Thursday marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Among the vintage warbirds flying to commemorate the event last week in Europe was an A-26C known as “Million Airess,” which left the U.S. on June 1, flown by Million Air president and CEO Roger Woolsey; his son Chase, a charter captain with aircraft charter and management sister company American Jet International; and Al Maxwell, an A-26 type-rated pilot.

The Million Air FBO chain invested in the restoration of the twin radial engine Douglas bomber, which rolled off the assembly line in 1944. Million Air’s Houston Hobby Airport-based Part 145 maintenance operation looks after that aircraft owned by the Houston-based Vietnam War Flight Museum, and Woolsey—a former corporate pilot—has spent many hours in its right seat.

This particular aircraft (39359) actually saw action in the European theater during the war and later served in the Far East during the Korean Conflict before its retirement and disposal. It then found life as a fire bomber before eventually being acquired by a museum and prepared for the airshow circuit.

Carrying a crew of seven, including the pilots, maintenance crew, and a videographer, the octogenarian aircraft made its way east, stopping at several U.S. cities before hopscotching across the Atlantic by way of Iceland. It made its way to Cherbourg, France, where it was based last week, and flew in several commemorative demonstrations in the Normandy area.

Sky Harbour, the aviation real estate company that builds and manages turnkey private aviation hangar complexes, has signed a lease agreement with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) for the development of an 18-acre facility at Washington Dulles International Airport (KIAD), the capital’s international gateway.

Expected to break ground in fourth-quarter 2025, the $50-million first phase of the project will include a quartet of 34,000-sq-ft hangars that are fully customizable by tenants, including lounge space, and can shelter ultra-long-range business jets. The company will also construct its own 20,000-gallon fuel farm for the use by tenant aircraft.

According to Neil Szymczak, Sky Harbour’s v-p of real estate, the company anticipates the completion of Phase 1 in early 2027. The following Phase 2 will duplicate the previous one in terms of infrastructure and bring the complex to a total 272,000 sq ft of hangar space.

“As growth surges through our region, so does the demand for aeronautical support facilities,” said Richard Golinowski, MWAA’s v-p, and KIAD manager. “Our partnership with Sky Harbour symbolizes the Airports Authority’s commitment to ensuring KIAD remains at the forefront of meeting current and future demand for aeronautical services in the Washington area.”

A global circumnavigation flight in a Learjet 36A has been submitted to the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) for consideration as a world record. The "Century Mission" flight—intended to serve as a fundraiser to gather money for the Classic Lear Jet Foundation, the nonprofit group restoring the first production Lear Jet—in April commemorated the 100th anniversary of the milestone 1924 World Flight, conducted by the U.S. Army Air Service flying modified U.S. Navy DT-2 torpedo bombers, that took 175 days and covered approximately 27,550 miles.

Owned by Florida-based ambulance operator Global Jet Care, the Learjet 36A took considerably less time to accomplish its mission, departing from Wichita westbound and returning in just 67 hours 28 minutes. The flight is awaiting record certification in the C-1f category (land planes with a takeoff weight of 6,000 to 9,000 kilograms). Once NAA has conducted its review, which could take up to 60 days, it will then be passed to the supervising Fédération Aéronautique Internationale for final certification.

The entire cost of the flight was covered by Global Jet Care president Bart Gray and his company, so all monies raised through the sponsorship of each of the 12 legs of the mission will go directly toward the restoration of Lear Jet 23-003, the first Lear Jet delivered to a customer, currently taking place in Wichita.

Stuart, Florida-based aviation business provider Premier Private Jets has added a fractional ownership program called PremierShares. The program offers shares in the company’s owned fleet of Hawker 800-series midsize jets.

"Our objective is to put private aviation within reach for companies and individuals that might not have considered this possible," said Premier Private Jets CEO and founder Josh Birmingham. "We started with economical charter and jet cards and now have a compelling fractional product.

"These are not brand-new aircraft, by intention. Shares are roughly half the cost of comparable new aircraft and experience less depreciation over a three-year contract period. They offer a more flexible ownership option than traditional five-year fractional lock-up periods. That adds up to substantial savings while giving passengers all the capability of a new aircraft."

