Berkshire Hathaway aviation services businesses—NetJets and FlightSafety International—have collectively experienced a 9.7% year-over-year (YOY) revenue increase through the first nine months, according to the investment giant.

Releasing its third-quarter results on Saturday, Berkshire Hathaway noted that this improvement helped boost its overall services group—which also includes Dairy Queen, Cort, and Business Wire, among others—to a $622 million revenue increase during the three-month period and $1.4 billion jump through the first nine months. Notably, Berkshire Hathaway cited a rise in aircraft ownership, flight hours, and average rates at NetJets for the boost in services revenues.

Likewise, Berkshire Hathaway in part credited increased profitability from its aviation businesses to a $109 million, or 19.2%, YOY increase in overall services group pre-tax earnings in the quarter. For the first nine months, earnings growth was 14.6%, or $262 million.

The aviation services’ higher profitability is a direct result of increased revenues, Berkshire Hathaway reported. This was partially offset by higher flight crew, instructor, maintenance, and fuel costs, as well as depreciation expenses.

Vista America has inaugurated a Bombardier Challenger 350 full-flight simulator at its Columbus, Ohio headquarters. Serving VistaJet and XO clients, Vista America estimates its fleet is averaging nearly 1,000 hours of utilization annually, requiring it to bring “a new level of agility and consistency to its training ecosystem.”

The Challenger simulator, first announced in October 2024, will now enable in-house pilot training, giving Vista America full control over curriculum quality and scheduling efficiency. It will initially operate up to six hours a day, seven days a week. Vista America plans to augment its current initial and recurrent training programs with type rating and airline transport pilot courses delivered internally.

Vista America will also be introducing evidence-based training (EBT) at the Columbus facility. This follows global operating partner VistaJet’s recent EASA approval to be the first business aviation company in Europe to receive formal approval for EBT. Vista America is also adding an aircrew dedicated examiner program, which it will also conduct in-house.

Meanwhile, Vista America has received a trio of safety ratings: Wyvern Wingman Pro, Argus Platinum Elite, and IS-BAO Stage 3. According to Vista America, these accredidations validate its “proactive adoption of the FAA’s Part 5 Safety Management System,” which it has implemented ahead of the 2027 FAA requirement.

Syria’s new government recently appointed business aviation executive Omar Hosari as president of the country’s General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA). Hosari, who hails from Syria, is a co-founder of Dubai-based flight operations support specialist UAS International Trip Support.

UAS did not respond to a query from AIN as to whether Hosari will continue to act at its CEO while running Syria’s aviation safety and air transport regulator. In March, ICAO signed an agreement with GACA to support Syria’s reintegration into the global aviation industry after lifting sanctions against the government of former President Bashar al-Assad.

Hosari confirmed his appointment by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in a recent social media post. He said he intends to establish a “modern civil aviation system” for the country based on international standards, and that rebuilding the air transport sector will be “a key driver of economic development, investment, and integration between domestic and international efforts."

From the start of a long-running civil war in 2011, Syrian Airlines faced more than a decade of decline due to sanctions restricting imports of aircraft and parts. In February, the European Union suspended transportation sanctions, clearing the way for a $250 million agreement backed by Qatar to finance 10 Airbus A320s for Syrian Airlines. The airline’s fleet has included a Dassault Falcon 900 for government use, as well as a pair of Falcon 20s.

Gogo has begun flight testing its next-generation 5G air-to-ground (ATG) connectivity network for North American customers. The test team is flying 5G ATG hardware installed aboard a Pilatus PC-24 and expects to complete the validation program in 40 to 50 flight hours over several weeks, with commercial launch of the upgraded network expected by year-end.

The campaign is beginning with simple procedures and will culminate with fully loaded tests running multiple applications—including video calling, video streaming, and internet browsing—on multiple devices simultaneously. According to Gogo, its 5G ATG network will be able to deliver airborne connectivity speeds of up to 80 Mbps.

“This is a true walk before you run-type methodical test plan,” said Gogo CEO Chris Moore. “We’ve started out by establishing an end-to-end call in flight, and we’re rapidly progressing to the critical in-flight connectivity use cases that will validate readiness for 5G product launch, including simple validation, continuous connection, call setups, handovers, and application testing.”

Flight tests are using Gogo towers in eastern Colorado and Nebraska, before moving on to those around Denver, Chicago, New York, Miami, and areas in between. As soon as flight testing is complete, Gogo will apply for FAA approval of Gogo Avance LX5 and X3. Both systems have already been approved with a 4G chip.

For nearly 90 years, Elliott Aviation has combined exceptional customer service with a personal commitment to high-quality work, fair pricing, and honest communication, helping its customers maximize the flexibility, capabilities, and safety their private aircraft can deliver.

SR Aviation Infrastructure (SRAI), the subsidiary of commercial real estate investment and development firm SomeraRoad, has made another acquisition, purchasing the 118,000-sq-ft Bridger Hangar Complex at Montana’s Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (KBZN).

