✈️ The VIP Seat Weekly

Your business aviation hot takes, served fresh.

October 28th, 2026 | Season 3 Episode 41 Companion | 12-minute read

Good morning and welcome back to the VIP Seat. This week in private jet news, we are back from NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas. SyberJet stages a splashy SJ36 relaunch, we ring the M&A gong twice for STA Jets and Goodwin, Pratt & Whitney Canada unveils its new PT9 turboprop, and Bombardier answers a turbulent few months in Washington with $270 million. Sit back, buckle up, and let's take off.

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The Brief

Today's Newsletter is brought to you by AB Jets

It was great to see our friends at AB Jets in Las Vegas, where they flew one of their Challenger 3500s out to NBAA-BACE and made some fun videos with us about how real private aviation operations work, not the stuff you see on the internet.

AB Jets’ floating fleet of new Starlink Equipped Challenger 3500s, beautiful interiors, and everything else you would want when you are putting a high-end customer on an airplane.

Owner-operated since 1999, ARGUS Platinum since 2014. When the owners are the ones who built the operation from the ground up and are still running it today, the standard doesn't slip. Because it's their name on it. New Challenger 3500s, a fleet of Lear 60's that are reliable, and no owner approval requirements. A fleet optimized to say "yes" to your trips.

Give them a call when you need a really high-end experience for your charter customers. Thanks to AB Jets for sponsoring this season of The VIP Seat podcast!

Learn More At abjets.com

The Scoop: SyberJet Aircraft unveiled a full-scale mockup of the SJ36 light jet's cabin and cockpit at its SyberJet World event at Henderson Executive Airport on the eve of NBAA-BACE, according to AIN. The company also brought a trailer to the show so attendees could try its in-house touchscreen avionics suite. The SJ36 is a stretched and redesigned upgrade of the FAA-certified SJ30-2, which AIN notes is known for a Mach 0.83 cruise, 2,500 nm range, a 49,000-foot ceiling, and a sea-level cabin at 41,000 feet. SyberJet is targeting first flight around 2029 and entry into service in 2032. Aviation Week reports the company took letters of intent for more than 50 aircraft after the unveiling from charter operators, flight departments, and private owners. The program has been owned since 2024 by an investment group headed by CEO Trevor Milton.

Why it matters: A clean-sheet-feeling light jet from a small OEM would put real pressure on the incumbents, but letters of intent are not firm orders, and certification is where ambitious programs succeed or stall.

Our Take: We were there, and the production was loud, bright, and clearly expensive. A few choices still stood out. The mockup's wing was supported by a post. That is a small thing, but at a launch you want to remove every reason for doubt. Maybe show the wing and fuselage as separate mockups rather than something that looks like an airplane but cannot hold itself up. The presentation also opened with the CEO's past dispute with the Justice Department. After the event, the CEO pushed back hard on online critics, us included. Not sure that is a winning strategy.

To be clear, we like innovation and we want this to work. Many of the pain points the company called out in today's aircraft and avionics are spot on, and the OEMs could use more competitive pressure. But a ground-up avionics suite, including the company's own charts, is a heavy certification lift. And this airframe has been introduced to the market more than once over the decades. Pilots who fly the SJ30 love it.

Read More: AIN | Aviation Week

The Scoop: Aircraft management and charter provider STA Jets has acquired Denver-based International Jet, extending its network into the Rocky Mountain region, according to AIN. The Southern California-headquartered company says the deal brings Colorado's longest-established charter operator into its network, adding scale, resources, and reach. International Jet was founded in 1979 and operates 17 aircraft, ranging from turboprops to large-cabin jets, out of its private terminal at Denver Centennial Airport (KAPA).

Why it matters: It is another sign that the mid-market charter segment is consolidating, and that facilities are becoming as valuable in these deals as the fleets.

Our Take: We were on the road without the gong, so consider this the tiny gong. The bigger story is mid-market consolidation. We think the squeeze right now is hardest on small and mid-sized fleets flying several aircraft types. A mixed fleet means little buying power, a harder time stocking parts, and less leverage with vendors. International Jet's fleet spans Learjets, Hawkers, King Airs, and a G550, which is exactly that kind of variety. Operators that keep it to one or two types can get scale benefits even at a modest size. From the operations side, fleet economics really start to change at around ten aircraft or more.

