Honeywell on Wednesday said it has agreed to acquire Italy’s Civitanavi Systems S.p.A., a provider of position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology to the aerospace, defense, and industrial markets, a deal that adds new technology to its product portfolio that will strengthen its ability to help customers for autonomous operations.

The $217 million deal is expected to close in the third quarter subject to clearing anti-trust authorities, approvals in Italy, the United Kingdom, and Canada related to foreign direct investment regulations, and the tender of at least 95 percent of Civitanavi’s outstanding shares. Honeywell said Civitanavi’s controlling shareholder, which owns 66 percent of the company, has agreed to the deal.

Civitanavi specializes in fiber optic gyro technology that currently is not part of Honeywell’s navigation product suite. Honeywell said that Civitanavi’s inertial navigation, geo-reference, and stabilization systems will complement its existing navigation and sensors business.

“By integrating Civitanavi’s inertial technologies and sensors across Honeywell’s existing commercial, military, space, and industrial platforms, our customers across the globe will now have access to a more robust portfolio of aerospace navigation solutions in support of their journey toward autonomous operations,” Jim Currier, president and CEO of Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, said in a statement.

Civitanavi had $50 million in sales in 2023.

UniCredit is Honeywell’s financial adviser on the deal.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

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Jet Aviation announced today that it has secured a supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for visitors during the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2024. This is the second time Jet Aviation has provided on-site SAF in Zurich for visitors to WEF in partnership with Zurich Airport.

“Since 2020, we have been offering SAF to our customers attending the WEF, either on-site or through Book and Claim,” says Joao Martins, vice president regional FBO operations Europe and General Manager Zurich.  “We have been working closely with the Zurich Airport team and our partners and are delighted to be able to make physical SAF available on-site again this year.”

SAF has the potential to reduce aviation’s greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% over its lifecycle. It is a fully compliant, drop-in Jet A/A-1 fuel with the same characteristics and specifications as conventional jet fuel.

“Jet Aviation is committed to supporting efforts to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint, and we will continue to partner with airports and suppliers to increase SAF access and availability across our network,” adds Jeremie Caillet, senior vice president regional operations EMEA.

Jet Aviation piloted SAF in Zurich during WEF 2020. It was the first time SAF had been made available for purchase in Switzerland. Since then, the company has continued to provide customers in Zurich with SAF via Book & Claim, while working with partners to secure further physical supply.

“We are proud to support Jet Aviation in offering Sustainable Aviation Fuel at Zurich Airport,” says Emanuel Fleuti, Head Sustainability & Environment at Flughafen Zürich AG. “The increased production and use of SAF is an important piece of the puzzle in the decarbonization of the aviation industry. This requires the commitment and cooperation of all the airport partners involved.”

In 2019, Jet Aviation was the first supplier to offer sustainable fuel via a blended fuel option at Van Nuys Airport, California. In 2020, the company brought a temporary supply of SAF to Switzerland for the World Economic Forum and in 2021 a permanent supply of SAF was introduced in Amsterdam, followed by Singapore in 2022. That same year, Jet Aviation signed the World Economic Forums’ 2030 Ambition Statement, ‘Clean Skies for Tomorrow’.

In 2023, the company added their FBOs in Bozeman and Scottsdale to the locations where physical SAF is available in the United States, followed by Rotterdam, The Netherlands, earlier this month. Since 2021, Jet Aviation has also offered customers the opportunity to access the benefits of SAF in locations where there is currently no physical supply through its global Book and Claim program.

Jet Aviation is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) with some 4,000 employees and 50 locations worldwide. Jet Aviation’s offerings include aircraft management, aircraft sales, charter, completions, defence, FBO, maintenance and staffing.

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As much as we would all like to have an aviation safety crystal ball and the ability to predict every possible flight operation safety scenario, the reality is that it still boils down to getting everyone on the same safety page. Nurturing a culture of safety, whether in a large or small flight department, is still fundamentally the best way to identify risks and avoid the possibility of the smallest of safety items slipping through the cracks. Drawing on decades of experience in providing operational guidelines and safety management expertise, AviationManuals offers three useful tips to kickstart your new flight operations year:

