The first production Catalyst turboprop engines are currently under construction at GE Aerospace’s production facility in the Czech Republic, the company told AIN this week at NBAA-BACE 2025. GE’s first in this class—a 1,300-shp engine—obtained FAA certification in February. Meanwhile, Textron Aviation expects to receive FAA certification of its Denali, which will serve as the Catalyst’s launch platform, next year.

“Now we’re transitioning into production readiness, getting the supply chain in place, getting the service infrastructure in place so we can support our customer, Beechcraft Denali,” said Paul Corkery, the Catalyst general manager at GE Aerospace subsidiary Avio Aero.

When a large-enough spot opened up on the NBAA-BACE 2025 exhibit floor, Otto Aerospace jumped at the opportunity to bring a mockup of its all-composite Phantom 3500 light twinjet to the show. Showgoers have expressed surprise at the size of the airplane, which is designed to deliver midsize-jet performance in a Part 23 light jet with an mtow of 19,000 pounds.

Uniquely, the Phantom 3500 has a cabin volume of more than 800 sq ft, much larger than that of typical light jets, and the interior dimensions are also significantly bigger. Cabin height is 6.4 feet and width 7.5 feet, larger than even the average super-midsize jet, according to Otto.

SyberJet Aircraft and Williams International have entered into an exclusive engine partnership to power SyberJet’s next-generation light jet, the SJ36. Under a deal inked on Tuesday afternoon at NBAA-BACE 2025, the agreement designates Williams’ FJ44-4A as the twinjet’s powerplant.

Each FJ44-4A engine will provide 3,621 pounds of thrust, for a combined total of more than 7,200 pounds. With a projected mtow of 18,500 pounds, the light jet will achieve a 38.9% thrust-to-weight ratio, enabling strong climb performance and efficient high-altitude cruise, SyberJet said. The SJ36’s four-foot shorter predecessor, the FAA-certified SJ30-2, was fitted with two 2,300-pound-thrust FJ44-2A turbofans.

Gulfstream is now the latest airframer to partner with Honeywell Aerospace on the certification of the JetWaveX in-flight connectivity system. Under the deal announced this week at NBAA-BACE, Honeywell will work with the Savannah, Georgia-based OEM to certify the Jetwave X platform—the successor to the manufacturer’s JetWave system—for the GIV, GV, G450, G550, G600, G650, and G700.

Bombardier and Dassault previously signed similar agreements with Honeywell, and the first installation of the Ka-band system is currently underway on Honeywell’s Falcon 900 demonstrator. “We just have to finish the STC now,” said Honeywell Aerospace president of services and connectivity Jason Wissink.

Atlanta-based aircraft charter operator and broker FlyHouse is expanding its operation with the purchase of Los Angeles-area FBO and charter fleet operator Sun Air Jets, the company announced on Tuesday at NBAA-BACE 2025. The transaction represents a strategic expansion of FlyHouse’s maintenance management and operational capabilities as it looks to build a vertically integrated aviation platform.

Included in the acquisition is Sun Air’s Part 135 charter certificate, which will add approximately a dozen aircraft to FlyHouse’s charter fleet, ranging from the Gulfstream G650ER to the Beechcraft King Air 360ER. It will also integrate Sun Air’s Argus Platinum, IS-BAO, and Wyvern Wingman safety ratings, strengthening the company’s commitment to operational safety and regulatory compliance.

Engineering and certification specialist AeroMech has received FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) approval for installation of SpaceX Starlink satcom systems in the Textron Aviation Cessna Citation Latitude and Longitude. The STCs are available for authorized Starlink dealers, including AeroMech subsidiary AMI Aviation Services, to schedule equipment purchases and installations.

More than 8,000 Starlink satellites in low-earth orbit (LEO) deliver global high-speed and low-latency broadband airborne connectivity from the ground to all altitudes. The Starlink electronically steered antenna is mounted on top of the airplane’s fuselage, and the installation includes a power supply and wireless access points. Starlink published speeds range from 40 to 220 Mbps for downloading and 8 to 25 Mbps for uploading. Service prices range from $2,000 per month for 20 GB, plus $100 per additional gigabyte, to $10,000 per month for unlimited data.

FlyExclusive reported $91.3 million in second-quarter revenue, highlighting growth in its fractional and jet club charter membership programs along with significant fleet optimization. Company CEO Jim Segrave said the company’s results reflect “a rapid transformation of the business that we’ve been working on for 18 months now.” The improvements, he added, “seem to be continuing very nicely—maybe even accelerating.”

Over the past year and a half, FlyExclusive has reduced its number of nonperforming aircraft from 37 to 13. “We evaluate that on a P&L based on all the airplane’s activity,” Segrave explained. He noted that better parts availability and overnight maintenance have improved reliability and returns to service.

Opened in 2024, Textron Aviation’s aftermarket parts warehouse—three times larger than the facility it replaced—represents a significant investment by the company in its Wichita infrastructure.

“The flying activity that we’ve seen coming out of Covid has definitely helped the aftermarket side of the business, and we’re trying to grow and provide solutions for our customers,” Brad White, Textron Aviation senior v-p of global parts and distribution programs, told AIN. “It’s a huge market for us, a huge installed fleet around the globe, and constant demand on everything from an old piston all the way up through our latest and greatest business jets.”

The digital flip-through issue of AIN’s award-winning NBAA Convention News is now available online. It’s a great way to quickly scan the news from NBAA-BACE 2025, whether you’re in Las Vegas attending the show or watching from afar.