Gulfstream Aerospace yesterday marked completion of a 142,000-sq-ft expansion that doubles the capacity at its G400, G500, and G600 manufacturing facility in Savannah, Georgia. The $150 million expansion will help the company reach a planned increase of 170 aircraft deliveries next year, up from an estimated 133 to 135 jets this year.

“Gulfstream continues to invest across all our facilities, including in Savannah, our headquarters for more than 50 years,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. “We designed the G400, G500 and G600 to have a number of commonalities that increase both operational and manufacturing efficiencies. Those commonalities mean that we have the flexibility to easily expand production lines to meet the growing demand for these aircraft, which also increases job growth across the region.”

Production methods for this large-cabin business jet family include advanced automation, 3D model designs, and robotic and bonding techniques that, according to Gulfstream, “result in unprecedented quality and precision.” Burns added that the company’s modern facilities “help us deliver the highest-quality product in the industry, built by the industry’s most talented workforce.”

Besides these midline models, Gulfstream also produces the ultra-long-range G650ER, G700, and G800 in Savannah. These activities include wing and empennage production that it brought back in-house in 2019.

Canada-based Skyservice is continuing its recent expansion efforts with the acquisition of the London Aviation Services’ large hangar at Vancouver International Airport (CYVR).

The 64,000-sq-ft facility—located behind the existing Skyservice FBO on the south side of the field—has a door height of 44 feet, which allows it to shelter bizliners. Built in 2007, it incorporated numerous environmentally friendly features such as the use of recycled steel in its construction, energy-efficient lighting, and a “cool roof” system to reduce the need for climate control.

This move doubles the FBO’s hangar space at CYVR, bringing it to 123,000 sq ft, and provides an additional 12,000 sq ft of office space and 235 vehicle parking spaces. Skyservice plans to expand its West Coast MRO capabilities at the location.

“Our ongoing investment in the region reflects our unwavering commitment to our clients,” explained president and CEO Benjamin Murray. “We firmly believe the expansion at Vancouver Airport, built on our foundation of safety and service excellence, is a crucial element in meeting the region’s growing business aviation needs.”

The move follows the company’s recent announcement of the purchase of a majority stake in Florida FBO operator Fontainebleau Aviation, which gave Skyservice its first foothold in the Southeast U.S.

Aviation sustainability specialist 4Air has launched a PolicyWatch service to help the business aviation industry keep track of changes in environmental legislation and regulatory initiatives. The company said its new service will give aircraft owners and operators, as well as those who support them, more complete visibility into complex and rapidly shifting legislation around the decarbonization of air transportation, and guidance as to how to meet these requirements.

The 4Air regulatory monitoring team is providing the policy calendar tool free online. It is available along with other tools including the Aviation Fuel Carbon Calculator, the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) Reduction Estimator, and the Business Aviation SAF Map.

PolicyWatch is intended to support 4Air’s efforts to help business aviation companies operate more sustainably by increasing the use of SAF and a framework of verifiable carbon offsets. These services include regulatory compliance and reporting of operational data.

The service will provide summaries of pending federal and state legislation in the U.S. and Europe, along with the status of new rules, key deadlines, and links to supporting documentation. The company pointed to new legislation—such as the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Act introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year—as an example of the issues that need to be on the industry’s radar.

FreeFlight Systems’ Terrain Series RA-4500 MK II radar altimeter has received FAA Technical Standard Order (TSO) certification. Designed as a drop-in replacement for RA-4000 and RA-4500 radar altimeters installed before the emergence of spurious C-band interference caused by 5G network transmissions, the RA-4500 MK II simplifies retrofit installations by supporting existing antennas, control heads, and cabling. For more display options, FreeFlight offers the RAD45 standalone indicator.

Since October 2021, FreeFlight has completed major certification milestones such as successful flight and alternative method of compliance (AMOC) tests while working toward and receiving TSO certifications on the RA-6500, RA-5500, and RA-4500 MK II radar altimeters. The FAA recently issued two final rulings as airworthiness directives (ADs) by revising the original blanket AMOC-specific AD from 2021.

The AD ensures continued operations for aircraft and rotorcraft in the presence of C-band 5G interference. FreeFlight Systems’ Terrain series radar altimeters meet the power spectral density curve threshold—known in the community as the “Group 4” curve—specified in the ADs. FreeFlight Systems is an active member of the RTCA SC-239 working group developing the next generation of minimum operational specifications for 5G interference-tolerant radar altimeters.

