Jet fuel supply in the U.S. is at “critical levels,” World Fuel sales director Wesley Earl told attendees yesterday at the Florida Aviation Business Association (FABA) annual conference in Tampa. Supply is currently at 45 days, well off the normal 105- to 150-day range, he noted.

While the U.S. is a net oil exporter, Earl said refineries there are set up to process heavy crude mainly imported from the Middle East, not the light sweet crude produced domestically via fracking. “Supply shortages take time to resolve,” he explained, adding that it takes a ship carrying oil more than 50 days to go from the Middle East to a U.S. port. The last major tanker carrying oil from the Middle East docked in California earlier this month, and no further arrivals are pending due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran war started on February 28.

“If this continues, it will have an impact on aircraft operators,” Earl noted. “Most FBOs only have enough fuel farm storage to keep three to five days of jet-A supply on hand.”

According to oil production industry experts, it would take three to five years to convert U.S. refineries to accept light sweet crude. That means it’s not feasible for the U.S. to switch to domestic oil supplies in the near-term to relieve any shortages.

Bombardier is rolling out a FastTrack program to help develop a pipeline of qualified airframe and powerplant technicians for its U.S. facilities. Developed in collaboration with Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology, the program was debuted by Bombardier at its Hartford, Connecticut service center in collaboration with CT Aero Tech, a part of the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System. The Montreal-headquartered manufacturer plans to establish the program at its other service locations in the U.S.

The program is designed to provide an accelerated training pathway for maintenance technicians in support of the growing Bombardier fleet. Through FastTrack, candidates with at least 18 months of hands‑on airframe or powerplant experience, or 30 months of combined experience, can apply for an FAA A&P certificate. Participants will take a two‑ to four‑week accelerated classroom refresher to prepare for the FAA general, airframe, and powerplant examinations. Then they will receive two weeks of hands-on instruction in preparation for the practical evaluation.

“The FastTrack program reflects Bombardier’s continued investment in building a highly skilled maintenance workforce to support our growing service operations,” said Bombardier v-p of service centers Paul Thompson. “This initiative not only supports experienced professionals who want to advance their careers but also helps strengthen our capacity to deliver exceptional OEM maintenance services to our customers around the world.”

Helicopter dealer Rotortrade reported strong business growth in Asia-Pacific (APAC) and the Middle East and Africa (MEA), which collectively accounted for 40% of its total revenue and profit contribution in 2025.

During the year, Rotortrade completed transactions in more than 30 countries in these regions, ranging from Australia, Japan, and Tajikistan to Zambia, Nigeria, and the UAE. Operators in these countries took delivery of a mix of turbine aircraft from key OEMs such as Airbus Helicopters and Leonardo for applications including offshore support, EMS, firefighting, utility, passenger transport, search and rescue, and VIP operations.

Momentum in APAC continues to gain, Rotortrade added, noting that its business in this region grew by 50% year over year in 2025. Australia and New Zealand combined for seven helicopter bookings, with a half-dozen twin engines and one single-engine model.

The Singapore-headquartered company stressed that as it continues to expand globally, APAC and MEA are central to its long-term strategy. “We continue to see Asia-Pacific and the Middle East and Africa as leading regions within our global business,” said Rotortrade founder and CEO Philippe Lubrano. “The diversity of missions and the increasing operational requirements across these markets support steady demand for reliable, well-configured aircraft.”

Duncan Aviation completed 144-month inspections simultaneously on two Gulfstream G650s at its Lincoln, Nebraska, and Provo, Utah facilities. This inspection is among the most comprehensive maintenance events in an aircraft’s life cycle, involving the removal of all exterior access panels, the complete interior, and landing gear to provide full access for nose-to-tail evaluation. Many operators combine the inspection with upgrades such as interior refurbishments and exterior paint.

Matthew Benns, director of maintenance at MB Aviation Services, had a G650 inspected at Provo, and said the communication was professional and client-focused. “The level of client interaction was excellent—among the best I have seen at any MRO,” Benns said. “I felt that my priorities as a client were genuinely listened to and understood.”

Lee Noble, accountable manager of Sybajet, combined the Lincoln inspection with exterior paint work. “Rather than make the trip from the United Arab Emirates twice and have the aircraft down longer than necessary, we decided to perform the inspection here at the same time,” Noble said.

All three Duncan Aviation MROs in Michigan, Utah, and Nebraska are equipped to support the G650 with specialized tools and factory-trained technicians, the company said.

