Pilatus Aircraft is reflecting on what it terms an “uncommonly challenging fiscal year,” describing how “significant external pressures” such as U.S. tariffs have continued to affect operations through 2025. Revenues at the Swiss aircraft manufacturer totaled CHF$1.67 billion ($2.13 billion) last year, marginally up from CHF$1.63 billion in 2024.

The company delivered 147 aircraft last year, including 82 PC-12 turboprop singles and 50 PC-24 twinjets. This total was slightly down from the 153 and 148 units delivered in 2024 and 2023, respectively, something the airframer attributes to “significant external pressures such as delivery stoppages and delays” related to tariffs.

However, Pilatus CEO Markus Bucher noted “high demand” for both aircraft models: “The continuing high volume of orders in hand…reassures us for the coming years.” In particular, Pilatus said this “healthy order situation and good liquidity” helped it weather the storm of U.S. tariffs, which rose to 39% in August. Pilatus temporarily paused deliveries of PC-12s and PC-24s to the U.S., saying that the yet higher tariff put it “at a significant competitive disadvantage.” It resumed deliveries in November.

“The USA remains a key market for Pilatus, although we also see great potential in Europe and Asia, where we will continue to expand our presence,” the manufacturer said. The creation of Pilatus USA in late 2025 preceded January’s groundbreaking on a new sales, service, and PC-12 assembly center in Florida.

A small number of airline movements have resumed at the main airports in the UAE as local carriers such as Etihad, Emirates, and FlyDubai used a limited approved air corridor through Oman’s Muscat flight information region. Flights late yesterday and more today marked the tentative first steps in restoring a civil air bridge to Gulf states in the front line of an escalating military conflict with Iran that has stranded tens of thousands of air passengers.

Private flight charter operators and brokers continue struggling to expand options for evacuations from Muscat International Airport and also from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. One departure from Abu Dhabi late yesterday was a Dassault Falcon 7X operated by a leading Europe-based charter and management group.

However, according to security intelligence group Dyami, flights to and from airports in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Israel were still suspended at press time. The company reported very limited movements from Oman, Qatar, and Lebanon, and Jordan’s Queen Alia International Airport is only operating from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Today, charter broker Chapman Freeborn reported that it has been liaising with governments and corporate customers to arrange emergency support for passengers and cargo flights. Qatar Executive—one of the Gulf region’s largest air charter operators—confirmed that most of its fleet was positioned outside the country when airspace closed early on Saturday.

West Star Aviation is expanding its AOG support capabilities with the purchase of DCJet, a business aviation maintenance provider with five U.S. locations that specializes in field maintenance and AOG services.

The acquisition adds to West Star’s own AOG capabilities, which include more than 200 aircraft maintenance technicians; its total now exceeds 250 employees with the addition. DCJet is headquartered at Washington Dulles International Airport (KIAD). Its other locations are at Chicago Midway International Airport (KMDW); Orlando International Airport (KMCO); Seattle Boeing Field (KBFI); and Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (TJSJ) in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

West Star plans “a thoughtful, measured integration approach, with an emphasis on maintaining continuity of service and preserving the people-focused culture that made DCJet a strong fit,” according to the company. “In the near term, the priority remains unchanged: deliver reliable, high-quality support and get customers back in the air as quickly as possible.”

“This is an exciting step for our team and our customers,” said Joe Ortiz, president and founder of DCJet. “By joining West Star Aviation, we gain additional scale and resources while staying focused on what has always defined DCJet: taking care of the customer, working as a team, and delivering solutions where and when they are needed most.”

Fresh off Milan’s hosting of the Winter Olympics, SEA Prime, which manages the private aviation infrastructure at the city’s Linate and Malpensa Airports under the Milano Prime brand, held the official grand opening of the new wing of its terminal at Linate (LIML) today. Attended by business aviation operators, representatives of local institutions, and airport authorities, the event included speeches from members of Italy’s 2026 Olympic team: gold medalist speed skater Davide Ghiotto and silver medalist skier Federico Tomasoni.

The project, launched in late 2024, included the rebuilding of existing infrastructure and widening the entrances for improved accessibility. As a result, the new addition brings the facility to 2,000 sq m (21,530 sq ft). It features nine glass-walled lounges overlooking the ramp and landside that have been assigned to leading Italian and international business aircraft operators who will customize them.

In the main hall—which was finished with materials used in traditional Milanese architecture—a custom-made polygonal concierge desk, illuminated by a large skylight, welcomes guests. Sustainable features include high-efficiency equipment, solar panels, and an air management system that constantly monitors CO2 levels to optimize air circulation.

The expansion is tied to the company’s growth. Last year, the Linate facility managed 35,900 movements, a 7% year-over-year increase. For the first two months of 2026, traffic—spurred by the Olympic Games—nearly doubled the pace from last year.

Garmin’s Autothrottle integration with the G1000 NXi is redefining how King Air pilots manage workload, safety, and engine performance. This guide breaks down how the system enhances automation, protects against exceedances, and transforms daily operations for owner‑operators and flight departments alike.

