Gogo reached a technical milestone in its 5G air-to-ground connectivity program, with partner GCT Semiconductor successfully completing the first end-to-end call using next-generation 5G technology on June 16. The achievement validates the functionality of Gogo’s custom 5G chipset and signals readiness for final integration phases ahead of planned customer deployments later this year.

The breakthrough followed GCT Semiconductor’s delivery of the miniaturized 5G chipset to network solutions provider Airspan in May. Integrating the thumbnail-sized microchip into hardware and software systems enabled Airspan to configure the laboratory-based end-to-end connection. This successful test confirms that the 5G technology package is prepared for transition to integration testing and performance-optimization phases.

The validated chipset represents a core component of Gogo’s 5G infrastructure, which includes a network of 170 towers spanning the U.S. and portions of Canada, upgraded data center architecture featuring a new 5G core, and purpose-built aircraft antennas. Using Avance LX5 line replaceable units (LRUs), the system streamlines aircraft installations with reduced form factors and single-box configurations.

Gogo has received FAA approval to manufacture the Avance LX5 LRU, positioning the company to proceed with MRO network shipments following completion of final trials and documentation. The 5G ATG system targets business aviation operators with enhanced broadband capabilities designed to support improved video conferencing, streaming, and multi-device connectivity.

Yingling Aviation has successfully completed its first Dassault Falcon 900 dry bay modification, marking a milestone in the company’s Falcon aircraft service capabilities.

The modification is required on the Falcon 50, 900, and 2000 to correct a possible hazard. Reports show that if the main landing gear collapses during takeoff or landing, the wing tank structure can fail, leading to fuel spillage and possible fire. Dassault Aviation has developed a structural modification of the wing fuel tanks in the area of the wheel well, which introduces a dry bay by adding a sealed boundary in front of the rear spar.

With the FAA-mandated AD compliance deadline on Feb. 14, 2026, operators are facing pressure to secure slots for the required modification. Yingling can perform the work at its Wichita location or in the customer’s hangar in less than two weeks.

While the project was the first for the Kansas-based MRO, its recently acquired veteran AOG team has performed more than 100 of the modifications. The quality of the work so impressed the customer that they committed to sending more of their aircraft to undergo the process.

“As we continue to invest in and expand our Falcon support capabilities to meet customer demand, milestones like this affirm our team’s expertise and readiness to take on more complex projects,” said Jason Cohen, Yingling’s executive v-p of sales.

PWI has introduced a new line of PMA-approved LED cabin lighting systems for the Cessna Citation 650 series, including the Citation III, VI, and VII models. The four new retrofit kits replace original fluorescent systems and are designed to simplify installation while delivering modern lighting performance.

Operating on 26 volts DC, the 4,000K neutral white LED kits replace both the upwash lights in the headliner and the downwash lighting above the windows on each side of the passenger cabin.

The LED systems are engineered to match the layout of the factory fluorescent fixtures, allowing original wiring to be reused. According to PWI, the premeasured and preassembled components minimize installation time and eliminate the need for ballasts.

“This latest LED cabin lighting system joins a dozen previously approved Citation systems,” said Robi Lorik, president and CEO of PWI. “Since 1963, PWI has created products made in the USA, using our own in-house engineering and production staff.”

The LED upgrade eliminates flicker, hum, slow starts in cold weather, and high-voltage power requirements. PWI stated that the lights are “instant-on,” silent, low-heat, and long-lasting. 

PWI has previously introduced PMA-approved LED upgrades for other Citation cabin lights, including reading, wing inspection, and step lights. The company has long served as an OEM supplier of cabin lighting for aircraft from Dassault, Bombardier, Gulfstream, Cessna, Learjet, and Beechcraft.

Luxaviation Group is now the first business aircraft operator to receive approval for electronic tech log (ETL) use from EASA. The certification—achieved through Luxaviation Portugal—marks the company as the only EASA air operator-approved continuing airworthiness management organization (CAMO) under direct EASA oversight with ETL approval.

Luxaviation’s system is based on the Converge ETL platform, designed specifically for business aviation. It integrates with maintenance planning and operational systems, delivering up to 50% efficiency improvements and 80% fewer documentation errors, according to the company.

