Bombardier is setting a new top speed for business jets, establishing Mach 0.95 as the Mmo (maximum Mach operating number) for its Global 8000, the company announced today at NBAA-BACE 2025. Up from the previous target of Mach 0.94, the new Mmo will be the highest approved for a subsonic civil aircraft and the fastest for a business jet in history.

A Mach 0.95 top speed will enable operators to more readily fly at faster speeds without pushing the Mmo limit and maintain range, the company said. “The Global 8000 was already the fastest business aircraft ever built, and with this new speed capability, this incredible aircraft is set to redefine the ultra-long-range market,” said Stephen McCullough, senior v-p of engineering and product development for Bombardier.

This increased speed is being revealed shortly before the aircraft is anticipated to receive Transport Canada approval. Certification is expected in the upcoming weeks, with the first delivery by year-end. The Global 8000 will succeed the Mach 0.925 Global 7500, which has already amassed 150 city-pair speed records. Along with additional speed, the Global 8000 will have an 8,000-nm range, marking a 300-nm improvement over the Global 7500.

GE Aerospace reached a milestone with the shipment of its 500th Passport engine. That unit also represents the first for the Bombardier Global 8000 that GE has shipped since it received FAA and Transport Canada authorization on the powerplant. EASA approval is pending.

Set to succeed the Global 7500 as Bombardier’s flagship, the Global 8000 is expected to be certified by year-end and will offer speeds of up to Mach 0.95 and a range of up to 8,000 nm. The 19,000-pound-thrust Passport 20 powers both variants but was modified to enable the enhanced performance over the Global 7500’s 7,700-nm range and Mach 0.925 Mmo. GE executives have described the updates primarily as software alterations rather than “turbo-machinery” changes, unlocking potential already built into the engine.

Going forward, all of the Passport engines will be configured thusly, and Bombardier will issue a service bulletin that will allow its Global 7500 customers to upgrade their engines to the 8000 standard. Entering service in 2018, the Passport now equips more than 220 Global 7500s and has amassed more than 600,000 hours in service, with 200,000 cycles and a 99.9% dispatch reliability.

Textron Aviation is debuting the Cessna Citation Ascend this week at NBAA-BACE 2025, showcasing the latest edition of the venerable Excel/XLS as the midsize jet is on the cusp of FAA certification. This debut also comes a month after Textron Aviation rolled out the first production Ascend at its facilities in Wichita.

Launched at EBACE 2023, the Ascend first flew in June last year. Since then, two test articles have amassed more than 1,000 flight test hours. Certification is anticipated this year, with NetJets set as the launch customer under a multi-year 1,500-aircraft contract for the Citation Longitude, Latitude, and Ascend. Replacing the XLS Gen2 after its anticipated approval this year, the Ascend is the next step in a product line that has numbered more than 1,000 deliveries since 2000.

Significantly, the Ascend is the first to offer a flat floor in the Excel/XLS line and borrows design features from Cessna’s super-midsize Longitude and midsize Latitude. Like its larger siblings, the Ascend features Garmin G5000 avionics with autothrottles—a change from the XLS+’s Collins Pro Line 21 system and completing the transition to Garmin avionics across the entire Citation product line. Also new with the Ascend is a full-size airstair, an externally serviceable lavatory, single-point refueling, and an upgraded Honeywell RE100 (XL) auxiliary power unit.

Go Rentals is marking its 30th anniversary with a series of leadership appointments and promotions that reflect the luxury car rental company’s continued growth and its close partnership with the business aviation community.

“This has been an amazing year,” Kaye Gitibin, Go Rentals’ CEO and co-founder, told AIN. “We started with a vision to create a niche market within aviation, and we’ve stayed focused on that mission ever since. Our partners see the value we bring to their clients by extending the same level of hospitality they receive in the air, when they arrive on the ground.”

Go Rentals, which now serves more than 300 FBOs across 32 states, recently advanced two longtime executives to senior leadership roles. Trissy Pickett was named senior v-p of aviation development and industry relations, and Clair Joseph became senior v-p of aviation partnerships.

To further support the company’s growth, several new executives have joined the leadership team. Martin Elliott, formerly CFO of Spanx, was appointed CFO. Shawn O’Brien, previously a partner at Bain & Company and longtime advisor to Go Rentals, became COO to oversee daily operations and strategy execution. In addition, Cory Glass joined as v-p of sales and business development, and Shayma Hesari as v-p of marketing, both tasked with broadening Go Rentals’ reach and enhancing its brand presence in aviation and hospitality.

New systems help pilots, simplify flight—and keep humans at the helm.

