order for 12 aircraft—including five Challenger 3500s, five Global 5500s, and two Global 8000s—worth $566.5 million, and options for a further 48. Assuming the same ratio as the firm orders—meaning 20 Challenger 3500s, 20 Global 5500s, and eight Global 8000s—the options could be worth $2.33 billion. (Neither Bombardier nor THC disclosed a breakdown of the options.)

THC CEO Arnaud Martinez said the potential purchase will “deliver the customer experience the kingdom needs, that the kingdom deserves.” He added that, “as a portfolio of companies, THC was always poised to expand beyond rotary-wing aviation into fixed-wing operations.” THC, a Public Investment Fund company, operates a fleet of more than 60 Airbus and Leonardo helicopters.

Bombardier president and CEO Éric Martel described the letter of intent as “a powerful symbol of our companies’ shared customer-centric DNA and vision for economic growth in the region.” THC said the new business segment addresses rising demand in Saudi Arabia’s business aviation market. The choice of three different-sized aircraft will provide flexibility for a range of missions while offering fleet commonality benefits.

The Beechcraft Denali turboprop single is now expected to enter service next year, with Textron Aviation targeting an October conclusion to flight testing before submitting final documentation to the FAA for certification.

Denali’s three test aircraft have logged more than 4,100 flight hours across 1,650 flights, supporting validation of performance, systems, and operational capabilities. Textron Aviation is also using three ground-test articles as part of the Denali certification program. Recently completed milestones include stall speeds and characteristics, natural icing and ice shape evaluations, field performance, flyover noise, human factors assessments, and phase one of function and reliability testing.

Powered by a 1,300-shp GE Aerospace Catalyst Fadec turboprop engine, the Denali can cruise at 285 knots with a range of 1,600 nm at high-speed cruise with a pilot and four passengers. Its cabin includes six reclining seats as standard or up to nine in high-density configuration. It features Garmin G3000 avionics with emergency Autoland.

“The Beechcraft Denali program is advancing through the certification process very well as we complete critical flight test milestones and continue validating performance, systems and operational capability,” said Textron Aviation senior v-p of engineering and programs Chris Hearne.

The Denali first flew in November 2021. GE’s Catalyst received FAA approval in February 2025, with the powerplant said to be 18% more fuel efficient than others in the 1,200- to 1,400-shp class.

Bell Textron delivered the 700th Bell 505 on Monday at the Farnborough International Airshow, a milestone for a helicopter that has accumulated more than 390,000 flight hours across more than 55 countries and six continents since entering service in 2017. A private VIP operator received the light-single helicopter, which is based on the rotor and drive system of the Bell 206L4 and features Garmin avionics.

Besides the VIP and corporate segment, the Bell 505 serves as a military pilot training platform in Jordan, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Albania, Montenegro, Indonesia, Iraq, and South Korea. The helicopter’s open cabin and glass cockpit make it suited to training environments where student visibility is a priority.

"The Bell 505 is an incredible multimission aircraft, and we continue to see operators choosing this platform to join their fleet," said Robin Wendling, Bell’s managing director for Europe. "We look forward to welcoming our newest operator to the Bell family, while also celebrating all of our Bell 505 operators across the different mission segments throughout the world."

Aviation real estate developer Volare Hangars has released details of its planned 80-acre Oshkosh Aviation Park at Wisconsin’s Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH), the site of the annual EAA Airventure, the world’s largest airshow, which is taking place there this week.

Initial plans for the multimillion-dollar development call for the construction of four 40,000-sq-ft hangars and six 22,500-sq-ft hangars—all capable of sheltering the latest ultra-long-range business jets—plus five 4,200-sq-ft hangars, forty 3,600-sq-ft hangars, and more smaller hangars suitable for light general aviation aircraft.

The developer expects the complex to be self-sufficient with a dedicated fuel farm, private taxiway, gate entry, gated long-term parking, and aircraft wash bay. A highlight will be rooftop decks with prime viewing areas during the airshow and year-round.

Construction is expected to begin in 2028 subject to final approvals, infrastructure improvements, and market conditions.

“Oshkosh is unlike any other aviation community in the world,” said John Panfil, principal of  Arizona-based Volare, which has three hangar complexes under development in its home state. “We are excited to create more than just hangars; we are building a place for aviation businesses and enthusiasts to Live-Work-Play-Fly.” 

DAS Aviation and AQRD Engineering have developed an engineered modification for Phenom 300 operators to address inlet fastener concerns and improve reliability.

