Textron Aviation today confirmed an order from Surf Air Mobility for 20 Cessna Grand Caravan EXs. This procurement forms part of Surf Air Mobility’s previously disclosed initial fleet order, which can include up to 100 aircraft, with options available for an additional 50 units. Aircraft deliveries are scheduled to commence in the first half of 2024.

Surf Air plans to modify the turboprop singles with its proprietary electric or hybrid-electric powertrains. The company hopes to receive an FAA supplemental type certificate for such Caravan modifications in 2026.

Sudhin Shahani, co-founder and CEO of Surf Air, remarked on the announcement, saying: “This initial fleet delivery solidifies our commitment to bringing advanced electric aircraft to market to reduce fuel emissions and the cost of air travel.”

“The Cessna Caravan’s adaptability for passenger and cargo operations makes it an ideal platform for hybrid electric and electric propulsion innovations,” commented Lannie O’Bannion, Textron Aviation's senior v-p of global sales and flight operations.

Surf Air Mobility intends to deploy the hybrid-electric Grand Caravan EX across its network, further bridging regional airports with direct short-haul services throughout the U.S. This initiative is geared towards forging a sustainable mass transport system that interconnects communities. Surf Air will also exclusively supply Textron Aviation with specific battery electric and hybrid electric powertrain technologies tailored for the Grand Caravan.

International operations and security specialists are warning that aircraft flying over Iraq near the Iranian border are being targeted with fake GPS signals that are leading to navigation failures. Ops Group issued a “Level 1” risk alert, citing 12 reports involving aircraft ranging from an Embraer Praetor 600 to a Boeing 777.

“A troubling new development in en route airspace is emerging: aircraft are being targeted with fake GPS signals, quickly leading to complete loss of navigational capability,” Ops Group warned. Most of the reports have occurred in the past week, and Ops Group said this has occurred on Airway UM688 in Iraq.

Ops Group said the concerns from this are multifold, including that "the potential for this type of event to be seen elsewhere is now shown to be possible.”

Security specialist Dyami advised there are mitigation steps that can be taken before and during the flight, including checking FIR notams for reported spoofing, performing a full IRS alignment if entering an area with elevated risk, knowing the typical sensor hierarchy for FMS position, and potentially de-selecting GPS sensor input if the option is available.

In addition, crews should ensure they have the correct time on their personal devices and watches and, when flying through GPS spoofing areas, log positions at regular intervals.

Sheltair has cut the ribbon on a major expansion to its FBO at Florida’s Tampa International Airport (KTPA).The $26 million project added 77,000 sq ft of hangar space capable of accommodating the latest ultra-long-range business jets and 32,000 sq ft of office space. The four fire suppression foam-equipped hangars range from 14,562 sq ft to 33,269 sq ft, with attached office space between 5,700 sq ft and 14,247 sq ft.

In addition, the project—which took a year and a half to complete—added another nearly eight acres of ramp to the 35-acre complex on the south side of the field. It also included reconstruction of an acre of heavy-duty asphalt.

“We are excited to be opening these new hangars at KTPA,” said company CEO and president Lisa Holland. “These sleek, state-of-the-art facilities are a game changer, not just for addressing the soaring demand in aircraft storage at KTPA, but also for fueling fresh economic growth in the airport’s vibrant community.”

The Avfuel-branded and CAA-preferred facility is a perennial top-tier finisher in AIN’s annual FBO Survey. It is open 24/7, including U.S. Customs service.

The UK’s Southampton Airport has completed an extension to its runway as it looks to expand its capacity and accommodate larger aircraft. The £15 million ($18.4 million) project launched in the second quarter and added 538 feet to the airport’s single runway, taking it to a length of 6,189 feet.

This expansion is expected to attract more airline routes and services to local residents, which the airport said will generate around 1,400 new jobs. The project did face some local opposition after first being approved by local officials in 2021, but last year an appeals court upheld this approval, allowing work to start.

Southampton Airport is part of AGS, which owns and operates it along with airports in Aberdeen and Glasgow, Scotland. Spain-based Ferrovial Airports, the majority shareholder of London Heathrow Airport, owns a 50 percent stake in AGS. Miguel Rodera, Ferrovial’s asset management director for AGS, noted his company is committed to positively impacting the community and region.

“The extension is a critical part of our future and will help enhance the region’s connectivity, safeguard the airport’s future, and help deliver social and economic benefits to Eastleigh, Southampton, and the wider region,” said Steve Szalay, the airport’s operations director, at last week's runway inauguration, which was attended by local business representatives and elected officials, including several ministers of Parliament.

