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Airbus is expanding its delivery capacity for the A320 family in Toulouse with a new integrated center

Airbus has officially unveiled a new delivery center at its Jean‑Luc Lagardère site, northwest of Toulouse, marking a significant milestone in the industrial ramp‑up of the A320 Family. Purpose‑built to reinforce production acceleration, the facility centralizes key end‑of‑line operations&mda...

HondaJet Echelon advances to next phase with successful wing assembly

Honda Aircraft Company announced the completion of the first wing structure for the HondaJet Echelon test aircraft, marking a pivotal advancement in the program and moving the new light‑jet platform into the mainline final‑assembly phase. The HondaJet Echelon introduces a larger cabin and increased...


Ten years of Riga Aviation Forum — insights from Zigmars Vestfals on growth, milestones and the road ahead

As the 10th edition of the Riga Aviation Forum was getting ready to open, 50SkyShades — a long‑standing Media Partner of the event — took the opportunity to sit down with Zigmars Vestfals, CEO of the Latvian Aviation Association, just hours before the official kick‑off. Marking a decade of strategic dialogue and industry collaboration, Zigmars Vestfals reflects on how the Forum bega...

Global Jet Capital releases its annual 2026 Business Jet Forecast

Global Jet Capital has released its sixth annual Business Jet Market Forecast, outlining a confident outlook for the sector. The updated analysis anticipates steady expansion over the next five years, driven by robust order backlogs, resilient macroeconomic conditions, and sustained global wealth creation. The forecast extends through 2030, offering detailed projections across both new aircraft de...

Air Charter Expo achieves third consecutive year of record‑breaking attendance

Global trade body The Air Charter Association (The ACA) celebrated another record‑setting edition of Air Charter Expo (ACE’26) on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, delivered in partnership with Business Air News and London Biggin Hill Airport. ACE has firmly established itself as the premier one‑day event in the air charter industry calendar, and this year’s edition once again surpassed...

FLY91 places historic order for 40 ATR 72-600 aircraft

FLY91 and ATR have unveiled a landmark agreement for the purchase of 40 ATR 72‑600 aircraft, valued at approximately $1 billion—the largest firm ATR order in nearly ten years and the biggest ever placed by a regional airline. Deliveries will run from 2027 through 2032. This milestone lifts ATR’s 2026 order intake to 54 aircraft, already exceeding the company’s total net orders fo...

Embraer celebrates the delivery of the 2,000th E-Jet, a milestone that places the program among world’s Top 3

Embraer celebrated the delivery of its 2,000th E-Jet, a landmark achievement that underscores the enduring success of one of the world’s three largest commercial jet families. The milestone aircraft, an E195-E2, was delivered to Azul Linhas Aéreas, Brazil’s largest airline by number of destinations served. Since entering service in 2004, the E-Jets family has transform...

RECARO launches next generation of Premium class seating: R4

RECARO Aircraft Seating introduces the R4, its new generation of premium‑class seating. Building on the legacy of the PL3530 launched in 2015, the R4 integrates advanced ergonomics, upgraded comfort elements, and a modern feature set designed to align with the changing needs of both airlines and passengers. The seat has received ETSO certification for the Boeing 787, with further approvals in prog...

NOEMI Aerospace strengthens position in India with SkyHop agreement for up to 15 aircraft

NOEMI Aerospace has formalized a MoU with SkyHop Aviation, India’s first dedicated commercial seaplane operator, paving the way for the deployment of up to 15 NOEMI amphibious aircraft in the Indian market. This agreement marks a significant commercial advancement for NOEMI in India, one of the world’s most dynamic and high‑potential regions for seaplane development. The mile...

Embraer Phenom 300EV triple certified, first light jet certified with Garmin Emergency Autoland

Embraer Phenom 300EV is now triple‑certified by ANAC, the FAA and EASA — a milestone that makes it the first light jet equipped and certified with Garmin® Emergency Autoland, setting a new benchmark in safety innovation. Launched in July, the aircraft brings together class‑leading speed and range with next‑generation safety technology and a series of performance and interior refinements...

