A rising number of air charter brokers is putting pressure on flight prices to an extent that concerns some operators. During Air Charter Expo (ACE) conference sessions at London Biggin Hill Airport today, several operators warned of a “race to the bottom” trend in which declining margins threaten the viability of services.

“We find we can be up against eight, nine, or even ten brokers for each flight and you have to ask how service levels can be maintained,” cautioned Simon Cooper, a director with UK-based brokering group Hunt & Palmer. He added: “We have to be willing to back away from some flights.”

At aircraft management and charter group TAG Aviation, client support manager Nicole Gurney pointed to significant geographical variations in the supply and demand balance. “Europe hasn’t grown as a charter market, but the Middle East and U.S. markets have increased so we are looking to grow there rather than just focusing on where it is static,” she commented.

However, with wider business costs rising, pressure on charter flight margins has intensified, which some owners appear to find difficult to accept. This is increasing the pressure on both brokers and charters, prompting the Air Charter Association, which organizes the ACE event, to redouble its efforts to promote recruitment and training through initiatives such as its internship program.

United States Aviation, the CAA-preferred FBO at Oklahoma’s Tulsa International Airport (KTUL), has doubled its hangar capacity with the opening of its second 48,000-sq-ft hangar. Capable of sheltering the latest ultra-long-range business jets, the $6.8 million facility took 18 months to construct and added 140,000 sq ft of additional ramp, bringing the complex to 11.5 acres of aircraft parking space. For the company, which began operations at the airport in 1987, this is its first major expansion in a quarter of a century.

“U.S. Aviation has been a cornerstone of the airport and the aviation industry for nearly four decades, and we’re proud to support their continued growth at [KTUL],” said Daniel Regan, director of real estate and business development at the Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust.

“I never imagined we would be adding an additional hangar of this size to support more local and transient business aviation for Oklahoma,” said company founder and president Roger Hardesty. “It shows how well Oklahoma’s economic position is, and we are proud to help support our community with this expansion.”

Located at the north end of 10,000-foot Runway 18L/36R, the full-service Titan Fuels-branded FBO is open 24/7 and specializes in cross-country business aircraft fuel stops.

A team of pilots, working with entrepreneurs and insurance specialists, has formed a new aviation insurance underwriter, 5X5, that will work directly with customers to provide tailored coverage. Saying its direct-to-customer coverage will be data-driven, the company plans to offer a range of services for the high-end owner-flown aircraft market.

Thus far, the company has received authorization to provide full coverage in five states—Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, and Virginia—but intends to expand to the lower 48 contiguous states as regulators approve. 5X5 will update progress on the expansion on its website.

The insurance model is designed to offer customization and choice, according to the company, providing multiple liability and hull coverages with policies and premiums based on each record and requirements. In addition, it will work directly with the end user, rather than offering its products through brokers.

Plans call to offer safety awards in recognition of regular training, membership in an owners and pilots association, frequent flying, and hangaring and maintaining of aircraft. Owners and pilots who share flight data will earn bigger discounts. 5X5 will collect that data to help customers improve skills and reduce premium costs, but this data will remain confidential, it said.

5X5 developed an instant estimate tool to provide a ballpark figure, with detailed quotes provided in 10 minutes for potential customers either online or through agents by telephone.

The pilot of a Cessna Citation II that crashed near French Valley Airport (F70) at 4:14 a.m. PST in Murrieta, California, descended below the decision altitude without the required visual cues, causing the July 8, 2023, controlled flight into terrain accident that killed all six aboard, the NTSB has concluded. French Valley Airport did not have a control tower, and while a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was on board, “the CVR did not contain data from the accident flight and none of the recovered audio was pertinent to the investigation.”

Toxicology testing revealed that the pilot had “very low levels” of blood ethanol from an unknown source, according to the report, which the NTSB concluded was unlikely to have significantly impaired performance. A pilot-rated right-seat occupant also had ethanol concentrations that “were high” in all tested samples.

Two instrument approaches for Runway 18 were conducted by the pilot. During the first attempt, the airplane’s airspeed was fast, and it “leveled off near the decision altitude for several seconds” before the pilot initiated a missed approach. The pilot was cleared for a second approach, during which the airplane again descended below the minimums—7/8th-mile visibility was required—as visibility fell to half a mile in fog. According to the NTSB, the jet struck terrain about 810 feet short of the runway threshold.

With improved manufacturing and lessons from a new variant, Pratt & Whitney plans to double time on-wing.

