Missile and drone attacks exchanged between Israel and Iran have forced intermittent closure of parts of Middle East airspace, disrupting civil aviation and prompting global warnings about severe overflight risks, according to reports by OpsGroup. Flight Information Regions covering Iran, Iraq, and Israel remained closed as of June 16, with limited exceptions, and traffic across the region is being diverted through heavily congested reroutes.

A June 13 Conflict Zone Information Bulletin from EASA recommends avoiding Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon “at all flight levels” due to active military operations. The FAA issued parallel guidance stating there is “likely a critical risk to aircraft operating at any altitude in the airspace between Israel and Iran from offensive weaponry, the subsequent air defense responses, and the resulting debris.”

Neighboring countries have begun reopening their airspace, but under constraints. Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan resumed flight operations on June 15. Jordan requires all inbound flights to carry an additional 30 minutes of fuel through June 21.

With the airspace corridor between Israel and Iran effectively sealed off, aircraft are rerouting either north via the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia. OpsGroup notes that both options are severely congested. “Many sectors are at risk of overload,” the group stated.

The situation remains volatile, and further changes to airspace access and routing are likely as the Israel–Iran conflict continues to evolve.

As a result of the Jan. 29, 2025 nighttime midair collision between a PSA Airlines CRJ700 regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, the FAA has modified helicopter zones and routes near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA). The vertical clearance between helicopters operating on one of the former routes and aircraft on the correct glidepath to KDCA’s Runway 33 was only 75 feet, and despite years of data about traffic conflicts in that area, nothing was done to alter these routes until after the accident. There were also many cases where the Army helicopters were not flying with ADS-B Out switched on, and the FAA now requires that military and government operators broadcast their position and identification using ADS-B Out, “with very limited exceptions,” according to the agency.

The NTSB preliminary report on the midair collision cited statistics about traffic conflicts near KDCA: “Initial analysis found that at least one TCAS resolution advisory (RA) was triggered per month due to proximity to a helicopter. In over half of these instances, the helicopter may have been above the route altitude restriction. Two-thirds of the events occurred at night.”

Key changes in the KDCA area, effective June 12, include reducing the sizes of Zones 3 and 4 and moving them farther from the airport, as well as creating a new transition for helicopters traveling south of KDCA.

German charter operator Luminair is adding three Falcon 900LX trijets to its fleet under an agreement announced with Dassault Aviation today at the Paris Air Show. The Falcons will be delivered before year-end, joining a trio of Cessna Citation XLS business jets that have been in service since the Hamburg-based company earned its air operator certificate.

According to company founder Algernon Trotter, Luminair is seeking to attract customers who are coming to the end of fractional ownership contracts they signed immediately after Covid. He told AIN that the Citations have been in demand as the European summer season gathers momentum. Since the start of 2025, these three twinjets have logged a combined 957 flight hours on trips to 168 destinations.

The Falcon 900LX’s three-zone cabin was one of the main features that influenced Luminair’s choice as it seeks to appeal to family groups requiring transatlantic-range aircraft. Trotter said the other main option considered was the Falcon 2000. The company will be the first fleet operator of the 900LX, according to Dassault Falcon head of civil aviation Carlos Brana.

Along with Luminair CEO David Bergold, COO Alexander Stevens, and customer experience officer Julia Feddern, Trotter previously worked for Air Hamburg. He said that, based on past experience, having a fleet of between 20 and 50 aircraft is the optimum size in the business aviation charter sector.

The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) has launched a survey to collect operator opinions on moving from magnetic north to true north as a reference system for aircraft heading and tracking data. The survey’s goal is to better understand how a transition to true north might impact the business aviation community worldwide. The anonymized results of this survey will help IBAC advocate on behalf of business aviation at the newly established ICAO True North Advisory Group. Advocates for a transition to true north claim that this change could simplify operations, reduce costs, and improve accuracy.

The 30-member ICAO advisory group is comprised of 17 states, along with 13 international organizations representing various pilot, ATC, and aviation equipment interests. It has a three-year mandate to complete the work, then provide a report to the ICAO Air Navigation Commission (ANC) in 2027. The ANC is then responsible for evaluating the report and deciding on any recommendations to the ICAO General Assembly, possibly in 2028. Meanwhile, Canada is developing a concept of operations on the subject.

ICAO has conducted several surveys of its own since 2012, when the true north question became part of ICAO’s official agenda. Of the 564 respondents in 2023, more than 60% supported the change within a realistic time frame, while 10% did not support a change.

The Gulfstream G700 on display this week at the Paris Air Show set two city-pair speed records en route to Le Bourget Airport. Additionally, the legs were flown using a 30% sustainable aviation fuel blend, adding Sustainable Wings accreditation to the speed records from the National Aeronautic Association (NAA).

