Both the air transport and business aviation sectors are having to assess the possible impact of a Middle East conflict about to enter a fourth week with no clear end in sight. The soaring cost of fuel has emerged as a dominant consideration alongside ongoing airspace and airport closures that have severely constrained traffic in and out of the Gulf states.

Scheduled airlines are bracing for what Sheila Kahyaoglu, managing director at investment bank Jefferies, described as “demand destruction” during a webinar earlier today organized by JetNet. In her view, business aviation and its high-net-worth customers are more insulated from the crisis, but the industry still must contend with soaring fuel prices, with almost a third of jet fuel for the European market alone coming from the Gulf.

Data released by WingX this week shows declining levels of business aviation flight activity in the Middle East; many aircraft have been moved out of the warzone. Despite some involvement in the scramble to evacuate stranded passengers from the Gulf, private charter activity was curtailed, with operators in the region seeing a year-over-year flight decline of around 70%.

Bernhard Fragner, CEO and founder of GlobeAir, acknowledged that the role of business jets in evacuations from the Gulf has been exaggerated, in part by inaccurate social media posts giving the impression of easy access to private flights.

I was flying somewhere over the Midwest when I felt my jaw tighten. The airline captain came over the PA and said, “I’m going to ask the ladies to please take their seats.” Later in the flight, he said it again!

I wasn’t upset because women were asked to sit down. Safety always comes first. What unsettled me was how two casual words diminished the professionalism of the trained safety experts responsible for every passenger on board.

They aren’t “the ladies.” In business aviation, we call them cabin safety attendants. In commercial aviation, they’re flight attendants, though I often wish the airlines would adopt our title, as it more accurately reflects the role’s responsibilities.

At 35,000 feet, I found myself thinking about what happens when we get titles wrong. The words we choose shape how professionals are perceived, compensated, and empowered.

Ours is an industry built on precision. We know the difference between a Bombardier Global 6000 and a Global Express. Yet we don’t always apply that same discipline to how we describe the people who operate, maintain, and safeguard these aircraft.

Million Air has broken ground on another FBO terminal at Marathon International Airport (KMTH) in the Florida Keys. In 2022, the company acquired the former Marathon Jet Center, which included two facilities—a 3,000-sq-ft Key West-style building for business jets and a smaller facility for light general aviation. The former is a replacement for a terminal that was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017.

The new $4 million, 5,460-sq-ft terminal is designed to withstand coastal wind loads and corrosive marine conditions and will be constructed from exterior materials suited for the local climate.

Slated for completion by the end of the year, the two-story building will feature a pilot lounge with flight planning area, a conference room, a refreshment bar, and crew cars, as well as a full-service, outdoor seating restaurant and bar area that will allow guests to enjoy the Florida Keys’ weather year-round.

This development follows the chain's recent addition of a $5 million fuel farm at KMTH.

“This new facility represents our long-term commitment to Marathon and to delivering an elevated experience for every guest who arrives at KMTH,” said Million Air CEO Roger Woolsey, adding that the company’s mission has always been to go beyond fueling aircraft. “We are excited to invest in infrastructure that not only serves aviation but also enhances the local community.”

The FAA has renewed the NBAA small-aircraft exemption through March 31, 2028, enabling association members to take advantage of certain cost-sharing and maintenance provisions that otherwise are limited to operations of large, turbine-powered aircraft.

Under Exemption 7897N, operators of small aircraft—those 12,500 pounds or less—and rotorcraft can use alternative maintenance programs and receive limited cost reimbursement for certain flights under FAR Part 91F. This allows for common flight department activities such as transporting guests on company aircraft or for subsidiary employees to use the airplane, NBAA explained, noting that Part 91 Subpart F also permits time sharing, interchange, and joint ownership agreements.

As written, those provisions have applied only to multi-engine jet aircraft, fractional ownership aircraft, or those that weigh more than 12,500 pounds. In 1994, NBAA secured an FAA exemption on behalf of its membership that extends the applicability to small aircraft, including piston models. That exemption has been routinely extended since.

Operators using the exemption for the first time must submit a letter of intent to the FAA. NBAA has created a tool to assist operators with that process. The association advised that members already using the exemption are not required to submit a new letter of intent but should carry a copy of the newest exemption, 7897N, on their aircraft and should notify their Flight Standards District Office of their continued intent.