Cirrus Aircraft is expanding flight training options for Vision Jet pilots with the addition of a simulator at its facility in Scottsdale, Arizona. The simulator, built by CAE, replicates the flight deck of the very ight jet to provide recurrent training in procedures, maneuvers, and emergency situations.

Located close to Cirrus’ existing facility at Scottsdale Airport (KSDL), the simulator has the capacity to be used by 45 pilots each month. The manufacturer will start recurrent training at the site in March 2026.

Cirrus Scottsdale provides flight training for both the Vision Jet and SR Series piston aircraft through the Cirrus One program. Now, the company said, it is recruiting additional instructors, simulator technicians, and administrative staff.

As it approaches the 10th anniversary of the Vision Jet program, the Duluth, Minnesota-based manufacturer said it has delivered almost 700 examples of the seven-passenger, single-engine aircraft. Cirrus markets the model for personal or business use, as well as for Part 135 charter operations.

Vision Jet owners get support through the manufacturer’s Jetstream program, which covers maintenance, training, operating subscriptions, and normal wear-and-tear at fixed price rates. In-flight connectivity is available through the Cirrus IQ Pro premium plan delivered via the Cirrus IQ mobile app, through which operators also receive real-time updates covering inspections and maintenance requirements as well as flight data.

The average hour jet card rate paid by charter customers in North America dropped sequentially by 0.1% in the third quarter, according to analysis released by Private Jet Card Comparisons. However, despite the slight shift, the group reported that overall private jet charter costs increased by 1.4% over the same period.

As of September 30, the average hourly guaranteed jet card rate was $11,257. According to Private Jet Card Comparisons president and CEO Doug Gollan, the slight decrease was recorded despite overall strong demand, which he said was comparable to the post-Covid period in 2021 and 2022. Daily minimum and peak day rates both increased during the third quarter.

For North American jet card offerings with guaranteed prices and availability, hourly occupied rates averaged $11,257 over the three-month period. Excluding turboprop aircraft, the average hourly rate was $11,602, with these prices including base rates, fuel surcharges, and 7.5% federal excise tax.

The platform’s latest market analysis includes average hourly rates broken down by aircraft type as follows: turboprops ($6,418), very light jets ($7,359), light jets ($8,309), midsize jets ($9,671), super-midsize jets ($12,557), large-cabin jets ($15,386), and ultra-long-haul jets ($19,222). The company said that increases in charter rates since 2019 are roughly comparable to overall inflation in the U.S. economy.

Beginning on October 21, the airport reservation office (ARO) of Canada’s Toronto Pearson Airport (CYYZ) will begin transitioning to the global online coordination system (OCS) for all general and business aviation slot reservations. Currently, slot reservations are made through the airport’s local OCS portal.

“This change is part of an initiative aimed at streamlining operations and improving convenience for operators,” said the airport authority. “The global OCS portal closely resembles the existing platform, making it intuitive and easy to navigate. Most users should be able to adapt quickly and begin using the system with minimal training.”

Frequent local portal users who do not have a global portal account must visit the “Apply Now” page on the OCS website to create an account; the account registration process may take up to one week. Occasional operators without a global OCS account should contact any of the FBOs at CYYZ to make a reservation. There will be no changes to the way FBOs manage their reservations, according to the authority.

Requests for reservations, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, will be accepted by the ARO beginning 72 hours before a proposed flight. CYYZ-based general aviation operators may book up to 30 days before departure or arrival. To ensure a smooth transition, the current local OCS portal will remain active for a short period before it is decommissioned.

France-based Airmont and DirecTV In Flight are partnering to deliver the latter’s JetVision live television to business aircraft.

Airmont will optimize the passenger experience by reducing bandwidth consumption per stream, minimizing the number of live feeds open on the internet, and guaranteeing smooth playback, according to the company. Stream-supervision tools also help operators monitor user experience. Onboard equipment such as Innovative Advantage’s AVDS Node is compatible with Airmont’s service.

JetVision’s advantage is delivering live programming without the need for additional equipment. Content can be viewed on cabin displays using streaming players such as Apple TV+ and Roku devices and laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones. NBAA-BACE 2025 visitors can view a demonstration at the Airmont or Innovative Advantage exhibits.

“Passengers expect the same level of connectivity and live engagement in the air as they do on the ground,” said Airmont executive chairman Jean-François Gault. “With JetVision by DirecTV now part of our service offering, we ensure that business aviation clients can enjoy this experience, smoothly and reliably, without compromise.”

“Live TV—especially sports and news—has become a defining part of the in-flight entertainment experience for business travelers who want to stay connected,” said Kimberly de Flesco, head of aviation strategy for DirecTV In Flight. “Working with Airmont allows us to further extend JetVision into the business aviation market, helping passengers catch the live TV moments that matter most.”