Business aircraft departing Geneva Airport (LSGG) at the conclusion of EBACE next week will again have the opportunity to fill up on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). For the third year in a row, Jet Aviation will provide a 35% SAF blend to its customers.

“SAF is an important part of our efforts towards a more sustainable future, for the industry and for Jet Aviation,” said João Martins, the company’s v-p of FBO operations in Europe and general manager of its Zurich location. “We were proud to be the first company to bring SAF to Switzerland in 2020, and since then we have continued to work in partnership to increase availability in the region, and globally.”

This year, the General Dynamics subsidiary will be joined by fellow FBO operator Signature Aviation in distributing SAF for EBACE, to be held May 28 to 30. Also in partnership with TotalEnergies, Signature will offer a 30% SAF blend.

“EBACE provides an incredibly unique opportunity to both experience and help shape the future of aviation, with sustainability being at the forefront of the conversation,” said Sophie Lesnoff, Signature’s area director for mainland Europe. “In bringing SAF to Geneva for this year’s event, we are thrilled to be giving more of our guests the opportunity to take an active part in helping business aviation work towards net zero.”

Iran’s government today confirmed the deaths of President Ebrahim Raisi and foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian when what media images show to be a Bell 212 helicopter crashed in a mountainous area of Iran's East Azerbaijan province. According to state news agency IRNA, weather conditions were poor at the time of the accident on Sunday. The Tasnim news agency added that seven other people were among the fatalities, including a local governor and a diplomat.

Iranian aviation authorities have yet to explain how they intend to conduct an accident investigation, but in the past it has declined international involvement. The Bell 212 was likely one of the military aircraft acquired by Iran in the 1970s before the Islamic Revolution in 1979 triggered the first in a series of U.S. sanctions against the country.

For decades, Iran’s aviation industry has found it increasingly hard to source parts for Western-made aircraft as international sanctions have widened. Companies there are known to have resorted to manufacturing unapproved parts and it is also widely understood that some hardware gets imported illegally.

According to Iranian media reports, the helicopter was one of three flying in convoy, with the other two aircraft safely reaching their destination. The helicopters were flying to the capital Tehran, which is around 326 nm from the city of Jolfa, close to where the accident happened.

Business aviation staffing platform CrewBlast has rolled out a rewards program designed to incentivize crewmembers to offer availability for trip opportunities. Launched in 2021 to help connect operators with available contract crewmembers, CrewBlast said it has a 96% success rate of staffing trips within minutes with more than 10,000 pilots and flight attendants in its database. But the company believes the new program can elevate that rate further.

"At CrewBlast, we understand the immense value our contractors bring to our clients and our business," said company CEO Timothy Griffin. "The CrewBlast Rewards Program is our way of showing appreciation for their hard work and dedication, while also encouraging even greater availability and engagement. This initiative, coupled with our CrewBlast Wallet, exemplifies our commitment to making the crewing process as efficient and rewarding as possible for all parties involved."

The CrewBlast Wallet invoicing and expensing program is designed to streamline the staffing process from start to finish, making it easier than ever for contractors to manage their expenses efficiently.

In addition, CrewBlast provides a range of human resources services, including employment and full HR management for contractors.

Sonoma Aviation's two California FBOs—Sonoma Jet Center at Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport (KSTS) and Carlsbad Jet Center at Mc Clellan-Palomar Airport (KCRQ)—each have achieved Stage 3 registration under IBAC's International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH).

Launched in 2014, the voluntary program is based on safety management systems and its format closely follows that of its sister IS-BAO program for aircraft operators. Participating companies must undergo a third-party audit for each stage to ensure they implement and meet industry best practices, with Stage 3 demonstrating the highest degree of adoption and rigor. Over the past decade, just 34 business aviation handling companies have achieved the Stage 3 ranking worldwide, with 12 of them in the U.S.

“This is a significant milestone for our operations, demonstrating our consistent commitment to upholding the highest standards of safety and service,” said Sonoma Aviation CEO Josh Hochberg. “As a company that lives our values, it is especially meaningful to us to achieve the IS-BAH Stage 3 safety standard at Carlsbad Jet Center and Sonoma Jet Center mere days after our highly successful Green Fuel Day, which raised awareness of the availability of sustainable aviation fuel at Sonoma Jet Center.”

AEG offers a complete sustainability solution package designed to offset carbon emissions and provide operators with easy access to SAF. In turn, operators will receive both SAF credits and Carbon credits. The company sees this program as the gold standard in sustainability, making it easier for customers to manage their carbon footprint.

