Gulfstream Aerospace delivered fewer of its recently certified flagship G700s than anticipated in the second quarter, a slower start for the ultra-long-range model as the Savannah, Georgia manufacturer reportedly works through a last-minute modification. The G700 snagged FAA certification just as the first quarter ended, with EASA approval following at a relatively quick pace in mid-May.

While Gulfstream handed over the first two G700s in April, it had delivered only eight by early June, according to aircraft brokerage Hagerty Jet Group, which added that a handful of those remain in Savannah. “In April, General Dynamics reported that they will hand over 50 or more G700s by the end of the year, which seems a bit optimistic considering that we just turned the corner on the second half of the year,” Hagerty added.

Backing this is analyst Baird, which also counted eight deliveries in the quarter. Baird now expects some earnings to shift to the back half of the year. “We are surprised by the slower-than-anticipated start for G700 deliveries with so many airframes on the tarmac ready to be handed over to customers,” Baird analyst Peter Arment said in a July 2 report.

Hagerty further pointed out, “If you travel to Savannah, it’s hard to miss the dozen or so G700s on the ramp near the air traffic control tower.”

The FAA has issued a supplemental type certificate (STC) for installation of the SmartSky Lite air-to-ground connectivity system on King Air B200s through 360s. The first-article SmartSky Lite installation on the turboprop twin series was done by Davinci Jets Services in a King Air 350i. The Davinci Jets MRO division is equipping most of the company’s managed aircraft fleet with SmartSky systems.

So far, Davinci Jets Services has completed SmartSky installations on a Cessna Citation CJ4 and Latitude and Pilatus PC-12, along with the King Air 350i. SmartSky has installed first-article systems on four other aircraft models that are undergoing the STC process, and six more are in progress. STCs now cover more than 6,000 in-service aircraft, according to SmartSky, and once the in-progress projects are completed, that will add another 10,000 aircraft to those that are STC’d. 

“Receiving this STC marks significant progress in the SmartSky STC lineup and in delivering our high-performance solution to a series of aircraft that has long been underserved by inflight connectivity,” said SmartSky CEO David Helfgott. “The pilots and passengers of this aircraft are absolutely delighted with the ability to connect to whatever is most important, without limitations.”

SmartSky’s coverage area includes the continental U.S. and parts of the Gulf of Mexico.

Bombardier this week reached an agreement to settle a shareholder lawsuit related to its divestitures but said that the terms are confidential. In 2022, Bombardier noteholders filed a complaint before the New York Supreme Court reiterating claims that the Canadian manufacturer violated lending covenants by divesting its transportation business, regional jet program, and aerostructures division.

At the time, the company issued a statement that it “believes that these allegations are without merit and intends to vigorously defend itself against the action. The corporation believes it is not and has never been in breach of any covenant under the relevant indenture and that the actions taken by it in May 2021, with the support and consent of the requisite holders of the relevant debt securities of the corporation, were fully compliant with the terms of the indentures under which such notes were issued.”

The settlement contains a consent from the noteholders "that the divestiture transactions referred to in the lawsuit did not give rise to any default under the Indenture," Bombardier said. "While the company strongly believes the allegations in this case were without merit, it also believes that it is in the best interest of the company and all its stakeholders to settle this lawsuit and concentrate on its core business operations."

High turnover, not the shortage, of mechanics is the cause of work delays and late deliveries of business jets from maintenance shops, according to Jets MRO founder and CEO Suresh Narayanan. So when he launched Dallas Executive Airport-based Jets MRO, a key goal was tackling the turnover problem.

Narayanan used to operate fleets of business aircraft and thus gained insight into the effects of high turnover. “When I was an aircraft operator, we dug into why our aircraft were coming out of maintenance so late and over budget,” he explained. “We found out it was not due to the mechanic shortage, but an industry issue with retaining mechanics within these maintenance businesses.

"The most eye-opening part was learning that mechanics’ turnover rates were not being discussed, which ranged from 30 to 70%!” This results in new hires having to undergo training and taking longer to do the work, as well as higher bills to customers and delays in getting the work out the door.

When developing the business plan for Jets MRO, Narayanan decided to focus on how to retain mechanics, and he surveyed them to learn why they quit. The feedback showed that key factors were “engaged leadership, culture, benefits, and schedule.”

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.

Flight control developer Skyryse will be making its debut at EAA AirVenture later this month in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and displaying Skyryse One, a turbine-powered Robinson R66 helicopter equipped with a single control stick and two touchscreens.