• Setting 1-3 safety goals: Using the analogy of setting weight loss goals, something many of us are doing after a fulfilling holiday season, safety objectives should be crystal clear, easily attainable, and easy to measure. Given the amount of ground to cover, try not to accomplish everything all at once. If you are just getting started, set a single goal that will have the greatest impact. In the future as you become more experienced with SMS you can add to your goals.
• Establish an inclusive safety culture: Turn informal safety conversations that often take place on the ramp, in the hangar after a flight, or back at your hotel during a layover into a formal safety briefing and establish a structured protocol for reporting and addressing safety concerns. Encourage your team members to actively contribute by sharing their observations and experiences. Implement a reporting system that allows for timely documentation and analysis of potential risks. By fostering a culture of proactive communication, we can collectively identify and address safety issues before they escalate.
• Keep your operations manual up to date: It is vital that your policies and procedures be formally incorporated in standardized fashion into your operations manual. This not only ensures internal flight operation continuity but also ensures procedural consistency with outside contractors and new additions to the team. Otherwise, the lack of standardization could lead to an inefficiency or, worst-case scenario, a crucial safety shortcoming.

When it comes to maintaining consistent operational safety, regardless of who is in the cockpit or on the ground, the importance of having safety mechanisms in place to help avoid the unexpected is essential. It also helps to mitigate risks from typical challenges like avoiding crew fatigue, assuring contract personnel are properly trained, and fleet management. Like with every flight, it starts with preparation and planning and it ends with successful execution and completion.

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OnFlight, Inc. (OnFlight) of Cincinnati, Ohio, announced today the milestone approval and authorization as an Embraer Authorized Service Center by Embraer Executive Jets. In this capacity, OnFlight further expands Embraer’s strategic network of MRO services, becoming an Embraer Authorized Service Center focused on Embraer aircraft.

OnFlight, a Part 135 Charter Operator since 2000, has operated Embraer aircraft since 2011, with exclusive Embraer focus since 2016. With this announcement, OnFlight’s strategy further expands to include Part 145 RepairStation Operations dedicated entirely to Embraer aircraft. Operations are expected to commence early Q1 2024 at the Cincinnati Lunken Airport.

David Crockett, OnFlight’s President, explained, “We have chosen to intentionally focus exclusively on Embraer’s product line, based on extensive knowledge of these aircraft, Embraer’s state-of-the-art technology, and overall quality of design and manufacturing. This singular focus ensures a high level of expertise and efficiency versus other independent alternatives who offer generalized service on numerous aircraft types and models, each presenting complex customer support challenges.”

“We are very pleased to deepen our relationship with OnFlight. This new approval will allow us to meet the high demand across the entire Executive Jets network. Expanding our capacity, capability, and footprint is an important step to continue to bring value to our customers,” said Frank Stevens, vice president of MRO Services at Embraer Services and Support.

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The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) has named European Union parliamentarian and businessman Holger Krahmer as its new Secretary General. 

Krahmer, a German citizen, will take over the top spot at EBAA on Jan. 1. 

Krahmer succeeds previous EBAA Secretary-General Athar Husain Khan, who passed away earlier this year.

Holger Krahmer. EBAA photo

His tenure in the European Parliament, from 2004 to 2014, saw him focus on the transport sector, driving the incorporation of airlines into the EU’s Emission Trading Scheme and the Single European Sky initiative.

Krahmer previously served as director of European Affairs for automotive manufacturer Opel/Groupe PSA. He also has served as the head group representative Office of Mercedes-Benz in Brussels. His professional roots are in the banking sector, where he worked for Commerzbank and Berliner Bank from 1990 to 2004.

“Being intimately familiar with the challenges of the European transportation sector and how the European institutions work,” Krahmer said. “I look forward to this exciting position and I am well aware of the huge tasks that lie ahead to ensure that Business Aviation will continue to thrive, connect regions and enable economic and societal development as well as serve as an incubator for innovations to the overall aviation industry.”

EBAA Chairman Juergen Wiese said Krahmer was the right person to lead European business aviation through current and future challenges. 

“Given his diverse industry experience, notable tenure in Brussels as a legislator, and a commendable record in transport industry advocacy, we are optimistic about fortifying both EBAA and European Business Aviation under his guidance,” Wiese said in a statement.

The U.S. National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), applauded Krahmer’s elevation to the senior position at its European counterpart. NBAA President and Chief Executive Ed Bolen praised Krahmer’s experience in both government and transportation. The two associations have long collaborated on issues impacting the industry on both sides of the Atlantic, including those pertaining to safety, security, sustainability, workforce development and other concerns.

“Holger brings to the position a background in both government service and transportation-sector advocacy,” Bolen said in a statement. “His ability to leverage effective partnerships will serve the industry well, especially at a moment characterized by significant challenges and promising opportunities. We look forward to working with him and his team to advance our shared priorities in Europe and around the world.”

