Bombardier today formally inaugurates its new $500 million Global aircraft assembly center at Toronto Pearson International Airport, marking the full transition from its production site in nearby Downsview. Coinciding with the company’s Investor Day, the celebration is drawing an estimated 4,000 people, including the employees, their families, shareholders, and dignitaries.

The dedication comes a little more than a month after Bombardier rolled out the final Downsview-built Global 7500. It left the facility on March 23, marking the completion of a transition to Pearson that began in September.

Bombardier methodically transferred the lines from Downsview over six months, moving specific work centers—including all of the tools and all of the associated people—in three-week cycles. The Global 5500/6500 was fully stood up first. “Now everything is here…and every element of our business is now at the Pearson facility,” said Graham Kelly, v-p of operations for Global aircraft at the Toronto and Red Oak, Texas sites.

As for Downsview, Bombardier no longer owns the site, he said.

Bombardier has moved all 2,500 workers to the new site. The Pearson location provided the right downsizing for Bombardier’s footprint, spanning 40 acres rather than the 400-acre location at Downsview. Further, the 770,000-sq-ft new facility houses all the Global lines under a single roof and is producing synergies between the lines, Kelly said.

The Biden Administration on Tuesday released its guidance on the eligibility of corn- and soy-based ethanol for tax credits in the production of sustainable aviation fuel.

Under U.S. Treasury Department guidelines, SAF that achieves a life cycle carbon emissions reduction of at least 50% compared with conventional jet-A is eligible for a tax credit of $1.25 a gallon with one cent added per percentage point above that, up to a maximum of $1.75 per gallon. The credits are viewed as a strong incentive for SAF producers.

The long-awaited measure imposed some restrictions on corn and soy feedstock use, mandating that certain climate-smart agricultural practices must be incorporated into crop production in order for the fuel to meet greenhouse gases, regulated emissions, and energy use in technologies (GREET) life cycle analysis criteria. Those farming practices include no-till, use of cover crops, and enhanced efficiency fertilizer.

“Today’s guidance and modified GREET model help position ethanol-based SAF for takeoff, but more work is needed to fully clear the runway and get this opportunity off the ground,” said Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association. “We are encouraged that, for the first time ever, this carbon scoring framework will recognize and credit certain climate-smart agricultural practices.”

More than half of the respondents to the first-quarter JetNet iQ Survey say they are considering upgrading their aircraft’s connectivity system in the next 12 months, “highlighting a large and vibrant market opportunity for service providers and MRO shops with the capacity to serve this need.” Primary user benefits include global access to high-speed data streaming, faster and clearer air-to-ground communications, and improvements in navigational capability, situational awareness, and proactive maintenance planning and decision-making, according to JetNet iQ director Rollie Vincent.

Per the survey results, connectivity upgrades are most sought after by operators of midsize and larger business jets, with nearly 57% expecting to upgrade in the next 12 months and about another 12% on the fence. For turboprops and light jets, about 44% plan to upgrade over the next year, with about 16% remaining uncertain.

By world region, the JetNet iQ survey indicates demand for connectivity upgrades is highest in areas outside of the Americas and Europe. About half of business aircraft operators in the Americas expect to upgrade their systems, while about 43% in Europe plan to do so. In the rest of the world, 61% said they anticipate upgrading their connectivity systems over the next 12 months, JetNet iQ said.

Organizers of the MEBAA show say the 2024 gathering of the Middle East’s business aviation industry will include multiple new features as it looks to build on the 2022 event that achieved a 56% increase in visitors. The 10th edition of the biennial event will be staged from December 10 to 12 at the Dubai World Central site used for the Dubai Airshow.

According to the Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA), which promotes the show, the region continues to be a key driver of growth that is expected to see the global industry increase in value to $62.6 billion in 2030 (up from $42.1 billion in 2022). Over this period, the group says private aviation traffic growth in the region is set to increase 10% year-on-year for the rest of this decade.

