Van Nuys, California-based Thornton Aviation has completed the installation of a Universal Avionics InSight integrated flight display system in a Dassault Falcon 900B. The work was done under a supplemental type certificate (STC) developed by Dassault Aviation in 2022.

The STC covers the installation of a four-display InSight system but retains the existing Honeywell flight management system. In this case, Thornton Aviation had to accommodate a change to the STC because the Falcon 900B’s Honeywell avionics had previously been modified with Honeywell Primus Epic CDS/R displays.

“Many Falcon 900B operators have invested significantly on upgrades to their existing Honeywell equipment to include CD-830 and the Mk II+ upgrades, which makes the Dassault STC a great option,” said Thornton Aviation director of avionics Vince Russo.

InSight adds modern features to the Falcon 900B such as Universal’s 3D synthetic vision and 2D interactive digital maps and touchscreen controls. It is also compatible with the FANS 1/A+, CPDLC, and ATN B1 solutions provided by Dassault.

Honeywell Aerospace has introduced Honeywell Ensemble, the first end-to-end digital maintenance solution for its business jet turbofan engines. This offering is integrated within Honeywell's propulsion maintenance service plan (MSP) for engines, aligning with industry trends such as automation.

Honeywell Ensemble aims to streamline engine maintenance by providing near-real-time engine monitoring and analysis, helping operators identify and address potential issues before they disrupt flight operations. The technology automates data collection, transmitting engine information via a Wi-Fi-enabled gateway to cloud-based analytics platform Honeywell Forge. This data is then analyzed to assess engine performance, with insights and alerts delivered to operators through the Forge Engine Data Viewer and the Honeywell Ensemble mobile application.

The solution reduces the need for manual reporting and administrative tasks by automating data reporting requirements and improving access to engine maintenance records.

"Honeywell Ensemble allows operators to benefit from timely and unique insights about how engines are performing," said Dave Marinick, president of engines and power systems at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. "The real-time insight provided by Honeywell Ensemble will not only increase aircraft uptime and availability, but it will also give operators enhanced mission assurance and will ultimately provide a better passenger experience.".

Further enhancements are in the works, including auto-billing, online contract renewal, and the introduction of a digital engine logbook.

Global air charter firm VistaJet is set to launch its inaugural East and South Africa Static Display Roadshow, coinciding with a projected 8% annual growth in the continent's business jet sector over the next five years. The event follows strong growth in the first half of 2024, with the company reporting an increase in flight hours throughout the African continent.

In the first half, VistaJet reported a 103% increase in new program hours sold and a 29% increase in total hours flown year over year across Africa. East Africa had a 46% increase in total hours flown, while South Africa reported a 79% increase. These metrics underline VistaJet's foothold in the continent as it continues to meet rising demand.

Data provided by the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) anticipates market growth for the number of business jets in Africa from the current fleet of 418, with South Africa, followed by Kenya and Nigeria, leading the market. MEBAA projects that the private aviation sector's expansion will contribute significantly to economic growth, supporting an estimated 7.7 million jobs and generating $63 billion in GDP.

The 2024 Africa Wealth Report indicates an increase in investable wealth on the continent, reaching $2.5 trillion. It projects a 65% increase in the millionaire population over the next decade.

The HDX electronically steered antenna (ESA) for Gogo Business Aviation’s Galileo low-earth-orbit satcom service has passed FAA-mandated DO-160 qualification testing. This marks a key step towards the launch of the airborne connectivity service by year-end on Eutelsat’s OneWeb satellite constellation.

Hughes Network Systems, in partnership with Gogo, manufactures the HDX (half-duplex) ESA, which will provide peak system speeds of up to 60 Mbps. The larger FDX ESA is expected to become available in the second quarter of 2025 and should provide peak speeds of up to 200 Mbps. Both ESAs will enable installations on a variety of aircraft sizes—from turboprop singles to large-cabin jets, with the FDX more suited to larger aircraft.

Gogo dealers are working on 27 supplemental type certificates for Galileo system installations, and these will cover about 18,000 aircraft. The DO-160 testing addresses environmental factors such as “temperature volatility, intense vibration, radio wave penetration, lightning strike, moisture penetration, and flight aerodynamics,” according to Gogo.

"Passing DO-160 keeps us on track to receive the first-article supplemental type certificate and commercially launch Gogo Galileo later this year," said Jeremy Tyler, Gogo's v-p of airborne product engineering.