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Boeing’s ForeFlight subsidiary is now offering oceanic plotting and fleet tracking navigation technologies for business jets. 

Oceanic plotting is an add-on to ForeFlight’s existing Active Navlog system, released in May, and will be integrated with ForeFlight Dispatch. 

Combining the two will enable paperless oceanic plotting directly in ForeFlight Mobile, allowing operators to eliminate the use of paper charts for oceanic plotting and record-keeping, the company says. As with the base Active Navlog product, performance estimates are automatically re-calculated during the flight as pilots record time and fuel actuals at each waypoint.

With Oceanic Plotting pilots can record position reports and gross navigational error checks. Every check is automatically recorded in the master flight log with an associated screenshot for effortless record-keeping, while completed navigation logs are automatically uploaded to ForeFlight Dispatch and attached to the flight plan.

“Logging position reports and GNE checks has been a manual, time-consuming task for our customers,” said Kevin Sutterfield, ForeFlight and Jeppesen global sales leader. “Throughout the development of this feature, we actively incorporated feedback from numerous ForeFlight customers. ForeFlight’s Oceanic Plotting feature simplifies the process of oceanic crossings for pilots while also automating the regulatory compliance required for those operations.”

Active Navlog is available as a per-user subscription add-on product, with or without a subscription to ForeFlight Dispatch, while Dispatch will be required in addition to Active Navlog to enable the Oceanic Plotting capability once it’s available.

Fleet Tracking enables operators to monitor their fleet’s on-time operations and early detection of potential schedule disruptions, the company says. It can integrate with ForeFlight Dispatch, giving operators the ability to see the live status of all tracked flights. Operators will also have access to an interactive map displaying the positions and statuses of all tracked aircraft.

That interactive fleet tracking page shows ground-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B, data from AirNav Systems and incorporates ForeFlight’s map-based weather layers. If any flight encounters a delay or inclement weather, planners can make changes to the flight plan in ForeFlight Dispatch.

“Providing dispatchers with real-time and accurate aircraft tracking significantly boosts safety and efficiency,” said Sutterfield. “I believe that digital solution suites are changing the business aviation industry because they allow operators to anticipate schedule disruptions and mitigate issues in real-time.”

Two distinct tiers of fleet tracking will be available. The first includes global tracking through ground-based ADS-B. The second, higher tier adds support for global tracking by datalink position reports as well as the ability to track FAA-blocked tail numbers. Both tiers will be available as per-aircraft add-on subscriptions and will require a subscription to ForeFlight Dispatch.

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The Federal Aviation Administration now has a Senate-confirmed administrator, after the body voted 98-0 to appoint Michael Whitaker to the top spot on Tuesday. 

Whitaker takes over the FAA’s top job from Polly Trottenberg, who was appointed acting administrator in June. She was preceded in the acting position by Billy Nolen, who served from April 2022 to June 2023. 

The FAA has not had a full-time, Senate-confirmed administrator since Stephen Dickson left the post in March 2022. He also was preceded by an acting FAA chief, Daniel Elwell, who served in the role for a little over 18 months from January 2018 to August 2019.

Approval of Whittaker, as previously reported, resounded throughout the aviation industry. 

Aside from government service, Whitaker served for a time as assistant general counsel for TWA and then 15 years with United Airlines, including as senior vice president of alliances, and international and regulatory affairs. After leaving United, he was named Group CEO at InterGlobe Enterprises, the holding company for IndiGo, India’s largest airline.

Helicopter Association International President and Chief Executive Jim Viola, who worked with Whitaker at the FAA, praised Whitaker’s confirmation on Tuesday, noting his previous work to modernize the US National Airspace System.

“Having worked closely with Mike during my time at FAA, I have seen firsthand that he has the

knowledge and skill set to effectively lead the agency,” Viola said.

During his confirmation hearing, Whitaker pledged to tackle the personnel shortages, including air traffic controllers, pilots, and maintenance technicians, that are threatening aviation operations and growth, saying, “I would view my role as administrator as chief recruitment officer, certainly for the FAA, but also for the industry.”

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) also hailed the Senate’s vote in favor of Whitaker as the next permanent administrator of the FAA, lauding his abilities as an aviation industry veteran and private pilot.

“Congratulations to Mike Whitaker on his well-deserved confirmation as FAA administrator,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “We look forward to working with Mike, whose expertise will help chart a clear path toward a successful future for the aviation community.”

