Textron Aviation Q3 Jet Deliveries Climb 21%, Partners Sought for a New Approach to VLJ Design, Bedford Agrees To Continue Cessna... ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ | October 29, 2026 Thursday Textron Aviation Q3 Jet Deliveries Climb 21% Textron Aviation handed over 51 Cessna Citations in the third quarter, a 21% jump from the 42 business jets it delivered in the same period last year, as the Wichita-based manufacturer reported a 14% revenue gain. Commercial turboprop deliveries, however, slipped to 32 from 39 a year earlier. Revenues for the quarter reached $1.7 billion, up $201 million year over year. Higher aircraft sales accounted for $152 million of that increase, while aftermarket parts and services contributed the remaining $49 million. “Demand across both jets and turboprops continues to be strong, with Aviation experiencing its highest Q3 orders since 2023,” Textron Inc. CEO Lisa Atherton said during the company’s earnings call this morning. In the quarter, Citation M2 Gen2 deliveries doubled year over year to 10, and shipments of the super-midsize Longitude nearly doubled to nine. Latitude handovers were unchanged at 11, and CJ4 Gen2 deliveries dipped year over year to seven from nine. Overall, jet deliveries were up from the second quarter, lifting the nine-month total to 128 Citations versus 122 through the first three quarters of 2025. On the commercial turboprop side, Textron Aviation delivered 17 Caravans in the third quarter, down from 20 a year earlier, and one SkyCourier, compared with four in third-quarter 2025. Read more Partners Sought for a New Approach to VLJ Design European aerospace technology company Moving Terrain is seeking manufacturing partners for what it believes could be a step-change in performance for very light jets (VLJs). The company has released plans for the Piero Jet III and wants to sell the patented design for a twinjet it claims would have a range up to 3,050 nm, take off from about a 2,600-foot runway, and cruise at 440 knots. Design drawings show a slender wing mounted at the top of the airframe with an above-average aspect ratio of 18 that Germany-based Moving Terrain said will minimize drag. Fuel tanks would be located in the rear of the tapered fuselage of a six-seat aircraft with an mtow of 9,240 pounds. According to Moving Terrain CEO Stefan Unzicker, the company’s engineering team reduced the jet’s drag by avoiding the conventional tube-shaped airframe in favor of “more of a dolphin shape with a slender wing that is more like a glider.” He told AIN that the Piero Jet III will achieve its optimal range with four passengers aboard cruising at around 50,000 feet. Moving Terrain said the Piero Jet III, with short-field performance comparable to that of the Pilatus PC-12 turboprop single, would offer twice the range of similar-size aircraft such as the Cessna Citation Mustang and M2; Embraer Phenom 100; HondaJet HA-420; Eclipse 500/550; and Piaggio Avanti. Read more Bedford Agrees To Continue Cessna Exemption Discussion FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford remains open to continuing discussions on the agency’s decision to revoke exemptions that permitted single-pilot operations in a range of Textron Aviation’s older Part 25 Cessna Citation light jets. Speaking during a “Meet the Regulators” session last week at NBAA-BACE, Bedford said, “Of course, we can continue the dialogue,” conceding that “maybe we could have done better working with industry” on the issue. He also agreed that the decision appeared sudden, but maintained it was based on years of data. On September 25, the agency placed a notice on public display that it intended to rescind single-pilot exemptions for these twinjets and then formally published that notice three days later, making it effective on September 29. Kristie Greco Johnson—NBAA’s senior v-p for government affairs, who interviewed Bedford during the session—noted that industry leaders are continuing discussions on the issue with FAA Flight Standards officials. “We all stress that collaboration is key to safety and that open dialog is important,” Greco Johnson said. “We are working closely with the Citation Jet Pilots Association and believe that there’s some compelling data that might provide a path to allowing single-pilot operations with some training and with \[a supplemental type certificate (STC)\].” Bedford responded that the STC route is an interesting process, adding, “That provides a little more clarity, I think.” Read more Using ADS-B To Assess Aircraft Fees Still Draws Ire The practice of airports using ADS-B tracking to charge aircraft landing fees is still generating controversy, with operators expressing disapproval of the practice online. More than 100 U.S. airports have signed on to Vector Airport Systems’ PlanePass billing and collection program, which uses ADS-B data and other means to track aircraft movements and invoice operators. “Our view always has been that ADS-B is a safety tool and should be used for that purpose,” said Jim Coon, AOPA’s senior v-p of government affairs and advocacy. “It was never intended to be used to collect fees.” In June, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed into law an ADS-B billing ban that prohibits such use to charge fees to pilots flying aircraft weighing less than 12,500 pounds under Part 91. The state joined Florida and Montana, with other states considering similar measures. “It does not prevent airports from collecting fees,” Coon told AIN. “They can still collect fees, but they just can't use a safety tool to do so.” Looking to avoid a patchwork of regulations that vary from state to state, federal legislation has been in the works since last year to restrict the practice. Read more Sponsor Content: Stevens Aerospace And Defense Systems From Prevention to Resolution: A Smarter Approach to AOG Events The best time to find a problem isn't before departure. It's after the last flight. Discover how post-flight inspections and proactive maintenance practices help operators reduce downtime, improve reliability, and better manage unexpected AOG events. Read more Chicago Midway Shuts Runway for Three Weeks The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) has temporarily closed 6,445-foot Runway 4R/22L at Midway International Airport (KMDW) due to necessary repairs to the engineered materials arresting system (EMAS) at the departure end of 22L. EMAS uses beds of lightweight, crushable material—such as cellular cement or foamed silica/glass—that slows an airplane overrunning the runway and brings it to a safe stop. According to authorities, the EMAS on 22L sustained damage from recent aircraft activity, including