Under a proposed Senate bill, all aircraft operating in Class B airspace in the U.S. would be required to install and use ADS-B Out and In technology. The bill was introduced by Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation.

FAA regulations require that aircraft operating in Class B airspace be equipped with and use ADS-B Out, but there are no regulations mandating the use of ADS-B In. Many aircraft are equipped to display ADS-B In traffic on cockpit displays and portable devices, but as yet, there has been no FAA regulatory work on ADS-B In mandates.

However, the Secretary of Transportation is able to grant exemptions for the use of ADS-B Out in Class B and other airspace where ADS-B is required. The Army Black Hawk helicopter that collided with a PSA Airlines CRJ700 on January 29 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) did not have its ADS-B equipment switched on. After the accident, the FAA required all aircraft operating in Washington’s Class B airspace to have ADS-B Out turned on.

“This legislation will make certain aircraft in airspace like DCA are transmitting and receiving important tracking data to both protect themselves and help air traffic control better conduct landings and takeoffs," said Moran.

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has announced that Cook Flight Operations aircraft captain Doug Rock has become the 1,000th aviation professional to receive the Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) designation.

“The CAM program exemplifies NBAA’s commitment to supporting our community’s growth in an increasingly complex and competitive environment,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “Reaching our 1,000th CAM certification milestone is recognition from our industry and business aviation professionals that CAM is a credential that delivers success, both for the recipients and their organizations.”

Rock, who has two decades of experience as a corporate pilot, pursued the certification to expand his knowledge base and enhance his decision-making capabilities. “After 20 years as a corporate pilot, I was at the point in my career where I wanted to have a broader understanding of this dynamic industry so I could make more informed decisions,” he said. “I wanted to gain a deep understanding of the whole industry, from operations to maintenance to leadership and safety, and the CAM program allowed me to connect every one of those dots.”

Candidates must undergo a formal application process and receive pre-qualification approval before taking the computer-based examination, which is available year-round.

“I am a better pilot because of CAM, and my career options have broadened because of the leadership skills I’ve learned from the CAM program,” Rock concluded.

Business aircraft charter and management company Schubach Aviation has opened an office in New York City, marking its first East Coast location and expanding its national footprint. “After 34 years of delivering exceptional private aviation experiences, opening our Manhattan office reflects our continued commitment to serving our clients where they need us most,” said CEO Kimberly Herrell.

Located in Manhattan’s Plaza District, the office enhances Schubach’s presence in one of the world’s top financial centers. Headquartered at McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, California, the company also maintains a fleet presence in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The New York office is led by Trish Gentile, v-p of business development. Gentile brings experience from NetJets, Jet Edge, VistaJet, and XOJet, where she focused on high-performance sales. “This marks an exciting chapter for our company,” Gentile said. “I believe our commitment to excellence, modern fleet, and highest safety standards will deeply resonate with potential clients here.”

Under Herrell’s leadership since 2020, Schubach has made strategic investments in fleet and talent, earning top third-party safety ratings and expanding its service offering. The company continues to focus on charter, aircraft management, and acquisition advisory.

The Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA) has issued an objection to plans from the Montreal Airport Authority that will prioritize commercial passenger flights over general and business aviation at Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (CYUL) due to construction projects that will last through September.

The development consists of the extension of Taxiway Bravo, which will last through June 9, and the planned closures of Taxiways B4 and B6 from June 18 to September 22.

Plans from the authority call for the prioritization of airline slots during the peak hours of 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and beyond.

CBAA argues that CYUL is owned by Transport Canada and leased to the airport authority. As such, it is beholden to federal obligations under the Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines, which govern airport coordination globally and call for voluntary, mutually-agreed-upon schedule adjustments, rather than unilateral slot allocation. It noted that stakeholders such as CBAA should be consulted to ensure decisions are reflective of community and industry needs, with equitable access for all aviation sectors.

The group noted that business aviation directly supports more than 13,000 jobs in Quebec, with $7.43 billion in direct economic output. It requested immediate negotiations with a facilitator to ensure its members are not disproportionately impacted, along with a transparent demand and capacity analysis to justify the restrictions and explore possible infrastructure solutions.

AEG Fuels is updating its AEG Rewards program with a new tiered structure—Ready, Jet, and Fuel—designed to give customers more ways to earn and redeem. With added benefits at every level, the revamped program offers greater value for your fueling and flight support activity.

Artificial intelligence startup NoamAI has introduced a patent-pending air traffic control support system designed to assist tower personnel with real-time predictive modeling, voice parsing, and surface surveillance integration.

Unveiled May 13 at Airspace World 2025 in Geneva, the NoamAI Air Traffic Controller system uses machine learning to process thousands of data points per second, including aircraft position, radar feeds, and controller communications, to help reduce response times and enhance situational awareness.