The FAA has issued a supplemental type certificate (STC) to Butler National subsidiary Avcon Industries and its affiliate Butler Avionics to replace portable Halon fire extinguishers with non-Halon units for all Learjets from the Model 24 through the Learjet 75.

Replacement portable extinguishers, manufactured by Amerex, use Halotron BrX, and they are size-equivalent, “having minimal impact on fit and compatibility,” according to Avcon.

While Halon is still allowed to be used for aircraft fire extinguishers, its manufacture has been prohibited since 1994 because it is an ozone-depleting substance. Recycled Halon is used to recharge portable aircraft fire extinguishers, aircraft cargo compartment fire extinguishing systems, and fuel inerting systems, but supplies of Halon eventually will be exhausted.

Though the U.S. still allows Halon fire extinguishers in aircraft, EASA has ruled that Halon portable aircraft fire extinguishers be replaced by Dec. 31, 2025, and other systems by 2040. This rule does not apply to non-EU-registered aircraft, according to NBAA.

Avcon is applying for EASA validation of the Learjet STC and plans to add other aircraft models to the STC’s approved model list.

Adacel Technologies has formed a strategic partnership with Smart Eye to incorporate eye-tracking capabilities into its MaxSim air traffic control simulation platform. The integration will enable instructors to monitor ATC trainee eye movements and attention patterns during simulation exercises, providing quantifiable data on controller decision-making processes and situational awareness levels.

Smart Eye’s technology captures precise gaze patterns and visual attention data, which instructors can analyze to identify specific areas where trainees may require additional focus or improvement. The system aims to accelerate learning outcomes by providing objective performance metrics rather than relying solely on subjective instructor evaluation.

“Adacel has consistently led the evolution of ATC training technology,” said Adacel v-p Michael Saunders. “Partnering with Smart Eye now brings advanced eye-tracking analytics into MaxSim, giving instructors unprecedented insight into attention, decision-making, and situational awareness—further enhancing safety and training effectiveness.”

MaxSim serves the FAA, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Army for controller training across various operational scenarios. The eye-tracking integration will initially target ATC training applications, with potential expansion into other aviation training domains.

Solmaz Shahmehr, v-p of applied AI at Smart Eye, stated that the collaboration aims to enhance “training effectiveness and aviation safety” through sophisticated human performance analytics.

Charter broker Air Charter Service has opened an office in Perth, marking the aircraft charter specialist’s third operation in Australia.

“Following the outstanding success of our offices in Sydney and Brisbane, we have been looking to add a Western office for some time,” explained Justin Bowman, CEO of the private jet and air cargo charter company. He added: “Australia is an important market for us, and we are aiming to capitalize on Perth’s role as the country’s resource and energy capital, and the city’s strong overall economy.”

Stephen Fernandez has been appointed head of the new office, drawing upon his almost two decades of experience with the company. Describing Australia as a “strong market for ACS,” he highlighted that Air Charter Services’ Sydney and Brisbane facilities have been “performing very well and enjoying a 24% growth in revenue this year.”

During a half-year sales update coinciding with the opening of the office, Air Charter Service chairman and founder Chris Leach added that he was “particularly happy with [the charter performance of] private jets, which saw a 20% increase in revenue” for the first half of the year. Overall, group revenue has grown by 14%—more than the company’s target of 10%— something the Perth office will help support.

Global flight trip support services provider Flight Pro International (FPI) is celebrating its fifth anniversary. The Houston-based company traces its roots to Air Routing International (ARI), which introduced specialized services for VIP operators in the late 1970s before being acquired in the early 2000s and eventually reestablished as FPI in 2020.

Most of FPI’s staff have direct connections to ARI, and the company stated that the same emphasis on personalized service continues to define its operations. “Whether traveling popular routes or unusual destinations, we aim to alleviate the pain points our clients experienced before bringing FPI on as a dedicated extension of their flight departments,” noted FPI president and COO Matt Pahl.

FPI also notes that its workforce composition includes U.S. military veterans and seasoned industry professionals. The company said this mix, combined with long-term partner relationships, has contributed to consistently high customer feedback.

Its meteorology group manages real-time flight planning and flight watch, while compliance specialists track regulatory changes worldwide. The company’s special services network of global vendors offers options for ground handling, fuel, and customs coordination.

FPI’s technology platform—FlightProConnect—offers schedulers and pilots a consolidated operations tool with mobile features including trip planning queries, messaging, and offline access. Earlier this year, it added multi-factor authentication protection to its software.