AEG and Archer to develop vertiport at L.A. LIVE, expanding Archer’s planned LA air taxis network ahead of the LA28 games

AEG and Archer announced a collaboration to develop downtown Los Angeles’ first vertiport—a vertical takeoff and landing site for electric air taxis—at L.A. LIVE, AEG’s four-million-square-foot sports and entertainment district in downtown Los Angeles. The agreement, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, makes Archer the exclusive air taxi partner of L.A. LIVE. L.A...

ATR identifies demand for 209 new domestic air routes in Indonesia

ATR identified 209 new domestic air routes in Indonesia that would be economically viable if served by regional turboprop aircraft. Total demand for these routes is 16 million passengers per annum and the airport infrastructure already exists. There is enormous scope to develop new domestic air routes in Indonesia, because 70 of the country’s 180 airports, with paved runways,...

SkyDrive signs Australia’s first eVTOL agreement with Gold Coast Helitours

SkyDrive signed a Letter of Intent with Gold Coast Helitours, a premier helicopter operator based in the Gold Coast, Australia. This milestone agreement represents SkyDrive's first LOI with an Australian operator regarding the introduction of its aircraft. The parties have reached a basic agreement on the terms for purchasing up to five "SKYDRIVE" eVTOL aircraft which encom...

Textron Aviation celebrates 500th Cessna Citation CJ4 delivery as Gen3 era advances

Textron Aviation delivered the 500th delivery of a Cessna Citation CJ4 series business jet, underscoring more than a decade of customer confidence in the company’s largest light jet and setting the stage for the next chapter of the aircraft with the upcoming Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen3. The milestone Citation CJ4 Gen2, was delivered to a customer based in the Philippines. This&nb...

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Top of the week

flyadeal arrives in Mumbai, strengthening air connectivity between India and Saudi Arabia

flyadeal, the fast-growing low-cost carrier of Saudia Group and one of the GCC's largest budget airlines, has expanded its presence in India with the launch of non-stop flights between Riyadh and...

Tecnam unveils the FAR Part 23-certified P2008JC NG in the United States, redefining efficiency in next-generation pilot training

Tecnam introduces the P2008JC NG to the United States market, bringing flight schools a certified, next-generation training aircraft designed to dramatically reduce operating costs while maximizing fl...

Cessna Skyhawk Veris VR flight training device set for NBAA-BACE debut in Las Vegas

TRU Simulation + Training Inc. will showcase its Veris Virtual Reality Flight Training Device (FTD) for the Cessna Skyhawk at NBAA-BACE 2026, marking the simulator's first appearance at the indust...

British Airways unveils new Terminal 5 lounge, marking the next phase of Heathrow transformation

British Airways has unveiled the next phase of its Heathrow lounge transformation programme, marking the beginning of a significant investment aimed at modernising every lounge across the airport in t...

IADA sees strong demand and constrained inventory shaping the global preowned aircraft market

The International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) has released its 2026-2027 Current Market Portrait & Forecast, offering an in-depth analysis of the global preowned business av...

Corsair takes to the skies in pink this October

  For the fourth consecutive year, Corsair is reaffirming its commitment to the fight against breast cancer by partnering with the association "Les Hôtesses de l’Air cont...

Travel leaders unite behind EU Digital Omnibus to advance the future of secure biometric travel

A new travel industry coalition is urging EU policymakers to adopt a balanced and proportionate approach to biometric travel, ensuring passengers can benefit from secure and seamless journeys while ma...

Etihad Airways and Ibom Air launch interline partnership linking Nigeria to Etihad’s global network

Etihad Airways has signed an interline agreement with Nigerian airline Ibom Air, enabling travellers to connect seamlessly beyond Lagos and Accra to five destinations across Nigeria on a single t...

