NBAA-BACE 2026 is drawing nearly a full lineup of legacy business aircraft manufacturers, plus many of the newer companies, as a comprehensive program begins to take shape for the association’s hallmark event to be held October 20 to 22 in Las Vegas.

Most of the major OEMs—including Aviat, Boeing Business Jets, Bombardier, Daher, Dassault, Gulfstream, Honda Aircraft, Piaggio Aerospace, Pilatus, Piper, Robinson Helicopter, SyberJet, and Textron Aviation—have committed to returning to the static display at Henderson Executive Airport (KHND), providing an anchor for the three-day event. Absent from this year’s list at this point are Embraer and Airbus Corporate Jets.

Inside the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall, the floor appears mostly sold out, with exhibitors ranging from engine manufacturers and major avionics suppliers to a range of other equipment and service providers. NBAA is debuting the Horizon Stage on the show floor for its headline speakers, who will include Steven F. Udvar-Hazy and Ross Perot Jr., among others. 

In addition, the association is bringing back Flight Deck as a forum for interactive discussion on technological, regulatory, market, and workforce issues, with more than 70 educational sessions already planned. A maintenance track will be available, as will a Gulfstream Operator Forum.

Also returning are the Career Zone, Military Connect, and Creator Studio. NBAA expects to reveal further highlights and additional features in the coming weeks.

Nashville International Airport (KBNA) could soon be renamed after Tennessee-born entertainer and philanthropist Dolly Parton, 80, who died last week. 

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, in partnership with the airport authority, floated the idea as a means to honor Parton’s legacy. “Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,” Lee explained. “At a place where Tennessee welcomes the world, it is fitting that Nashville International Airport would bear the name of our state’s favorite daughter and greet travelers with the enduring legacy of Dolly’s music, generosity, faith, and kindness.”

“Dolly’s remarkable legacy reminds us that what makes Nashville special is our ability to welcome people from every walk of life,” said Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) president and CEO Doug Kreulen. "She understood that dignity, kindness, and opportunity should never be defined by where you come from or your socioeconomic status.”

He added, “Whether you are boarding a private aircraft or taking your first flight, you deserve to be welcomed, respected, and served with the same level of care. That spirit is what defines BNA, and it is a fitting reflection of the values Dolly shared.”

The proposal to rename the airport will be addressed at the MNAA meeting on September 17. If accepted, KBNA would be the first major U.S. commercial airport to be solely named after a woman.

Beyond Aero is expanding its work to develop a market for its hydrogen-electric business jet through a partnership with airports in southern France. The Toulouse-based start-up and Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur today reported joint development of gaseous hydrogen refueling facilities at airports they see as likely early adopters of the technology in popular private aviation locations on France’s Mediterranean coast.

The companies are focused on refueling options, including storage and distribution infrastructure, for the Nice Côte d’Azur (LFMN), Cannes Mandelieu (LFMD), and Golfe de Saint-Tropez (LFTZ) airports. They are considering plans for a fixed dispenser in a dedicated parking area for hydrogen aircraft and a mobile refuelling vehicle.

In March, Beyond Aero completed the preliminary design review for the eight-seat BYA-1 model, and it is now working towards type certification under EASA CS-25 rules with a view to starting deliveries in the early 2030s. The company switched from CS-23 rules to allow scope for an increase in maximum takeoff weight to 9.6 tonnes (21,164 pounds), mainly on the basis that this would give operators improved one-engine-inoperative performance.

Beyond Aero co-founder and CEO Eloa Guillotin said the emissions-free aircraft could attract younger clients, who are currently deterred from private aviation on environmental grounds. However, the company is also pressing the case for reduced operating costs compared with existing aircraft.

Five Rivers Aviation, which operates the lone FBO at California’s Livermore Municipal Airport (KLVK), has expanded to a second location after winning the RFP to become the sole service provider at Central Wyoming Regional Airport (KRIW) in Riverton.

According to company CEO Pete Sandhu, the FBO had been without a dedicated industry operator for the past several years. It was being run under the name Classic Air Medical by a local hospital, which was providing only basic aviation services to retain its aeromedical transport capabilities.

Upon the acquisition, Five Rivers Jet Center expanded the Wyoming FBO’s offerings to include a full complement of ground-handling services, including deicing. Plans call for the FBO’s existing 18,650-sq-ft terminal to undergo renovation with a modern lobby, 15 individual offices, pilot lounge, full kitchen, and private showers. The complex at KRIW also includes a 10,000-sq-ft heated hangar that can accommodate light jets and turboprops.

“Expanding to Riverton is an exciting opportunity to bring the Five Rivers experience to a new market,” said Sandhu. “We’re excited to build upon the facility and services already in place, and enhance our offerings for the central Wyoming aviation community.”