On Friday, the ultra-long-range business jet flew from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey to San Francisco International Airport, traveling 2,272 nm (4,208 kilometers) in 4 hours 57 minutes at an average speed of Mach 0.91. It then flew the 4,947-nm (9,162 kilometers) route from San Francisco to Paris Le Bourget in 9 hours 26 minutes at the same average speed.

Scott Evans, the aircraft manufacturer’s director of demonstration and corporate flight operations, told AIN that the twinjet wasn’t nearly pushing the aircraft’s 7,500-nm range limit on the leg from California to France. “We could have easily made it to Dubai from San Francisco,” he said. “The G700 makes the world a smaller place, and the low cabin altitude—3,000 to 4,000 feet—means passengers arrived refreshed and relaxed.”

While the NAA allows at-altitude, point-to-point routes to count as record flights, Evans explained that Gulfstream’s attempts are based on normal operations, meaning takeoff to landing. Further, the company conducts speed-record flights with aircraft carrying a customer-typical load of fuel, passengers, and payload.

Odyssey Aviation North America has been rebranded as Velocity FBO Network by its new ownership. The trio of FBOs was purchased at the beginning of the year by independent investment firm Tallvine Partners to form the nucleus of a larger service provider chain. The new locations under the Velocity name include Central Florida’s Kissimmee Gateway Airport (KISM), Detroit-area Willow Run Airport (KYIP), and St. Simons Island Airport (KSSI) in Georgia.

Velocity CEO Chad Farischon expects to announce several additions to the network over the coming months. “This rebrand marks an exciting new era for our team and our customers,” he said. “Our partnership with Odyssey Bahamas has been a meaningful part of our success, and with Tallvine’s support, we’re excited to continue to expand through a focused and thoughtful approach under the Velocity brand.”

The U.S. and Bahamian Odyssey locations first collaborated more than a decade and a half ago. While each will now operate as separate entities, they will continue to cooperate in marketing efforts to shared customers.

“We are thrilled to support this rebranding, which sets a clear course for continued growth and leadership in the FBO space,” said Tallvine operating director Ed Zwirn. “This reflects not only the strength of the company’s legacy, but also its forward-looking vision for delivering exceptional service, operational excellence, and an elevated experience for customers.”

MINT Software Systems has successfully launched its Training Management System (TMS) for PlaneSense, a  U.S. fractional aircraft ownership operator. Known for its robust SaaS-based training solutions, MINT's TMS now supports all training functions across the PlaneSense operation, from aircraft maintenance crews to flight operations.

This web-based platform enables comprehensive digital management of training records, compliance tracking, and qualification oversight. Key features include electronic grading via mobile devices, both online and offline, and advanced scheduling capabilities that optimize resource use while minimizing costs and administrative burden.

The implementation allows PlaneSense to transition from manual record-keeping to a fully digital workflow. By utilizing MINT’s intelligent forecasting and analytics tools, the training department can identify performance trends and improve efficiency across the board.

PlaneSense has also adopted the MINT PRD add-on for direct FAA pilot records database integration and the MS Exchange Calendar Sync feature, streamlining internal communication and scheduling. Future integration plans aim to further connect internal systems and reduce data duplication.

“MINT TMS is uniquely flexible,” said Nick Denton, chief customer officer at MINT. Tim Cloutier, assistant director of flight training at PlaneSense, added, “By transitioning from manual paper record-keeping to MINT’s completely digital solution, PlaneSense will streamline its entire training process.”

PlaneSense operates more than 60 aircraft, including the largest U.S. fleet of PC-12 turboprops and PC-24 jets, with nearly 600 employees.

On June 25 at 11 a.m. EDT, NBAA is hosting a free webinar with prominent industry leaders sharing the experiences that drove their careers in business aviation. Titled “The Aviation Journey – Modeling Industry Leadership,” the webinar “will reflect on the pivotal moments that shaped their careers, the evolving landscape of the industry, and the values that continue to guide their work,” according to NBAA. “From lessons in resilience to strategies for mentoring the next generation, this conversation will offer practical takeaways and timeless insights for anyone looking to lead with purpose in business aviation.”

Jay Mesinger, NBAA Leadership Council member and CEO and founder of Mesinger Jet Sales, is moderating and sponsoring the webinar. He will be joined by NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen; Sheryl A. Barden, CEO of Aviation Personnel International; AIN Media Group founder and chair emeritus Wilson Leach; John Rosanvallon, former president and CEO of Dassault Falcon Jet; and Louis C. Seno, executive director of the International Aircraft Dealers Association.