Textron Aviation service centers will be able to install the Garmin G5000 avionics suite upgrade in Cessna Citation XLS+ and XLS Gen2 twinjets after the FAA issues a supplemental type certificate for the modification in the first half of next year. The G5000 package is already available for Excel and XLS and, with this new offering, owners of later models of the twinjet will have the option of replacing their Collins Pro Line 21 avionics with the Garmin suite.

Pilots can set up the G5000 suite’s three landscape-oriented displays with split screens. The crew controls the avionics via two touchscreen controllers mounted in the center console. Included in the upgrade is Garmin’s digital automatic flight control system with emergency descent mode and underspeed protection, which enables fully coupled go-arounds.

The upgrade also features georeferenced Garmin SafeTaxi airport diagrams, which show features on airports in the database such as hangars, terminals, towers, taxiways, and other signs. Additionally, pilots can take advantage of the G5000’s PBN/RNP 0.3 capability and fly LPV/APV approaches, which provides access to lower approach minimums.

“Garmin’s G5000 integrated flight deck is already a popular modification for Cessna Citation Excel and XLS customers because it offers unmatched situational awareness, lower cost of operation, and an improved in-flight experience,” said Textron Aviation senior v-p of customer support Brian Rohloff.

The International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) expects hundreds of representatives from the group’s member companies to attend its annual fall meeting in Las Vegas. The event is scheduled for the day before many of the group's members make their way to the NBAA Convention in Vegas, which is set for October 17 to 19.  

At NBAA-BACE, IADA will share Booth N5217 with 28 IADA-accredited dealers and 22 IADA-verified products and services members. Meanwhile, seven IADA OEM members and two dealers will showcase their own aircraft static displays. Six dealers will occupy their own indoor exhibits, along with 26 IADA-verified products and services members.

"Our aircraft dealers, who currently dominate the resale industry with an impressive 50 percent market share and annual sales amounting to over $11 billion, are eagerly looking forward to another vibrant NBAA-BACE experience in Las Vegas," said IADA executive director Wayne Starling. “Additionally, we will issue our association's insightful third-quarter market report during the convention.”

The quarterly IADA market report covers its accredited dealers’ perceptions about the marketplace taken from its survey of IADA members and sales data reported monthly by IADA dealers. IATA said its “commanding market presence” makes the report a “prescient” gauge of market trends.

A medical crewmember flying with the UK’s Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) service sustained a burned cornea during a laser strike on September 22. The attack occurred during a repositioning flight to the YAA’s Nostell base and was one of three laser attacks on the operator's helicopters within the week.

The strike on Friday hit crewmember Alex Clark in the eye. YAA reports that he is expected to make a full recovery.

YAA characterized the attacks as “intermittent and seemingly random [in] nature” and “there appears to be no discernible pattern or motive behind these acts.” According to YAA, the attacks constituted a threat to crew and patients and asked for the public’s help in finding those responsible and reporting them to the police.

YAA chief pilot Owen McTeggart said the attacks constituted a significant danger even if crewmembers are not hit. “It means we cannot land, and the injured person on the ground doesn’t get the care that we are there to provide," he commented. "It doesn’t take much for the eyes to be permanently damaged by a laser, and while the laser itself might not be a danger if it doesn’t contact the eyes, it is a massive distraction for the crew during a critical stage of flight and causes much distress.”

ResearchAndMarkets is holding its 12th annual Mediterranean Business Aviation (MBA) conference next month for industry professionals in the region. Taking place on October 6 in Athens, the event is designed to offer an intensive platform to foster dialogue among manufacturers, operators, and organizations with vested interests in the region.

The MBA conference is an influential venue for stakeholders to understand, adapt, and thrive in a dynamic aerospace environment. This year, the agenda encompasses topics such as the Mediterranean air-taxi market, diverse business models within business aviation, and advancements in regional infrastructure.

Speakers this year include Andreas Papatheodorou—director at the University of the Aegean and a member of the executive board at the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority—and Thanos Pascalis, chief development officer at Marathon Airlines, who spoke at last year’s conference. Nick Godwin, director at NSGAero, and Joachim Kabamba, president of Kabamba Aerospace, are also speaking at the conference, along with Anthony Frances, senior counsel at Gateley; Triant Flouris, v-p of academic affairs at Metropolitan College; and Rachel McKay, an aircraft expert witness at Kayway and president of the German Aviation Expert Association.