The other piece is real estate. The large fractional and charter players are buying their own facilities, partly out of frustration with FBO fees. A private terminal at Centennial is a strong asset to come with a deal, and it gives STA Jets another base alongside its existing locations.

The M&A gong is brought to you by Oshman Aviation. Thanks for sponsoring the gong.

What to watch: STA Jets had signaled last year that it was working on an acquisition. Whether this is the last one, or the first of several, is the question.

Read More: AIN

The Scoop: Financial technology platform Goodwin Company has acquired STACK.aero, according to Corporate Jet Investor. Financial terms were not disclosed. The deal pairs STACK.aero's aviation operations software with Goodwin's AI-based workflows, banking-service integrations, and automated financial operations, with the stated goal of connecting the charter lifecycle from first inquiry through booking, trip management, payments, and reconciliation. STACK.aero will continue as its own brand, with founder Greg Jarrett remaining CEO and the existing team in place. Goodwin says client funds are held in separate, client-titled bank accounts, and existing STACK.aero customers face no required migration.

Why it matters: STACK.aero sits inside the daily workflow of many brokers and operators, so a change in ownership raises practical questions about data, pricing, and product direction for a lot of businesses at once.

Our Take: If STA Jets is consolidation on the operator side, this is the technology side. STACK.aero is used widely by brokers, and by operators too; we have used it on the operator side ourselves. Goodwin started in payments and sourcing, and buying a widely used B2B platform gives it distribution, customers, and contracts in one move. By our read, it also follows a Goodwin acquisition of an AI aviation catering platform earlier this fall, which suggests a strategy of buying rather than building.

The question we heard more than once in Las Vegas was about data. Customers are rereading their contracts and asking who owns their trip and client data, and where the lines are drawn. That matters even more when the buyer also does sourcing and charges platform fees. Data is also the fuel for any serious machine learning product, which is part of why deals like this happen. Clear messaging from Goodwin on how customer data will be siloed will decide how this lands with the market.

What to watch: How Goodwin communicates data ownership and separation to STACK.aero customers, and whether more acquisitions follow.

Read More: Corporate Jet Investor

The Scoop: Pratt & Whitney Canada unveiled the PT9 turboprop at NBAA-BACE, according to Corporate Jet Investor. The company says the engine delivers 33% more power at altitude and 20% lower fuel consumption than the previous-generation PT6. The PT9 was recently certified by Transport Canada after more than 14,000 development hours. It features new digital capabilities and a modular design that can be adapted to a range of airframes and integrated into a hybrid powertrain. Production will take place in Lethbridge, Alberta, home of the PT6 Center of Excellence. Pratt has delivered more than 64,000 PT6 engines, found on aircraft including the King Air, PC-12, and Caravan.

Why it matters: The turboprop engine market has seen mostly iterative change for decades, and a new certified engine family from the PT6's maker opens the door to new airframes.

Our Take: The name suggests a PT6 successor, but an engine expert we spoke with places the PT9 in a meaningfully higher power class, which raises the question of who it is for. For rough context, PT6 variants on the Piaggio Avanti sit around 850 shaft horsepower, and the King Air 350 is around 1,000. The GE Catalyst on the Beechcraft Denali is around 1,300, agricultural tractor aircraft run around 1,700, and ATR regional turboprops are near 2,750. Depending on configuration, the PT9 looks to land in the gap between business aviation and regional applications.

Everybody wants more power with turboprop economics, so a juiced-up single or twin is the obvious thread to pull. We would not expect to see one on a current-production PC-12 anytime soon, though. The bigger point is that clean-sheet turboprop engines are rare. Between GE's Catalyst and now the PT9, that is starting to change. Our pure speculation: something in the supercommuter space.

What to watch: Which airframe is announced first as the PT9's launch application.