jet blast. The work is expected to last for three weeks, with an anticipated reopening on November 13. “Safety is the top priority at Chicago’s airports, and we are working to complete these repairs safely and promptly,” said CDA commissioner Michael McMurray. “We’re coordinating closely with our partners at the FAA and the airlines to reduce disruptions for travelers and return the airfield to normal operating conditions as quickly and safely as possible.” Nomad Technics Completes Major Bombardier Inspections Basel, Switzerland-based Nomad Technics has accomplished a 7,800-landing inspection on a Bombardier Challenger 604 and a 120-month inspection on a Global 5000, the company said this week. The 120-month inspection is “one of the most significant scheduled maintenance events in the aircraft’s maintenance program,” according to Nomad Technics. At EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (LFSB), company technicians performed detailed inspections of the Global 5000’s airframe, systems, and components, and performed other needed maintenance to ensure the airplane’s airworthiness, reliability, and performance. Meanwhile, the Challenger 604 required an extensive airframe structural and systems review, with detailed inspections of the aircraft’s primary structure, landing gear, and flight control systems and rectification of findings resulting from the inspection. “These projects demonstrate our capability to successfully execute complex heavy maintenance events on Bombardier aircraft,” said director of sales Brigita Vildžiūnienė. “The professionalism and expertise of our technical teams ensured that both aircraft were returned to service on schedule and to the highest quality standards.” As the maintenance arm of Nomad Aviation, Nomad Technics is an EASA Part 145 maintenance provider specializing in Bombardier Challengers and Globals. It also can perform line and base maintenance for Airbus A320-series and Boeing 737NG- and Max-series airliners. Fresh Off New Lease, W Aviation Plans Expansion at KFXE W Aviation, an FBO at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE), has won a new 30-year lease from its city landlord for 13 acres on the field, paving the way for a $25 million facilities expansion. As a result, the location, a member of the AEG Connect Network, will begin construction on a pair of 20,000-sq-ft hangars capable of accommodating ultra-long-range business jets and three acres of additional ramp. This development will bring the facility up to 70,000 sq ft of aircraft shelter and 15 acres of apron. The FBO complex features a 20,000-sq-ft terminal with private guest lounges, Starbucks coffee service, spa-quality fitness center, Formula 1 racing simulator and entertainment arcade, 15-seat conference room, and onsite hotel-style accommodations for flight crews and guests. “This new 30-year lease marks an exciting chapter for W Aviation and reflects our confidence in the future of Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and the South Florida business aviation market,” said company CEO Ignacio Martinez. “Our vision has always been to create much more than a traditional FBO. We want W Aviation to be a destination where aircraft owners, passengers, and crews experience outstanding facilities, personalized attention, and a level of comfort that truly sets us apart.” Air Charter Firm Offers New Customers Airline Mile Bonus Aircraft charter provider TLC Jet is now offering bonus miles for new customers, building on an agreement the Florida-based company announced earlier this year with American Airlines to allow TLC charter customers to earn frequent flyer mileage on the airline. Eligible American Airlines AAdvantage members who complete their first qualifying TLC Jet booking by the end of this year will earn 100,000 AAdvantage miles and loyalty points, an amount that will take them halfway to Executive Platinum status on the airline, according to TLC founder and president Justin Firestone. He encouraged prospective customers to contact TLC before booking to confirm eligibility and review promotional details. Firestone noted that this promotion gives travelers an additional incentive to experience their first private charter flight, whether that is for holiday travel, a business trip, or a year-end getaway. SUSTAINABILITY QUESTION OF THE WEEK Which major step did the UK take in 2026 to provide greater long-term revenue certainty for new SAF production projects? A. It eliminated the UK SAF mandate. B. It guaranteed a single market price for all SAF sold in the UK. C. It established a legal framework for a SAF revenue certainty mechanism. D. It required the government to own all new SAF production facilities. Take The Quiz Nominate Your FBO for the AIN Sustainability Award The AIN Sustainability Award recognizes an FBO and an FBO chain that demonstrate outstanding environmental responsibility and sustainable practices. This award celebrates initiatives that reduce environmental impact while maintaining exceptional service standards across the business. Recipients exemplify a commitment to creating a greener future for aviation through continuous improvement and industry leadership. One award will be presented to a single independent FBO location and another to an FBO chain. Nominate an FBO and FBO chain today before the November 30 deadline. Nomination Flying the Updated Pilatus PC-24 Super Versatile Jet To experience the features in the latest version of the PC-24, AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber jumped at the opportunity to go flying with Pilatus Business Aircraft chief pilot Gerard Lambe. Watch video UPCOMING EVENTS FLYING HY: HYDROGEN AVIATION SYMPOSIUM VIRTUAL (ONLINE) November 4, 2026 INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY SUMMIT (IASS) MONTREAL, CANADA November 10 - 12, 2026 BOMBARDIER SAFETY STANDDOWN WICHITA, KANSAS November 10 - 12, 2026 AIN CORPORATE AVIATION LEADERSHIP SUMMIT (CALS) MX SAVANNAH, GEORGIA November 16 - 17, 2026 EBAA WEEK BRUSSELS AIRPORT, BELGIUM November 16 - 18, 2026 ORBAA ANNUAL CONFERENCE COLUMBUS, OHIO November 19, 2026 View calendar AINalerts News Tips/Feedback: News tips may be sent anonymously, but feedback must include name and contact info (we will withhold name on request). We reserve the right to edit correspondence for length, clarity, and grammar. Send feedback or news tips to AINalerts editor Chad Trautvetter. View email in browser. Advertise Manage subscription preferences Add as a preferred source AINalerts is a publication of AIN Media Group, 214 Franklin Avenue, Midland Park, New Jersey. Copyright 2026. All rights reserved. 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