Dassault Aviation delivered 12 Falcons in the first half, up from nine in the first six months of last year, and took in net orders for 11, one fewer than a year ago, the company said today. It reported total revenues of €2.538 billion in the first half versus €2.295 billion in the same period last year, with its Falcon business jet unit accounting for $980 million, up from $827 million in first-half 2023. Dassault's defense business—largely Rafale fighter deliveries—accounted for the majority of revenues, at €1.558 billion.

Falcon backlog grew by about $110 million, to €4.758 billion, in the first six months, covering 83 Falcons, down one unit since the end of last year.

Meanwhile, Dassault is keeping its sights on supply chain delays and a shifting global political landscape, including elections in the U.S. and France and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

“The global context in this first half-year remains marked by the war in Ukraine and the state of war in the Middle East. In France, the President of the Republic, as head of the armed forces, wrote to defense manufacturers urging them to step up their efforts in the context of a war economy. In response to this call, I instructed Dassault Aviation employees to prioritize Rafale production, for both France and for export,” said chairman Éric Trappier.

Airbus Helicopters selected Pratt & Whitney Canada and Collins Aerospace to collaborate on a hybrid-electric propulsion system for its PioneerLab technology demonstrator. The OEM is developing PioneerLab based on an H145 medium-twin helicopter to demonstrate the potential fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions savings that hybrid-electric propulsion could bring.

Under the program, the partners are replacing the H145’s existing engines with a hybrid propulsion system comprising a Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210 engine and two Collins 250-kW electric motors and controllers that are linked through a common gearbox.

According to the companies, this configuration will optimize engine performance with the electric motors providing high torque capability during flight stages such as takeoff and landing. The partners anticipate that the changes could improve fuel efficiency by as much as 30%. Test flights are slated to begin in 2027 at Airbus Helicopters' Donauwörth, Germany facility.

"The combined 250-kW motor and controller we're designing for PioneerLab are part of our family of electric motors and controllers that can be scaled up or down to meet the future electrification needs of aircraft across multiple segments," said Henry Brooks, president of power and controls at Collins Aerospace.

Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Actions is supporting PioneerLab through its aerospace research program LuFo.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Beechcraft King Air series, Textron Aviation created a special Crimson Edition of the turboprop twins. Announced this week at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the Crimson Edition will be available for 2025 King Air deliveries and features a “striking new interior and a vibrant red and silver exterior paint scheme.”

Also at AirVenture, Textron Aviation today unveiled an improved cockpit for the Cessna Caravan and Grand Caravan EX. New features include black instrument and cockpit panels and the Caravan is now equipped with electroluminescent lighting, matching the configuration of the Grand Caravan EX.

Both Caravan models are also upgraded with a wider cockpit boarding ladder, making it easier for pilots to climb into the left seat. For in-flight comfort, the two rectangular cockpit air vents have been replaced with four circular adjustable air nozzles. The lower center pedestal now has two USB-C charging ports instead of the previous 12-volt power adapter, and the right-hand subpanel on the right-seat pilot’s side has two USB-C charging ports. For more flexibility to power headsets, LEMO jacks were installed next to the two general aviation headset jacks. Finally, headset hooks were installed underneath the cockpit glare shield.

All of these new features will be standard on 2025 Caravans and Caravan EXs.

Leading aircraft charter specialist Air Charter Service said the private aircraft charter market saw a more than 10% spike in business on Friday as people turned to alternative means of travel in the wake of the CrowdStrike-related IT outage that caused thousands of airline flight cancellations.

“Figures from flight data analysis specialist WingX show more than a 10% increase in private flights from Europe and the U.S. on Friday, compared to the same day last year, which is significantly ahead of the year-on-year figures for July so far,” said Air Charter Service director Joe Gallimore. “We had a real surge of activity on Friday, with bookings even still coming in on Sunday.

“Our U.S. offices in particular were extremely busy, with our Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Washington offices all booking multiple flights for clients that either didn’t want to miss out on their holidays or had to be at an all-important meeting that day.”

Cybersecurity software company CrowdStrike on July 19 deployed a faulty update to vulnerability-protection software for Microsoft Windows operating systems. This caused widespread disruptions, resulting in millions of Windows OS-based devices crashing and displaying the "blue screen of death." It affected airline operations, healthcare systems, 911 calling frameworks, and more.

