Honeywell and Boeing are teaming with the UK’s University of Reading to develop an aircraft-based sensor that could improve understanding of contrails and their climate impact. Project Mist, announced yesterday, has received funding from the Aerospace Technology Institute, which is backed by industry and the UK government.

The focus of the work is to improve in-flight atmospheric sensing capabilities to increase the accuracy of contrail forecasting and enhance weather modeling. The partners did not say when or how they intend to start flight trials with new technology resulting from the project.

Contrails are formed when hot, humid jet engine exhaust mixes with very cold air at high altitudes. According to the partners, current humidity sensors have limited measurement capabilities and are not widely used on aircraft that could be collecting data.

Honeywell is responsible for Project Mist’s sensor hardware integration and systems integration tasks, building on the group’s extensive experience with sensing technologies for aircraft. The company’s site at Yeovil in the UK is directly involved in the work.

Boeing’s contribution to the project involves aircraft integration, testing, and operational expertise to evaluate sensor performance. This work will be led by the airframer’s team in Bristol, UK, supported by colleagues from Seattle.

The Iran war is having a profound effect on business aviation traffic in the region, according to industry data tracker WingX Advance. With the conflict now in its third week, business jet departures were down 44% compared to the same period last year, while jet fuel prices continue to soar, the JetNet subsidiary said.

WingX noted in its weekly Global Market Tracker that jet-A pricing has climbed across all major benchmarks, with costs in the Arabian Gulf now more than twice that of pre-conflict levels. WingX’s Week 11 analysis for the region showed just 922,000 gallons of jet fuel uplifted—a nearly 50% decrease compared to the previous week.

While flight activity appeared to stabilize last week, it consisted largely of an exodus of aircraft from the region, with many headed for safety in Turkey, which has now emerged as a major business aviation transit hub.

“The 44% year-on-year decline is the sharpest we have recorded since the conflict began, and with jet-A prices continuing to climb, operators across the region are facing a double headwind of suppressed demand and soaring fuel costs,” explained WingX analyst Nick Koscinski. “The question heading into Week 12 is now how much longer operators can sustain this level of disruption before the cost of sitting on the sidelines outweighs the risk of returning to the region.”

The FAA issued a general notice yesterday that eliminates the use of visual separation between airplanes and helicopters in Class B, Class C, and Terminal Radar Service Area airspace. According to the FAA, “Where helicopters cross airport arrival or departure paths, air traffic controllers will use radar to keep the aircraft specific lateral or vertical distances apart.”

Following the midair collision between a PSA Airlines CRJ700 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on Jan. 29, 2025, the FAA conducted a review of cross-traffic data and incident reports. The analysis showed that visual separation in high-traffic areas “was not enough of a safety mitigation tool,” the FAA explained.

“Today, we are proactively mitigating risks before they affect the traveling public,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “Following the midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, we looked at similar operations across the national airspace. We identified an over-reliance on pilot ‘see and avoid’ operations that contribute to safety events involving helicopters and airplanes.”

The new restrictions may cause helicopter operators who have previously received immediate approval to transit the affected areas to fly a different route or endure delays. Airlines may be disrupted, the FAA added, while priority clearance is provided for urgent medical or law enforcement helicopter missions. The general notice takes effect immediately.

JetNet is evolving its iQ product from a periodic reporting model to an ongoing, multi-format offering that builds on its industry insights. Rather than making those insights available primarily through quarterly or annual reports, JetNet iQ will offer industry analysis through articles, webinars, digital briefings, and live presentations. The Utica, New York-based company noted that this will provide timely access to the analysis and aligns with how the market absorbs information today.

For JetNet, the new format is a reaffirmation of its commitment to iQ after parting ways with its creator, Rolland Vincent Associates (RVA). It also comes after JetNet acquired Europe-based data specialist WingX.

RVA plans to continue with a separate industry insight product that JetNet said will complement iQ. “RVA has built a strong reputation for capturing the voice of business aviation operators and translating that sentiment into meaningful market perspective,” said JetNet president and COO Josh Baird. “We’re excited to see RVA continue that work and advance their survey-based insights.”

As for JetNet iQ, “this is just the beginning,” said Richard Koe, managing director of WingX. “We look forward to sharing more exciting developments as JetNet iQ continues to grow and evolve.”

JetNet CEO Derek Swaim added, “Business aviation professionals are increasingly seeking data-driven insights aligned with real-world developments as they unfold. The next generation of JetNet iQ is designed to deliver exactly that.”

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

AEG Fuels has added Stellar Aviation and its two Nevada FBOs as the newest members of the AEG Connect-branded dealer network. The move expands the FBO network’s footprint in the western U.S. with its first presence in the Silver State.