“Air traffic control is one of the most complex, high-stakes environments millions rely on daily,” said NoamAI CEO and co-founder Luke Gotszling. “Our AI platform acts as a co-pilot in the tower—boosting coordination, awareness, and responsiveness when it matters most.”

The system is not intended to replace human operators but to augment their capabilities, particularly in high-traffic or constrained environments. Former airline executive and aviation analyst Robert Mann said the overlay “parses and articulates standardized format voice and data clearances, surface surveillance, and aircraft position tracking,” with the goal of making tower operations more intelligible and efficient.

Key system features include predictive conflict detection, radar and transponder integration, and compatibility with future urban air mobility systems such as eVTOLs and drones. NoamAI said it intends to work with regulators on certification of the system.

The company focuses on AI-based aviation infrastructure tools and aims to improve efficiency and resilience in global air traffic operations.

The Pilot Mental Health Campaign (PMHC), an advocacy group focused on aeromedical reform in the U.S., has praised Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s newly announced plan to modernize the nation’s air traffic control infrastructure, calling it a vital investment in aviation safety, but warned that more comprehensive aviation health policy reform is still needed. “Modernization of our nation’s air traffic control is long overdue,” said PMHC founder Brian Bomhoff. “These updates and upgrades will go a long way in ensuring our skies are safe for decades to come.”

However, Bomhoff stressed that technology alone is not enough, pointing to the importance of systemic reform in pilot and controller health policy. “Aeromedical reform, such as the Mental Health in Aviation Act (H.R. 2591), would support our nation’s air traffic controllers and pilots and their ability to maintain peak performance each and every day in some of the most intense and congested airspace in the world.”

PMHC also commended Rep. Sam Graves (R-Missouri), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, for his support of the $12.5 billion modernization initiative. PMHC executive director Chris Finlayson called the plan “a critical first step” but noted that real safety gains will require addressing a “punitive” medical certification process that, in his words, removes “elite, talented, dedicated pilots and controllers” from the workforce.

Sikorsky and firetech developer Rain have demonstrated and tested the helicopter manufacturer’s Matrix autonomy system and Rain’s wildfire suppression planning software in a Black Hawk helicopter on a propane fire and burning brush piles. The testing took place in late April in Southern California and “familiarized firefighters with the potential of autonomy to help crewed and uncrewed firefighting helicopters find and suppress early-stage wildfires,” according to Sikorsky.

Supported in part by a research and development grant from power company PG&E, the testing, at 3,300 feet and with occasional wind gusts up to 30 knots, was the first time Rain and Sikorsky demonstrated the autonomous capability over live fires in wildfire-prone terrain. San Bernardino County Fire Protection District prepared the test fires, and witnesses included representatives from Cal Fire, San Bernardino County Fire District, Orange County Fire Authority, and the U.S. Forest Service.

Equipped with fly-by-wire flight controls, satellite datalink, and thermal and vision cameras, the Matrix Black Hawk can be flown autonomously or by onboard pilots. During the tests, safety pilots were on the helicopter, which was flown by a ground operator using a Rain tablet to command firefighting tasks.

The Sikorsky-Rain team also demonstrated hand-off of helicopter control between the autonomous operation and the onboard pilots and communication between the Matrix Black Hawk and another human-piloted helicopter in the vicinity.

The upcoming sixth annual FlightSimExpo aims to highlight the growing sophistication of hobbyist flight simulators and the low cost of increasingly complex equipment. It will be held at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence from June 27 to 29.

According to show organizer and airline pilot Evan Reiter, visitors will see more virtual reality tools and reasonably priced peripherals for their simulator setups. For example, first-time exhibitor DOF Reality is showing motion platforms targeting home simulator builders. “Force feedback [was] a popular topic years ago that fell out of favor but has now come back in a bigger way,” Reiter told AIN. Also popular are G1000 panels, FMS control-display units, and autopilot panels.

“Previously, these were thousands of dollars per unit,” he said. “Now, developers like WinWing have got airliner-style setups available for hundreds, not thousands [of dollars].”

Also for the first time, aircraft manufacturer Patriot Aircraft will exhibit its Super Patriot Mark II, which is replicated in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 by Parallel 42. “We’re thrilled to welcome our first real-world aircraft manufacturer to FlightSimExpo,” said Reiter. “Since the creation of the show, we’ve been working to close the gap between simulation and real-world flying. Having both the real and MSFS versions of the Super Patriot at the event represents a milestone achievement.”

Tell us about the product support you receive from business aviation OEMs. The 2025 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 June 1. Please contact Lisa Valladares if you have not received your access code.