Private aviation lift provider Wheels Up has introduced new booking functionality to its mobile application and website that allows air charter customers to view dynamic pricing rates at departure and arrival locations for specific dates. They will also be able to track their savings and loyalty program progress, matching capabilities typically offered for airline travel.

The added booking options make it easier for users to navigate Wheels Up's pricing across more than 200 of the most popular city pairs based on the current season. When searching via the online portals, customers can select the “Flexible Plans” option to identify lower-cost airport pairs that may result in substantial savings per leg.

Wheels Up believes these latest improvements will also enable it to more efficiently schedule its operations.

"Over the last few years, we at Wheels Up have proudly placed transparency and customer value at the center of our brand promise," said Kristen Lauria, the company’s chief customer and marketing officer. “We've previously illustrated that commitment by being the first in our industry to publish operational metrics and are proud to extend that visibility to our dynamic pricing rates and individual flier progress towards reward redemption. We remain committed to placing clarity, flexibility, and ease at the forefront of our customers' experience while continuously delivering realized value on a flight-by-flight basis.”

Piper Aircraft has delivered 116 aircraft in the first six months and is on track to deliver approximately 300—including nearly 50 of its recently certified M700 Fury turboprop singles—by year-end, the company said yesterday at EAA AirVenture 2024. If that target is reached, it would mark a 22% increase in shipments this year for Piper. The Vero Beach, Florida-based aircraft manufacturer noted strong global demand.

Deliveries in the first half increased by 16% from a year ago, despite a marginal dip in the first three months due to the launch and late first-quarter FAA certification of the M700 Fury, Piper’s new flagship that replaced the M600/SLS in its lineup. In the second quarter, aircraft shipments soared by 30% while revenue rose by nearly 9%.

International validations and certifications for the M700 are expected to further boost deliveries in the second half of the year, according to Piper. However, the expected 50 M700 shipments this year would be slightly below the 52 M600/SLSs handed over to customers last year.

“Our trainer and M-Class markets remain robust and we are pleased with our delivery performance this year and the positive reception from our customers with the launch of the M700 Fury,” said Piper Aircraft v-p of marketing, sales, and customer support Ron Gunnarson.

London Oxford Airport celebrated its bringing together of 47 European leaders, including newly elected UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the King, for the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace on Thursday.

“Arguably, Blenheim Palace has its own international airport here at London Oxford Airport, just 1.75 miles away,” said the airport business development head James Dillon-Godfray, whose work preparing for the arriving head-of-state aircraft started many months ago. “The fact that the airport plays host to Thames Valley Police headquarters at the entrance also proves a notable advantage when hosting dignitaries, royalty, and heads of state,” he added.

For two periods during the day, the airport was exclusively used for several world leaders who were attending the nearby summit.

"When the use of a venue like Blenheim and its local airport come together, the logistical and security-related advantages really come into play,” said London Oxford Airport managing director Will Curtis. “Dinners with American presidents, bringing together of Europe’s leaders, events like the upcoming 2024 Game Fair, or some extraordinary weddings—we can host them all.”

Cirrus Aircraft has reached a production milestone with the delivery of its 10,000 SR-series piston-single airplane. The company handed over the first SR20 in 1999 and in the intervening quarter century, it has gone on to become the best-selling aircraft in its class, with the latest being the seventh-generation (G7) editiions.

To celebrate the achievement, the Minnesota-based manufacturer unveiled a one-of-a-kind 10,000th SR series airplane. The milestone airplane—a SR22T G7, appropriately registered as N10000—sports a custom blue-and-white paint scheme incorporating X, the Roman numeral for 10.

The cabin experience is one of the most personal and unique parts of aircraft ownership. From the overall aesthetic to the finer details, aircraft cabins are intentionally suited for a variety of owners and missions.

The Pink Jet—a nonprofit founded to help spread the word about breast cancer awareness, provide support to survivors, and raise money for a cure—brought its freshly painted pink Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros for its world debut this week at EAA AirVenture. The jet is piloted by an all-female crew that includes Heather “Lucky” Penney, Stephanie Goetz, and Vicky Benzing and is operated by breast cancer survivor support and awareness nonprofit Aerial Angels.

Aerial Angels is planning to field an all-female aerobatic team flying five to six pink jets, and plans call for appearances and flyovers at a variety of airshows and events this year and beyond.