Gogo and Aloft AeroArchitects have received the first supplemental type certificate (STC) for the Gogo Galileo FDX terminal, covering Boeing BBJ1s and -2s based on the 737NG and Max variants. The first installation was completed on a BBJ1 (737-700IGW) that previously lacked connectivity.

The Galileo FDX terminal uses Eutelsat’s OneWeb low-Earth-orbit satellite constellation to provide broadband speeds of up to 195 Mbps down and 32 Mbps up. Designed for business aviation, the full-duplex system is optimized for super-midsize jets and larger aircraft.

Comprising two line-replaceable units, the flat-panel, electronically-steered antenna and SDR Gateway or Avance router minimize installation downtime. EASA approval is expected by year-end. Features of the system include Gogo’s FlightDeck Freedom datalink service that supports trip planning, flight tracking, real-time weather, and other operational data, improving situational awareness and efficiency.

“This first FDX STC marks another major milestone as we strive to deliver multi-orbit, multi-band connectivity for all types of aircraft,” said Gogo CEO Chris Moore. “It clearly demonstrates that Gogo is still the only company that can fulfill every aspect of an aircraft’s operational nose-to-tail connectivity needs from a single resource.”

“Despite being our first install, [it was] straightforward to fit,” said Aloft CEO Scott Meyer. “We not only did that but also succeeded in generating the very first Gogo Galileo FDX STC.”

The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) brought its largest delegation yet to the 42nd Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that concluded on Friday, culminating in resolutions strengthening sustainability efforts, condemning GPS spoofing incidents, and expanding on air transportation access. The ICAO meeting brought together delegations from 192 member states and 58 international organizations to address sustainability, safety, security, and other key matters.

“The global business aviation community fully engaged at this Assembly with 24 members in the IBAC delegation, our largest ever,” said IBAC director general Kurt Edwards. “Beyond achieving our objective to raise the profile of business aviation at the assembly, we successfully promoted a number of safety, security, and environmental matters, including placing on ICAO’s radar the security and safety implications of flight tracking using ADS-B.”

Other areas include work on crew fatigue management, the commitment to the 2050 net-zero goal, and satellite navigation radio frequency interference concerns, IBAC reported. In addition, the assembly focused on positive safety culture, cybersecurity, and collaboration with industry and member states on the applicability dates of ICAO standards.

Among the outcomes of the assembly was an endorsement of the ICAO Global Framework for sustainable aviation fuels, lower carbon aviation fuels, and other cleaner energy sources, along with a collective target of 5% CO2 reduction by 2030.

The FAA has started a scheduled eight-month transition to standardize the U.S. notam system with ICAO international standards, including retaining text in all capital letters. These all-cap words and contractions have long been unclear and created safety issues, according to reports from pilots, trade associations, and flight planning providers.

Nevertheless, the agency insists its new notam management service (NMS) will result in “improved accuracy and accessibility of notam information for pilots, dispatchers, and other notam consumers, provide notam consumers with one consistent format for domestic and international operations, and allow for enhanced search, sorting, filtering, and archiving capabilities of notam information.”

The NMS has a “streamlined, modern interface providing near-real-time data exchange, enabling efficient data flows and better stakeholder collaboration,” asserted the agency. “The system is securely hosted in the cloud and has a scalable and resilient architecture designed for high availability,”  making it less prone to outages that have occurred several times over the last few years.

Initially, distribution of the NMS is being limited to “early adopter stakeholders,” enabling testing and validation, and will operate in parallel with the existing legacy notam system for the next few months. Full transition is expected to be complete by mid-2026. Implementation, including backup, was supposed to have occurred in September 2024, according to requirements in the Notam Improvement Act of 2023.

Carbon conversion technology company Airco has launched its electro-synthetic aviation fuel (e-SAF) demonstration plant in Brooklyn, New York, supported by a $70 million Series B fundraising round closed in September last year. It will serve as a proving ground for Airco’s processing technologies, which focus on converting “captured CO2 and hydrogen into synthetic gas, which in turn is converted into optimized liquid fuel components for aviation,” explained the company.

Airco, which hopes this pilot plant will lay the groundwork for “future commercial-scale deployments,” said its proprietary Airmade technology is suitable to “enable scalable fuel production and seamless logistics, with the flexibility to deploy near end-users or within distribution networks.” This is achieved with a process described as a “continuous, integrated system,” combining various processing steps into a single operational unit. According to Airco, this represents a “crucial step towards commercial scalability” for e-SAF.

Alongside facilitating what Airco termed “essential testing to validate that its fuel components meet rigorous industry standards,” the plant will also serve to demonstrate the company’s broader vision for fuel production. “Designed to adapt to a wide range of environments and leverage diverse feedstocks, whether powered by renewable energy such as nuclear or advanced clean hydrogen production methods, the Airmade fuel plant represents a crucial step towards bringing synthetic aviation fuel towards commercial markets at scale,” Airco concluded.