The Westchester Aviation Association (WAA) will hold its eighth annual safety day—“Predictive Safety: Are We Doing As Well As We Think?”—on June 11, one day ahead of NBAA’s Northeastern Regional Forum at New York's Westchester County Airport (KHPN).

A key focus of the event will be on mental wellness in aviation, with featured guest speakers Federal Air Surgeon Susan Northrup and Quay Snyder, co-chair of the Mental Health & Aviation Medical Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee. Last month, the committee issued 24 recommendations to the FAA regarding mental health issues and medical certifications.

Additional topics will include integrity in the aviation department, implementation of the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) in Part 91 flight departments, safety trends in circling approaches, and preventing the normalization of deviance by aviation department members.

Intended for the entire aviation operations chain, the event is directed towards jet and turboprop operators, their flight crews, maintenance staff, and schedulers and dispatchers.

“The WAA has designed a stellar program for corporate and charter operators at our airport, in the New York metro area, and beyond,” said WAA chair Greg Keshishian. “We are building on our history of success with our safety days, and listen carefully to our WAA member flight departments in choosing subjects and speakers that are relevant, poignant, and challenging for our audience.”

Joe Moeggenberg and his company, Levo Aero, are hoping to disrupt the charter aircraft space. His idea is simple on paper: create a more streamlined online user interface to assist those looking to purchase a charter flight.

“There have been a lot of companies that have tried this and what makes us different is that, first of all, we're very cautious as far as growth. We’ve been very careful not to add a bunch of operators without having the critical mass of aircraft into the system,” Moeggenberg said. “So what we do that's different is we integrate with the charter operators’ flight scheduling system. We have an integration to an API. So we know what aircraft are available.”

Moeggenberg is cautious against comparisons to traditional commercial booking websites like Kayak or Trivago, but it's difficult to avoid the comparison. In a demonstration given to AIN, the company showed how a customer could enter in their departure airport and destination through a beta mockup of its website and receive a list of charter operators using the Levo technology and their prices. The Levo API can also be integrated into charter operators’ own websites.

“A customer can just go ahead and book it, and it puts the customer directly in contact with the aircraft operator. There's no broker in between,” he said.

Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) has tapped aviation sustainability firm Azzera to provide carbon credits for the engine manufacturer’s Carbon Offset Service. Under the deal, Azzera will supply a portfolio of carbon credits rated to ensure transparency and integrity.

The Carbon Offset Service is available to operators of all P&WC-powered aircraft—including business jets, turboprops, and helicopters—as an add-on to the company’s Eagle Service Plan or Fleet Management Program engine maintenance agreements. According to P&WC, the service provides operators with an uncomplicated, cost-effective way to offset their aircraft’s carbon footprint.

“Our collaboration with Pratt & Whitney Canada underscores our shared commitment to driving sustainability in the aviation sector,” said Azzera co-founder and CEO Puja Mahajan. “The Azzera Impact Score ensures that the carbon credits provided are both high-quality and have verified and significant environmental impact. Working with customers such as Pratt & Whitney Canada, we are making it easier for aircraft operators to not only offset their emissions but also to understand and quantify the positive environmental impact of their contributions.”

Irene Makris, P&WC’s v-p of customer service, said her company is solely focused on providing credits eligible for ICAO's Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation.

AirQuest Aviation, which operates FBOs at Pennsylvania’s Pittsburgh/Butler Regional Airport (KBTP) and Beaver County Airport (KBVI), is the latest to join the Phillips 66 branded dealer network.

Located 30 miles north of Pittsburgh, KBTP provides an easy connection to the Steel City, and the AirQuest FBO there has become a preferred maintenance destination, tripling its size over the past years to accommodate customer needs.

Its sister facility at KBVI sits 20 miles to the northwest of Pittsburgh. Both locations feature heated hangars capable of sheltering aircraft up to midsize business jets, conference rooms, pilot lounges with workspaces and showers, onsite car rental, crew cars, and rampside vehicle access.

As a member of the Phillips 66 network, both locations will now offer its contract fuel, accept the Phillips 66 Aviation Wings card, and participate in the WingPoints customer loyalty program.

“We are excited to welcome AirQuest Aviation to the Phillips 66 Aviation network,” said Sunny Lopez, the fuel provider’s manager for aviation. “AirQuest has crafted a culture of integrity and trust and we look forward to propelling their legacy as we move forward together.”