Textron Aviation has given its Cessna Citation CJ3 a makeover with an upgraded interior, new exterior styling, and new features that enhance both the passenger and pilot experience. The Wichita-based manufacturer revealed the redesigned CJ3 Gen2 today at NBAA-BACE 2023.

The single-pilot-approved aircraft has seating for up to nine passengers, an anticipated range of 2,040 nm, and a maximum payload of 2,135 pounds, “which rivals the larger jets in this class,” said Lannie O'Bannion, Textron Aviation's senior v-p of sales and flight operations.

The business aviation market could see as many as 8,500 new jet deliveries worth $278 billion over the next decade, according to the results from Honeywell Aerospace’s 32nd annual Global Business Aviation Outlook. Released on Sunday ahead of NBAA-BACE 2023, the outlook calls for 730 business jet deliveries worth $23 billion this year, while in 2024 it sees a 10 percent increase in deliveries, passing the 800-unit mark for the first time since 2019.

According to the company’s 10-year outlook, it predicts more than 800 deliveries a year through 2031, when the industry could once again surpass the 900-unit plateau.

Joe Benson took over as president of Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) in March, but he’s a long-time Boeing alumnus—he joined the company in 2010 after nearly 11 years in the U.S. Army. Benson was not unfamiliar with Boeing Business Jets before taking on his latest role, having worked as business director and as deputy to former division president Erika Pearson.

Representing the brand that week at the NBAA-BACE static display is a BBJ 737-700—YG128—which was completed in 2012 and is available to buy or lease. The bizliner’s interior features a suite-aft layout with a shower, queen-size bed, separate guest room, and large open living space, according to the company. Recent upgrades include Aviation Partners Split Scimitar Winglets and Ka-band satcom.

Embraer Executive Jets has successfully flown a Phenom 300E and Praetor 600 using 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the manufacturer announced on the eve of NBAA-BACE 2023. The flight tests took place at Embraer’s campus in Melbourne, Florida.

During those test flights, the right engine of each airplane was powered by neat SAF provided by World Fuel, while the left engine ran on traditional jet-A. According to Embraer, the flight tests provided valuable insights into the engines’ performance.

Lufthansa Technik’s VIP and special-missions unit expects fleet rollovers in the Middle East and burgeoning business in Asia to keep its hangars in Hamburg, Germany, full at least until 2026.

“It’s a very positive time for the whole industry; business for 2023 and 2024 is increasing,” Lufthansa Technik v-p of sales Wieland Timm told AIN. “We have had very good recent years and our outlook through 2025 shows this continuing. Our main products—completions and maintenance—are in high demand.”

Gama Aviation’s Jet East division is adding mobile engine repair teams across the U.S., broadening its independent business aviation maintenance network. Gama Aviation acquired Jet East in early 2021.

Solon, Ohio-based Jet East now has MRO facilities in Dallas; West Palm Beach, Florida; Millville and Teterboro, New Jersey; White Plains, New York; Chicago; Statesville, North Carolina; Las Vegas; and Van Nuys, California. Outside of the new mobile repair teams (MRT) operation, it also has a component repair shop in Solon.

Barely a week passes without a weather-related event being blamed by environmental activists and their erstwhile political cheerleaders on human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, compounding the narrative that urgent action is needed to negate the impact.

Business aviation has been caught in the crosshairs of these strident environmentalists with their opprobrium manifested in disruptive and increasingly destructive protests, sometimes attacking and defacing business aircraft.

Argus International has launched a new platform that provides an enhanced suite of safety management system (SMS) tools that can be customized. Building on and replacing its legacy Prism Armor platform, the new Prism SMS will enable organizations to tailor SMS programs to their operations and have real-time access to data to manage risks and assess operations.

Ultimately, Prism SMS will provide for the integration of other software programs such as flight duty scheduling, maintenance tracking, and flight data monitoring, Argus said.