At Reno/Tahoe International Airport (KRNO), Stellar opened a $14 million facility in 2024, featuring a 6,000-sq-ft terminal with pilot lounge and snooze room, large and small conference rooms, catering kitchen, bistro area with full-service food and beverages, and onsite car rental. The company has since added a 36,000-sq-ft hangar complex that can accommodate ultra-long-range business jets. The complex has 5 acres of new ramp capable of handling widebody airliners.

Half an hour south, at Carson City Airport (KCXP) in Nevada’s state capital, Stellar’s FBO offers a recently renovated 4,000-sq-ft, two-story terminal with pilot lounge and snooze room, conference room, and canteen. The 3-acre facility also has 10,000 sq ft of hangar space.

“Joining the AEG Connect Network further elevates our mission at both locations,” said Stellar COO Brad Cost. “Our team takes great pride in creating first-class experiences for every flight, and we’re honored to align with a global partner that shares our commitment to innovation, investment, and service.”

Launched in 2022, AEG Connect now numbers 43 locations in North and South America, the UK, and Australia.

European charter operator Harmony Jets is denying media reports that it has gone out of business following a fatal accident in December involving one of its Dassault Falcon 50s. The Malta-based group said it is considering legal action over “certain press articles” that it claims included “inaccurate or exaggerated allegations.”

On Monday, the Blacklist.Aero platform stated that Harmony Jets and its Harmony Aircraft Services subsidiary had “completely ceased operations.” That report alleged that this had happened after France’s DGAC aviation regulator had initiated an audit of the Harmony Aircraft Services MRO facility at Lyon–Bron Airport (LFLY).

Harmony Jets said it is still in business but has “temporarily suspended” charter operations. It insisted that it does not intend to cease trading and is involved in “ongoing discussions” with authorities, but did not elaborate further. “Harmony Jets wishes to emphasize that it is working closely and transparently with the competent authorities,” the company said in a statement.

France’s BEA accident investigation agency is supporting Libyan officials after Harmony’s Maltese-registered Falcon 50 crashed during a flight from Turkey to Libya on December 23. The accident killed eight people on board, including the chief of staff of the Libyan armed forces.

Harmony’s fleet of Falcon business jets is maintained by its sister company, Harmony Aircraft Services. In June, the Lyon-based company opened a second maintenance facility at Malta International Airport (LMML).

Alpha Wingman’s pre-purchase inspection (PPI) scheduling and pricing platform is now integrated with the IADA Broker Portal on the AircraftExchange website (AIN Media Group is an AircraftExchange partner). The integration allows IADA-accredited dealer brokers to request PPI pricing and scheduling from multiple MRO providers through their existing portal workflow. The system prioritizes IADA-verified member providers before showing other maintenance facilities in the Alpha Wingman network, and status updates are tracked automatically throughout the process.

“The ability for IADA dealer brokers to request PPI inspections directly from their Broker Portal has streamlined communication and efficiency for everyone involved,” said Andy Nixon, president of Alpha Wingman. “The platform allows brokers and interested parties to quickly see MRO schedule availability, without multiple calls and emails.”

Lou Seno, executive director of IADA, said the integration “connects our dealers to trusted service providers without friction.” Pricing requests and MRO responses are already being processed through the platform.

Alpha Wingman, founded in 2017, helps to connect aircraft operators with service providers.

Talon Air has adopted AI-powered financial platform MySky to streamline its accounting and sales functions, a decision the New York-based management and charter operator sees as a key element of its growth strategy.

Privately owned MySky said the AI-powered spend management platform is designed for the private aviation industry, promising “Swiss standards in terms of efficiency, system security, and data confidentiality.” MySky collects, digitizes, verifies, analyzes, and stores all financial information and offers instant access to the information that matters, according to the company.

The decision follows Talon Air’s return to independent ownership earlier this year, led by CEO James Chitty. “As Talon Air scales to meet increasing demand…leadership identified automation and real-time operational data as key enablers for sustainable and efficient growth,” the company said.

Chitty clarified that the use of MySky will “help [Talon Air] meet the increasing needs of [its clients] for timely data,” with the speed and accuracy of the information also enabling more timely decisions. Talon Air is looking to double its 2024 level of sales, quotes, and managed clients.

Tell us about the product support you receive from business aviation OEMs. The 2026 AIN Product Support Survey is now open, ready for selected readers to rate aircraft, engine, and avionics support. AIN readers who have been picked to participate in this year’s Product Support Survey should have received their password and link to the online survey by e-mail. The survey needs to be completed by midnight on May 31. Please contact Lisa Valladares if you have not received your access code.