Software and aviation company Jet.AI has signed a fleet purchase agreement with Textron Aviation for three Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen2s. Scheduled for delivery in the second, third, and fourth quarters of 2026, the twinjets will be part of the company’s fractional ownership program. Jet.AI said fractional owners will have guaranteed access to the aircraft.

“Because our customers love the Cessna Citation CJ4 we already operate, we’re enthusiastic about edging into more capacity in this aircraft,” said Jet.AI founder and chairman Mike Winston. “Since its introduction 14 years ago, the CJ4 has been continually improved by Textron Aviation and has established a track record of reliable service. It offers existing light jet customers an excellent upgrade option to serve their travel needs.”

This purchase is part of Jet.AI’s broader expansion plans. In addition to its existing fleet of HondaJets, a Citation CJ4, and a King Air 350i, the company is actively expanding its super-midsize jet fleet. Jet.AI’s software division includes the CharterGPT app, which uses machine learning to enhance private jet bookings, and the Jet.AI Operator platform, which helps FAA Part 135 charter providers maximize efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

No matter how you may feel about the U.S. election results, we now know what they are and what did and did not happen. It is hard to say that exactly two weeks is enough time to see a trend, but—as an aircraft broker—I’ve seen more interest in the purchase of business aircraft since the election results are in.

Not so much in the way of a barrage of inquiries, but a few clients and prospective clients who have been consulting with us have “hopped off the fence” and decided to proceed. Uncertainty causes hesitancy, and knowledge creates empowerment.

We now have certainty about which party will soon have a greater say so in the goings on in this country. Soon we will have the knowledge of how it unfurls, which helps empowerment in making decisions.

So we are part of the way there in knowing how the preowned business aircraft market will act. A little more time—such as the first 100 days of the Trump Administration—will give us more knowledge.

Let’s look at the business jet market holistically. Aircraft were trading at a normal, steady pace in 2019, and then Covid struck, causing a sudden Armageddon for aircraft values, which we now know was very short-lived.

The National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA) is warning that a recent FAA security and privacy order could result in delays and a lack of transparency surrounding aircraft transactions and registration. FAA Order 1370.121B, “FAA Information Security and Privacy: Policy” essentially bars the disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII).

As such, the FAA’s Civil Aviation Registry has removed electronic access to work-in-process (WIP) documents, NAFA said, pointing to this FAA statement: “After consultation with the FAA Privacy Office, it has been determined that, because documents in WIP have not been reviewed for PII or accepted into the aircraft record, the Registry can no longer provide access to these documents.”

The move is designed to protect disclosure of personal information in unprocessed documents before they are reviewed, NAFA said. But historically, the association added, closing agents could view the WIP documents to ascertain what is being filed, by whom, and the impact it could have on closing.

With these changes, closing agents will not have visibility into the documents until they are processed. NAFA estimated this could take a dozen or more days from the time a document is filed. Indexes of all filed documents remain available and are updated each working day, so closing agents will know whether documents are filed but not the contents until they are processed.

Has managing all your ERJ landing gear overhauls got you feeling overwhelmed? A third-party provider can assist with the entire process, but is outsourcing right for you? In this resource, C&L Aviation Group explains the benefits of working with a provider for all your ERJ landing gear overhaul management needs.

Illinois’ Mount Vernon Outland Airport (KMVN) Authority will return to the FBO business for the first time in nearly 20 years after its purchase of SRT Aviation, the lone service provider on the field. Starting December 1, the facility will be renamed SRT Flightline in honor of the last time the airport operated the FBO. Shawn Sayle—the “S” in SRT—will stay on to manage the location’s Part 145 repair facility.

“After 18 and a half years amazing years as owner/operator of SRT Aviation, it is a privilege to be offered a plan to maintain the legacy as the longest FBO in the history of this amazing airport,” said Sayle. “We have been strengthened by a team that we have grown to love and respect.”

The airport authority and the FBO have shared aircraft fueling responsibilities on the field since 2008, with the FBO handling the physical operations. “It’s all about retention and control,” said KMVN director Chris Collins. “The airport operator controls the pricing, pricing drives aircraft operations, and aircraft operations dictate FAA grant funding.”

The Titan Fuels-branded, CAA preferred FBO offers 32,000 sq ft of heated hangar space that can accommodate aircraft up to a Bombardier Global Express and 10 acres of ramp. It also has a recently renovated 4,100-sq-ft terminal available 24/7 with passenger and pilot lounges, eight-seat conference room, and refreshment bar.

ACE Aeronautics plans to equip Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters with SkyRyse’s SkyOS software and digital flight controls under a strategic partnership signed between the two companies. Skyryse’s system removes the mechanical helicopter cyclic, collective, and pedal flight controls and avionics and replaces them with a single fly-by-wire control stick and two touchscreen cockpit displays.

Pilots can control the Skyryse-modified helicopter via the displays or using the control stick, with full envelope protection and simplified flight control that prevents pilots from exceeding the helicopter’s limitations. At the same time, the helicopter’s full capabilities are available. Skyryse and ACE will offer the modified Black Hawks to public safety, search-and-rescue, and other lifesaving service providers, including military operators.

Meanwhile, the company’s first project—a similarly modified Robinson R66 helicopter called Skyryse One—is on track to receive an FAA supplemental type certificate next year. El Segundo, California-based Skyryse hasn’t yet revealed the timeline for approval of the Black Hawk modification.

“The Black Hawk helicopter is a proven workhorse that has performed countless missions around the world for almost 50 years,” said ACE CEO Rich Enderle. “We’re excited to partner with the leader in rotorcraft flight controls to enhance the safety and operational capability of the aircraft, and we’re looking forward to seeing SkyOS elevate the experience for our customers.”