Helijet yesterday placed an order for up to eight of Beta Technologies’ Alia single-pilot, five-passenger eVTOL and said it would fly them under IFR to provide advanced air mobility service. The contract specifies firm orders for four aircraft and options for another four. According to Beta, the Alia will be certified by 2026, with Helijet set to begin commercial operations in southwestern British Columbia and the wider Pacific Northwest region shortly thereafter.

The parties announced the contract yesterday afternoon at Helijet’s Victoria Harbour Heliport, joined by Canadian Advanced Air Mobility (CAAM) consortium representative and British Columbia Premier David Eby. During the event, Eby reiterated his province’s commitment to its long-standing carbon fuel tax and said that there would be continued provincial and federal support for companies investing in carbon-reducing technologies and related infrastructure.

Helijet CEO Danny Sitnam said the Alia aircraft, which have a range of 250 nm and a top speed of 100 knots, would create the opportunity to broaden the company’s passenger service network in the Vancouver area by linking its legacy helicopter service to vertiports in outlying areas—akin to an airline hub-and-spoke network. Helijet currently operates a fleet of Sikorsky S-76 helicopters for both scheduled passenger and charter service.

Private Jet Maintenance (PJM) has added maintenance services—including end-of-life parts consignment and outsourced maintenance management—for customers based in the Northeast U.S. Buffalo, New York-based PJM specializes in classic business jets—defined as those manufactured before 2010—and Beechcraft King Air turboprops.

When an aircraft becomes no longer viable to operate, PJM can help maximize the value remaining by assisting the owner to part out the aircraft. “Typically, owners of end-of-life aircraft resort to a ‘fire sale’ of their asset to a part-out company,” said director of maintenance Ben Chieffo, “leaving as much as 50 percent of the value on the table.” Instead, PJM monetizes the aircraft piece-by-piece to capture more money for clients, it said.

Additionally, owners of these classic aircraft might not have the resources to manage the maintenance process, which can be complicated. So PJM developed its outsourced director of maintenance and maintenance tracking program to help owners manage maintenance. This program costs $2,995 per month.

”Not only are there knowledge gaps that require specialized experience and licensing,” the company explained, “but scheduling outstation maintenance for AOG situations all over the world necessitates a deep network, parts sourcing, and maintenance controllers who are familiar with that particular airframe.”

Private charter operator CapJet has rebranded under the name Fly Tru. The company, which is under new ownership, announced the change last month after opening a Houston-area office and adding a Gulfstream G200 to its managed fleet, which also includes four Gulfstream IVs and four Bombardier Learjet 45s.

The company was founded in 2000 as CapJet and is safety audited by Wyvern. All its aircraft are managed on behalf of individual private owners.

According to the company, it is fully transparent in dealings with charter customers to avoid hidden fees and unexpected surcharges. This approach includes providing detailed itemized prices that cover costs such as fuel, landing fees, and catering. The company also shares all details about the maintenance standards for each aircraft chartered, as well as pilot qualifications and safety certifications.

“Fly Tru’s rebranding isn’t just a name change; it’s a commitment to excellence,” said Fly Tru COO Jason Williams. “We aim to provide travelers with transparent rates, streamlined booking processes, and a superior flying experience.”

Viasat’s Ka-band satcom system has received FAA approval for installation in the Dassault Falcon 900EX. Dassault-owned service centers are providing installations of the Viasat Global Aero Terminal 5510, which are available immediately for the trijet.

Airborne connectivity using the Viasat 5510 is available in all phases of flight, including taxi, takeoff, cruise, and landing. System speed typically is more than 30 Mbps, although, the company said, “This year Viasat reported a 50 percent increase in typical connectivity speeds delivered previously to its Ka-band business jet customers.” This allows for onboard videoconferencing, video streaming, corporate VPN access, and other bandwidth-intensive services.

“Key to offering incredible connectivity speed and performance to Falcon 900EX-series operators, as with other aircraft types, is our high-capacity, Ka-band satellite network,” said Kai Tang, Viasat's head of business aviation. “We’re focused on delivering even more of a step-change in the pace and scope of future innovation for operators and partners like Dassault Falcon Jet service centers, always with the aim to stay ahead of the speed, flexibility, depth of capacity, coverage, and security that today’s business aviation customers demand.”