The European Union General Court today reversed a 2023 ruling by the European Commission (EC) excluding the manufacturing of business aircraft from the EU’s green taxonomy process. Lawyers for Dassault Aviation, which in 2024 filed a case against the ruling, supported by EBAA, successfully argued that the ruling unfairly excluded the industry from economic activities in support of environmental sustainability.

In a statement issued by Dassault, the manufacturer of Falcon business jets said the court in Luxembourg confirmed that the EC’s ruling had “blatantly failed to consider the specific characteristics and [business aviation's] role in certain missions.” Its legal team argued that European officials had ignored the social and economic value of business aviation, as well as “insufficiently taking account” of the decarbonizing impact of increased use of sustainable aviation fuel.

The EC has two months in which it could appeal the General Court’s ruling (case reference T-77/24) through the European Court of Justice. Oral hearings for the case started in February in a case that was also backed by another French aircraft maker, Daher, which—along with EBAA—was an “intervener” in the proceedings.

According to EBAA, business aviation’s exclusion from the EU green taxonomy has resulted in the industry being excluded from some sources of financing because it did not meet sustainability criteria required by some investors.

Skyservice Business Aviation’s Vancouver facility has been designated a Bombardier authorized service facility (ASF). The designation extends Bombardier’s ASF coverage to Canada’s west coast and adds certified technicians, mobile repair teams, and rapid-response maintenance support in a region that Skyservice noted as a key gateway for trans-Pacific traffic.

The facility, located at Vancouver International Airport (CYVR) in Richmond, British Columbia, joins Skyservice’s existing ASF locations in Toronto (CYYZ) and Montréal (CYUL), giving the company three Bombardier-authorized sites across Canada. The Vancouver facility supports maintenance, repair, and overhaul capability for Bombardier Globals and Challengers.

“This is an important milestone for both our organization and the customers we serve together with Bombardier,” said Skyservice president and CEO Benjamin Murray. “Expanding our authorized service facility network to Vancouver strengthens coast-to-coast coverage for Bombardier operators—enhancing responsiveness, consistency, and the overall service experience across Canada.”

The ASF designation also supports Skyservice’s aircraft management clients, providing regional access to hangar space and Bombardier maintenance expertise.

“Strong regional service collaborations are essential to delivering the high standards of support Bombardier customers expect,” said Anthony Cox, v-p of customer support for Bombardier. “This strategic expansion enhances service coverage in a key region for both Bombardier and Skyservice’s customers and reinforces our commitment to delivering responsive support for Bombardier aircraft.”

Bombardier delivered the first Global 8000 in Asia this month to an undisclosed customer based in Shanghai. The manufacturer described the delivery as a milestone in the expansion of ultra-long-range business aviation across the region.

“This first Global 8000 delivery in Asia reflects the region’s continued appetite for aircraft that combine range, speed, and an exceptional level of comfort for its passengers,” said Emmanuel Bornand, Bombardier’s v-p of international sales. “Asia is a strategic market for Bombardier, and the Global 8000 is particularly well aligned with the way customers in the region travel: across long distances, on tight schedules and with a strong focus on comfort, efficiency, and nonstop global connectivity.”

According to Bombardier, the 8,000-nm Global 8000 can fly nonstop between city pairs such as Shanghai and New York, Shanghai and Dublin, and Shanghai and Sydney.

Meanwhile, Bombardier recently announced an expansion of its Singapore service center at JTC Aviation’s Seletar Aerospace Park with a newly built facility of approximately 250,000 sq ft. This move will strengthen the company’s services footprint and customer support capabilities in Asia-Pacific.

AMAC Aerospace’s significant investment in its AOG response capability appears to have been validated by the service it provides to operators of Dassault Falcons. As an authorized service center for the French aircraft manufacturer, the company’s MRO facility in Istanbul, Turkey, now deals with at least two or three AOGs each month, but has been known to launch two responses on the same day.

Dassault’s agreement with AMAC requires it to have its AOG “GoTeam” respond within two hours of an operator requesting help. Within this time, it has to be able to give the clients details of the support plan and when technicians will get to the grounded aircraft, so the operator has reassurance as to when they will be flying again.

“For a quick and proper AOG response, a very dedicated, highly experienced team is essential to analyze all the inputs and provide an effective plan to support the case,” Remzi Ozturk, AMAC Aerospace Turkey’s sales and key account director, told AIN. “AOG support is one of our core services, and thanks to our experts, we are always prepared to respond immediately. The team’s vast experience enables us to save time even in the initial stages of AOG support. They quickly determine what is wrong, how many technicians are needed, and what parts and tools are required.”

