On-demand charter hourly rates have leveled off, remaining relatively flat overall month-over-month in August, according to charter marketplace JetAsap.

Based on direct quotes through its platform, JetAsap has found that turboprop rates in August dipped 2 percent, to $4,326 per billable flight hour, and light jet prices ebbed 3 percent, to $7,243 per hour. Midsize jet rates also declined by 4 percent, to $8,131.

However, the super-midsize jet rate increased by 8 percent—essentially offsetting an 8 percent decline in July. August rates averaged $11,094 per billable flight hour for super-midsize jets. Meanwhile, heavy jets also inched up, by 1 percent, to $13,978 per hour.

The company further revealed a sampling of quotes in August, such as from San Jose, California, to Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Quotes ranged from $31,049 for a Cessna Citation CJ3 to $37,900 for a Dassault Falcon 50 to $42,806 for a Bombardier Challenger 350.

Another request, for a trip from Miami to Aspen, Colorado, yielded quotes of $29,209 for an Embraer Phenom 300; $31,467 for a Hawker 800XP; $40,577 for a Citation X; and $48,919 for a Gulfstream IV-SP. And, travel from Vancouver, Canada, to Chicago would cost $31,679 for a Citation Excel and $46,500 for a Gulfstream V.

JetAsap noted that the hourly rate quotes were “all in,” including federal excise tax, fuel surcharges, and daily minimums.

Private aircraft are time machines—speeding travel from place to place in privacy, security, and comfort. Individual and corporate owners may differ in the reasons they use, sell, or buy private aircraft, but virtually all of them find that a buy-sell transaction is complex and challenging.

A top-flight aircraft broker appreciates these dynamics and guides a seller or a purchaser (client) through a purchase or sale transaction as a member of a team of other experienced industry professionals.

The right broker for the client and the transaction can facilitate a smooth process. Conversely, an unsuitable aircraft broker can generate frustration, recrimination, delay, and less-than-favorable terms and economics. Thus, clients should make a strong effort to choose the right broker and not just any broker.

Choosing the right broker takes diligence that informs a client’s own judgment that a broker will represent the client’s best interests grounded in the broker’s personal qualities, integrity, market knowledge, industry relationships, strong interpersonal skills, honed negotiating capability, and deep aircraft-specific knowledge.

August business aviation flight activity in North America dropped 3.8 percent year-over-year (YOY), according to the latest Argus International TraqPak report. This was steeper than its forecast 0.1 percent decline. “Prior to the month, we had expected activity to show some slight signs of improvement, but that did not materialize,” Argus said.

Month-over-month activity did show an increase, with fractional up 4.9 percent, Part 91 up 2.7 percent, and Part 135 up 0.4 percent.

The pre-Covid peak in North America saw an average of 260,000 flights per month; the figure jumped to 306,000 at the post-Covid peak. The average during the past 12 months has been 292,000. “The industry still looks good, but we are off from the post-Covid highs," Argus reported. "Going forward, it will be important to keep an eye on Part 135.”

Fractional fliying, the sole segment with positive YOY numbers, increased 7.9 percent in August. Part 91 operations dropped an average of 5.3 percent, with in-segment turboprops down 2.4 percent; light jets, -3.1 percent; midsize jets, -13 percent; and large-cabin jets, -3.3 percent.

On the Part 135 side, the average drop was 6.5 percent, with large-cabin jets the only in-segment category seeing YOY growth—at 3 percent. Part 135 light-jet operations dropped by 14.9 percent YOY.

In Europe, activity dropped an average of 9.4 percent YOY and 1.61 percent month-over-month.

Following an inspection by the FAA and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), it was determined that necessary repairs to the engineered materials arresting system at the northeast end of Teterboro Airport’s (KTEB) 6,013-foot Runway 6/24 are required.

As a result, the airport has "administratively shortened" Runway 24 by 1,003 feet for takeoff, reducing the takeoff run available, takeoff distance available, and accelerate stop distance available to 4,850 feet.

According to the Teterboro Users Group, the additional 160 feet of declared distance reduction reflects that aircraft departing Runway 24 will be cleared for takeoff from taxiways R or V.

Operations on Runway 6 will remain unaffected and the landing distance available for Runway 24 remains 6,013 feet. A spokesperson from PANYNJ told AIN that the agency is currently working with a contractor to determine the work schedule and cost of repairs.

Black Widow Helicopters and XP Services today announced that they will remanufacture a modified version of the UH-60 Black Hawk. Dubbed the Lima+, the helicopter will be offered in three build models—commercial utility, public safety, and Milspec—and type certified with XP Services for commercial restricted-category operations.

The helicopter will feature the upgraded GE Aviation T701D engines and IDGB gearbox that together give the Lima+ a 9,000-pound lift capacity. It will also be equipped with the Aerometals inlet barrier filter, as well as lightweight exhaust system and the GPMS Foresight predictive health usage and monitoring system.

Additionally, the Lima+ will feature an FAA IFR-certified, Genesys night-vision-goggle compatible digital glass cockpit with HeliSAS autopilot. New, reconfigurable cabin seats will accommodate up to 13 occupants and their equipment.

“The UH-60 is a rugged and reliable platform for military and special-mission operators and bringing these legacy aircraft out of military retirement and adding the latest innovation has to offer by adding capabilities like three-axis autopilot, synthetic vision, highway in the sky, improved datalink weather, or localizer performance with vertical guidance approaches, extends their utility and reliability to a level on par with—if not better than—new helicopters,” said XP Services CEO Rod Allison.