Bombardier and its aircraft interiors partner F/List have opened a facility at London Biggin Hill Airport to display cabin materials, fabrics, and components to clients. The new 700-sq-ft Material Lounge is part of the Canadian airframer’s maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility at the UK airport.

The Material Lounge houses the largest portfolio of cabin interior options at any of Bombardier’s international service centers. The initiative also marks the first time that Austria-based F/List has showcased its array of materials, fabrics, and components outside of its headquarters.

The selection of more than 1,300 samples available for inspection includes wood veneers, stone surfaces, leathers, fabrics, webbing materials, and metal finishes. Visitors can also see F/List’s latest portfolio of bio-based materials, including the F/Lab Whisper Leather, Linfinium, and Aenigma products developed to offer sustainable alternatives for business aircraft cabins.

“We are delighted to work with Bombardier on this project and welcome the opportunity to provide a discreet venue for our mutual customers, Bombardier designers, and our own interior experts to see, touch, and explore the industry’s leading collection of cabin interiors in a single location,” said F/List CEO Katharina List-Nagl. “This modern space is more than a showroom and sales tool; it is a place where we can help breathe life into interior design concepts in a dedicated, inspirational environment.”

Business aviation platform MRO Insider is rebranding to Alpha Wingman to reflect its broader offerings to aircraft owners and operators. The company said its offerings now extend “beyond aircraft maintenance and includes FBO services, catering, ground transportation services, and aircraft detailing services, furthering our commitment to providing comprehensive support for all aviation professionals.” It also recently added pre-purchase inspections.

“We are excited to introduce Alpha Wingman, which represents our continued growth and unwavering commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our expanding client base,” said Alpha Wingman president Andy Nixon. “Our change in identity will help us as we deliver greater access to a wider selection of vendors and services, making Alpha Wingman your go-to source for aviation products and services.”

“Alpha Wingman is not just a new name; it’s a new era for our company,” added Nixon. “We are constantly upgrading our platform to deliver a seamless experience, from booking maintenance and rapid AOG repairs to arranging catering, [or] booking an FBO or ground transportation services. Our objective is to be your trusted partner, providing access to anything you need for your flight operations.”

Montreal Metropolitan Airport (CYHU; formerly Montréal/Saint-Hubert Airport) will be receiving its fifth on-field FBO after Quebec-based JB Aviation Services announced it will invest C$55 million to build an aircraft ground service facility there.

The company—which specializes in aviation logistics including charter brokerage, fueling arrangements, and aircraft management—expects to break ground in September on an 11.5-acre leasehold. When completed in third-quarter 2025, the complex will include a luxurious 41,000-sq-ft two-story terminal and 100,000 sq ft of hangar space that can house ultra-long-range business jets.

With the facility, JB Aviation looks to enhance the passenger experience by offering customers smaller, more fuel-efficient, and quieter business aircraft through its flight shuttle logistics management services.

“We are pleased they have chosen [CYHU] to launch what will be one of the most prestigious business aviation services in Canada,” said airport president and CEO Yanic Roy. “For the [airport], business aviation is a strategic niche as it represents great economic development potential for the region while having no impact on the tranquility of the surrounding communities.”

ExecuJet MRO Services South Africa expects to set a new record for airframe heavy maintenance checks this year. The Dassault Aviation subsidiary's previous record was seven in a given year, but this year it plans to complete the inspections of at least 11 aircraft thanks to additional work on Falcon business jets, according to the company.

Approved for line and heavy maintenance on the Falcon 50, 900, 2000, 7X, and 8X, Execujet MRO Services South Africa’s mechanics can now provide line maintenance for the recently certified 6X.

Also an authorized service center for Bombardier and Embraer, the company expects to perform heavy checks for the Bombardier Learjet 40/70 series and Challenger 600s, as well as Embraer Legacy 650s. It can also do such checks on Beechcraft King Airs.

Employing 130 personnel, ExecuJet MRO Services South Africa ranks as the largest business aviation MRO in Africa. Its maintenance department employs 70, and the company's hangar at Johannesburg Lanseria International Airport can accommodate up to 14 aircraft of various sizes.

ExecuJet MRO Services South Africa also installs and upgrades avionics and satcom systems. It further operates an engine workshop that completes Honeywell TPE331 engine overhauls and Honeywell TFE731 engine major repairs.

Digital aircraft records platform Bluetail is now accessible as part of Million Air Dallas’ new maintenance management program.

“At Million Air Dallas, we always strive to be on the cutting edge of technology so that we can provide our customers with the very best available,” said Jay Helland, v-p of technical operations at Million Air Dallas. “Creating our fully managed maintenance option, and including game-changers like Bluetail in the mix, was a natural fit. Having Bluetail as a part of that package will help to save our customers time and money, as well as keep their records safe and secure.”

Launched in mid-May, the company said its new program was created to provide “a fully managed option when it comes to fleet maintenance and event oversight” and gives “24/7/365 access to a designated maintenance control team, complete maintenance planning and budgeting, and program management for warranties and parts.”

“Our goal is to ensure every aircraft around the globe has records that are safe, secure, and searchable,” said Bluetail chief aviation officer Stuart Illian. “We’re thrilled to team with innovative partners like Million Air Dallas, helping to ensure their customers are armed with the technology they need to keep their tails protected and thriving.”

Industry stalwart Richard "Dick" Van Gemert, whose business aviation career spanned five decades and who was renowned for his operational and safety management leadership, has passed away.

“In a word, Dick Van Gemert was magnanimous, giving freely of his time and expertise in lifting the industry to ever-higher standards of safety and success,” said NATA president and CEO Curt Castagna. “Many strive to make real change and a lasting impression within their communities, but few ever achieve the profound effect that Dick Van Gemert had on the business aviation industry.”

Van Gemert, known for his passion for the industry, was actively involved in numerous associations, including as chair of the International Flight Safety Foundation Corporate Advisory Board, member of the NBAA board of directors, member of the NATA business management committee, chairman of the noise abatement committee of the Westchester Pilots Association and the Westchester Airport Advisory Committee, and a governor of the International Flight Safety Foundation, among others.

Castagna underscored Van Gemert’s impact on the industry: “NATA and its membership have benefited tremendously from the strategy and foundation set by Dick. He was a visionary, always thinking ahead to where the industry needed to be in an ever-changing environment and aligning its immense value with its potential for growth.”

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. Log in to rate your experiences at the FBOs you visit.