Welcome to our launch day! The first episode of The VIP Seat is now live on all streaming platforms.

EBAA Buys NBAA’s Interests in EBACE

The European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition has steadily lost exhibitors since 2019, with critics citing the high cost of exhibiting in Geneva and the failure of the event to attract private jet fliers. Both Gulfstream and Bombardier skipped the event this year. On Monday, the National Business Aviation Association sold its holdings of the annual show, but organizers maintain the event will take place in 2025. The location and dates are unknown.

Volato Furloughs Crews and Drops Aircraft Leases

After similar announcements from Wheels Up in June, Volato announced that it is returning five leased aircraft and furloughing crew members. The company recently announced Q2 earnings, which showed $5.8M of cash and cash equivalents on hand after securing $4 million in debt financing. It received its first Gulfstream 280 delivery earlier this month, and more HondaJets and G280s are expected to be delivered later this year.

SmartSky Closes its Doors

After raising an estimated $365 million since its inception, the Air-to-Ground inflight Wi-Fi network SmartSky unexpectedly closed its doors last week, citing its inability to secure financing to continue operating. The emergence of low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite networks has substantially shaken the inflight wifi industry. What systems are next to succeed.. or fail?

Gulfstream 400 Takes First Flight

Powered with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Gulfstream’s newest and “most affordable” private jet took its first flight in Savannah this week. The Global 5000 and the Falcon 2000XLS are the closest competitors, with the price tag of the G400 falling somewhere in the middle at an expected $34.5 million. Who is the customer for this aircraft? And how much does it vary from other Gulfstream products? Listen to the VIP Seat this week for more.

FAA Grants $244.5 Million for SAF Projects

The FAA just released $291 million in grant funding under its’ Fueling Aviation’s Sustainable Transition (FAST) program, $244.5 million of which went to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) products. As reported in our newsletter last week, this comes on the heels of the UK advertising watchdog, the Advertising Standards Authority, which made Virgin Airlines remove “sustainable” ads with its first 100% SAF flight since “tail-pipe” emissions are identical to current Jet A fuel.