With oversight of more than 40 aircraft types from light jets through widebody airliners, Luxaviation’s CAMO teams support owners and operators through planning, tracking, and recording scheduled maintenance requirements.

“The EASA approval of our [ETL] system marks a significant step in modernizing our aircraft technical logs and advancing our digitalization efforts,” said Luxaviation CEO Patrick Hansen. “We are committed to driving efficiency, precision, and safety in aviation operations, and this transition plays a crucial role in achieving those goals.”

Aviation maintenance training provider Aircraft Academy has received EASA approval to offer Part 66 training and examinations. Part 66 certification is an internationally recognized standard to ensure the highest levels of competence and compliance for aviation technicians.

“This approval not only validates the quality and integrity of our training programs, but it also enables us to contribute directly to the development of highly skilled professionals within the global aviation maintenance community,” said company CEO Armel Jezequel.

Already designated as a Part 147 training facility, the Vallair Group company can now deliver instruction and assessments across multiple categories.

“Under Part 66, our training will include categories such as Category B1 (mechanical) and Category B2 (avionics), among others,” explained Jezequel. “The training programs are designed to meet the evolving needs of the aviation industry and support both aspiring and current [maintenance technicians] in attaining their professional goals.”

He added that the company offers “the full package” from ab initio training to aircraft type modules, along with EASA-approved FAA Part 145 on-the-job training at Vallair’s MRO hangars in Châteauroux and Montpellier in France.

“We are experiencing huge demand from all over the world for aircraft mechanic training,” Jezequel noted. “Students from as far away as the Philippines and India are joining their European colleagues of all ages to attain qualifications or upskill to new aircraft/engine types.”

William Langewiesche, the acclaimed aviation writer and professional pilot who brought unprecedented literary depth to aircraft accident investigations and industry analysis, passed away on June 15 in Connecticut. He was 70. Cullen Murphy, his longtime editor at The Atlantic and Vanity Fair, confirmed the death was due to prostate cancer.

Langewiesche was a unique figure in aviation journalism—a professional pilot who wrote for major publications including The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, and The New York Times Magazine for nearly three decades. Unlike typical aviation reporters, his commercial flying background allowed him to analyze complex technical failures and human factors with rare authority and insight.

Langewiesche’s initial breakthrough came in 1991 when The Atlantic published his 17,000-word Sahara Desert piece, leading to a 15-year tenure as national correspondent. His most celebrated aviation work included investigations into the 1999 EgyptAir 990 crash, which earned him a 2002 National Magazine Award, and analyses of incidents ranging from the ValuJet 592 disaster to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370’s disappearance. Langewiesche’s account of the EgyptAir crash, enriched by his aviation expertise, concluded that the co-pilot had committed suicide.

His controversial 2009 book Fly by Wire about Sully Sullenberger’s Hudson River landing argued that modern aircraft technology deserved more credit than pilot heroism—a position that drew criticism from Sullenberger himself.

Textron Aviation has expanded its flight data monitoring (FDM) service options for Cessna Citation business jets and SkyCourier aircraft equipped with an aircraft recording system, adding GE Aerospace’s C-FOQA (flight operational quality assurance) service as a fourth provider option through the company’s LinxUs data reporting ecosystem.

The enhanced LinxUs FDM Program now offers customers another option among providers, which includes Acron Aviation’s Flight Data Connect service, ForeFlight’s Flight Data Analysis, and Safran’s Cassiopée Flight Data Monitoring service. The wireless data transfer capability operates without requiring additional equipment installation.

By adding GE Aerospace as a FOQA provider, Textron Aviation gives Cessna owners “even more flexibility to select a service provider that best fits their needs, providing them with the best possible flight data monitoring,” said Brian Rohloff, senior v-p of customer support at Textron Aviation.

The LinxUs FDM system employs fault isolation technology to monitor aircraft systems continuously, enabling operators to identify opportunities for operational procedure optimization and enhanced performance. During in-flight events, the program provides real-time actionable data, allowing Textron Aviation service professionals to pre-position necessary resources for rapid response.

The program targets improved operational efficiency through proactive system monitoring and data analysis capabilities across the Citation business jet family and SkyCourier turboprop platform.