Bombardier Defense is celebrating the delivery of the first Global 6500 to the U.S. Army for the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) aerial military intelligence program. The delivery ceremony took place earlier today in Wichita and featured Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Kansas state officials, and U.S. Army leaders. This aircraft is the first prototype airframe for the HADES program and is “the beginning of the next stage of the program to integrate systems,” according to Bombardier.

Offering a maximum endurance of up to 18 hours, the twinjet will be used for aerial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions such as deep sensing. Advantages of the business jet adapted to military IRS use include reliability, operational reach, and expanded operating areas. The Global 6500’s maintenance intervals are up to 750 hours, and it has a dispatch reliability of 99.83%. 

“The partnership between Bombardier, the U.S. Army, and the Wichita workforce has produced a next-generation aircraft equipped to meet the demands of warfare in a new era of technology,” said Moran. “The HADES aircraft has the tools needed to deter threats, conduct surveillance, and help keep our country safe. This is the start of a new chapter in the aviation capabilities of our military and continues Kansas’ legacy of defense manufacturing.”

Colorado’s Pitkin County has issued final approval for the renewal of Atlantic Aviation as the sole source provider at Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (KASE), capping a process that has lasted more than a year and a half since the FBO mega-chain was selected as the winner of the airport’s RFP process.

During that span, there was heated discussion from the local community about what direction the airport should take, but the matter was settled late last week after the conclusion of a public comment period on the decision and a final vote by the county board of commissioners.

As a result, Atlantic was awarded a 30-year lease on the FBO with the provision of $136.5 million in capital improvements over that span, in addition to an estimated $880 million in rent, fees, and charges paid to the county, bringing the total commitment of the deal to a projected $1.15 billion. Included among the final lease points was a 25% discount from the fuel retail price for locally-based aircraft operators and those on the waitlist.

“This has been a productive and thorough process between Atlantic Aviation and Pitkin County staff who have worked to ensure that the values of our community are reflected in every aspect of this lease,” explained county manager Jon Peacock. “The commitment to transparency, sustainability, and collaboration has been instrumental in achieving this milestone.”

Piaggio Aerospace has delivered three P.180 Avanti Evo+ pusherprop twins to the Italian air force. The company announced the deliveries today, explaining that the nine-seat aircraft are being operated by the air force at its Air Transport Training School at the Pratica di Mare base near Rome.

The air force is due to receive another 12 Avantis as part of a modernization program for its fleet. Genoa-based Piaggio said it expects to deliver another new aircraft as well as a retrofitted model by February 2025.

These government orders are a welcome source of revenue for Piaggio Aerospace, which has been in insolvency administration since late 2018 and was put up for sale in February 2020. In March, the Italian government extended the special administration arrangements until May 2025 as efforts continue to find a buyer for the company.

According to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Piaggio delivered just one Avanti in 2023 and none during the first half of this year. The status of an unspecified number of back orders from civilian customers is unclear.

Avanti Evo+s feature Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics and landing gear fitted with anti-skid braking and nose wheel steering systems. The latest configuration for the Italian military is designated the Avanti II+.

In what it is calling “the great M&A unwind,” Jefferies Equities Research has outlined amounts its analysts believe Boeing could generate with the sale of some prime Boeing Global Services assets. These include Boeing’s digital services companies Jeppesen and ForeFlight as well as Boeing Distribution, which is made up of the former Aviall and KLX Aerospace Solutions.

Although Jefferies estimates that Jeppesen and ForeFlight generate the highest margin (30%) of all the Boeing Global Services entities, its analysts believe Boeing may be planning to sell the digital services companies and that Jeppesen is worth $7 billion and ForeFlight $1 billion. According to Jefferies, Boeing bought Jeppesen for $1.5 billion in 2000 and ForeFlight for $275 million in 2019, and these account for 10% of Boeing Global Services sales.

“Since the McDonnell Douglas merger, Boeing has acquired $15 billion ($23 billion CPI-adjusted) of assets,” according to Jefferies, “but the CEO's portfolio review could make non-core decisions soon, focused on BA's future rather than fundraising after $24 billion capital raise.”

Jefferies sees up to $12 billion in a potential asset sale that in addition to Jeppesen and ForeFlight could include its ULA space business, Argon ST (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), Insitu (uncrewed air systems), and an uncrewed undersea vehicle business. However, it believes KLX and Aviall will not be sold.

