Garmin has added 15 new approaches and 10 new airports – Long Beach, California (KLGB), and San Jose, California (KSJC), among others – to the Guided Visual Approaches database designed in collaboration with Hughes Aerospace and offered for purchase through flyGarmin.com.
The new additions bring the total to 46 visual approaches in 36 challenging airport environments for the growing database that provides lateral and vertical guidance for pilots (not approved for use in instrument meteorologic conditions). To view the whole list, visit Garmin.com/GuidedVisuals.
“Guided visuals enhance approach safety by enabling more stabilized visual approaches in faster turbine aircraft, especially when flying into airports in areas of higher terrain and obstacles,” Garmin said in a news release. “Guided visuals also aid pilots flying visual approaches into airports surrounded by cityscapes and lights at night, making it easier to stay in visual contact with the runway.”
The guided visuals are compatible with Garmin WAAS-equipped avionics capable of RF legs, such as the GTN and GTN Xi series navigators, and select Garmin integrated flight decks. Pilots will experience a similar look and feel as traditional approaches from the time they load guided visuals into the avionics all the way to flying them to the runway. The visual approaches can be flown coupled to the autopilot, allowing pilots to focus their attention outside the airplane. Additionally, each approach has a georeferenced approach chart available that can be accessed like traditional Garmin FliteCharts. Source: garmin.com/aviation
Banyan Adds King Air Maintenance at KSGJ
Banyan Air Service has expanded its maintenance, repair and overhaul footprint in Florida by adding King Air 90 and 200 maintenance and service at its satellite facility at Northeast Florida Regional Airport in St. Augustine (KSGJ).
“We’re excited to continue growing our maintenance capabilities in St. Augustine and to welcome King Air aircraft into the facility while continuing our support of the HondaJet and Pilatus PC-12 platforms,” VP/Director of MRO Services Charlie Amento said in a news release. “This location allows us to better support operators in North Florida and beyond while maintaining the same standards of quality and expertise Banyan is known for.”
The KSGJ site supports King Air, PC-12 and HondaJet aircraft with inspections, modifications, avionics support, AOG assistance and heavy maintenance services that complement Banyan’s flagship Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE) MRO operation.
King Air operators interested in scheduling maintenance at KSGJ should contact Curtis Florio, facility manager, at cflorio@banyanair.com or 904-506-6902. For pricing and facility quotes, contact Eric Smith with Banyan Technical Sales at esmith@banyanair.com. Source: banyanair.com
Blackhawk Expands Into Alaska With Sixth Location
The Blackhawk Group announced in January that it had acquired Silver Sky Aviation of Wasilla, Alaska. Blackhawk will rebrand the facility as the sixth location of its network of Blackhawk Performance Centers. Silver Sky brings extensive experience supporting Beechcraft King Air, Cessna Caravan, Daher Kodiak and Pilatus PC-12 platforms, including multiple Blackhawk and Finnoff performance conversions.
Silver Sky is an authorized service center for Caravan and Kodiak aircraft, expanding OEM-backed service and support options available through the Blackhawk network. Blackhawk – offering turboprop performance solutions including engine, propeller and avionics upgrades – said in a news release that Alaska has seen significant growth in turboprop operations due to the combination of a turbine-powered aircraft’s range, speed and payload with the reliability required to operate in harsh, cold-weather environments. Source: blackhawk.aero
Garmin Adds Integrations To Automate Aircraft Flight Logging With PlaneSync
Garmin has added three new integrations for its flyGarmin aircraft flight logs that when coupled with a PlaneSync subscription allow aircraft owners to get the most out of the data their avionics collect every flight.
Brazos Safety Systems, Navi and Jet-Care have joined the growing list of aircraft analysis services enabling pilots to automatically share aircraft flight logs from their Garmin avionics and receive customized reports on engine health, maintenance updates, flight analysis and more.
Compatible Garmin avionics can collect a wealth of information from startup to shut down on each flight. When appropriately equipped, an aircraft flight log can include GPS track, attitude information, engine data, aircraft total time, departure time, CO levels and more. After a flight, the data can be automatically uploaded to flyGarmin.com via the GDL 60 datalink and PlaneSync service or transferred from compatible avionics via the Flight Stream 510 wireless gateway and Garmin Pilot app. Aircraft owners can review flights, playback data and more.
With new flyGarmin.com integrations, aircraft owners can now opt-in to share their flight logs automatically with many different service providers. Examples include aircraft and flight analysis, engine performance and trend analysis, aircraft record keeping and maintenance services, aircraft scheduling and more.
