Garmin has received FAA supplemental type certification for installation of the G5000 integrated flight deck in Textron Aviation’s Cessna Citation XLS+ and XLS Gen2. The G5000 suite replaces the original Collins Aerospace Pro Line 21 avionics in the XLS+ and XLS Gen2. G5000 is also certified in earlier XL/XLS models, and the eligible fleet for the upgrade is more than 1,000 jets.

In addition to three large landscape displays with split-screen capability, the G5000 upgrade includes two touchscreen controllers and dual GI 275 standby instruments. Garmin’s automatic flight control system includes emergency descent mode and underspeed protection, which enables fully coupled go-arounds. G5000 avionics are PBN/RNP 0.3 certified, according to Garmin, “enabling LPV/APV approach capability.”

Garmin has upgraded its synthetic vision technology with optional taxi 3D exocentric view, and airports in its SafeTaxi database display 3D building footprints, taxiways, aprons, signs, and other markings to enhance situational awareness on the ground. The option includes taxiway routing, which allows pilots to enter taxi routes using the touchscreen controller and receive guidance on 2D maps or 3D synthetic vision depictions, according to Garmin.

To help prevent runway incursions, Garmin’s runway occupancy awareness (ROA) technology is enabled by the G5000’s ADS-B In feature, which is also optional. ROA “alerts the crew of potential runway incursions with nearby airborne aircraft, aircraft on the ground, and ground vehicles,” according to Garmin.

Aruba’s Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) is the latest governing body to validate Gulfstream’s new flagship G700.

The announcement comes after the ultra-long-range twinjet received FAA certification at the end of March. That was followed in early May by EASA authorization. Since then, it has racked up more than 10 other approvals, including the UK and Mexico, demonstrating the Savannah, Georgia-based airframer’s commitment to meeting stringent safety and performance standards across various jurisdictions, the DCA said.

Gulfstream expects to deliver more than 50 of the $81 million, 7,700 nm-range twinjets by the end of the year.

The Registry of Aruba—which was established nearly 30 years ago as the first privately managed Category 1 aircraft registry in the world—is one of the few whose registered aircraft can operate under a U.S. operator certificate, and a sizable portion of its customer base consists of European-owned or -operated aircraft.

As fractional-share provider Volato faces financial challenges and the termination of a fleet purchase agreement with Honda Aircraft, a group of former employees has filed a class-action lawsuit alleging violations of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.

According to law firm Kwall Barack Nadeau, “The complaint seeks justice for Volato’s failure to provide the legally required 60 days’ notice before mass layoffs.”

The lawsuit was filed on September 12 and “asserts that on or about August 30, 2024, Volato terminated the employment of over 233 employees without providing any advanced notice. This action, as outlined in the lawsuit, constitutes a clear violation of the WARN Act, which mandates that employers with over 100 employees provide 60 days' notice in advance of plant closings or mass layoffs.”

Three days before the lawsuit was filed, as first reported by Private Jet Card Comparisons, Volato revealed that Honda Aircraft notified that it had terminated Volato’s fleet purchase agreement (FPA) “effective immediately.” The May 5, 2023 agreement included the purchase of 23 HondaJets for a total of $161.6 million. According to Volato’s Securities and Exchange Commission Form 8-K filing, “Pursuant to the terms of the FPA, Honda Aircraft will retain the deposits that have been previously paid by the Company.”

AIN contacted Volato CEO Matt Liotta but did not receive a response by press time.

Boeing has agreed to pay Embraer $150 million to settle a long-running dispute over the circumstances in which the U.S. aerospace group backed out of a $4.2 billion deal to buy an 80% stake in the Brazilian airframer’s commercial airliner business. In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing late on Monday, Embraer confirmed the resolution of an arbitration process it initiated on April 27, 2020.

Embraer and Boeing announced the planned master transaction agreement in July 2018. In October 2019, the European Commission launched an anti-trust investigation into the takeover, prompting a delay that spilled over into the start of the Covid pandemic in 2020.

On April 25, 2020, Boeing confirmed that it was withdrawing from the deal after the terms had expired the previous day, stating that Embraer had not agreed to terms that could have extended the process. Embraer issued a firm rebuttal of Boeing’s statement, accusing the U.S. company of engaging “in a systematic pattern and repeated violations” of the agreement.