The FAA will require Part 135 operators to comply with SMS regulations by May 2027. To simplify the process, Nimbl created a clear roadmap with practical monthly action items to help operators stay on track, avoid confusion, and confidently build compliance ahead of the deadline.

ALPA president Jason Ambrosi testified before the Senate Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation yesterday, urging lawmakers to treat a recent rise in close calls and two fatal aircraft accidents as an urgent call to action.

The hearing came as ALPA pointed to the January 2025 midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) and the March 22, 2026 ground collision at New York LaGuardia Airport (KLGA) as evidence that pilots are too often left relying on last-second warning systems such as TCAS, which ALPA said offer limited alerting time, minimal traffic detail, and reduced performance near the ground. “Two fatal accidents in 16 months tell us: good enough is no longer good enough,” Ambrosi said.

ALPA called on the committee to enact the ROTOR Act’s integrated ADS-B In mandate, arguing it would give pilots earlier alerts and clearer traffic information than last-second systems such as TCAS. The pilot union separately cautioned that voluntary, tablet-based alternatives would create head-down distractions and risk delayed or missed alerts.

In addition, ALPA urged the FAA to accelerate deployment of surface surveillance and runway lighting systems, including the Airport Surface Surveillance Capability, Airport Surveillance Detection Equipment Model X, and runway status lights, which ALPA said remain installed at only a small fraction of U.S. airports. The organization also asked the FAA to add alerting capabilities to its surface awareness initiative.

Business aviation services group ACASS is chasing expanding market opportunities it sees across Africa, exploiting its expertise to help clients navigate the region's unique aviation landscape. The Montreal-based group provides aircraft sales and acquisition representation, aircraft management, charter, leasing, and flight crew staffing services—operating globally under air operator certificates in Canada and San Marino.

"We see substantial growth opportunities emerging across Africa over the next six to 12 months," ACASS sales director Paul Ludick told AIN. "Our strong track record and reputation in Africa are generating tremendous momentum for the business."

Almost half of the 30 aircraft in its fleet are now based in Africa, where it flies for corporate clients active in sectors such as mining and oil/gas. Much of the current activity is in West Africa, with 11 jets based in Nigeria out of a managed fleet that includes a mix of Bombardier Globals, Embraer Legacys, Gulfstreams, Dassault Falcons, and a BBJ2.

ACASS is also active in the charter market across North and East Africa. East Africa has emerged as a particularly promising region, with ACASS recently deploying two more business jets for charter in Kenya.

Nomad Technics has redelivered a Boeing BBJ owned and operated by Action Aviation following a 12-year inspection and landing gear overhaul, paired with cabin and avionics upgrades completed during the maintenance downtime. Notably, the company installed a Gogo Galileo FDX satcom system on the aircraft, which the company said is among the first such installations on a BBJ worldwide. Aero Visto reupholstered all seats and divans in a bespoke design as part of the cabin refresh.

Higher-resolution monitors were added to the in-flight entertainment system, which was upgraded with an app-based video-on-demand streaming system designed for the client. The cabin lighting system was replaced with multicolor LED mood lighting controllable via an app, and a new app-based moving map system was installed for use on cabin monitors and personal devices.

“The project was interesting and challenging to put together, but I think that’s something that made us win because the client saw how quickly and efficiently we can do things,” said Brigita Vildžiūnienė, director of sales for Nomad Technics. “Our responsiveness, honesty, and transparency built trust with the customer, and we carried that on throughout the project. They were involved in all the parts, even in the quotation phase. It was a collaborative effort.”

ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia has graduated the first group of trainees from its apprenticeship program designed to develop the next generation of aircraft maintenance professionals. The company announced this week that all six apprentices from the first cohort have now started full-time jobs at its facility in Kuala Lumpur.

The Dassault Aviation subsidiary launched the six-month apprenticeship program in partnership with Malaysian maintenance, repair, and overhaul training provider D’viation. According to the company, the investment is part of its long-term workforce development strategy to address the business aviation sector’s challenges in recruiting and retaining new talent. It also helps to address the need to support increasingly complex aircraft technology.

Applicants are required to hold a diploma or degree in a relevant engineering or aviation discipline. They were also required to take assessments for factors such as intelligence and emotional quotient. Candidates came from institutions such as Universiti Kuala Lumpur’s Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology, Aviation Australia, and Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia.

During the program, the apprentices received training in ExecuJet’s MRO processes and gained hands-on experience under the direction of experienced licensed aircraft technicians. Training covered support for Dassault, Bombardier, and Gulfstream jets, and covered tasks including engine removal and installation, as well as work on exterior panels and cabin interiors.