With Gogo Galileo HDX now available for the King Air, global connectivity has finally caught up to one of aviation’s most trusted platforms. Stevens Aerospace worked alongside Gogo to bring the system to the King Air, delivering seamless integration, proven real-world performance, and connectivity aligned with how operators fly today.

Titan Aviation Fuels subsidiary Titan Aerospace Insurance (TAI) has expanded its U.S. West Coast coverage with the acquisition of California-based aviation-focused insurance firm Ouzel Services. As part of the transaction, Ouzel founder Erik Everson has joined the TAI team, bringing extensive experience in aviation operations, insurance strategy, and client-focused risk management solutions.

A third-generation pilot, as well as a former A&P mechanic apprentice and line service technician, Everson previously co-founded Jefferson Aviation Insurance Solutions, where he specialized in helping aviation clients navigate complex insurance renewals, coverage strategies, and risk management solutions.

In addition to his aviation insurance background, Everson has served as a commercial insurance broker with Jefferson Financial & Insurance Services, advising business owners on comprehensive insurance programs and tailored coverage strategies.

“The acquisition of Ouzel Services and addition of Erik to our team represents another exciting step in TAI’s continued growth,” said Titan Aerospace Insurance CEO Jon Downey. “Erik’s operational aviation background, insurance expertise, and relationship-driven approach align perfectly with the values and service commitment we bring to our clients across the aviation industry.”

Infinity Aviation Group, a fledgling FBO chain, has expanded its footprint to South Florida with the acquisition of Corporate Air, one of three service providers at Vero Beach Regional Airport (KVRB). Launched last year, Charleston, South Carolina-based Infinity also operates an FBO at Boire Field Airport (KASH) in Nashua, New Hampshire.

Situated adjacent to the airport’s primary 7,300-foot runway, the facility has a 5,000-sq-ft terminal with a passenger lounge, crew lounge with private bathroom/shower and snooze room, eat-in kitchen, and a 12-seat conference room. Last year, the FBO added a $3 million 3,800-sq-ft U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, giving KVRB the ability to handle international arrivals.

The complex, which has more than eight acres of ramp, also offers eight hangars totaling 106,500 sq ft and has the ability to accommodate up to ultra-long-range business jets.

“Vero Beach offers outstanding infrastructure with extensive modern hangar space capable of accommodating heavy jets, and additional hangar capacity is on the way,” said Infinity CEO Steven Levesque. “We are confident our Vero Beach FBO will quickly become South Florida’s preferred destination for private jet travelers.”

The first panel session, “Transforming 2025 Safety Findings into Future Solutions,” at the recent Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) Business Aviation Safety Summit dove into how “past incidents and accidents can help protect our future safety,” said FSF director of member relations Paige Kroner.

The annual safety report based on FSF’s Aviation Safety Network (ASN) data highlights broad industry patterns, Kroner explained. “ASN helps turn real-world history into practical, identifying trends. Our 2025 safety report data shows that our ecosystem is under increasing pressure with rising demand, more operational complexity, and a need to keep strengthening the basics. The ASN data points out that corporate jet accidents increased in 2025, and fatal accidents reached the highest level we’ve seen in the last nine years of ASN data.”

Asked about the one lesson that safety leaders can carry into 2026, panelist Susie Scott, director of transportation at Oliver Wyman-Vector, focused on resiliency. “If you think about what resiliency means, it means being able to anticipate, monitor, learn, and respond,” she said. “We do a good job monitoring lagging indicators, and I don’t think we are leveraging the data…that we have, to train to be resilient, and really anticipating.”

French IT and software engineering group Infotel has acquired a 20% stake in aviation compliance and safety specialist AeroEx. Under the deal, the companies will jointly develop more advanced solutions for dealing with aerospace regulatory complexity.

The main initial focus of the partnership will be the development of AeroEx’s AMAS Aero cloud-based platform for compliance and safety management. According to the Swiss company, this helps aerospace organizations to streamline regulatory processes, manage audits and inspections, and enhance safety performance through digitalization, automation, and intelligent workflows.

Infotel has developed the Orlando platform for managing aviation technical publications and documentation. The cloud-based system is used by airlines, as well as maintenance, repair, and overhaul providers.

“This partnership allows us to combine deep regulatory expertise with scalable technology to address one of the key challenges in aerospace—managing complexity while driving efficiency and growth,” said AeroEx managing director Helmut Gottschalk.

Infotel indicated that it may opt to increase its holding in AeroEx. According to the French group’s CEO, Eric Fabretti, AMAS Aero complements Orlando and can create “powerful synergies between regulatory expertise and advanced software capabilities.”