Five Rivers also switched its KRIW facility to Avfuel’s branded dealer network, offering contract fuel and the Avtrip customer loyalty program.

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.

At the recent Global Aerospace Summit in O’Fallon, Illinois, a panel session on military aircraft production and business aircraft completions and MRO services featured local leaders from Boeing, Gulfstream Aerospace, and West Star Aviation discussing investments in facilities, technology, and workforce development initiatives in the St. Louis region.

During the “Building and Sustaining the Fleet: OEM, MRO, and Defense Perspectives” session, moderated by Mary Lamie—executive v-p of multimodal enterprises for Bi-State Development, which operates St. Louis Downtown Airport (KCPS)—participants outlined their companies’ regional activities.

At KCPS in Cahokia, Illinois, Gulfstream has invested more than $30 million and added some 200 jobs to expand from MRO to completions of green jets. The facility’s capabilities include interior installations, paint, avionics, cabinetry, carpeting, and flight testing.

West Star Aviation at St. Louis Regional Airport (KALN) in East Alton, Illinois, employs more than 700 people, providing business aircraft MRO services, as well as avionics repair and installation, paint, interior refurbishment, AOG mobile teams, and engine repair.

With 117 aircraft in the company’s 600,000 sq ft of facilities, West Star expected to deliver 40 to 43 aircraft by the end of last month, according to Brian Bauwens, the company’s director of Bombardier business development. West Star is exploring acquisitions to expand engineering and repair capabilities for specialized modification programs and pursuing additional foreign repair station approvals.

A passenger with no pilot certificate landed a Beechcraft King Air C90A safely at Meadows Field Airport (KBFL) in Bakersfield, California, after the 78-year-old pilot lost consciousness during a flight on Oct. 4, 2024, according to a newly released NTSB final report. Guided by air traffic control, the passenger safely brought the turboprop twin to a straight-in landing following the pilot’s in-flight cardiac arrest. The pilot died from the medical event.

The airplane departed Las Vegas Henderson Executive Airport (KHND) on a Part 91 personal flight to California’s Monterey Regional Airport (KMRY), with the passenger and pilot aboard. At FL200, the pilot became unresponsive, and the passenger began CPR before radioing air traffic control, which provided navigation and operational guidance.

An autopsy performed by the Kern County Medical Examiner-Coroner attributed the pilot’s death to hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with a natural manner of death. Investigators found an enlarged heart weighing 620 grams, with all four chambers severely dilated; coronary artery disease narrowing three arteries by as much as 60%; and scarring consistent with a previous heart attack. The only traumatic injuries identified were rib and sternum fractures sustained during the passenger’s CPR efforts. The King Air was not damaged in the incident.

Modesto Jet Center, the lone FBO at California’s Modesto City-County Airport-Harry Sham Field (KMOD), has acquired a 26,500-sq-ft hangar that previously housed a corporate flight department.

Built in the late 1990s, the insulated hangar with a 26-foot-high door can accommodate aircraft up to a Gulfstream G650. It features executive office space, two full bathrooms with showers, additional upstairs office and storage space, private gated vehicle access, and direct 24/7 support from the full-service FBO. This latest addition brings the Avfuel-branded complex to more than 106,000 sq ft of aircraft shelter space.

“This is more than simply hangar space,” said Greg Holbrook, the FBO’s general manager. “It is an opportunity for a corporate flight department or aviation operator to establish a highly functional base with the infrastructure and support needed to operate efficiently.”

Located in California’s Central Valley, KMOD offers a 5,904-foot primary runway and convenient access to Northern California business markets without many of the operational challenges associated with larger metropolitan airports, according to Modesto Jet Center.

Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) has ordered an Airbus H160 to enhance its existing helicopter fleet. Stationed in Kumamoto Prefecture in the Kyushu region, located in the southwest of the country, the aircraft will be deployed across Japan to enhance nationwide emergency response. Four H160s are currently in service across Japan in a variety of roles.

According to Airbus, the new helicopter’s primary role will be “rapid aerial reconnaissance and real-time visual intelligence gathering during major natural disasters.” To assist with this task, the H160 will feature Helisat data-streaming technology to “completely bypass damaged ground infrastructure, providing emergency commanders with uninterrupted, real-time visibility straight from affected areas.” Airbus is also developing custom snow landing gear for the H160 to further enhance capabilities in Japan’s challenging winters.

Although the acquisition marks the first time FDMA has opted for the H160, the agency has been operating Airbus Helicopters models since 2001, when it introduced the AS365N3 for disaster management missions. Airbus said the introduction of the H160 will offer “superior range, safety, and operational capabilities.”

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