PremierShares also uses a day-based rather than hourly model. A one-sixteenth share allows for 20 days of use per year, while a one-eighth share provides 40 days. The company claims this will allow for “substantial savings” for potential customers.

Founded in 2013, Premier Private Jets operates an air charter fleet of light, midsize, and large-cabin jets.

Airbus Helicopters has received a fleet order for up to 44 twin-engine H225 Super Puma helicopters from the German Ministry of the Interior’s Bundespolizei (federal police). Deliveries will begin in 2029, and the deal includes 38 firm orders and six options.

The H225s will replace the Airbus H155 and AS332s that Bundespolizei has been flying for more than 20 years. It also operates single-engine H120s for pilot training and more than 40 twin-engine H135s. The purchase contract includes pilot and technician training and spare parts packages.

The H225 has a mtow of 24,250 pounds and a range of 722 nm or, with external fuel tanks, 962 nm. Its external payload capacity is nearly 10,500 pounds, “essential for missions like disaster relief and firefighting,” according to Airbus Helicopters.

“I would like to thank Germany for its continued and renewed trust in our helicopters and in particular in our H225 family. We're proud that our H225 will contribute to the security of Germany and help its citizens in need,” said Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even. “The Bundespolizei can look forward to a modern helicopter thanks to the continuous improvements we've made to our H225 in recent years. It will remain one of the most advanced helicopters available on the market for decades to come.”

Online aircraft charter facilitator VOO has signed an agreement with European charter operator GlobeAir to provide exclusive instant booking capability for the GlobeAir fleet. Austria-based VOO is a business-to-business (B2B) company that serves as a link between aircraft charter brokers and charter providers.

“Exclusive means Globe Air is the first operator worldwide that allows instant booking on a B2B marketplace,” VOO CEO Robert Plhak told AIN. Through VOO’s platform, brokers now have instant access to GlobeAir’s aircraft availability and pricing, allowing them the ability to quickly generate accurate offers for their clients.

VOO serves 200 brokers on its platform, with access to more than 400 aircraft from 130 operators. The transaction process normally involves a series of back-and-forth communications between the two sides, including requesting quotes, negotiating prices, and step-by-step contract signing.

With new functionality, that has now changed. “The broker is able to click the direct book button and the contract is made," said Plhak. “GlobeAir doesn’t need to reconfirm anything.”

GlobeAir, which has more than 20 aircraft in its fleet, worked with VOO to fine-tune its aircraft listings and system pricing accuracy to become the launch customer for the instant booking offering. VOO expects this new booking paradigm to spur other charter providers to seek this capability.

Aircraft management and charter group Sparfell is working to boost the availability of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through a book-and-claim scheme offered by its new partner, Squake. Under an agreement signed on Tuesday, Sparfell’s customers will be able to opt for SAF to be used for their flight where it is available, or offset usage of fossil fuels by acquiring credits based on its use elsewhere.

The process is supported by integrating the Skylegs flight operations management platform with Squake’s calculator that assesses the amount of carbon dioxide emissions for each trip. Requests for book-and-claim carbon credits can be made directly through the Skylegs system.

Switzerland-based Sparfell also holds air operator certificates in Austria, Malta, and San Marino. These operations have all achieved IS-BAO Stage 3 safety registration through the International Business Aviation Council process.

The company’s fleet now includes 34 aircraft from seven different manufacturers, with the most recent additions being an Embraer Phenom, Bombardier Challenger 3500, Gulfstream G500, and an Airbus ACJ319. It is preparing to take delivery of a third Global 7500.

In recent months, Sparfell opened an office at Paris Le Bourget Airport in time for the French capital to host the Summer Olympics. Last year, it launched a business unit in Spain and also has an aircraft trading team based on both sides of the Atlantic.

When your aircraft needs a spare part or unscheduled maintenance, aircraft availability is key. Find out how investing in a global support network to achieve unmatched support, from anywhere across the globe, can help you get back in the air as soon as possible. Panelists include James Prater, VP of Customer Service from Rolls-Royce, and one of its customers (to be announced).  Join us on June 26th at noon for this engaging discussion. Sponsored by Rolls-Royce