EASA and the FAA have both certified Garmin’s Autoland system on the Pilatus PC-12 PRO. The Swiss manufacturer confirmed the approvals this morning, with the emergency safety feature now part of the standard fit for the turboprop single.

Autoland can be activated in emergencies such as a pilot medical issue via a button in the cabin or when the avionics system detects pilot inactivity. When activated, Autoland determines the most suitable airport to land the aircraft, based on factors such as runway length, fuel reserves, and weather conditions. Then it automatically makes radio calls during the approach, lands the airplane, and subsequently shuts down the engine.

The safety system is already installed on other aircraft, including the Piper M600/M700; Daher TBM 940, 960, and 980; and the Cirrus Vision Jet. Pilatus is marketing the system—enabled by the PC-12 PRO’s Garmin G3000 Prime avionics suite—as Safety Autoland.

Certification tests on the PC-12 PRO included demonstrating a safe automatic landing from system activation through to landing, including automated communication and engine shutdown.

In other news at the company, Pilatus delivered 43 PC-12 PROs during the first half of this year—a 72% increase from a year ago. The company also delivered 18 PC-24 jets in the first six months, up one unit from first-half 2025, while billings rose 35%, to $535.74 million, over the same period.

NATA has filed an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief in the U.S. Supreme Court for a case involving an Alaska charter pilot whose planned flight in 2012 was halted when a state trooper searched his airplane and found beer in the luggage. Oral arguments are scheduled for December 1, with a decision expected before the court’s current term ends.

That beer was a prohibited item in the destination village of Beaver, and the trooper claimed that charter pilot Kenneth Jouppi, who owned the Cessna 206, knew there was beer on board. He was eventually convicted of a misdemeanor and sentenced to a $1,500 fine and three days in jail. The state added to his punishment by attempting to confiscate the 206.

Beer found on the airplane included a six-pack, which the trooper believed the pilot saw, and another 66 cans of beer hidden in the passenger’s luggage.

“NATA is not asking the court to overturn the pilot’s conviction,” it said. “The association’s position is that pilots should be held responsible for what they knowingly transport but should not be treated as law enforcement officers responsible for searching every passenger’s bags.”

The Institute for Free Speech has also filed an amicus brief, this one focusing on the constitutional prohibition of excessive fines.

The general aviation industry supports about 1.3 million jobs and $339.2 billion in economic output across the U.S., according to a newly released report from The Alliance for Aviation Across America. Now in its fourth edition, “The Impact of General Aviation on State and Local Economies” report provides an overview of how the industry affects each of the 50 U.S. states, as well as local communities.

Published in partnership with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the National Association of State Aviation Officials, the report includes state and local economic data and community examples that government, airport, and community leaders can use as they shape policy. It also enables stakeholders to educate their communities on the value of aviation.

According to the report, more than 214,000 general aviation aircraft are active in the U.S., ranging from single-pistons to business jets. These aircraft access more than 19,500 landing facilities, including 4,400 public-use general aviation airports, it noted.

The report complements the Alliance’s interactive online economic-impact tool, which enables users to delve into such data within a 25-, 50-, or 100-mile radius of a ZIP code and by congressional and state legislative districts where information is available.

“The Impact of General Aviation on State and Local Economies” report is available through AASHTO.

Four new Professional Development Program (PDP) courses will be offered at NBAA-BACE 2026, alongside a broader lineup focused on leadership and safety culture. Course fees include NBAA-BACE registration.

“NBAA is excited to partner with our PDP providers to bring relevant and impactful courses to NBAA-BACE this year,” Molly Hitch, NBAA director of educational development and engagement, said. She noted the offerings include the first operator-led version of “Maintaining In-House Flight Department Excellence and Control,” running October 23 to 24, which helps attendees benchmark their flight departments against current industry practice and build a case for its value to senior leadership.

Other courses added to this year’s lineup include “Elevating Your Leadership, Versatility and Influence,” a two-day session from October 18 to 19 led by Shari Frisinger covering leadership tools and safety-culture fundamentals; “Management Fundamentals for Flight Departments Workshop,” also October 18 to 19, led by Walter Kraujalis, president of AeronomX, addressing budgeting, vendor selection, regulatory compliance, and day-to-day management practices; “Aviation Security and Awareness Training,” an October 19 course led by Kristopher Cannon, founder and president of Aviation Secure and an NBAA Security Council member, focusing on personal and flight-department security; and “Human Factors in Business Aviation,” an October 19 course led by Mark Bingamon covering on spotting early warning signs before they develop into safety incidents.

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.

Oklahoma’s Okmulgee Regional Airport (KOKM) has broken ground on a new terminal, which will be its first purpose-built passenger facility.

