Global Jet Capital, releasing its business jet forecast, sees steady continued growth in the next five years with transactions nearing $40 billion in 2025. Further, GJC anticipates this growth to continue fairly steadily over the next five years, averaging about 4.2% for preowned and 2.7% annually for new-production jets.

“We’re seeing a very good and balanced market,” GJC CEO Vivek Kaushal told AIN. “Clearly, we turned the page coming out of Covid, and the story has just continued to build in this really nice and steady fashion.”

A somewhat unusual exhibitor for a business aviation trade show, Boom Supersonic is making its debut at NBAA-BACE this year. The Colorado-based startup, which is developing a boomless supersonic airliner, insists it has no plans to produce a supersonic business jet—at least not yet.

“Boom does not currently plan to build business jets, but we are supportive of opening up competition in the space,” a company spokesperson told AIN. “With so many developments and milestones toward the return of supersonic travel in 2025, now is a great time to engage with this audience.”

Piaggio Aerospace is making its first appearance at an NBAA-BACE show under the ownership of its new parent company, Baykar. In July, the Turkish defense group completed its acquisition of the Italian aircraft manufacturer, after an insolvency and restructuring process that stretched more than six years.

The distinctive P.180 Avanti Evo twin pusherprop flown to Las Vegas from Florida is one of more than 40 aircraft on the convention’s static display at Henderson Executive Airport. Its presence signals Baykar’s commitment to keeping Piaggio in the business aviation sector alongside its core activities in developing uncrewed air vehicles and military technology.

Textron Aviation is seeing early successes through several workforce training initiatives—from its new career center to its veterans’ programs—as it continues its hiring at a rate of about 100 employees a month, company executives told AIN.

The cornerstone of its workforce training initiative is the new $40 million Career & Learning Center that had a soft opening last year and a formal dedication six months ago with dignitaries such as Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas). That facility, on the east side of Wichita at its campus where the Beechcraft product line is produced, was transformed from a parts warehouse into a multipurpose recruitment, pre-employment, and training center.

Classic Lear Jet Foundation, the nonprofit group working to return the first production Lear Jet to flight status, is appearing this week at NBAA-BACE at the booth of corporate sponsor Spectro Jet-Care. Notably, they are bringing along a special guest tomorrow—legendary Learjet pilot Clay Lacy will be at the booth from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. for a meet-and-greet.

In addition to Lacy’s impressive airline resume and other record-setting aviation achievements, he has vast experience with the early LearJets. In 1964, he flew one of the first Lear Jet 23s into California’s Van Nuys Airport (KVNY), making it the first corporate jet based there.

Rolls-Royce aims to be supporting more than 1,600 CorporateCare Enhanced contracts for operators of business jets powered by its turbofans by year-end. The manufacturer continues to expand its product support network as deliveries ramp up on engines developed for new models such as the Gulfstream G700 and G800.

In response to input from operators, Rolls-Royce is implementing changes to CorporateCare Enhanced’s terms and conditions. For example, following a meeting in September of the company’s U.S. Corporate Customer Council, it is adding coverage for foreign object damage to Pearl 700 fan blisks, which has previously been solely covered by insurance.

After 18 years, Lufthansa Technik (LHT) is finally putting the finishing touches on one of the most ambitious aircraft maintenance projects in its history. In the mid-2000s, parent company Lufthansa Group’s Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin-Stiftung (DLBS) historic flight foundation decided to add a Lockheed 1649A Super Star to its fleet of flying museum pieces, which included the Junkers Ju-52/3M.

As the final iteration of the successful four-engine Constellation family, and marking the end of the piston-engined passenger airliner era, the L1649A joined the Lufthansa fleet in 1957 on the nonstop transatlantic route between New York and Hamburg. Four of the aircraft (out of the 44 built) served until they were superseded by the Boeing 707 in the mid-1960s. The Super Star saw the inauguration of the airline’s first-class “Senator” service with an onboard chef catering to the 32 passengers who endured the almost 15-hour flight from the comfort of sleeper beds and nearly lie-flat seats.