Rear-facing propfans have replaced the earlier ducted fan engines in the updated design for Beyond Aero’s in-development hydrogen-electric business airplane. Yesterday, the French start-up released new drawings when it announced the completion of the preliminary design review for the eight-seat model.

The other significant change to the design is an increase in mtow from 8.6 to 9.6 tonnes (21,164 pounds). This means that the BYA-1 will need to be certified under EASA’s CS-25 rules, as opposed to the CS-23 rules for twin-engined commuter aircraft weighing less than 19,000 pounds.

Beyond Aero did not explain the reasons for the design changes but said that it has now finalized the architecture that will combine hydrogen storage tanks, a fuel cell-based electric propulsion system, and thermal management. Its Toulouse-based team of 80 engineers has now started work on detailed design as they work towards a certification plan with the European regulator.

The tail-mounted pusher propfans will run on gaseous hydrogen, starting at 700 bar, in externally mounted tanks on top of the BYA-1’s wingtips. According to Beyond Aero, this configuration enables natural ventilation and will facilitate refueling processes at airports, “while avoiding the added complexity of cryogenic liquid storage for early entry into service.”

Gama Aviation today agreed to acquire UK-based charter flight broker Hunt & Palmer. The business aviation services group said it expects the transaction to be completed by the end of this week.

Hunt & Palmer has been a prominent player in the private flight charter sector since 1986. Gama Aviation, which is active as a charter operator, is adding the business to a portfolio that also includes aircraft management, maintenance, and FBOs.

According to Gama, the acquisition will boost its aircraft management and charter capability, “adding immediate scale, global reach, and complementary expertise across business aviation, commercial charter, music touring, and cargo.” The group said it will continue to use the Hunt & Palmer brand name and retain its broker offices in the UK, U.S., Hong Kong, and Australia.

“Strategically, the planned acquisition allows us to grow our share of the global charter market while enhancing demand for our aircraft management offering,” Gama Aviation CEO Marwan Khalek commented. “It allows us to achieve both objectives more quickly and with less execution risk than through organic growth alone.”

Graham Williamson, Gama’s managing director for aircraft management and charter, added that Hunt & Palmer’s team will support efforts to offer a “boutique proposition” across Europe and the Middle East, in particular.

Duncan Aviation has completed hundreds of 1C checks on Dassault Falcon 900s, 2000s, and 7Xs, and has now added the 8X to this list. The 1C check is the most comprehensive for Falcons, and Duncan’s MRO facility in Battle Creek, Michigan, recently completed the company's first one on the 8X trijet.

The heavy maintenance event requires the removal of all exterior panels and many interior components on the airframe. Given the scope of the work and its associated downtime, many operators tend to schedule major upgrades and refurbishments concurrently.

In addition to the 1C inspection requirements, service bulletin compliance, and full exterior paint, the aircraft received updates to enhance both operational capability and passenger amenities, including installation of a Satcom Direct Gateway communication system with an Iridium phone and CPDLC True North Datalink Unit, USB-C charging ports, and new AC power outlets.

Improvements to the flight deck saw the addition of a Garmin dual GI 275 standby system and Ingenio iPad mounts. The cabin was refreshed with new tile entry flooring and a divan with a custom ice cabinet and storage solution.

The company has additional Falcon 8X 1C inspections scheduled for this year and beyond.

While European business aviation activity accounts for around 15% of total global utilization, the continent’s post-Covid recovery has nevertheless been significantly slower than that experienced elsewhere. Speaking late last week at the British Business and General Aviation Association conference, WingX CEO Richard Koe revealed that a total of 567,842 European departures in 2025 were underpinned by shifting regional usage, an uptick in larger aircraft types, and the sharp decline of the corporate flight department.

Although it is resilient enough to recover, European business aviation has notably lagged the post-pandemic growth seen in the U.S. European activity was up 10% since 2019, a sluggish comparison to the U.S.’s 31% growth. This, Koe said, can partly be attributed to a “disappointing” weak European compound annual growth rate: 2.1% in 2025 versus 1.9% pre-Covid. “This is barely an upwards shift, whereas in the U.S. it’s double,” he explained.