Previously, the airport in the eastern part of the state had used some offices attached to a former private 6,000-sq-ft hangar. According to city manager Rickey Pearson, several years ago its owner had given the 1960s-vintage facility, which can accommodate up to midsize jets, back to the city after they had sold their airplane.

The 4,000-sq-ft terminal will include a pilot lounge and conference room. Expected to take a year to construct, the $2.5 million project—paid for by a mix of $600,000 in federal grants, $950,000 from the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics (ODAA), and $950,000 from the City of Okmulgee—will also include a new parking lot, improved lighting, and drainage improvements, along with new fencing and a motorized gate.

“We’re not simply building a new terminal; we’re giving Okmulgee Regional Airport the infrastructure it needs to better serve businesses, pilots, and visitors for decades to come,” said Nick Young, ODAA’s airports division manager. “With nearly $1 million in state funding supporting this project, Oklahoma is continuing to invest in a statewide airport system that connects our communities and creates opportunities for economic growth.”

The FAA has extended a partnership with Solace as the agency modernizes its System Wide Information Management (SWIM) national data network. SWIM distributes real-time flight plans, surveillance data, weather information, and airspace notices to operators, the Department of Defense, air navigation service providers, and the flying public.

Solace, which has supported SWIM through its real-time data platform since 2011, is providing enhanced SWIM cloud services that improve bidirectional data flow and enable the agency’s data partners to publish data back into SWIM and participate in collaborative decision-making. Other enhancements include replacing Microsoft Word-file documentation with machine-readable APIs built on the AsyncAPI standard, making it easier for authorized users to access data streams.

The bidirectional event streams set the stage for AI decision support and data sharing in the future, Solace said, adding this enables flight-path optimization tools to use real-time aviation data streams.

“When data moves in real time across the world's busiest airspace, there is no margin for error. We are proud the FAA trusts Solace to help power that infrastructure, enabling the future of safe and effective air navigation services,” said Solace chief technology officer Joshua Carroll.

UK aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman is back in the business of building domestically-made aircraft. For the first time in almost 60 years, a complete Islander has rolled off the company’s newly-repatriated production line, marking what the privately-owned company hopes will be a new era of manufacturing—albeit at lower production rates than initially planned.

Based at Bembridge on the Isle of Wight, Britten-Norman’s final assembly line is looking to ramp up annual output to eight twin-engine Islanders by 2029, event split between the B-N2 and larger BN2T-4S models. This follows a significant period of change for the company, which—despite repatriating its production line from Romania in 2023—has so far failed to reach the eight-aircraft-per-year target that CEO William Hynett expected within 24 months.

In a recent interview, Britten-Norman COO Richard Milne told AIN that the team had underestimated specific challenges required to bring production back to the UK. “What we as a business underestimated was the scale of activity in updating all of the documentation to the standards that are required today to build an aircraft,” he acknowledged.

Although the Islander started production in the UK in the 1960s, this soon largely shifted to Romania. This arrangement was reversed with the reinauguration of the Bembridge line in late 2023.

The Louisiana Rotor Pathway Program is joining similar programs in Utah and North Dakota and will help high school students learn about opportunities in vertical aviation maintenance and gain college credit. The Vertical Aviation International (VAI) Rotor Pathway Program was launched in 2019 at Southern Utah University and Utah Valley University, with students at Cedar Valley High School in Eagle Mountain, Utah.

In Louisiana, students from the Bossier Parish and Caddo Parish school districts will participate in the Rotor Pathway at Southern University at Shreveport.

“The program comes as the vertical aviation industry faces a growing need for qualified maintenance professionals,” according to VAI. “By introducing students to aviation maintenance while they are still in high school, the Rotor Pathway Program creates a direct route from education to careers in an essential segment of the industry.”

“The launch of the Louisiana Rotor Pathway Program is a testament to the dedication, professionalism, and commitment to aviation demonstrated by leaders across Louisiana,” said VAI executive v-p Cade Clark. “There is a tremendous need in our industry to increase the number of qualified mechanics, and I am excited that Louisiana is leading an initiative that gives students the opportunity to discover rewarding careers in vertical aviation maintenance. I want to thank the government, education, and industry partners who have stepped up to make this program a reality and are investing in the next generation of aviation mechanics.”

Discounted early-bird tickets are now on sale for the 2027 AIN FBO Dinner & Awards Gala, to be held Feb. 24, 2027, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Join the industry’s top FBOs as we celebrate the award winners. Save $100 on tickets when you buy today; prices go up on November 1. To reserve a table, contact sales@ainonline.com.