Helicopter dealership and leasing company Rotortrade has released its Global Helicopter Market Report 2026, which found that “demand for helicopters remains strong, despite continued production constraints and extended delivery backlogs at the OEM level.”

While EMS, offshore energy, and firefighting operators are driving demand, especially for twin-engine helicopters in the aeromedical segment, there remains “a structural imbalance shaping the market: strong customer demand versus constrained OEM production capacity,” according to Rotortrade. This is leading operators to move more into preowned helicopters due to delivery slots for new helicopters stretching out 42 to 48 months. “This dynamic continues to reinforce the strategic relevance of the secondary market,” the company said.

The Airbus Helicopters twin-engine fleet is the world’s largest, with 4,459 helicopters at the end of 2025. Leonardo follows at 2,297, Bell at 1,937, and Sikorsky at 1,371.

The fleet of single-engine turbine helicopters is dominated by Airbus and Bell, with 6,707 and 6,760, respectively. Robinson Helicopter’s R66 fleet has reached 1,413, while MD Helicopters stood at 1,330; Leonardo, 317; and Enstrom, 161.

Robinson has the largest share of piston helicopters, with 78%—9,929 aircraft—at the end of 2025. Schweizer is next at 1,314, followed by Bell at 753; Enstrom, 440; and Guimbal, 355. Guimbal has the “second highest production rate of piston helicopters, [and its] fleet continues to build,” according to Rotortrade.

"Nobody wants to live a scripted life.” That admonition from a U.S. Air Force general decades ago was the push that propelled Nicole Malachowski to finalize her application to be the first female Thunderbird pilot in U.S. Air Force history.

On March 19, she delivered that same message to thousands of attendees gathered for the opening session of the 37th annual Women in Aviation International conference in Dallas, saying, “Don’t you ever write yourself out of the script. Believe those who believe in you,” Malachowski told the audience. “And that is the beauty of WAI.”

Sasha Johnson, v-p of corporate safety at United Airlines, which sponsored the opening session, emphasized the importance of mentorship. She credited WAI CEO Lynda Coffman, who worked at United when Johnson started her time there, as a mentor who “told the truth about challenges.”

Coffman told the session that WAI is “holding steady” at 20,000 members, including representation from more than 100 countries. The organization awarded $530,000 in scholarships in 2025 and awarded $610,000 this year during a celebration at the conference.

Coffman announced a Global Access Program beginning on April 1 that will offer adjusted membership and chapter dues for women in economically developing regions. The 2026 seed funding came from WAI’s board of directors through personal financial commitments.

Jet Linx jet card holders and aircraft owners can now access the charter operator’s new MemberSeatExchange program. Accessed through the Jet Linx App, MemberSeatExchange is only for Jet Linx clients and is not available for nonmembers or owners.

To use the service, clients can request a seat on an already-scheduled flight or book a trip and then offer seats to other Jet Linx clients. Jet Linx doesn’t release any identifying information until the seat request is mutually confirmed. Clients can also view aircraft owner flights on the exchange, according to Jet Linx. “Participation is entirely optional to ensure the service only enhances the private aviation experience without impacting scheduling, availability, or privacy.”

Omaha, Nebraska-based Jet Linx manages more than 100 airplanes and operates from 22 company-owned terminals in the U.S.

“The MemberSeat Exchange represents an innovative extension of our client-first philosophy,” said Jet Linx executive chairman Jamie Walker. “We are always looking to enhance our services to provide our clients with more flexibility and value, while ensuring every flight remains private, secure, and fully within the trusted Jet Linx community.”

The FAA has kicked off its annual General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey to monitor key activity surrounding the general aviation fleet, such as hours flown and the ways aircraft are used, NATA said.

Each year, the agency reaches out to about 80,000 general aviation aircraft owners and operators, representing nearly 30% of the fleet, according to AOPA. This year, the contractor administering the survey, Tetra Tech, has sent out postcards and emails with participation links to those selected.

NATA and AOPA, along with other industry associations, have long stressed the importance of participation, noting that the survey is the primary source of information on the general aviation fleet used to develop safety metrics, including fatal accident rates. In addition, the data is used to understand the impact the industry has on jobs and economic output, as well as plays a role in infrastructure and service funding decisions.

“The FAA and industry need accurate data on a broad range of aircraft. Your participation is voluntary, but we need your help,” NATA said.

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