Nevertheless, with scheduled services now serving fewer sectors with diminished schedules, European airlines’ recovery is equally uninspiring. “Overall, business jet activity in Europe hasn’t done particularly well…but compared to scheduled activity, it’s certainly offering a fuller service,” suggested Koe. Of the top 10 European cities for business jet departures, scheduled services fell across the board, except for Mallorca.

For Bombardier, Embraer, and Gulfstream aircraft, DAS Aviation offers comprehensive inlet and thrust reverser exchange programs designed to minimize downtime and keep aircraft in service.

Airport ramps can be dangerous places for industry workers, and while FBO line staff receive extensive training to be vigilant for hazards, other individuals who require apron access generally do not. To remedy this, NATA has introduced an offering in its Safety 1st Training Center for those who have ramp access but do not perform ground handling duties.

The Basic Apron Safety and Security-Ramp Access Only (RAO) certification brings the same experience developed in NATA’s industry-standard Safety 1st program to workers such as vehicle transportation providers, mobile AOG maintenance teams, aircraft detailers, catering providers, and other service occupations, as well as FBO employees outside of the ground handling department. Curricula include foundational knowledge of general and business aviation, aircraft awareness and terminology, airport safety practices, security awareness, hazard recognition, and other core safety principles.

“The ramp environment includes a wide range of personnel whose responsibilities require airside access, even when they are not performing operational ramp functions,” explained Steve Berry, the association’s v-p for education and safety. “The Ramp Access Only certification reflects that reality by expanding access to meaningful safety training and helping organizations better align credentials with the roles their employees perform.”

British Business and General Aviation (BBGA) chairperson Aoife O’Sullivan reflected on a sector “defined by its agility” as the association marked its 50th anniversary late last week at the BBGA annual conference in London. With global business aircraft utilization having experienced a particularly strong uptick in the final quarter of 2025, this year’s more moderate 3% growth to date continues to be bolstered by increased military use of civilian platforms, augmented repatriation efforts following the Iran conflict, and a steady low-single-digit growth forecast for the next few years.

"Our once-cottage industry, which was originally defined by small airfields, piston air taxis, and the HS.125 [Hawker Siddeley jet], has elevated to today’s flagship private terminals, hosting near-supersonic, long-range business jets and dedicated MROs here in the UK,” O'Sullivan reflected.

The UK industry still seeks to operate at a pan-European level—even in the wake of the country's Brexit departure from the European Union. However, earlier this month, BBGA and EBAA ended the dual membership agreement they have operated for the past 10 years. The two associations confirmed the change as a mutual decision, saying that they "were not able to reach alignment on subscription fees."

Washington state legislators responded to critics of the 10% luxury tax enacted last year and set to take effect on April 1, 2026, with approval of HB 2711, which repeals that tax. The tax would have applied to private aircraft sales transactions exceeding $500,000.

HB 2711 was approved on March 12 and will become law after either Gov. Bob Ferguson signs the bill or automatically within 20 days of the legislature’s action, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) said.

In addition to eliminating the luxury tax, HB 2711 raises aviation fuel taxes in the state by 7 cents per gallon, to 25 cents. Further, state aircraft registration fees will be adjusted and automatically increased by 2% per year.

According to NATA, 28% of aviation fuel taxes will go toward a new sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) airport infrastructure account, with the remainder heading to the state’s aeronautics account. A similar portion of the registration fees will also be deposited into the state’s SAF account.

You can count on AIN for full coverage of the 2026 NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, to be held next week in Cleveland. Our team will have comprehensive real-time reporting of all the top news at AINonline.com and in our daily AINalerts newsletters. If you are an exhibiting company that wants to share news or propose pre-show interviews or briefings, please email senior editor Curt Epstein.