Signature Aviation has signed a memo of understanding with eVTOL manufacturer Archer Aviation to identify the initial opportunities for electric air taxi services. These include United Airlines hubs at Newark International (KEWR), Chicago O’Hare (KORD), Los Angeles International (KLAX), San Francisco International (KSFO), and George Bush Intercontinental/Houston Airport (KIAH) airports, as well as all homes to Signature FBOs.

This agreement is part of a wider deal that focuses on providing electric charging at the FBO chain’s more than 200 locations globally, with those initial major air taxi locations coming online as early as next year.

Signature and Archer intend to further partnerships with Beta Technologies to install rapid recharging systems across the Signature network. The Beta system features a Combined Charging System that can charge electric aircraft, cars, aircraft tugs, buses, and other vehicles found at airports. Recently endorsed by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the system has already been installed at more than 20 airports in the U.S. with an additional 50 locations under development.

“We’re committed to shaping the future of aviation through sustainability and thrilled to work alongside Archer as we expand our infrastructure to support the electrification of the industry,” said Signature CCO Derek DeCross. “This collaboration unlocks new possibilities in the design and introduction of innovative sustainable aviation solutions while also bringing our guests greater access to the future of urban air mobility.”

The FAA’s twofold approach to addressing its Part 380 operational concerns is drawing a mixed reaction from industry, with business aviation groups encouraged that the agency is willing to delve into the safety data and consider small operations but concerned that it is proceeding with a rulemaking that would tighten requirements for public charters.

Yesterday, the FAA announced that it would release a notice of proposed rulemaking “expeditiously” to alter the definitions of “scheduled,” “on demand,” and “supplemental” surrounding operators flying under Part 380 public charter economic authority. At the same time, though, the FAA plans to form a Safety Risk Management Panel (SRMP) to discuss the potential for a new operating authority for scheduled Part 135 operations in 10- to 30-seat aircraft.

NBAA questioned the rationale for developing regulations, saying that the plans to go ahead with a rulemaking do not seem to have a data-based underpinning. “Safety is the top priority for business aviation, and our sector has an impeccable record of leadership in working with government agencies and other stakeholders in the development of regulations that address safety concerns and put operational needs first. The FAA’s announcement suggests an intention to sidestep both considerations,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen.

However, Curt Castagna, president and CEO of the National Air Transportation Association, said, “We are encouraged that the agency wants to hear from different industry sectors.”

Just two years after it began operations as the second FBO at Virginia’s Leesburg Executive Airport (KJYO), Kuhn Jet Center is buying out competitor ProJet Aviation, rendering it the lone aviation services provider on the field.

KJYO—the second busiest general aviation airport in the state—is located just 35 miles from Washington, D.C. Last week, the Leesburg Town Council approved the transfer of ProJet’s leases for its FBO, hangar, and fuel farms to Kuhn.

“We took over the existing lease and [Leesburg] is giving us extension options that we are negotiating,” Kuhn told AIN, adding that the ProJet facility is a patchwork of different leaseholds with different expiration dates. “We’re working with the town to bring those leases together and doing extensions so they are all on the same sheet of music.”

Included in the acquisition, which is expected to close by the end of this week, is ProJet’s 4,000 sq ft of space in the airport’s terminal, its fuel farm, and 70,000 sq ft of hangar space. Kuhn operates from a nearby 8,000-sq-ft terminal, with approximately 40,000 sq ft of aircraft storage, capable of sheltering ultra-long-range business jets. Kuhn says it will continue to operate both locations. Next month, the company plans to break ground on an additional 42,000-sq-ft hangar on the north end of the field.

The much-hyped advanced air mobility (AAM) industry is facing a reality check as development costs for new eVTOL aircraft have increased at a time when available capital seems to be contracting. This was a clear point of consensus among analysts assessing the state of the precocious new sector of aviation in the opening session of the Revolution Aero conference in London this morning.

“The unfortunate reality is that it takes a lot of money to develop these aircraft, and the most recent calculations show that it takes more like $1.5 billion [per program],” said Sergio Cecutta from SMG Consultancy. He pointed out that this estimate represents a 50% increase over the $1 billion figure that has been a commonly accepted benchmark as recently as last year.

A trio of consultants—Lewis Cronin from the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute, Oscar Watkins from ICF, and Siyi Hao from Roland Berger—echoed the belief that the current generation of battery technology is not sufficient for viable eVTOL use cases.

“We’re not there yet with propulsion,” Hao commented while pointing to possible breakthroughs with solid-state batteries. “The automotive OEMs are incentivized to develop batteries for their mass market, and what they have now is good enough [for electric cars]. But they are less interested in [developing new batteries for] the aviation market, which is much smaller.”