Read More: Corporate Jet Investor

The Scoop: Bombardier plans to hire 800 people in the United States, with an estimated $270 million of infrastructure investment in the first phase, according to Corporate Jet Investor. The company says it is recruiting for 500 positions now, plus 300 jobs tied to expansion projects. President Trump referenced the investment in an October 23 Truth Social post, crediting Kansas Senator Roger Marshall and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The announcement follows the president's September 7 statement that he would not allow Bombardier to sell its aircraft in the US, and Bombardier says it remains in constructive conversations with the administration. A new service facility at Fort Wayne International Airport opens in November with room for up to six aircraft, and expansion projects are planned in Dallas and Connecticut. Bombardier says its US operations supported more than 27,000 jobs in 2025 and expects the new investment to raise that to 33,000.

Why it matters: Bombardier aircraft are a large share of the US business jet fleet, so any threat to their US market reaches owners, operators, lenders, and maintenance shops.

Our Take: What follows is commentary and opinion, not investment or financial advice.

It has been a whiplash few months, and we want to give credit to Bombardier CEO Eric Martel for how he has handled it. Waking up to a public threat against your entire US business cannot be fun. He did not fight it out on social media. He kept calling the US a key market, put numbers behind the company's American footprint, and doubled down on investment.

That is a model for responding to adversity: answer with facts, not volume. For owners and operators, the practical upside is more service capacity in the US network, starting with Fort Wayne next month. Slow and steady wins the race.

What to watch: Whether the constructive conversations with the administration produce a formal resolution, and how quickly the Dallas and Connecticut projects move.

Read More: Corporate Jet Investor

Today's Newsletter is also brought to you by REAL JET

Whether your next trip is on a PC-12 or a King Air, you want a broker who knows the difference. REAL Jet does the research, treats operators as real partners, and even supplied the bus for our Beyond the Booth interviews at NBAA-BACE. When you call REAL Jet, a real person picks up.

Relationships run the world, and our sponsor this week, RealJet, understands that. By creating a real relationship with a real person, something special happens. That's why they focus on creating unforgettable experiences with their sister company, REAL SLX, to help deepen those relationships and create meaningful impressions on customers and vendors alike.

When you fly with REAL Jet, you are not a transaction. You are part of a community that has been serving private flyers for more than twenty-five years.

Learn More At realjet.com

Mile High Madness is brought to you by Wingform, the private aircraft transaction hub.

The Private Jet Sauna

One of our favorite comedy accounts has pitched the ultimate ultra-long-range upgrade: a sauna. Picture push-ups in the aisle somewhere over the Pacific, then a quick steam before landing. Think of the gains. We have heard the shower on most ultra-long-range jets ends up as a million-dollar closet, so a sauna might actually get more use. That said, a heat source on an airplane full of jet fuel gives us pause. Safety first. If anyone knows of a real one, send it our way.

Operator vs. Broker: The Battle

This one is ours. Our new AI-made series, the Operator vs. Broker Battle, takes on the fights everybody in this business has had. Who really owns the empty leg? Who is the real holder of the jet card? The top comment, from our friends at AB Jets, called it the highest and best use of AI, and we will take it. More matchups are coming, including managers versus owners and crew versus maintenance. Send us your ideas.

Missed the podcast? Catch up on the full episode at the links below! We would LOVE if you would give us a 5 star review, and share with your friends!

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Our Beyond the Booth interviews from NBAA-BACE, sponsored by Leviate Air Group, are rolling out one per day in your podcast feed and on YouTube. Next stop: Corporate Jet Investor Miami in November. Come say hi.

Jessie's Links:
Private Aviation Safety Alliance
FlyVizor
LinkedIn

Preston's Links:
Prestige Aircraft Finance
Private Jet Insider (Newsletter)
LinkedIn
X (Formerly Known as Twitter)
FastJets

Disclaimer: The VIP Seat Weekly is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Coverage of publicly traded companies reflects the personal opinions of the hosts and does not constitute investment, financial, tax, or legal advice, nor a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. Descriptions of company announcements, program timelines, and transactions reflect published reports and company statements, and are not findings of fact by The VIP Seat, its hosts, or any company named. Speculation about future products or customers is labeled as such and reflects the opinions of the hosts. AB Jets, RealJet, Oshman Aviation, and Wingform are sponsors of The VIP Seat. The hosts are not registered investment advisors and may hold positions in companies discussed. All investments carry risk. Readers should conduct their own research and consult a qualified financial professional before making any investment decision.