In this week’s VIP Seat podcast, we talk about:

Wheels Up Buys GrandView Fleet in Plan to Modernize

GrandView Aviation’s fleet of 17 Phenom 300s will be sold to Wheels Up by the end of this year for $105 million; in addition to new paint and interiors, the aircraft will be outfitted with GoGo’s Galileo Wifi systems. GrandView’s jet card customers will continue to be serviced by Wheels Up, and the firm also plans to update its midsize fleet to Challenger 300s and 350s over the coming years.

Help Design a Private Jet and Win $100,000

Flexjet announced a design competition, Project LXi, for its Challenger 650, where the winner will not only receive $100,000, but their design would come to life in one of the company’s aircraft. “Flexjet is looking to uncover new inspiration, bold expression, and authentic artistry to complement its nearly 50 custom interiors – each of which tells its own story,” according to the press release.

Textron Machinists’ Strike Ends

A month-long strike that was expected to delay aircraft deliveries by one to two months concluded this week with an agreement to raise wages by 31% over five years.

Electric Chargers Coming to East 34th St Heliport

NYC’s Economic Development Corporation has agreed to extend Atlantic Aviation’s use of the heliport for another five years. The FBO intends to add electric charging stations for eVTOL makers Joby and Archer Aviation. Archer uses the combined charging system (CCS), which is the same standard as electric vehicles, while Joby uses its own global electric aviation charging system (GEACS).

FAA Publishes Powered Lift Rule

After much debate and comment, the FAA has released the Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) for powered-lift aircraft (eVTOLs). While much of the rule is open-ended to accommodate unknown design features, it aims to maintain parity with existing standards for airplanes and rotorcraft; for example, if an eVTOL has autorotation capabilities throughout its flight, it may use rotorcraft fuel reserve minimums. It also allows for more simulator training and, in some cases, does not require dual flight controls to train new pilots, a hotly contested issue from the original notice.