Clay Lacy Aviation has broken ground on its a $100 million FBO complex at California’s John Wayne Airport (KSNA) in Orange County. The Los Angeles-based service provider was awarded a 35-year lease on the field in 2020 as part of the airport’s general aviation restructuring plan.

“Clay Lacy is the first of three fixed-base operators at the airport who will help us transform the entire landscape of John Wayne Airport,” said KSNA director Charlene Reynolds at Thursday's ceremony. “The large public-private collective investment not only helps our community, but our regional economy as well.”

The 14-acre facility will offer 41,800 sq ft of passenger terminal and office space, along with four hangars totaling 145,000 sq ft and 6.7 acres of ramp. It will also feature a purpose-built home for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department air support unit. Phase One, which includes the first pair of hangars, is expected to be operational by mid-2026.

Upon opening, the facility will be the first FBO to receive ISI Envision Gold certification from the Institute of Sustainable Infrastructure. It will be certified carbon neutral with solar panels, EV charging, and high-capacity electric aircraft charging to support eVTOL and hybrid-electric aircraft. The FBO will continue to offer sustainable aviation fuel.

EASA has issued a supplemental type certificate (STC) to Aerodata for its GPS anti-jamming and -spoofing product for aircraft. The first approval is for the Cessna Citation Latitude, which is equipped with Garmin G5000 avionics.

According to Aerodata, “Based on the alert/information provided by the G5000 suite, the pilot may select the backup GPS source via the new system. The antenna of the system is mounted on top of the fuselage.”

Aerodata is planning to develop STCs for other aircraft, including civil and military platforms. “Aerodata’s solution will enhance its special-mission capabilities, especially in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions and flight inspection, where continuous, highly accurate navigation is mission-critical.”

“As incidents of GPS interference rise, it is essential that the aviation industry responds with effective solutions to ensure continuous GPS availability,” said Aerodata president and CEO Neset Tükenmez. “This STC represents a significant advancement in ensuring the future safety in civil and military aviation.”

NBAA is refuting a report published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment claiming a dramatic scale-up in private aircraft emissions in business jets that ultimately will require regulating given the contribution to the environment.

According to the report, private aircraft emissions increased by 46% between 2019 and 2023. Further, the report cited forecasts of another 8,500 business deliveries anticipated through 2033 and said private aircraft “thus likely become increasingly important as a source of emissions in relative (share of global emissions) and absolute terms (sector’s total emissions).” Noting limitations on the use of sustainable aviation fuel, it added that “a majority of private aircraft owners do not plan to use it in the near future,” and as such, “it will be necessary to regulate the sector.”

NBAA, however, maintained that the report selectively used data, made assertions on faulty analysis, and ignored facts. NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen noted that the report focuses only on hours flown during a selective window focused during the global Covid pandemic, when business aviation saw a surge as airlines reduced their activity.

Further, NBAA asserted that the report assumes that flights in the summer are primarily for non-business reasons, ignoring the business purposes for them. It also ignores business aviation’s progress on carbon reduction, the organization further noted.

Rotortrade has sold a preowned Leonardo AW169 to New Zealand’s Northern Rescue Helicopter. Delivery will take place next year and bring the EMS provider’s fleet to five AW169s.

Philadelphia-based Leonardo Helicopters U.S. is supporting the transaction with maintenance and avionics upgrades on the AW169 to support EMS operations. The helicopter is also getting painted before it is shipped to New Zealand’s North Island, where Northern Rescue is based.

New Zealand government agencies Health New Zealand/Te Whatu Ora and the Accident Compensation Corp. helped facilitate the AW169 purchase, according to Rotortrade.

“We are excited to continue upgrading our fleet with the addition of another AW169,” said Northern Rescue Helicopter CEO Ian MacPherson. “Rotortrade has been a reliable and flexible partner throughout this process. Their supportive approach and dedication to delivering the right aircraft for our needs have been invaluable, allowing us to strengthen our operations with confidence and meet the growing demand for emergency medical and injury-related services in New Zealand.”

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Dallas-based business aircraft sales, charter, and management firm Leviate Air Group recently acquired a majority interest in local competitor Chairman Aviation. The latter company will help Leviate expand those services while also adding aircraft maintenance capabilities.

