Two weeks into the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran, business aviation in the Middle East is showing some signs of stabilization, according to data released by WingX Advance today. The data group reported that even with the very limited scope for flights out of Gulf states still under attack from Iranian missiles and drones, some aircraft have been able to depart from the region’s airports.

According to WingX, the situation for business aircraft operators is better than that facing scheduled airlines, which are seeing departures far below prior-year levels and “with no recovery trajectory visible across the week.” The company also pointed to the threat to operating costs posed by greatly elevated oil prices feeding into the market for jet-A fuel.

Speaking at the British Business and General Aviation Association conference in London this morning, WingX CEO Richard Koe explained that within 48 hours of the conflict starting on February 28, business aviation activity across the whole Middle East region dropped by 26%, while scheduled carrier departures decreased by 52%. 

Since March 3, the number of business jets parked at airports in the Middle East decreased from 164 to 82. However, WingX estimates that the combined value of aircraft still parked in conflict-impacted airports is around $2.46 billion. 

NBAA has joined a broad industry coalition expressing concerns about the FAA’s proposed mandate requiring the installation of new radio altimeters (RAs) on thousands of aircraft.

The Federal Communications Commission plans to auction off bandwidth in the upper C-band—a portion of the frequency spectrum used for altimeter data transfer—to the wireless telecommunications sector, as required in last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”

As a result, in early January, the FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking introducing a requirement for aircraft operators to install new interference-hardened RAs, with a targeted effective date of 2034 for Part 91 and Part 135 aircraft.

The coalition, which includes aircraft and avionics manufacturers, stated that the FAA has severely underestimated the financial burden this will place on the industry, which it estimates at between $4.5 billion and more than $7 billion in total costs. “Based on consultation with operators and aircraft and radio altimeter manufacturers, equipment and labor costs may reach $120,000 per RA unit,” significantly more than the $80,000 cited by the agency, it noted.

Since this burden—particularly for Part 91 and Part 135 operators, “who will face disproportionate per-aircraft costs and, in many cases, the inability to absorb or recover those costs”—will stem from forces beyond their control, NBAA and NATA urged the FCC to support financial incentives to offset out-of-pocket installation expenses.

AOPA has been working to build momentum for a bill to prohibit the use of ADS-B data for fee collection, noting the issue has become even more urgent as the U.S. Congress eyes potential universal mandates for ADS-B In equipage. Rep. Robert Onder (R-Missouri) introduced the Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act (PAPA, H.R.4146) in June as reports mounted about pilots facing fees based on their ADS-B data.

“ADS-B data should never be used for accessing a pilot’s personal information or for being used as a cash register,” said James Coon, senior v-p of government affairs and advocacy for the association. He noted the ADS-B mandate debate on Capitol Hill, but said use of the technology for fees undermines the intended safety goal. 

PAPA has generated support from top safety officials, state legislatures, airports, companies, and “hundreds of thousands of pilots,” Coon said. On the state level, the Florida legislature recently passed a similar bill, SB 422. Other states have adopted or are considering similar legislation. While pleased with state progress, he added that the U.S. needs a uniform policy. “Only Congress can fully resolve this problem,” said Coon.

The congressional bill has generated support from airports in several states, and AOPA also pointed to recent testimony of NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy that the use of ADS-B information for fees should be prohibited.

Calling NetJets a “prized asset in a very tough industry,” parent company Berkshire Hathaway credited the fractional ownership provider for helping boost the revenues of its service group by 11% year over year in 2025 to $23 billion. Berkshire Hathaway’s service group also includes FlightSafety International and other non-related businesses, but NetJets is its largest business in that portfolio.

In its recently released annual report, Berkshire Hathaway noted that revenue from aviation services was up by 9.9%, reflecting a 6.9% increase in aircraft in shared ownership programs as well as an 11.3% boost in the in-flight hours across NetJets programs. In addition, higher average rates contributed to the increase, Berkshire Hathaway also reported.

The company credited aviation services for helping increase the pretax earnings of the service group by 17.2% in 2025. Berkshire Hathaway noted that the increased revenues were partially offset by higher flight crew and instructor costs and higher maintenance, fuel, and depreciation expenses. Additionally, it cited “increased government contract losses.”

In describing NetJets, Berkshire Hathaway said the fractional aircraft ownership provider “maintains a relentless focus on safety and exceptional service to reinforce its position as a premium offering. That foundation has enabled NetJets to attract many customers, and today it operates nearly 1,100 aircraft in over 150 countries around the world.”