The helicopter’s traditional cyclic, collective, and pedal controls have been removed, along with all the mechanical push-pull rods and other components, and replaced with Skyryse's fly-by-wire flight controls. The single control stick and touchscreens are the primary pilot interface, allowing precise control of the R66 within its full operating envelope. This includes automatic entry into an autorotation, “automating the glide, flare, and set-down, with the pilot in control,” according to Skyryse.

At the Skyryse booth, Skyryse One will be on display, and visitors can book a slot to try out the SkyOS simplified control system in a conforming simulator.

Skyryse was founded in 2016, and it aims “to bring about a new era in flight, where zero fatalities are our goal, and where piloting any aircraft is simple and safe.” The flight control system and SkyOS are designed to work in any aircraft, fixed- or rotary-wing, piston or turbine.

The company has raised more than $290 million, and its first product—the Skyryse One R66—is expected to be certified in 2025 and will retail for $1.8 million, about $400,000 more than a typically equipped R66.

The FAA has released Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) 24004 reminding light aircraft owners installing a uAvionix tailBeacon or skyBeacon ADS-B transceiver not to try to pair the unit to a Mode S transponder. Correctly installing requires pairing with a Mode A/C transponder.

According to the FAA, “Aircraft equipped with uAvionix tailBeacon or skyBeacon ADS-B 978 MHz Universal Access Transmitters (UAT) that are improperly paired with Mode S transponders have been found to emit erroneous and unreliable ADS-B performance parameters.”

TailBeacon UAT ADS-B Out transceivers replace the existing rear white position lights and include a WAAS GPS receiver and LED light that is twice as bright as the original incandescent bulb, according to uAvionix. The UAT skyBeacon mounts on the left wing and, in addition to the red LED position light and WAAS GPS, includes a strobe light.

This SAFO doesn’t apply to the tailBeaconX, which is a Mode S and ADS-B Out transponder with integrated WAAS GPS and dipole antenna capable of tracking by ground- and space-based ADS-B systems.

Bombardier is bringing back its Flight Attendant Safety Summit for a second edition, turning focus on elevating safety in the cabin. Scheduled August 8 at the company’s Laurent Beaudoin Completion Centre in Montreal, the day-long event will include workshops and presentations that Bombardier said are tailored for flight attendants but are valuable for all aviation professionals.

The agenda includes a presentation from Stacey Jackson, president and founder of HF Solutions, on "Build Your Horizon Point," which is designed to help align safety objectives with broader professional and personal aspirations.

Other sessions cover “Courage in Extraordinary Circumstances,” which will be presented by Fireside Partners president and CEO Don Chupp; "Aviation Food Safety” with John Detloff, senior v-p of global networks and quality standards at Air Culinaire Worldwide; "Enhancing Health and Safety of Aviation Crew Members" with Ryan Brockhaus, security specialist for aviation and maritime at MedAire; "Flightess Fix: Crafting Calm in the Chaos of the Galley" with Flightess founder Jamie Gibson; and “Crewmember Fit to Fly: Staying Physically and Mentally Healthy While Away from Home” with Richard Gomez, v-p of products at MedAire.

Metro Aviation has added fixed-wing aircraft to its list of completion services with the creation of Metro Gulf. The new division holds its own Part 145 certificate and will provide maintenance, repair, and avionics services to Metro’s existing fleet and those of external customers. Based in Lafayette, Louisiana, Metro Gulf provides software and equipment upgrades, inspections and engineering, avionics support, full airframe rewiring, structural modifications, and paint services.

“We are excited to expand our capabilities and geography,” said Metro Aviation COO Kenny Morrow. “We are honored to welcome [director of maintenance] Joey Calandra and his team, formerly of Avionics Solutions, to the Metro family.”

With the creation of Metro Gulf, Metro Aviation now works from three MRO facilities, including PAC in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania; Metro’s headquarters in Shreveport, Louisiana; and Metro Gulf in Lafayette, Louisiana.

"Having worked closely with Metro Aviation for many years, our team is proud to now become part of the Metro family," said Calandra. “We look forward to using the talents of our seasoned workforce to contribute to Metro's customer-centric completion efforts through this expansion."

AIN’s FBO survey is now open for year-round feedback, but the deadline to vote in the 2025 survey (to be published in April) is February 3. The survey takes only a minute, and you can do it while waiting for passengers, on the shuttle bus to/from the hotel, or any other time that is convenient for you. Participants will be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card. Log in to rate your experiences at the FBOs you visit.