How a WWII-era wheel plant is cutting production time by 80%.

Preowned business jet valuation and transaction data service AircraftPost, an AIN Media Group company, is now offering historical data as a new add-on for subscribers. While the current subscriptions allow users to view the most recent six to 12 months of business jet transactional data, the historical data option extends that back to 2018.

According to AircraftPost, this historical data enhances the platform by enabling clients to track market movements over time, identify long-term trends, and make more informed decisions. “It transforms raw data into meaningful context, allowing users to better assess valuations, anticipate market shifts, and approach transactions with greater confidence,” the company said.

“AircraftPost has always been about providing our clients with accurate, reliable, and insightful aircraft data,” said AircraftPost-AIN Media Group head of data Jo-Anne Arruda. “Historical data is an added layer of value that gives our clients extra perspective without changing what we already do best. With this new feature, we’re providing not only a snapshot of today’s market but also the context of where it’s been, allowing for deeper insights, stronger valuations, and more strategic decision-making.”

“We have been listening to our customers…to better understand what problems we can help solve with our data,” added AIN Media Group president Ruben Kempeneer. “The historical data module is a direct result of these conversations and just one of several enhancements you can expect from AircraftPost.”

Universal Weather and Aviation is warning that general aviation may begin to experience U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) processing delays for some flights as the ongoing government shutdown continues. As core services continue, staffing levels may be reduced, translating into possible delays for some general aviation flights, Universal advised. Availability of the overtime and reimbursable services program for off-hours arrivals and clearances also may be limited.

CBP officers are considered essential and will continue working and ports of entry remain open, Universal said, noting that passenger and cargo inspection will proceed, as will processing of international business aviation arrivals. In what Universal called a “big win” for business aviation and the agency, CBP general aviation program managers were classified as essential and are available for support during the shutdown.

However, Universal anticipates that other administrative functions may be paused or slowed during the shutdown, such as border overflight exemption applications and renewals, visa waiver program applications, training, and other back-office activities.

“For business aviation, CBP’s critical processing functions continue during a government shutdown. However, operators should anticipate possible staffing-related delays, reduced overtime/RSP availability, and suspension of administrative programs,” Universal explained. “Staying proactive and informed is the best way to minimize potential disruptions.”

Leviate Air Group has purchased charter broker Vault Aviation, adding Vault to the Dallas-based company's charter provider World Class Jet (dba Leviate Jet Management) and charter broker Leviate Air Charter, as well as a business aircraft sales division. Vault Aviation specializes in booking charters for sports, entertainment, and high-net-worth clients.

“This acquisition represents a pivotal step in Leviate Air Group’s growth strategy,” said Leviate Air Group CEO Luis Barros. Vault Aviation has built a trusted reputation among some of the most discerning clients in the industry, and we are proud to integrate their expertise and client relationships into our organization. Together, we will continue to raise the bar for service and innovation in private aviation.”

Leviate Air Group’s charter fleet includes a Bombardier Global 5000 and Challenger 300s; Cessna Citation CJ3+, XLS, and X; Embraer Phenom 300; and several HondaJets.

“Joining forces with Leviate Air Group offers Vault Aviation’s clients an immediate gateway to a full suite of aviation services, including aircraft sales and acquisitions, aircraft management, and priority access to Leviate’s growing fleet,” said Vault Aviation president and co-founder Paul Taskalos. “We’ll be looking to aggressively expand our footprint, offering services to professional athletes, talent management firms, and sports agencies.”

NBAA is bringing back its Flight Deck stage during the 2025 edition of BACE with a broad slate of industry and government leaders who will address a range of pressing topics. Introduced at the 2024 BACE, Flight Deck discussions will take place in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s West Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

“The Flight Deck is where the industry’s most influential voices come together to explore the issues that matter most,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “These are the people whose perspectives are shaping the future of aviation, and this is the place where those conversations begin.”

Planned sessions for the 2025 edition of Flight Deck will cover aviation breakthroughs and the vision for the future, safety against a backdrop of high-profile accidents, what’s ahead on the regulatory front, latest trends of the preowned market, and the reshaping of the national airspace.

The speaker lineup includes Michelle “Mace” Curran, former U.S. Air Force Thunderbird pilot and motivational speaker; National Air Traffic Controller Association president Nick Daniels; uAvionix president and CEO Jon Damush; jetAviva CEO Emily Deaton; Gregory Feith, aviation safety and security consultant and former NTSB senior air safety investigator; Archer Aviation CEO Adam Goldstein; Skyryse founder and CEO Mark Groden; NBAA board of directors chair emeritus Lloyd “Fig” Newton; and The Jet Business founder and CEO Steve Varsano.

Join us for lunch on Wednesday, October 15, at NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas to hear from a distinguished panel of leaders in business aviation to explore the future of in-flight connectivity. This exclusive event will feature key updates, highlighting innovations that are shaping the passenger experience and operational capabilities in the skies. Seating is limited. Sponsored by Honeywell Aerospace and Viasat.