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LAS VEGAS – The National Business Aviation Association is again encouraging the Senate to approve Michael Whitaker as the permanent head of the Federal Aviation Administration. 

President Joe Biden nominated the veteran aviation professional for the post last month. He now needs the Senate’s OK. 

Whitaker, who the White House pointed out has 30 years of aviation experience, served as the FAA’s deputy administrator during the Obama Administration. He currently serves as chief operating officer at Hyundai’s Supernal, developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles.

“Throughout his career, Mike Whitaker has repeatedly proven himself as a leader who champions safety and innovation,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “We enthusiastically welcome the approval by the committee and fully support his confirmation by the full Senate as FAA administrator.”

If confirmed, Whitaker – an attorney and private pilot – would be returning to lead the agency where he previously served as deputy FAA administrator from 2013-2016.

“He knows how to work in government and across the aviation community to get big things done,” the White House said in a Sept. 7 statement announcing Whitaker’s nomination. “The FAA needs a confirmed Administrator—and Mike Whitaker is the right person for the job.”

Whitaker would take over the FAA’s top job from Polly Trottenberg, who was appointed acting administrator in June. She was preceded in the acting position by Billy Nolen, who served from April 2022 to June 2023. The FAA has not had a full-time, Senate-confirmed administrator since Stephen Dickson left the post in March 2022. He also was preceded by an acting FAA chief, Daniel Elwell, who served in the role for a little over 18 months from January 2018 to August 2019.

In addition to his work at the FAA and Supernal, Whitaker has served as assistant general counsel at TWA. He later led United Airlines as senior vice president of alliances, international and regulatory affairs. Following that, Whitaker performed a leadership role as group CEO at InterGlobe Enterprises, the holding company for IndiGo, India’s largest airline.

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LAS VEGAS – A new study commissioned by Airbus asked senior executives of large U.S. companies that use business aviation show the firms are well aware of their carbon footprints and want to improve sustainability. 

Airbus Corporate Jets found that 95 percent of the executives interviewed say their companies have a good understanding of the carbon footprint of their business aircraft flights. Nine out of ten surveyed say “their understanding has improved over the past five years, with nearly half saying it has improved dramatically,” the survey found.

“The two main reasons behind this shift are the appointment of specialists to monitor the carbon footprint of flights, and an increased investment in these teams,” Airbus said. “The third main reason given is that companies operating their aircraft are now offering more detailed carbon footprint data for flights.”

U.S. companies are taking a range of steps to reduce the carbon footprint of their business aviation flights. Among executives at firms that use business aviation, 61 percent anticipate their companies would be prepared to increase their business aviation budgets by more than 25 percent to enable them to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) or more fuel-efficient aircraft, the Airbus study found.

Of those executives at firms that own or lease business aircraft, nearly all report increased investment in fleet management technology for route optimization, which helps to reduce fuel burn and carbon emissions.

Most executives at firms that charter business jets also emphasized a preference for newer, more efficient models to help reduce the impact of their flights on the environment.

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Textron Aviation and NetJets signed a fleet agreement, giving NetJets the option to purchase up to 1,500 additional Cessna Citation business jets. (Photos: Textron Aviation)

An agreement announced today gives NetJets the option to purchase 1,500 Cessna Citation business jets from Textron Aviation over a 15-year period. Textron has provided more than 800 aircraft to NetJets over the years. This includes the Citation SII, V, Excel/XLS, Sovereign, and X, as well as more than 300 Citation Latitudes and Longitudes.

With the extension of NetJets’ existing agreement, the operator will be able to add Textron’s newest jet, the Cessna Citation Ascend aircraft, to its fleet. NetJets is the fleet launch customer for this midsize business jet, which will likely enter into service in 2025. The Citation Ascend will include Garmin G5000 avionics—featuring autothrottle technology—and a Honeywell RE100 [XL] Auxiliary Power Unit that is approved for unattended operations.

The cockpit of a Cessna Citation Ascend

Textron Aviation is NetJets’ largest provider of aircraft, according to Ron Draper, president and CEO. “Expanding and adding the Citation Ascend to the NetJets fleet will provide its global customers with even more versatility and flexibility to accomplish their missions, building upon the exceptional performance and popularity of the Latitude and Longitude,” he remarked in the company’s announcement.

NetJets has also shown interest in adding electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to its fleet. The operator signed a purchase agreement with Lilium in 2022 for up to 150 eVTOLs.

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