Trust, teamwork and talent are the reason Freeman Spogli has entrusted care of their Falcon 2000 to Thornton Aviation for more than two decades.

Gulfstream Aerospace appointed MJets as the authorized international sales representative for Gulfstream business jets in Thailand. MJets handles aircraft sales, management, and FBO services at Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport (VTBD). It also operates the first Gulfstream G700 delivered in Thailand.

Under the agreement, MJets will be responsible for promoting and supporting Gulfstream throughout the country. “As we continue to see business aviation grow throughout Asia, we are looking forward to leveraging MJets’ local expertise to provide customers and prospects the opportunity to experience the quality and craftsmanship of Gulfstream aircraft firsthand,” said Gulfstream international sales v-p Michael Swift.

The aircraft manufacturer said it continues to see significant growth for business jets in Asia, particularly for its G700 and G800. Several G700s have already been delivered to the region, with the first G800 coming there this year.

MJets co-founder William Heinecke said MJets is “honored to serve as a direct bridge between Thai owners and one of the most respected aircraft manufacturers in the world.”

After announcing plans to open a helicopter leasing company at last year’s Verticon show, Rotortrade has officially begun operating its new RotorLease business. The leasing arm’s fleet of seven helicopters includes Leonardo AW169s, AW139s, and Airbus H145s.

Lease offerings include dry leases and financial leases with lease-to-purchase options. Terms range from one year to midterm agreements of five or seven years, according to Rotortrade. While RotorLease is headquartered in the U.S., the company said it will offer leases in high-demand markets in Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Africa, with a focus on EMS, offshore, utility, and government operators.

Rotortrade started the leasing division due to customer demand, explained Rotortrade founder and CEO Philippe Lubrano. Since operators with shorter-term contracts might not want to buy a helicopter, Rotortrade offers to buy the helicopter back after the contract ends. “So, they asked, ‘Why don’t you go into leasing?’

“We went back to our shareholders,” Lubrano added, and given that Rotortrade sister company AviLease specializes in fixed-wing leasing, “everybody was happy to contemplate that. So this was launched…first, we’re moving to Delaware, and we are negotiating with the OEMs for a new fleet.” 

Surf Air Mobility plans to launch electric aircraft flights in Hawaii based on a firm order for 25 of Beta Technologies’ five-passenger Alia. Under an agreement announced today, the Los Angeles-based operator has also placed options for 75 more of the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) version of the aircraft Beta is developing in tandem with a VTOL model.

Operating from runways, Beta says the Alia CTOL (previously referred to as the CX300) will have an operational range of up to around 250 nm, having already demonstrated flights of 336 nm. The Vermont-based manufacturer is aiming to certify the aircraft under FAA’s Part 23 rules by early 2027, with the VTOL version expected to follow around 12 months later.

As it has been doing with other customers, including Air New Zealand and helicopter group Bristow, Beta plans to conduct joint demonstration flights with Surf Air later this year. The Part 135 operator said that, initially, it expects to use the aircraft for cargo flights with its Mokulele Airlines subsidiary between the Hawaiian islands, and later for both scheduled and on-demand passenger services.

The partnership with Beta calls for Surf Air to establish a factory-authorized service center for the Alia in Hawaii that will provide a separate revenue stream. The companies also plan to collaborate in establishing electric charging infrastructure.

Aero-Dienst is marking the 20th anniversary of its aircraft maintenance line station in Vienna this week. The Europe-based business aviation services group established the facility in 2006 as part of a network that also includes two other bases in Austria, as well as a Munich-area maintenance center and component shop in Landsberg am Lech, plus its recently-opened Aero-Dienst America subsidiary in Florida.

Initially, the Vienna facility focused on providing line maintenance for Learjet operators. It has since expanded its capabilities to support all Bombardier business jets, including Challenger and Global models.

In 2017, Dassault Aviation appointed the Vienna line station as an authorized service center for its Falcon aircraft. In mid-2024, Aero-Dienst added Embraer’s Phenom 300 jets to its support portfolio.

Two years ago, Aero-Dienst expanded the site at Vienna International Airport (LOWW) to 16,000 sq ft. It now employs 11 people there, including six licensed technicians, and supports up to 500 service and maintenance events each year.

“Many regular customers make a point of using their scheduled stops in Vienna for maintenance work,” said Aero-Dienst station manager Christian Weigl. “The appeal of Vienna Airport, a major business aviation hub, along with our central location, which offers easy access to many neighboring airports such as Graz, Salzburg, Prague, Budapest, and Zagreb for AOG cases, has played a key role here.”