Textron Aviation has handed over a Beechcraft King Air 360ER to the Armed Forces of Malta. The U.S. airframer delivered the aircraft to Aerodata in Braunschweig, Germany, where it will be outfitted with maritime patrol systems. It is due to be operational next year.

Malta’s small air wing is based at Malta International Airport at the former RAF base at Luqa. The primary roles are support of army forces, maritime surveillance, border control, search and rescue, and law enforcement. The current fleet comprises three Leonardo AW139 helicopters (with another on order), an aging Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander, and three King Air 200s.

The latter have been in service since 2011 and were similarly tailored for maritime surveillance by Aerodata before service entry, including installation of a Telephonics RDR-1700B search radar. One of them was exhibited at the 2012 Farnborough Airshow.

Powered by PT6A-60A engines and outfitted with Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion avionics, the King Air 360ER offers improved surveillance capabilities and mission range/endurance over its predecessor. The extra capacity it brings to the air wing will aid Malta at a time when people-smuggling across the Mediterranean is at a high level.

According to new NTSB docket filings, investigators are examining evidence that a Bell 206 LongRanger IV air-tour helicopter may have struck a flock of geese before breaking apart over the Hudson River near Jersey City, New Jersey, on April 10, 2025, killing the pilot and all five passengers. No probable cause has yet been determined, and the investigation is ongoing.

Witness accounts indicate the presence of birds in the vicinity of the helicopter's flight path. One witness running along the Jersey City pedestrian path told the NTSB a flock of approximately 20 large birds, believed to be geese based on their size and wingspan, took flight directly in front of her and headed eastward toward the river shortly before she heard a “bang” overhead and observed the helicopter’s tail section separate from the main body.

A second witness in a nearby apartment building reported seeing birds in the area and watched the helicopter descend rapidly, describing it as falling “like a brick.” A third witness in Hoboken observed gray or black-colored organic debris, not metallic in appearance, floating from the sky after the rotorcraft’s breakup.

A Smithsonian Institution feather identification lab analysis submitted to the NTSB investigation docket, suggested that a mixed-species flock of geese may have hit the helicopter’s rotor blades and horizontal stabilizer.

A 47,000-sq-ft hangar that will house the operations of aircraft charter/management provider Wingtip Aviation has opened at Gary/Chicago International Airport (KGYY) in Indiana. Construction of the $12 million facility, which was developed by the KGYY airport authority, began in 2024.

“This new hangar represents a major milestone for Wingtip Aviation and our commitment to Gary/Chicago International Airport," said Wingtip owner Jeromy Montesano, whose company operates an all-large-cabin business jet fleet. "By consolidating our operations into this purpose-built facility, we are better positioned to serve our customers, support our employees, and continue growing alongside one of the most dynamic airports in the region.”

This hangar is the latest in a series of investments at the airport. In 2015, its runway was extended to 9,000 feet, making it the longest in the region after Chicago O’Hare and enabling it to handle larger aircraft. It received a dedicated U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility in 2018, allowing the airport to be an international entry point.

“The opening of the Wingtip Aviation hangar is another important milestone in the airport's ongoing evolution as a regional aviation hub," said Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority v-p Steve Mays. "This facility enhances the services we can offer, supports our airport tenants, and further demonstrates our commitment to creating an environment where businesses can succeed and grow.”

Aviation Industry executive Emily Deaton has joined NBAA in the newly created role of senior v-p of product development and sales. She leaves her position as CEO of business aviation brokerage JetAviva to lead the association’s creation of new offerings and experiences for members, forge strategic partnerships, launch new products and services, and accelerate NBAA’s growth.

Before her tenure at JetAviva, Deaton was a business development manager at Embraer Executive Jets, where she developed new markets and rebuilt the manufacturer’s process for tracking and pursuing sales opportunities. In 2022, she was named one of NBAA’s Top 40 Under 40.

“We are incredibly excited for the entrepreneurial drive Emily is bringing to this new role at NBAA,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen, who described Deaton as a dynamic growth leader, with a hands-on work ethic and proven track record. “She is exceptionally qualified for this new position on NBAA’s leadership team as the association redoubles its focus on serving its members in a moment of rapid change for the industry in the U.S. and around the world.”

Meanwhile, JetAviva CFO Kathy Oberbroeckling will serve as the business jet broker’s interim CEO, supported by president Ryan Scott, v-p of sales Ben Dow, v-p of sales operations Michael Barber, and v-p of transactions Brittany Kelso.

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