News Roundup from NBAA-BACE
Here’s a recap of news releases issued during the 2025 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition held in mid-October in Las Vegas.
King Air to Receive Next-Generation Fuel Quantity Indication System
Raisbeck Engineering, Inc. and CiES Inc. announced a new agreement to bring a modern, highly reliable fuel quantity indication system to Beechcraft King Air operators. Building on the companies’ successful collaboration for the Cessna Caravan, the new King Air solution pairs CiES’ proven magneto-resistive sensing technology with Raisbeck’s industry leadership and customer support network. The companies plan to achieve supplemental type certificate approval before the end of 2025, with first kit deliveries starting with the King Air 200 in the second quarter of 2026.
“This is the upgrade our customers have been asking for,” Nick Lyle, Raisbeck’s vice president of sales, said in a news release. “There’s real pent-up demand in the King Air community for a modern, dependable fuel quantity system. We’re excited to bring this to market and to start shipping kits as soon as certification is complete.”
The FQIS upgrade will provide pilots with precise, stable fuel readings across the operating envelope, while reducing nuisance faults and maintenance burden.
“King Air operators expect mission-ready reliability, and this program delivers exactly that,” Raisbeck President Gregory Davis said. “CiES’ sensing technology and our customer-care capabilities are a powerful combination. We’ve built a strong, trust-based partnership that complements each other’s strengths – and that translates directly into quality, speed and support for our customers.”
Scott Philiben, president of CiES, added: “Raisbeck understands product development, integration and the King Air market like few others. Pairing our magneto-resistive fuel sensing – now widely adopted across OEM and retrofit applications – with Raisbeck’s customer support and service culture ensures King Air operators get a best-in-class solution and a team that will stand behind it.” Source: raisbeck.com
First Collins’ Venue Smart Monitor with Airshow HD Enters Service
Collins Aerospace announced its Venue smart monitor integrated with Airshow HD will enter service in November on a Dassault Falcon 7X. The smart monitor with Airshow HD is an all-in-one entertainment solution for business aviation, providing 4K resolutions, flight information and streaming entertainment to the cabin. Dassault Falcon Jet’s service center in Little Rock, Arkansas, will install two smart monitors with Airshow HD into the cabin bulkhead.
The Venue smart monitor streamlines Airshow HD cabin entertainment into one consolidated unit, providing customers an elegant in-flight entertainment entry point. With the ability to be installed on very light jets to heavy aircraft, the system is designed to eliminate excess hardware, reducing aircraft power consumption and simplifying on-going maintenance.
Available for a variety of aircraft sizes and configurations, the system contains options for touchscreen and ultra-high-definition monitors and can integrate with third-party applications like streaming services, satellite TV or personal carry-on content. Source: collinsaerospace.com
Innovative Solutions & Support Rebrands to Innovative Aerosystems
Innovative Solutions & Support has formally changed the company name to Innovative Aerosystems. The company headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania, specializes in the engineering, manufacturing and supply of advanced avionics solutions to the commercial, business and military markets. The company’s new brand identity Innovative Aerosystems reflects its focus on integrating advanced avionics with intelligent system designs to deliver innovative aerospace solutions.
In conjunction with its rebranding, the company has refreshed its corporate website found at iascorp.com.
“While the name is changing, our core values remain intact,” Shahram Askarpour, President & CEO of Innovative Aerosystems, said in a news release. “Customers can continue to rely on our trusted team, proven product lines and world-class support that have long defined our reputation. From legacy fleets to next-generation aircraft, Innovative Aerosystems’ technologies will continue powering progress across the industry.” Source: iascorp.com
Hartzell Propeller Partners with The Blackhawk Group
Hartzell Propeller has entered a strategic partnership with The Blackhawk Group, supporting its propellers across Blackhawk’s network of Performance Centers. In addition to supplying The Blackhawk Group with Hartzell Propeller Top Props, the company will provide comprehensive maintenance and overhaul services through its network of eight Hartzell service centers. Operators will benefit from guaranteed lead times, flat-rate pricing, streamlined overhaul processes and Hartzell’s industry-leading two-year/2,000-hour warranty, along with access to exchange and rental units within the Hartzell network. The partnership also expands The Blackhawk Group’s offerings by incorporating Tanis Aircraft Products, Hartzell’s line of aircraft preheat systems. Source: hartzell.com
UAS Adds Five Airports toU.S. Customs Program
UAS International Trip Support clients can now access out of hours customs and immigration at 35 U.S. Airports after the addition of five airports to the company’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Reimbursable Services Program. They include King County International Airport – Boeing Field (KBFI), Minneapolis St Paul International (KMSP), Metropolitan Oakland International (KOAK), Boise Air Terminal Gowen Field (KBOI) and Great Falls International (KGTF).
As a member of the U.S. CBP Reimbursable Service Program, UAS can request and pay for CBP overtime services at approved U.S. entry ports where the hours of operation are limited. This enhances operational flexibility and efficiency for UAS clients by empowering flights from overseas to directly reach their preferred destination on their preferred schedule, rather than being bound by CBP’s designated hours.