Most of the major aircraft manufacturers have already committed to exhibiting in Dubai this December, including Boeing, Dassault, Bombardier, and Embraer. Leading operators and service providers have also signed up, such as Empire Aviation, DC Aviation, VistaJet, and Saudia Private.

Features for the 2024 event will include the Bizav Talks conference covering themes including sustainability, emerging technologies, market trends, and supply chain challenges. There will also be the Operators Program for “business matchmaking” and a new Bizav Social event on the evening of day two.

StandardAero has laid plans for an 80,500-sq-ft hangar expansion at its Augusta Business Aviation MRO facility in Georgia. Working with the Augusta Regional Airport (KAGS), the Augusta Economic Development Authority, and the state of Georgia, StandardAero expects crews to complete construction in 2025.

“The new facility will add over 60% of new space to our existing footprint,” said Chris Bodine, v-p and general manager of StandardAero’s Augusta location. “The current facility was built in the 1970s when aircraft were a lot smaller. The new facility will allow us to support additional super-midsize to large-cabin aircraft for airframe and avionics while also significantly expanding our engine shop to further support many of those aircraft.”

StandardAero Business Aviation president Tony Brancato said the expansion will allow for maintenance on large Dassault, Gulfstream, and Bombardier jets as well as HTF7000-series engines.

The AGS Airport/Augusta Economic Development Authority (AEDA) has secured a grant for site preparation and construction while the state of Georgia applies job tax credits for new employees over a 10-year period.

“This is an exciting time for StandardAero and this expansion will allow us to grow and better serve our customers for the next 50 years,” Brancato concluded.

Safran Helicopter Engines has signed a major support-by-the-hour contract with aeromedical operator DRF Luftrettung for engines powering its H145 helicopter fleet, the OEM said yesterday. The support-by-the-hour (SBH) contract covers in-service support and MRO for more than 90 Arriel 2E engines. DRF Luftrettung ranks as one of the biggest users of the Arriel engine in Europe.

Safran Helicopter Engines Germany in Hamburg will manage the program. The facility monitors and supports 300 helicopter operators in Germany, Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, for a total fleet of 2,000 engines.

“This contract demonstrates the relevance of our SBH support model,” said Mathieu Albert, Safran Helicopter Engines’ executive v-p for support and services. “DRF Luftrettung is one of the major actors in helicopter EMS in Germany, and it is important for them to have the most efficient engine MRO and support.”

According to Safran, SBH provides visibility on engine operating costs and smoothes financial flows, while making scheduled and unscheduled maintenance operations more flexible. SBH integrates with a range of high-value-added digital services such as Health Monitoring, Expert Link, and Online SBH.

Based in Filderstadt, Germany, DRF Luftrettung ranks among the largest air rescue organizations in Europe. The nonprofit organization's ambulance aircraft operate from 32 bases in Germany.

With the impending expansion of Canada’s ADS-B to Class B airspace, air traffic control provider Nav Canada has issued an update notice to remind pilots of their options and responsibilities. On May 24, ADS-B is scheduled to include Canada’s Class B domestic airspace. Class A airspace has been under the mandate since August 2023.

According to the notice, because there are still operators that need additional time to comply, Nav Canada will continue “offering accommodations” for aircraft unable to transmit ADS-B. Blanket accommodations have been made available in some circumstances to air operators with regularly scheduled flights, while individual ADS-B accommodation requests can be submitted directly to Nav Canada.

“Given the oxygen requirements in un-pressurized aircraft, and the benefits of higher cruising altitudes for pressurized aircraft, there are a limited number of air operators in Canada that operate fleets in Class B airspace that don’t also climb into Class A airspace,” said the notice. “Nav Canada has begun reaching out to some of the affected air operators to determine if accommodations may be required.”

The notice reminds operators that regardless of the class of airspace, it is important that aircraft operators be aware of the flight planning nomenclature requirements so that confirmation of ADS-B capability is appropriately ingested into flight data processing systems and shown on surveillance displays used by air traffic services.