Jon Hemmerdinger

1 week ago | flightglobal.com | Jon Hemmerdinger

Electric air taxi developer Joby Aviation has raised $250 million through a stock deal with Toyota Motor Corporation and reached a new agreement that could see the automotive giant eventually operate Joby’s aircraft. The deal also defines Toyota’s role in assisting Joby with production and maintenance. Toyota in October last year agreed to invest $500 million in Joby through two purchases of $250 million of Joby’s stock.

2 weeks ago | flightglobal.com | Jon Hemmerdinger

Investigators found no oil in the right-side Rolls-Royce BR715-C1 engine of a Delta Air Lines Boeing 717 following an emergency landing in February that involved a “tremendous” amount of cabin smoke. “During a post-incident examination, maintenance personnel found no oil visible in the sight glass of the right engine oil reservoir, indicating the quantity was at or near zero,” says the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in a preliminary report into the 24 February incident.

2 weeks ago | flightglobal.com | Jon Hemmerdinger

For good reason, a model of GE Aerospace’s Catalyst turboprop is front and centre on the company’s booth at the EBACE show in Geneva. Just months ago, GE’s Italian unit Avio Aero gained the long-overdue certification for the powerplant from the Federal Aviation Administration, in turn clearing an obstacle in the way of service entry for Textron Aviation’s Beechcraft Denali. “This engine is really about new technologies,” says Avio Aero head of turboprop sales Paolo Salvetti.

2 weeks ago | flightglobal.com | Jon Hemmerdinger

Bombardier has performed the maiden sortie of the first production example of its ultra-long-range Global 8000 business jet, with the aircraft completing the milestone on 16 May from Toronto Pearson International airport. The flight keeps the 8,000nm (14,800km)-range Global 8000 on track for service entry later this year. Maintaining that schedule will be critical to keep pace with rival Gulfstream, which achieved certification of its 8,200nm-range G800 in April.

2 weeks ago | flightglobal.com | Jon Hemmerdinger

Fokker Services Group (FSG) is at EBACE having recently been named an approved outfitter by Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ), opening the company to new VIP conversion work from the European manufacturer. At the same time, FSG, which offers a range of aftermarket services, has been rapidly expanding, particularly in the Netherlands and USA. “We have a waitlist for VIP conversions,” says FSG global events manager Pauline van Niekerken.