NBAA 2022

If you do not see a list of articles on your device, click here to view this page in a web browser.

NBAA news briefs (updated October 19)

Textron, Fly Alliance enter purchase agreement

Textron Aviation announced that Florida charter operator Fly Alliance has agreed to purchase up  to 20 Cessna Citation business jets (four firm orders with up to 16 to follow). The Orlando-based charter operation expects the first Citation XLS Gen2 to be delivered in 2023.

“Fly Alliance set out with the goal of improving the private charter experience, so it only makes sense to bring the Citation XLS Gen2 into their fleet,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president of global sales and flight operations at Textron Aviation. “It’s the latest version of our popular midsize jet that features comfort and productivity upgrades while retaining the model’s winning combination of performance and efficiencies.”

Gogo completes 5G rollout

Gogo Business Aviation announced October 17 completion of its 150-tower 5G network able to deliver high-speed internet to aircraft, with enough bandwidth to support video conferencing, live television, and gaming. Gogo Business Aviation President Sergio Aguirre said the company overcame a pandemic and snarled supply chain to achieve the goal of covering the contiguous United States, with Canada to follow: “It’s remarkable what our network deployment and field operations teams have accomplished.”

FlightAware provides expanded historical data

Pilots, aircraft owners, and flight departments can now access historical flight data through FlightAware and the expansion of its flight status and slight tracking process, AeroAPI.

The historical data, which dates back to January 2011, comprises historical flight status and times, complete flight tracks, and static track images for any flight or tail number. According to the company, the expanded service can help customers access and interpret operational analyses and aircraft history, analyze decisions, compare original plans to actual, and identify operational trends.

Avidyne offers dual-Atlas retrofit for Learjet 55C

A dual Avidyne Atlas flight management system retrofit for the Learjet 55C extends the aircraft's life by enabling fully coupled GPS approaches without replacing the entire flight deck. Avidyne worked with Florida Jet Center at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport to complete the project, enabling LPV, LP, LNAV/VNAV, and LNAV-only approaches. The dual-Atlas FMS package starts at $90,880, and Avidyne offers more information online.

2022 Flight Attendants/Flight Technicians Scholarship recipients announced

On October 15, NBAA announced that 23 business aviation flight attendants and flight technicians received the scholarship established by the association and its Flight Attendants Committee.

The future of business aviation

Fourteen students will be presented with various awards and scholarships during NBAA-BACE in Orlando.

The awards are made possible through NBAA Charities, which supports young people seeking careers in business aviation. The scholarships honor aviation professionals who contributed positively to the industry, and focus on subjects such as aviation maintenance, scheduling and dispatching, aviation management, flight training, and more.

NBAA celebrates excellence in journalism

Business and Commercial Aviation Senior Editor Bill Carey was awarded a Gold Wing Award—a top honor from NBAA for journalism excellence—in recognition of his informative and detailed reporting in his article, “AAM on the Ground: Do FBOs Have a Role?”

Carey is an aviation journalist with more than three decades covering various arms of the industry.

"We are honored to recognize Bill Carey with our Gold Wing Award," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “As we continue to witness the exciting evolution of business aviation and new entrants to our industry, his informative and detailed reporting, for this and other stories, has provided a comprehensive analysis about these emerging technologies.”

NBAA supports professional development

NBAA announced Anne Williams as the recipient of the C&W Family Scholarship, an award that provides financial support for Certified Aviation Manager exam candidates who are dedicated to promoting and pursuing professional development in business aviation.

Williams has more than 10 years of experience in the business aviation sector, and plans "to use the CAM credential to further her knowledge of business aviation and gain leadership experience," according to NBAA.