Under the agreement, Chairman Aviation will continue to operate under its own air carrier certificate, working closely with Leviate. The integration will include the management of Chairman’s fleet alongside Leviate’s aircraft. As part of the deal, additional aircraft, including a Cessna Citation X, X+, and CJ3+, are joining the combined fleet.

Luis Barros, CEO of Leviate Air Group, emphasized the significance of the acquisition: “We are thrilled to welcome Chairman Aviation into the Leviate family. Their stellar reputation in private aviation aligns perfectly with our core values of excellence and integrity. The addition of these premium aircraft enhances our combined fleet and allows us to provide even more tailored solutions to our clients whether for business, leisure, or specialized travel needs.”

Beta Technologies has selected the Garmin G3000 Prime integrated flight deck for its electric aircraft, making the Vermont-based manufacturer the first to use the touchscreen avionics suite in an electric aircraft. After the inaugural flight of Beta’s first production Alia airplane on Wednesday, the company revealed today that it was the first example to be equipped with the latest Garmin avionics.

Garmin introduced G3000 Prime, its third-generation integrated flight deck, on October 16, calling it “the most connected, customizable, automated, and safety-enhancing Garmin flight deck yet.” The Kansas-based avionics manufacturer has already received technical standard order (TSO) authorization for the new system, which is intended for Part 23 turbine, advanced air mobility, and military aircraft.

“We are excited for Beta to be the first electric aircraft manufacturer to announce G3000 Prime for the advanced air mobility market,” said Alex Bennett, Garmin’s senior director of aviation programs and OEM sales. “G3000 Prime is perfect to support Beta’s revolutionary Alia aircraft and their mission towards bringing a sustainable aviation solution to the market.”

Beta was already planning to use the company’s avionics in its aircraft, inking a deal in October 2023 to put G3000 avionics in both the CTOL and VTOL versions of Beta’s electric aircraft. G3000 Prime will also be featured in the Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen3, which Textron Aviation revealed last month at NBAA-BACE.

Oklahoma’s Enid Woodring Regional Airport (KWDG) has completed several development projects, including construction of a 14,400-sq-ft heated community hangar and eight new box hangars, as well as reconstruction of its south ramp.

With a price tag exceeding $1.8 million, Hangar 108 will accommodate aircraft up to a Cessna Citation X. It will be managed by the city-owned FBO and brings the facility up to nearly 29,000 sq ft of business aircraft storage. The $3.4 million reconstruction of the airport’s 70,000-sq-ft south ramp facilitated the added eight box hangars, which are suitable for housing piston singles.

KWDG is located five miles from Vance Air Base, which is undergoing reconstruction on one of its runways. Thus, approximately half of the airport’s operations consist of military aircraft, said airport director Keston Cook.

“The new joint-use hangar will not only enhance our ability to support Vance Air Base, providing crucial additional space during severe weather events but [will] also allow us to provide this critical service to transient general aviation aircraft,” Cook told AIN. “Additionally, the reconstruction of our south ramp marks a major milestone, revitalizing our general aviation hangar infrastructure after many decades and further supporting the military with the 70,000-sq-ft apron reconstruction, which allows the parking of overflow military traffic during weekend operations at the airport.”

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) will hold its 2025 Safety Symposium from April 7 to 9 at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach, Florida campus. It will bring together business aviation safety leaders and experts to review and discuss current and emerging challenges.

“Our goal for this year will be making the symposium keenly focused on common safety risks and how to mitigate those risks,” said ACSF president and CEO Bryan Burns. “We want everyone who attends to be able to walk away with something they can take back to their flight departments that will have a measurable impact on safety.”

Attendees will be able to network with both current and future industry leaders, including Embry-Riddle students who represent the next generation of aviation professionals. “The Safety Symposium provides a unique opportunity for attendees to engage, exchange ideas, and collaborate on innovative solutions to enhance aviation safety,” noted Burns.

“This symposium is truly a top-tier aviation safety industry event,” he added. “Even if you only had the opportunity to attend a single session, it would be worth the trip.”

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