In a move that cements touchscreen displays as the primary pilot interface, Garmin today introduced G3000 Prime, its technical standard order-certified third-generation flight deck. The Olathe, Kansas avionics manufacturer has already secured its first OEM customer for G3000 Prime, and deliveries of this Part 23 business jet will begin in 2025. The target market is Part 23 turbine, advanced air mobility, and commercial and military aircraft.

Garmin engineers and designers have been developing G3000 Prime for four years—10 years if counting conceptual phases, including four code names and five different designs—and some influences came from a surprising source: Garmin’s G3X Touch for the experimental and light airplane market and the Garmin Pilot app. G3X contributed shallow menus and the shape of some touchable areas, and Garmin Pilot shares its radial menu, now a key user interface feature on G3000 Prime’s moving map.

What this means for pilots is that Garmin is evolving from one of its signature interfaces, the infrared-based touchscreen controller in second-generation flight decks—the G2000 through G5000. While pilots used to manipulating screens on their phones and tablets with touch gestures did nothing but add fingerprints to second-generation and even first-generation G1000 displays, now G3000 Prime displays are fully touch-capable except for areas where the FAA doesn’t want touch to generate any action. Primary display attitude indicators, for example, are non-touch areas.

Looking to help combat the flow of unapproved aircraft parts into the propulsion supply chain, the Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition has released a report recommending several actions.

Among them are promoting the use of suppliers that meet the FAA’s recommended standards in Advisory Circular 00-56B or an equivalent EASA or other international standard; digitizing key documents for parts and expanding the use of digital signatures; adopting training best practices for receiving and inspecting parts, along with best practices for scrapping or destroying non-usable parts; and developing feedback channels to identify bad actors to accreditors of suppliers.

The report, generated over the past nine months by the GE Aviation-led coalition, came after a UK-based dealer was accused of selling thousands of engine parts with counterfeited documentation. The coalition includes senior representatives from major airlines, airframers, engine makers, and maintenance providers, and is headed by former NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt and former U.S. Department of Transportation deputy secretary John Porcari.

“These recommendations will close holes and add new layers of safety to strengthen the integrity of the supply chain,” said Sumwalt.

The coalition has shared its report with the FAA and EASA, along with law enforcement officials. Several of the coalition members have already begun implementing the recommendations.

Aircraft Performance Group (APG) has launched NaviGuard, a free GPS anomaly detection app, amid a 500% surge in GPS spoofing incidents affecting global aviation safety this year. The Apple iOS app allows pilots to detect abnormal GPS readings on iPads and verify data through radio navigation. The latest updates allow users to edit navigational aid points and share GPS logs with aviation safety departments.

The recent spike in GPS spoofing poses significant challenges for flight crews, particularly in conflict zones. OpsGroup has issued alerts regarding multiple aircraft types encountering false GPS signals, leading to potential navigation failures.

With approximately 1,500 flights affected daily, particularly over high-risk areas in the Middle East, the need for reliable navigation tools is urgent. Since its launch, the app has seen more than 3,000 downloads, reflecting strong demand from the aviation community.

NaviGuard offers users a way to verify positional data using traditional navaids such as VOR and NDB. It is a lean app that “does what it says on the tin,” said product manager Michael Shama, adding that the APG made this choice to offer the app for free as a service to aviation safety.

Potential spoofing zones are updated with EASA data and update every aeronautical information regulation and control cycle. The app is meant to be a tool for situational awareness and positional verification, not navigation, Shama said.

Leonardo has appointed PHI MRO Services as an approved supplier, which means that it will provide specialized services such as component work to support Leonardo's helicopter operations.

The appointment solidifies PHI MRO’s 75 years of experience in maintenance and operations and “provides a strong foundation for supporting Leonardo and its customers with the highest levels of on-time delivery and quality assurance,” according to the company.

Holding FAA and EASA Part 145 repair station approval, PHI MRO also supports the PHI fleet of more than 200 helicopters that operate offshore in Latin America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. The company’s headquarters is in Lafayette, Louisiana, and its service offerings include maintenance, inspections, component repair and overhaul, paint, upholstery, helicopter modifications, Rolls-Royce-authorized engine service center work, and helicopter completions.

“This collaboration is a significant milestone for our teams, underscoring our commitment to delivering exceptional quality and reliability,” said James Hinch, COO of PHI Aviation's Americas region. “We’re proud to leverage our expertise to support Leonardo’s mission and look forward to continuing our longstanding partnership.”

NBAA is launching a new panel-and-discussion series during BACE next week in Las Vegas, bringing together a spectrum of industry leaders to discuss key issues in an interactive format.

The Flight Deck series will feature CEOs, government officials, other industry executives, and “big picture” thinkers to provide their views on the most pressing topics confronting business aviation. In addition, Flight Deck will provide a forum for executives to share thought leadership and highlight a range of technologies from companies including Avinode, Electra, Joby, and Lilium.

Held all three days on the convention floor, the Flight Deck series kicks off on the opening day on October 22 with a discussion surrounding AI in business aviation and also will delve into today’s business aircraft market. A “Meet the Regulators” session, rounding out the first-day sessions, will include perspectives from senior FAA and TSA officials.

Other topics throughout the week thread through flight security, industry outlook, sustainability, and a range of discussions surrounding emerging technologies and the advanced air mobility sector. On October 24, the third day of the show, the Flight Deck series will conclude with a "Collegiate Connect" session.

Gulfstream has begun delivery of its ultra-long-range models with Satcom Direct’s Plane Simple Ku-band tail-mount terminal. The first G600 with the tail-mount connectivity system was handed over to a customer and other installations are underway, Satcom Direct reported. The company said Plane Simple terminals are also available through Gulfstream on the G650/650ER and G500.

Satcom Direct rolled out the Plane Simple Ku-band terminal to the aftermarket segment in February 2023, and the equipment is flying on more than 150 aircraft globally. Designed for the business aviation sector, the terminal provides critical cybersecurity protections and is agnostic to third-party integration. Satcom Direct also offers round-the-clock customer support.

“Our antennas are designed to protect the owners’ investment by delivering reliable, genuinely global coverage and are future-proofed to adapt to the evolving connectivity landscape,” said Satcom Direct president Chris Moore. “This represents another significant landmark in our Plane Simple journey as Gulfstream becomes the first OEM to include our hardware as an option.”

Satcom Direct’s FlightDeck Freedom datalink communications platform already is the default system aboard Gulfstream G650/650ER, G500, and G600 models, and it is operating aboard more than 3,000 airframes across several types.

Helicopter emergency services provider Avincis sent one of its Italy-based Leonardo AW139 helicopters to its MRO facility in Loures, Portugal, where it will undergo a biennial heavy inspection. This is the first time that Avincis selected the Loures MRO for such a large job.

Avincis operates 180 helicopters in Europe, and its global headquarters has been located in nearby Lisbon since 2023. Sending the AW139 to Loures is part of a plan to strengthen that facility’s MRO capabilities and provide more long-term job security to employees there. The Loures facility previously had worked on Avincis helicopters deployed in Portugal and Spain.

Ten people will conduct the two-year inspection on the AW139, which is expected to take about 10 weeks. The helicopter will then return to its base in Colico, Italy, next to Lake Como.

“The project strengthens the investment made in developing Lisbon into a center of excellence for maintenance and training,” said Avincis Group CEO John Boag. “Portugal is the right location for us, geographically and in terms of available talent in the labor market. Mobilizing aircraft between the countries in which Avincis has operations is not only a rational decision to make efficiency gains where they exist but also a demonstration of the size, capacity, and resources of the company as a group, factors that distinguish us from other operators in the different markets.”