PAL-V, AVION and FLYVE announce strategic partnership to scale global FlyDrive training infrastructure

PAL-V has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with AVION, a specialist in advanced flight training devices, and FLYVE, a developer of FlyDrive ecosystems for professional and government operator...

FACC unlocks new growth opportunities through strategic funding

Rising production rates and the launch of new aircraft programs are driving increased demand for manufacturing capacity across the aerospace industry. To support this growth, FACC plans to i...

Emirates arrives in Helsinki for the first time

  Emirates has officially inaugurated services to Helsinki, marking a significant milestone in connectivity between Finland and the United Arab Emirates. The new daily route is the only year-r...

KLM marks fleet milestone with delivery of its first Airbus A350-900

Dutch flag carrier KLM, part of the Air France-KLM Group, has welcomed its first Airbus A350-900, marking a significant step in the airline’s long-haul fleet modernization strategy. The arrival...

Tecnam expands U.S. presence with Finnoff as exclusive Western Region distributor for the P2012

Tecnam has announced a landmark strategic partnership aimed at accelerating the growth of its P2012 aircraft family across the United States. Under the agreement, Finnoff has been appointed the exclus...

From first call to final mission: Helicopter Alliance’s Black Hawks excel throughout fire season

UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters operated by Helicopter Alliance played a vital role in combating wildfires across Central and Southern Europe during the aerial firefighting season that has now concluded....

SkyDrive eyes Osaka’s rooftops for a new generation of eVTOL vertiports

Following the successful public flight demonstrations at Expo 2025 Osaka, SkyDrive announced plans to undertake a feasibility study exploring the conversion of Osaka City’s existi...

GE Aerospace names FL Technics Indonesia as first MRO partner for avionics support

FL Technics Indonesia, the first MRO in Indonesia to be appointed as a GE Aerospace avionics support partner, has signed a service support agreement with GE Aerospace covering Boeing 737 and Airbus A3...

Azerbaijan Airlines continues fleet modernisation with delivery of another Airbus A321neo

Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), part of AZCON Holding, has taken delivery of another Airbus A321neo, increasing its fleet to 31 aircraft as the carrier continues its long-term modernisation strategy. The...

Ethiopian Airlines grows cargo ambitions with Boeing 777 and 777-8 freighters

Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines have announced a new cargo fleet expansion agreement, with the African carrier ordering eight 777-8 Freighters and two additional 777 Freighters. The investment will enab...

Textron Aviation helps shape tomorrow’s workforce through Kansas’ first aviation youth apprenticeship initiative

As the first aviation company in Kansas to introduce state-registered youth apprenticeships through the Kansas Office of Apprenticeships, Textron Aviation is taking a leading role in workforce develop...

FLYONE Armenia orders two Airbus A321neo

FLYONE Armenia, the country’s leading airline, has finalised an order with Airbus for two A321neo aircraft, marking a significant milestone in its fleet modernisation strategy. The agreement was...

CAA Malaysia advances air traffic controller recruitment strategy with Airways International’s SureSelect

Airways International has entered into a new five-year partnership with the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), extending the use of its SureSelect air traffic control (ATC) candidate assessm...

Emirates opens the door to a memorable Dubai winter

As Dubai prepares for another vibrant winter season, Emirates is inviting travellers from across its global network to discover the city with unparalleled comfort, convenience and exceptional value. L...

ATP Flight School hosts Alumni Career Expo featuring 20 airline and industry partners

On October 1, ATP Flight School will welcome nearly 500 aspiring airline pilots to its Arlington, Texas training center for an exclusive career expo featuring 20 airline and industry partners. Attende...

Airbus A350F freighter successfully performs its maiden flight

The Airbus A350F freighter (MSN 700), the first of two flight test aircraft, has successfully completed its maiden flight. Equipped with dedicated flight test instrumentation, the aircraft spent 4 hou...