Brazos Safety Systems offers flight data monitoring and flight operations quality assurance services. Navi analyzes in-flight audio and avionics data for real-time insights and post-flight analysis. Jet-Care offers turbine engine operators an analysis of engine trend data against in-house models to identify performance issues and detect engine core deterioration. Source: garmin.com/aviation
Raisbeck Secures Worldwide Rights to Metrea STCs
Raisbeck Engineering recently announced it has expanded its aftermarket portfolio of certified aircraft performance solutions by securing exclusive global rights to supplemental type certificates held by Metrea, a provider of effects-as-a-service to national security partners. Raisbeck said this partnership will strengthen how it supports Beechcraft King Air, Cessna Caravan and Twin Commander operators worldwide.
“Metrea’s STCs are highly complementary to our existing portfolio and through this agreement, we are ensuring that these proven technologies remain available and well-supported for operators around the world,” Gregory Davis, president of Raisbeck Engineering, said in a news release.
Raisbeck has exclusive rights to market, sell and support Metrea STCs across its global network of OEM and MRO partners. These include landing-gear seal upgrades, engine stacks, tire options, weight increases, cargo compartments, camera/sight ports that enhance operational efficiency, mission capability, and aircraft value across commercial, military and special mission platforms. Source: raisbeck.com
Cleveland Wheel & Brake Systems Expands Distribution
Cleveland Wheel & Brake Systems has added Airpart Supply Ltd. and Boeing Distribution, Inc. as preferred distributors and CJ Aerospace Pty. Ltd. and Southern Cross Aviation, LLC as authorized distributors. The distributors will sell the Ohio-based manufacturer’s lines of aircraft wheel and brake assemblies, hydraulic products and general aviation wheel and brake conversion kits directly to recreational pilots, aircraft mechanics, flight schools and FBO customers. Source: clevelandwheelandbrake.com
Blackhawk, Hartzell 350 Engine-Prop Upgrade STC’d
The Federal Aviation Administration has approved a supplemental type certificate for The Blackhawk Group to integrate Hartzell 5-blade composite propellers on its King Air 350 XP67A Engine+ upgrade.
The modification replaces stock Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A engines with 1,200-shp PT6A-67A powerplants. Hartzell’s 5-blade composite propeller sheds approximately 10 pounds per side of the aircraft compared to standard 4-blade aluminum propellers, and a smaller diameter lowers cabin and exterior noise.
The combination provides a 24% increase in available horsepower, according to Blackhawk, which adds that operators can expect improved performance including cruise speeds exceeding 337 knots and climbs to FL350 in fewer than 18 minutes. Source: blackhawk.aero
Garmin Opens Facility at KIWA
Garmin has acquired a hangar and office complex at the Mesa Gateway Airport (KIWA) in Mesa, Arizona, to support the company’s growing aviation business, including expanding aircraft certification and flight test capabilities.
“We are excited to add another aviation facility to our business,” Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Aviation Phil Straub said in a news release. “The capabilities this location will provide are instrumental in extending aircraft airworthiness approvals and market coverage for our product lines.”
The facility consists of two adjacent hangars of roughly 75,000 total square feet that has office space for nearly 75 associates. KIWA has three parallel runways, two of which are more than 10,000 feet in length. Garmin said this overall infrastructure, along with generally clear weather throughout the year, provides an ideal flight operations setting. This new location joins Garmin’s two existing flight operations centers in New Century, Kansas, and Salem, Oregon.
The Phoenix area has served as a Garmin engineering hub for over 25 years, initially with a facility in Tempe and later moving to a larger facility in Chandler. More recently, Garmin expanded its footprint to Scottsdale after acquiring AeroData in 2019. The proximity of these locations provides support and infrastructure as Garmin continues to grow. Source: garmin.com/aviation
Textron Aviation Seeks Aircraft, Donations to Support 2026 Special Olympics Airlift
Textron Aviation launched a donation campaign benefitting Special Olympics in support of the 2026 Special Olympics Airlift, a nationwide effort that brings athletes and coaches to the Special Olympics USA Games through the generosity of volunteer pilots, aircraft owners and operators known as Doves. Financial contributions go directly to the Special Olympics, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
The donation campaign is new for the 2026 event and contributions provide essentials that make the athletes’ journey easier, from comfort items for long travel days to operational support that keeps this 10-hour, coast-to-coast effort running seamlessly, the company said in a news release.
While the financial donation effort is now underway, Textron Aviation said in the March news release that it continues to call for Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker owners to transport athletes to Minnesota’s St. Paul Downtown Airport Holman Field (KSTP) on Friday, June 19 and return to take them home on Saturday, June 27. Visit airlift.txtav.com to learn more about supporting the airlift. Source: textronaviation.com