Over the past four years, Embraer has pursued a revamped strategy based on producing aircraft for the commercial air transport, business aviation, and defense sectors. It has also targeted the emerging advanced air mobility market through eVTOL aircraft developer Eve Air Mobility, which was spawned from its technology incubator unit.

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The California state fire marshal issued a memo earlier this week emphasizing the deadline has passed for the elimination of PFAS chemicals in Class B firefighting foam at all Part 139 airports in the state.

Airports had been granted a one-year moratorium on the phase-out—which ended last week—to allow for the transition to fluorine (F3) foams under state legislation SB-1044 “Firefighting equipment and foam: PFAS chemicals” that was approved in 2020.

In use since the 1950s in a wide range of applications—ranging from nonstick cookware and stain-resistant fabrics to firefighting foam—the slowly degrading chemical compounds can cause environmental contamination, leading to accumulations in the food chain and causing health risks in humans. In certain areas, repeated fire training exercises at airports over the decades have caused the chemicals to seep into groundwater, requiring remediation to protect the water supplies of surrounding communities.

Penalties for violation of the PFAS ban include a fine of up to $5,000 for a first offense and up to $10,000 per subsequent violation.

NBAA has launched a survey to gauge how workforce challenges are affecting safety. The association’s safety committee workforce challenges group is asking for input from NBAA members on how shortages may be shaping their experiences. Plans call to use the information provided to identify common safety risks that may stem from these challenges and develop potential mitigations.

While the working group expects to interview members on the topic over the coming months, the safety committee will share its preliminary findings from focus group interviews next month during the NBAA National Safety Forum held in conjunction with BACE in Las Vegas.

Business aviation continues to face a shortage of qualified workers in a range of areas—from pilots and technicians to schedulers and dispatchers. As a result, NBAA said, companies are hiring less experienced professionals and retired professionals, or they are recruiting retired airline personnel.

The association is encouraging organizations of all types and sizes to share their experience with the working group, said Lee Rafalko, operational concerns team lead for the NBAA Safety Committee. “What safety issues, if any, have resulted from the industry-wide workforce challenges? How has your organization adapted to address these safety issues?”

Members interested in participating can contact workforceproject@nbaa.org to schedule an interview with the working group.

Garmin co-founders Min Kao and the late Gary Burrell were honored with enshrinement into the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) during its 60th annual ceremony held September 14 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. This accolade recognizes their lasting contributions to the aviation industry, cementing their legacy alongside other aviation pioneers.

Also recognized this year were the late Don Bateman, chief engineer of flight safety avionics at Honeywell, and Peggy Chabrian, founder and long-time president of Women in Aviation International, among others.

Kao and Burrell founded Garmin 35 years ago, driven by the belief that advanced navigation and communication technologies could enhance aviation safety and save lives. Under their leadership, Garmin revolutionized aviation with innovations such as the GPS 100AVD, the industry’s first widely accessible GPS navigator, as well as the Autoland system, which won the Robert J. Collier Trophy for its life-saving automation capabilities. These technologies, along with many others, have had a transformative impact on the safety, efficiency, and accessibility of modern flight.

“To truly honor their pioneering work and the foundation they laid for Garmin's acclaimed products, there is no greater tribute than seeing them inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame," remarked Cliff Pemble, president and CEO of Garmin.

Kao continues to serve as executive chairman of Garmin’s board.

Argus International has named Hop-A-Jet Worldwide Jet Charter as a Platinum Elite operator.

The auditing program features real-time operational safety performance monitoring and timely visibility to significant operator changes. Platinum Elite offers what Argus calls “continual evaluation” in contrast to some audits that check every two years.

"Argus is delighted to welcome Hop-A-Jet as our latest Platinum Elite participant. They have a long history of consistently adhering to the Platinum standard, and we look forward to helping them maintain exceptionally high best practices through the Elite continuous monitoring program,” said Mike McCready, Argus International president.

“We are incredibly proud to receive the Argus Platinum Elite certification,” said Barry Ellis, CEO of Hop-A-Jet Worldwide Jet Charter. “This achievement reflects our team’s hard work and commitment to providing the safest and most reliable service to our clients. We will continue to uphold these high standards and strive for excellence in all aspects of our operations.”