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Gulfstream Aerospace will display its G700 flagship at the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association's upcoming MEBAA trade show, to be held December 10 to 12 in Dubai. While marking a return to the event, the G700 will arrive this time as a fully certified aircraft. Having achieved U.S. certification in late March, the aircraft also has received validation from nine other countries, as well as EASA.

“The G700 continues to exceed customer expectations since entering service in April,” said Scott Neal, senior v-p of worldwide sales for Gulfstream.

Gulfstream believes the aircraft is well suited for the Middle East market, which tends to favor larger, longer-range models. The Gulfstream fleet in the region's market has topped 120 aircraft, representing 40% growth over the past decade. 

With a maximum range of 7,750 nm and maximum speed of Mach 0.935, the G700 is Gulfstream’s longest-range and fastest model currently on the market, having already racked up more than 65 city-pair speed records. Able to connect Dubai to New York, the G700 can accommodate up to five living areas, seat up to 19 passengers, and sleep up to 13.

The MEBAA display follows Gulfstream's showing of the G700 earlier this month at the Bahrain International Airshow.

A newly released economic study reveals that Texas’ McKinney National Airport (KTKI) has an economic impact of nearly $300 million annually. The report—produced by InterVistas Consulting for the city—showed a 41% increase from a similar study published in 2018, which at the time determined Dallas-area KTKI had a $212.7 million annual financial impact on the local community.

This latest report found the airport supports more than 1,500 jobs, generating $110 million in salaries paying well above both statewide and national averages. Of the wages for the airport's 420 direct jobs, they averaged $103,400 a year versus the state and national averages of $65,400 and $68,500, respectively.

Visitors arriving through KTKI generate nearly $22 million in local spending and support an additional 400-plus jobs in the hospitality and services sectors.

"McKinney National Airport is one of our city‘s most powerful assets," explained mayor George Fuller. "This study highlights just how critical the airport's growth and development are to McKinney‘s prosperity. By continuing to invest in the airport, we‘re investing in sustainable economic growth, creating jobs, and positioning McKinney as a key destination in North Texas for both businesses and visitors."

Demand for private charter and fractional flying has remained steady over the past year while a large majority of those who started flying privately during the pandemic are sticking with it, according to Private Jet Card Comparisons’ latest Jet Card Report. The fourth annual report surveyed more than 1,000 users of fractional ownership, jet cards, membership offerings, on-demand charter, and jet-sharing programs, providing a deep-dive into respondents’ private aircraft flying habits and purchase decisions.

The report says respondents expect to fly 42.7 hours privately in the next 12 months, which is almost unchanged from 42.4 hours in the 2023 survey. Meanwhile, 95.5% of respondents who started flying privately since the pandemic are still doing so.

Of respondents who are just now considering private aviation, 54.1% say airline and airport delays and negative experiences are leading them to consider flying privately. Increased prices continue to be the top reason respondents are considering changing providers, up from 55.3% last year to 64.5% in this year’s survey. However, flight delays, changes, and/or cancelations as a reason to switch private aircraft providers dropped from 37.4% to 24.3%, according to the report.

Private Jet Card Comparisons said this research is critical for companies that sell services to jet card, membership, and fractional providers, in addition to business aviation investors and analysts.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) signed an agreement to become the third school, and the first outside of Oklahoma, to participate in the FAA’s Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program. Under the agreement with the FAA, ERAU’s Daytona Beach, Florida campus will offer the same curriculum and use the same training technologies as the FAA Air Traffic Controller Academy in Oklahoma City.

The agency has formed similar agreements with Tulsa Community College and the University of Oklahoma as it seeks to expand its training capacity to facilitate a ramp-up in air traffic controller training. As it continues to scale up its controller hiring—the FAA hired 1,500 controllers in 2023, is hiring 1,800 this year, and plans to hire 2,000 in 2025—the agency continues to accept applications from schools interested in participating in the Enhanced AT-CTI program.

Students must pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment, meet medical and security requirements, and demonstrate performance before they can receive an endorsement certificate from an Enhanced AT-CTI school. Once obtaining the certificate, graduates can report to an FAA facility for further training. The enhanced collegiate program differs from the standard program under which graduates go to the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City but can bypass the introductory air traffic basics course.

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