“Our clients appreciate the extra flexibility and freedom they enjoy through our RSP service offering,” UAS Executive Vice President – Americas Abdul Charafeddin said in a news release. “Our Houston team is standing by to make their operations even more efficient and seamless. And as experts in U.S. Customs and Border Protection procedures, we will ensure compliance and mitigate any impediments or challenges that could impact operations.” Source: uas.aero
NBAA’s ‘Spotlight on Safety’ Compendium Includes Analysis of Two King Air Accidents
In a year when aviation safety has been in sharp focus, the National Business Aviation Association unveiled a new resource for supporting safety, based on expert analysis of real-world incidents and accidents.
NBAA’s new Spotlight on Safety Accident Compendium, introduced in October at the Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, examines root causes and lessons learned from 15 key business aircraft accidents from recent years. Two involve King Air aircraft: a C90A accident in December 2022 near Kaupo, Hawaii, and a June 2019 accident involving a 350 at Texas’ Addison Airport (KADS).
“As we all know, this has been a year marked by a number of troubling incidents and tragic accidents, including those involving business aviation,” NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said in a press release. “Some of this year’s incidents have involved longstanding root causes. By examining actual recent events with known causal factors, we can highlight the best practices needed to mitigate the likelihood of similar outcomes in the future.”
Download the free document at nbaa.org/aircraft-operations/safety/business-aviation-insider-spotlight-on-safety. The compendium’s analysis of business aviation events and guidance for accident avoidance is based on National Transportation Safety Board data and the board’s proven methodology of finding data-driven solutions to improve safety by identifying key factors that often contribute to aircraft accidents. Source: nbaa.org
Collins Upgrades FlightAware AeroAPI with Expanded Access to Historical Flight Data
Collins Aerospace has expanded the functionality of its FlightAware AeroAPI solution, providing easily accessible, comprehensive flight history for any airport, operator or city pair of interest.
FlightAware’s AeroAPI is an advanced application programming interface granting operators, flight departments, technology providers and others access to deep data sets that can help influence business-critical operations. Available data now dates back to January 2011, providing insights to help shape high priority operations, such as flight planning, resource management, maintenance schedules and competitive analyses.
“In corporate and business aviation, there are few things more critical to our customers’ success than timely, accurate and actionable data,” Nicole White, vice president and general manager of Connected Aviation at Collins Aerospace, said in a news release. “The expansive historical information now available through the FlightAware AeroAPI solution provides users the resources and tools needed to improve performance, efficiency and preparedness throughout their operations.” Source: collinsaerospace.com
AvFab Introduces New Special Mission Seats for King Air
Aviation Fabricators unveiled two new seating systems purpose-built for special mission King Air operators – the Responder and Guardian seats – and the company said it expects approval once the government shutdown ends.
Designed for King Air 90, 200 and 300 series aircraft, the seats enhance mission performance, reduce cost and are backed by AvFab customer support.
“An airplane working as hard as the King Air can’t have weak spots,” said Hayden Lowe, vice president of AvFab. “The roles performed by special missions King Airs are too important to be limited by a lack of adequate seating. These seats can be delivered in five weeks, with parts support never exceeding one week, and cost 40% less than comparable seats on the market.”
The Guardian seat is purpose-built for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions lasting up to 14 hours, offering recline, height adjustment and full track movement with a five-point harness. The Responder seat, designed for medevac operators, adds swivel capability and a four-point harness for mission-specific flexibility.
AvFab partnered with Oregon Aero to sculpt ergonomic cushions that provide superior comfort and endurance. “Operators can stay sharp through mission-length flights – not just comfortable, but capable,” Lowe said.
AvFab said 15 seats are already on order prior to approval or marketing, including units for Textron Aviation, a major U.K. medevac operator and a U.S. law enforcement agency.
Based in Missouri, AvFab is an FAA-approved repair station and PMA manufacturer specializing in seating systems and mission-enhancing interior products for the global King Air fleet. Source: avfab.com
Stevens Nears STC Issuance for Gogo Galileo HDX Connectivity on King Air
Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems, LLC – in partnership with Gogo Business Aviation and Peregrine Aerospace – has completed all work and flight tests for Stevens’ supplemental type certificate for Gogo’s Galileo HDX global high-speed internet system for King Air 200 and 300 series aircraft. STC issuance from the FAA is imminent.
Gogo Galileo with the HDX antenna delivers speeds of up to 60 Mbps down and 11 Mbps up globally backed by Eutelsat OneWeb’s low-Earth-orbit, enterprise-grade satellite network. In Stevens’ final flight tests, there were six people with multiple devices streaming heavy content and the group used only half of the Gogo system’s capability.
Gogo Galileo can also be added to any existing Gogo AVANCE system with minimal disruption to the aircraft (L3, L5, LX5, SCS) for operators who need connectivity when flying outside of North American ground coverage (over the Gulf of Mexico, for example). Additionally, Gogo Galileo will offer AVANCE platform capabilities not currently available on its legacy air-to-ground systems (ATG 1000, 2000, 4000, 5000) for a better in-flight experience, including over-the-air software updates and remote diagnostics. High-speed connectivity is available while the aircraft is still on the ground anywhere in the world as opposed to waiting until the aircraft is in the air with the current non-satellite systems.
This initial STC includes King Air 200 and 300 series aircraft equipped with various avionics suite configurations. The Stevens STC also includes Wi-Fi activation and will provide EASA, TCAA and ANAC validations in Europe, Canada and Brazil, respectively. It’ll be available soon with an installation or as a stand-alone authorization to use STC. Source: stevensaerospace.com