Seller Bridger Aerospace is one of the nation’s largest aerial firefighting operators, providing wildfire management services to federal and state government agencies in the U.S. and abroad. As part of the agreement, SRAI will lease the facility back to Bridger, which will continue to use it as its headquarters under a 10-year lease deal.

The transaction also includes a fully-entitled development site at KBZN where SRAI plans to build an additional 40,000-sq-ft hangar, which will be available for lease for based and transient private aviation tenants upon completion next year. Construction on the $12 million structure will begin before year-end.

“Bozeman is a market that represents tremendous opportunity for private aviation and general aviation infrastructure,” said SRAI president Jonathon Reeser, adding the region has seen consistent growth. “This acquisition reflects SRAI’s focus on well-located, institutional quality aviation assets with durable tenant credit and clear value-creation potential.”

Launched last year, SRAI now has more than half a million square feet of aircraft shelter with properties in Las Vegas, San Antonio, and Bozeman.

Gulfstream Aerospace’s maintenance, repair, and overhaul network has demonstrated compliance with the FAA Safety Management System Voluntary Program (SMSVP), a milestone reached ahead of a year-end deadline. Under a bilateral agreement with the EU, U.S.-based repair stations that have EASA approvals must comply with an SMS as outlined in the SMSVP by December 31, Gulfstream said.

Compliance is also in alignment with safety and quality control standards across the Gulfstream Customer Support network, the company added. “Gulfstream’s high safety and quality standards are cornerstones of our culture, and operating at the highest levels of safety is our first priority,” said Gulfstream Customer Support senior v-p Lor Izzard. “We were one of the first OEMs to establish a safety management system nearly 20 years ago, laying the groundwork to complete this new compliance ahead of schedule.”

Gulfstream’s original SMS program was established in 2007, positioning it for the update to ensure that it exceeds the SMSVP requirements for all its U.S. repair stations in Mesa, Arizona; Long Beach and Van Nuys, California; Palm Beach, Florida; Savannah and Brunswick, Georgia; Westfield, Massachusetts; St. Louis; Appleton, Wisconsin; and Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. In addition, Gulfstream has incorporated the SMSVP at its repair and overhaul centers in Lincoln, California, and Fort Worth. This complements the SMS program implemented at Gulfstream’s Farnborough Service Center in 2024, the company said.

Bell Textron named Tangmere Aircraft Sales as an authorized sales representative in the UK and Ireland for the Bell 429 and 525, as well as Subaru 412EPX. Tangmere will provide demonstration flights and promote Bell’s twin-engine helicopter line throughout the region.

“Bell is looking forward to working closely with Tangmere Aircraft Sales to increase Bell’s twin-engine offerings and continue to bring those advanced capabilities to customers in key markets,” said Bell managing director for Europe Robin Wendling.

Based in Guernsey, Tangmere Aircraft Sales provides both airplane and helicopter sales and acquisition services with a team that collectively has decades of industry experience.

“We are very excited to be reintroducing Bell’s twin-engine product line to owners and operators across the UK and Ireland. Bell helicopters combine exceptional performance, proven reliability, and operational efficiency that align closely with the evolving needs of this market,” said Tangmere Aircraft Sales director Will Fanshawe, who recently joined the company to lead its rotary-wing activities.

Van Nuys, California-based Thornton Aviation has accomplished its first Gogo Galileo HDX low-earth-orbit satcom installation, on a customer Gulfstream G200 that was upgraded from Gogo’s classic air-to-ground (ATG) system. Thornton Aviation used Trimec Aviation’s supplemental type certificate for the upgrade.

The three-week job replaced the classic ATG with Gogo’s Avance L3 Wi-Fi system with the HDX satcom terminal, including the antenna mounted on top of the fuselage. Gogo Galileo uses the Eutelsat OneWeb low-earth-orbit satellite network, which provides high-speed, low-latency airborne connectivity worldwide, except in countries that prohibit satellite communications.

“The customer took advantage of Gogo’s ATG to Avance L3 promotion, which added value to their upgrade,” said Don Milum, Thornton Aviation’s chief revenue officer. “Additionally, the benefits of Eutelsat’s OneWeb low-earth-orbit satellite network further enhances onboard connectivity and operational capabilities.”

Gogo’s classic ATG service will be switched off in May 2026, and customers with the older system can upgrade to a replacement that will enable continued use of the ATG network or plan on upgrading to the faster Gogo 5G ATG or Galileo satcom. Gogo 5G is expected to go live by year-end.

Our annual Upfront breakfast at NBAA-BACE is now a post-show webinar on November 12—so more partners can join the conversation without the 8 a.m. rush. Instead of gathering over breakfast during the busiest week of the year, we’ve moved our annual presentation to after NBAA-BACE. It’s a more convenient way to connect, gain valuable guidance, and continue the conversation beyond the show floor. Our presentation will include 2026 AIN Media Group Marketing Opportunities, Best Practices for PR Submissions, and Social Media Trends.Register today!