In response to the FAA’s prohibition of general aviation (GA) and nonscheduled commercial operations at 12 busy U.S. airports, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) president and CEO Darren Pleasance warned that “access must remain fair and consistent for all users.” The U.S. is unique in that federally funded airports’ grant assurances prohibit airports from restricting access by any users, including airlines, business aviation, light aircraft, or air charter operators.

However, in a series of notams issued on Sunday evening, the FAA prohibited GA and nonscheduled operations at 12 airports. These 12 airports are included in the list of 40 airports affected by the FAA’s emergency order issued on Thursday.

In a webinar hosted yesterday evening by NBAA, Heidi Williams, v-p of air traffic services and infrastructure, and Kristie Greco Johnson, senior v-p of government affairs, pointed out that the FAA is probably not bound by grant assurances that apply to airports. Thus, the agency would likely win any lawsuits resulting from the GA prohibitions.

“We are deeply sympathetic to the traveling public and the air traffic controllers who continue to work tirelessly under immense pressure without compensation,” said Pleasance. “But general aviation is an essential part of our nation’s transportation and economic fabric. This kind of blanket exclusion cannot become the norm.”

In its 29th year, Bombardier’s Safety Standdown opened this morning in Wichita with a clear message: aviation safety is everyone’s responsibility. The 2025 event, themed “Own the Outcome,” convened with more than 400 attendees in person and many more via webcast for three days of training on accountability, leadership, and safety culture.

Master of ceremonies Franco Pietracupa, Bombardier demonstration pilot whose team manages the Safety Standdown program, welcomed participants and noted that the first Safety Standdown in 1996 drew just eight participants. He said more than 12,000 participants have attended in person over the event’s 29 years, amounting to “72,000 days where we get together and we talk safety.”

Chris Milligan, Bombardier v-p of preowned aircraft services and flight operations, emphasized the event’s longstanding purpose. It is “always an honor…to be back in Wichita, the air capital of the world.” Milligan reflected on the event’s motto—learn, apply, share—encouraging participants to carry lessons home to their organizations. “Own the Outcome…is not only about owning your responsibility in the steps of what you do day-to-day, but it’s owning the result,” he said.

Since its founding by Bombardier’s Learjet demonstration pilots in Wichita, Safety Standdown has become a defining event in business aviation safety culture. More than 10,000 professionals have attended worldwide. Milligan reminded the audience that the program remains free thanks to sponsors and partners.

Little more than a year after it began construction at Miami–Opa Locka Executive Airport (KOPF), Jet Aviation has begun aircraft handling operations from a temporary facility, making it the fifth FBO at KOPF and the company’s 13th location in the U.S. and its territories.

“Jet Aviation set up its first FBO in the U.S. in 1984, and since then we have been committed to evolving our presence in the region to support our customers when and where they need us,” said David Best, the service provider’s senior v-p for regional operations in the Americas. “Miami continues to develop as a business aviation hub for both domestic and international travel, offering a global gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean.”

Upon completion in early 2026, the FBO will include an 8,500-sq-ft LEED silver-certified terminal with a private entrance on the west side of KOPF, electric vehicle charging stations, LED lighting, and solar panels. It also will offer an onsite 4,800-sq-ft U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, more than 12 acres of ramp, and 40,000 sq ft of hangar space capable of storing ultra-long-range business jets. 

“We are committed to providing a safe, seamless experience across our network, and the team has been working…to ensure that the FBO meets the needs and expectations of our customers,” noted Jet Aviation v-p of business development Daniel Larsen.

NTSB officials are investigating the crash of a Beechcraft King Air B100 that crashed yesterday morning while on climbout from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE) in Florida. According to reports, the turboprop twin was headed to Jamaica’s Sangster International Airport (MKJS) in storm-ravaged Montego Bay with a load of emergency relief supplies when it went down in the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Coral Springs, killing the two occupants.

The nearly 50-year-old aircraft, registered as N30HG to Nevada-based International Air Services, took off from KFXE at 10:14 a.m. and, according to reports, crashed within minutes in a residential area. It narrowly missed hitting homes and came to rest with its wreckage fully submerged in a man-made pond.

Tracking data from FlightAware shows the aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 4,167 feet before it began a rapid descent.