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A Beechcraft King Air 300 landing on and an Airbus A319 taking off from intersecting runways at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) narrowly averted a ground collision on May 29, 2024, according to a recently issued NTSB preliminary report. The A319—operating as American Airlines Flight 2134—was cleared by ATC to depart on Runway 1, conflicting with the King Air, registered as N205AA, that was inbound for intersecting Runway 33.

According to the NTSB, the air traffic controller initially cleared the King Air to land on Runway 33 while the A319 was instructed to line up and wait on Runway 1. Then, the American Airlines flight was cleared for takeoff while the King Air was on short final. Readback of ATC instructions was correct for both aircraft.

The controller canceled the takeoff clearance for Flight 2134 and requested the King Air to go around. Flight 2134's crew successfully rejected the takeoff; the King Air crew stated it had already touched down and could not go around. The aircraft did not collide, and no injuries were reported on either aircraft. The American Airlines crew requested a maintenance inspection after the incident and then departed several hours later. Preliminary reviews indicate a moderate traffic volume and clear weather conditions at the time of the May 29 incident.

Bombardier is building on its Safety Standdown to reach additional audiences through other forums as it prepares for its traditional event this month in Wichita. Scheduled for November 12 to 14, the company’s annual Safety Standdown draws more than 400 professionals onsite and hundreds more via webcast.

In addition, Bombardier is hosting a Flight Attendant Safety Summit on November 7 in Hong Kong, following a similar event it held in August in Montreal. The second time Bombardier had held the summit, the Montreal event drew 112 cabin crew professionals from five countries, including flight attendants, managers, directors, CEOs, and pilots, to explore topics such as aviation food safety, crewmember health, and galley safety.

As for the Wichita Safety Standdown, themed “Elevate Your Influence,” a full lineup of presentations and educational workshops are planned with industry and government leaders, including Convergent Performance’s Tony Kern, NTSB member Michael Graham, and AeroTechna Solutions managing director Leonard Beauchemin.

Bombardier said the theme stems from an overarching premise that it’s incumbent upon all aviation professionals to learn new concepts, apply them in daily operations, and share knowledge with colleagues.

“Bombardier’s Safety Standdown is a must-attend safety event that targets all aviation disciplines—nothing is more important than safety at our collective operations, and the knowledge shared here is absolutely transformational,” said Bombardier v-p of preowned aircraft services and flight operations Chris Milligan.

Five years before the deadline for the U.S. to switch to unleaded avgas, the first airport to sell General Aviation Modifications Inc.’s (GAMI) G100UL high-octane unleaded avgas to airplane owners celebrated the new fuel’s availability. Northern California’s Reid-Hillview (KRHV) welcomed airplane owners on Saturday to the inauguration of G100UL with 7,500 gallons priced at $6.99 per gallon, lower than prices for 100LL avgas at some local San Francisco Bay Area airports.

At the event, GAMI and the airport arranged for a maintenance technician with inspection authorization to help owners fill out and sign off on the supplemental type certificate (STC) paperwork required to use G100UL in their airplanes.

The standard (until now) 100LL has not been available at KRHV or nearby San Martin Airport (KE16) for nearly two years due to local concerns over lead contamination. The general aviation industry has committed to replacing 100LL with unleaded fuels by the end of 2030 through the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) program.

To use GAMI’s G100UL, aircraft owners must purchase an STC for their engine and airframe. Nearly 50 people had lined up at the airport office’s front door when it opened Saturday morning, according to GAMI co-founder George Braly. He credited Eric Peterson, airports director for the county of Santa Clara, with helping bring G100UL to KRHV.

TRU Simulation + Training, a subsidiary of Textron, was awarded Australia Civil Aviation Safety Authority level-D approval for a full-flight simulator installed in Queensland for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS).

The simulator can support training for the entire fleet of the RFDS Queensland Section's Beechcraft King Air B200s and B300s. Described as “the first of its kind in Australia,” the simulator is housed in a purpose-built training facility next to the RFDS base in Bundaberg.

“RFDS is a highly respected organization in Australia that requires their pilots to be prepared to execute a variety of life-saving services. At TRU, we are committed to ensuring pilots have a world-class training device so they are ready for any challenge they may encounter,” said TRU Simulation v-p and general manager Jerry Messaris. “We are honored RFDS selected a TRU simulator for their crucial operations.”

The simulator creates an immersive training environment by using a visual system equipped with high-definition projectors. All four King Air variants available to the simulator use TRU's designed and developed aircraft systems and aerodynamics software package.

RFDS Queensland has a large King Air fleet it uses to deliver aeromedical transport and provide healthcare services to regional, rural, and remote Queenslanders.

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