Highly automated flight guidance systems improve safety and reduce workload; however, they require a high level of understanding and different pilot competencies. When the automation becomes unable to safely operate in a complex environment or simply disconnects, pilots must rely on foundational stick-and-rudder skills that must be sustained. FlightSafety’s instruction emphasizes both technology and fundamental flight skill training.

NBAA’s safety committee is exploring ways to aggregate peer resources to support individuals with mental health concerns. Moderating a panel on mental health during the NBAA Regional Forum last week in White Plains, New York, Mark Larsen, director of safety and flight operations for the association, told attendees such a program would be released “ideally in a few months,” providing resources for business aviation professionals to obtain support.

The initiative is in line with the recommendations of the Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee. The FAA in April released nearly two dozen recommendations from the committee, saying they build on the agency’s priorities for pilot mental health.

Quay Snyder—co-founder, president, and CEO of Aviation Medicine Advisory Service and member of the mental health ARC—said FAA officials are actively supporting efforts to increase access and break down barriers to obtaining and reporting mental health issues. The airlines and their associated unions have the resources to create peer support programs, but “it’s a little bit more of a struggle for general aviation,” he noted.

Larsen, who also was a member of the ARC, said the business aviation community is looking at how to adapt this. “[It's] one thing for an airline that has thousands of pilots to properly train up peers who are ready to be there and engage with their fellow pilots," he said.

Security experts from government agencies and aviation businesses will address the increasingly complex threats to flights at the first World Overflight Risk Conference (WORC) next month. The event is being jointly organized by EASA and security consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions and will be held in the Polish capital Warsaw from July 2 to 4.

WORC 2024 has been timed to mark the 10th anniversary of the shoot-down of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine by Russian-backed forces. Proceeds from the not-for-profit event will be donated to victims groups associated with this attack, and also to those who lost relatives when Iranian air defense missiles destroyed Ukrainian Airlines flight PS752 soon after it took off from Tehran in January 2020.

According to organizers, the conference will share the latest thinking from aviation organizations, aircraft operators, regulators, and insurers on how to deal with risks associated with overflying airspace close to conflict zones. More than 250 participants are already booked to attend, as well as more than 20 speakers, including NATO’s deputy commander of allied air command Air Marshal Johnny Stringer, ICAO’s deputy director of aviation security and facilitation, Sylvain Lefoyer, Ukraine’s deputy minister of infrastructure, Serhiy Derkach, and Libby Bahat, head of aerial infrastructure with the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel.

Sustainable fuel technology company Alder Renewables (formerly Alder Fuels) has established a dedicated lab facility in Boulder, Colorado, to accelerate the commercialization of its Alder Renewable Crude (ARC) and Alder Pyrolytic Sugars (APS) platform, which can be used to produce products such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from biomass.

Alongside the company’s private and public technology partners, the lab provides increased operational capabilities, allowing it to launch newly funded projects and continue grant work from the Department of Energy’s bioenergy technologies office. The 4,200-sq-ft space now houses Alder’s lab test stand equipment, pre-pilot reactors, and the company’s fully integrated pilot plant.

This plant is zoned to produce small quantities of ARC and APS and, through hydrotreating, convert them into SAF and other renewable fuels. The new lab’s purpose will be to establish the end-to-end pilot capabilities to de-risk the scale-up of the proprietary process and optimize product quality and yields while streamlining operational and equipment costs.

“The technical team at Alder Renewables deserves a lot of credit,” said Tim Obitts, Alder’s CEO and former head of the National Air Transportation Association, adding that they have worked tirelessly to reach this phase in development. “As we continue progressing towards commercialization, I’m confident that this investment in our people and operations will deliver an immediate impact on our mission to decarbonize key sectors in our society.”

Cayman Dispatch Services (CDS) is now fully operational as a member of Universal Aviation’s certified ground handling network at Owen Roberts International Airport (MWCR) in the Cayman Islands.

With a team of more than 120 aviation services professionals, its own dedicated ground support equipment, and access to the airport’s general aviation terminal, CDS leverages its more than three decades in support of the Cayman Islands' commercial aviation segment. The company began providing general aviation support on a limited basis in December.

“Since CDS became fully operational, we’ve significantly enhanced the experience on the ground, dramatically decreasing passenger turn times at MWCR during arrivals and departures from more than 45 minutes to just 15,” said Universal Weather and Aviation senior v-p Adolfo Aragon. He added that the handler’s strong ties with the airport help it to overcome hurdles such as slot and parking availability, as well as accelerating customs and immigration clearance.

“CDS was a natural choice for us to expand, sharing our commitment to excelling in customer service, safety, and the use of advanced equipment,” Aragon noted.