On October 28, Hurricane Melissa churned ashore in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, the most powerful on record to strike the island. It caused catastrophic damage to areas of the island and killed at least 32 people. Included in the estimated $6 billion of destruction was MKJS, which had its terminal destroyed.

How automation is helping cut a GTF assembly process time in half.

NBAA has issued a call to action to the business aviation community to urge U.S. lawmakers to end the federal government shutdown, pass long-term funding for the FAA, and lift the ban on general aviation at a dozen airports. At the same time, the association was among 60 organizations representing a broad swath of aviation to craft a letter calling on Congress to reopen the government.

The coalition letter and NBAA call to action follow Senate passage of a bill that would reopen the government under a funding extension through January 30. The bill heads next to the House, which may vote on it tomorrow. Once complete, Senate Appropriations chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) reportedly has indicated a desire to consider transportation funding in the next package.

Now in its 42nd day, the historic shutdown has had a crippling effect on the air transportation system as the administration has introduced operational curbs—and at a dozen airports, outright bans on general aviation—to address rolling controller shortages.

NBAA drew up a sample letter for the business aviation community emphasizing the “tremendous strain” the nation’s air traffic control system has come under during the shutdown, and stressing, “General aviation is essential to American businesses.”

As for the Modern Skies Coalition, the organizations wrote an open letter to Congress, printed in the Washington Post, about the critical need for funding. 

Business jet sales specialist Jetcraft has launched a division focused on providing preowned aircraft for special missions roles. Announcing the initiative yesterday, the company said it will source aircraft for government and defense clients and can also provide support with the modification process.

The Jetcraft Special Missions team will focus on providing platforms for missions including medical evacuation, surveillance, aerial firefighting, military training, and head-of-state transportation. After finding suitable aircraft, it will handle the process for getting them to the end user.

CEO Stéphane Leroy, who joined Jetcraft after 35 years of experience in the aerospace and defense sectors, is leading the new business unit. He previously worked with both Bombardier and Thales, handling aircraft sales for government and other special missions clients.

According to Jetcraft, its extensive experience in the business aircraft market and global presence with staff in 30 locations means it is well placed to access the most suitable inventory of aircraft. In some cases, it will be working with prime contractors responsible for converting aircraft and installing special equipment, while in other transactions it might deliver an aircraft prior to modification.

Embraer has commissioned its largest solar energy project to date, with the upcoming installation to be situated at its Executive Jets headquarters in Melbourne, Florida. The project will include more than 1,900 solar panels capable of supplying up to 1,800 MWh annually.

According to Embraer Executive Jets, this will be enough to power “most of” its global customer center facility, which opened in December 2011. Alongside a 17,112-sq-ft delivery hangar, it features five design studios for customers to select aircraft paint schemes and interior customization options.

The installation marks the first initiative at an Embraer U.S. facility “designed to offset energy consumption onsite,” the OEM said. It also symbolizes what parent company Embraer terms “a major milestone” towards its goal of operating with 100% renewable energy across all global sites by 2030.

Additionally, Embraer intends to leverage its solar energy capacity across additional locations in Florida through participation in Florida Power & Light Company’s SolarVantage program. This scheme allows customers to receive up to 45% of their annual energy usage from solar energy generation sites such as Embraer’s.

“We look forward to expanding this effort beyond our state-of-the-art customer center and into additional buildings across our Melbourne campus and other locations throughout Florida,” said Andreza Alberto, v-p of people, ESG, and communications at Embraer.

Phnom Penh Techo International Airport (VDTI) was officially inaugurated last week by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, a month after the upgraded site commenced operations. The opening of the country’s newest airport, which is operated by France’s Vinci Airports, “represents a milestone in Cambodia’s private sector development,” the airport said.

Developed by Cambodia Airport Investment Company, a joint venture between the Overseas Cambodian Investment Corp. and the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, VDTI is about  20 km south of Phnom Penh and replaces the nearly 70-year-old Phnom Pen International Airport. Construction of the 2,600-hectare site began in 2018, and a phased expansion plan will see an initial operating capacity of 13 million passengers a year expanded to 50 million by 2050.

Techo International Airport is served by 31 airlines across over 50 routes, and Singapore Airlines subsidiary SIA Engineering has established an on-site maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility there. The airport also offers VIP and general aviation terminals, with ground handling for private aircraft provided by eight vendors, along with CIQ services.