On February 13, the pilot and three passengers were killed when their Epic E1000 turboprop single hit Emerald Mountain—at about 900 feet below the approach minimum descent altitude (MDA)—near Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The accident happened just after midnight local time while the pilot was flying the RNAV (GPS) Z 32 approach to Steamboat Springs Airport/Bob Adams Field (KSBS), according to the NTSB preliminary report. Six days after the accident, the FAA issued a notam prohibiting pilots from using that approach procedure.

Four minutes before the accident, the metar weather for KSBS was a broken ceiling of 1,600 feet (8,482 feet msl) and overcast at 2,400 feet (9,282 feet msl), with 10-mile visibility.

The nonprecision approach procedure has an MDA of 9,100 feet msl and prohibits a straight-in landing on Runway 32 at night. After flying that procedure, the only option would be to circle to land on Runway 14, with circling allowed on the northwest side of the airport. At the 9,100-foot MDA, the airport may have been obscured by the lower broken layer of clouds.

The Safety Board noted that the “approach plate lists that the approach, both the circling and straight-in to Runway 32, is not authorized at night. Additionally, the approach plate lists ‘Visual Segment—Obstacles.’” Notams also listed the runway end identifier and precision approach path Indicator lights for Runway 32 as “unusable.”

SMFL Helicopters (SMFLH) has officially become the rotary-wing industry’s latest global lessor, following the merger of existing leasing companies LCI and Macquarie Rotorcraft. The integrated fleet size of some 290 aircraft supports 52 operators, and SMFLH intends to scale operations with the intent to become the market leader.

The merger was orchestrated by the Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company (SMFL), following regulatory approval in November by the UK Competition and Markets Authority. Integration of both companies is ongoing, with SMFLH’s headquarters based in Dublin. Other regional offices are based in London and Singapore.

SMFLH builds upon a helicopter leasing joint venture initiated between SMFL and LCI in 2020. This was followed by SMFL’s acquisition of LCI and Macquarie Rotorcraft last year. “SMFL is proud to be present at scale in this dynamic sector,” said Shinichiro Watanabe, senior managing executive officer at SMFL.

The lessor’s fleet is operational across six continents, supporting a wide variety of missions including emergency medical services, search-and-rescue, offshore support, and utility missions. In 2024, SMFLH placed an order for up to 21 helicopters from Airbus, complementing a fleet that also includes models from Bell Textron, Leonardo, and Sikorsky.

Hermeus has made the successful first flight of its latest Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 prototype, kicking off a campaign the company said will see the uncrewed aircraft reach supersonic speeds. Flight testing of the Mk 2.1 builds on the original Mk 1, which took to the skies in May 2025. Atlanta-based Hermeus has plans to develop hypersonic aircraft for multiple military and civil applications that would include the 20-passenger Halcyon.

“Speed is the fundamental requirement for our flight systems and for our company,” said Hermeus CEO and founder AJ Piplica. He believes that capabilities developed through Quarterhorse’s “rapid, iterative development roadmap” will help in “bringing the United States closer to having the high-speed capability it needs now, not decades from now.”

The delta-winged Mk 2.1 prototype is four times heavier and three times larger than its predecessor. It is roughly the size of an F-16 fighter, which Hermeus claimed makes it “one of the largest unmanned aircraft ever built.”

Power is provided by a modified afterburning Pratt & Whitney F100 engine. Hermeus hopes its subsequent Mk 2.2 design will become the world’s fastest uncrewed aircraft, leveraging its proprietary air-breathing Chimera II engine. The company’s goal is to “unlock sustained ramjet-powered flight” this decade, collaborating with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide high-speed “novel operational defense capabilities.”

Guardian Jet has named Anantha Krishna sales director for Asia, establishing regional leadership for the business aircraft brokerage and advisory firm’s operations across the Asia-Pacific market.

Krishna, based in Singapore, brings nearly a decade of international aviation sales experience and has completed more than $200 million in private jet and helicopter transactions across Asia and the Middle East. He previously held senior sales roles at two aircraft brokerage firms and developed the Pioneer Jet Program, an advisory service for first-time buyers. Krishna also holds an MBA in aviation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

In the new role, Krishna will support Guardian Jet clients across East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania on fixed-wing and rotorcraft sales and acquisitions.

Gabriel Bastos, managing partner and head of global sales at Guardian Jet, cited the complexity of cross-border transactions as a driver of the hire. “Transactions here are rarely simple. They cross borders, jurisdictions, and regulatory systems, and Anantha Krishna’s experience across the region strengthens our ability to support clients operating internationally.”

Guardian Jet said Asia-Pacific demand is being driven by multinational enterprises, younger high-net-worth buyers, and aircraft owners reassessing ownership strategies, with fleet growth in markets including India, Australia, and Southeast Asia. The firm reports more than $2 billion in annual business aircraft transaction volume globally.