The VIP Seat: Private Aviation News

Saudi Arabia’s The Helicopter Company, backed by the PIF, signs a Farnborough LOI with Bombardier for a firm order of 12 Challenger and Global jets plus options that could take the deal to around $2.8–3B and up to 60 aircraft. We break down FlyExclusive’s latest Jet Club press release, with record flight hours, an average $190K deposit per new member, and a 32% year‑over‑year jump in May deposits—and ask whether those prepaid hours will translate into profitable margins when earnings drop. Jessie and Preston unpack new NTSB documents on the Hudson River sightseeing helicopter crash, where Smithsonian feather lab analysis points to multiple large bird strikes, including Canada geese, as a likely driver of the in‑flight breakup. We hit Dassault’s latest Falcon 10X certification delay and what it means in the arms race against Gulfstream and Bombardier, dive into the FAA’s new Mobile Clearance system that lets GA and bizav pilots pull IFR departure clearances via ForeFlight/Garmin instead of phones and radios, and revisit the long‑running fight over crew rest and duty rules for cargo and Part 135. Plus: Mile High Madness with “Chad” flying to Nantucket on a PC‑12, Detailer Guy, and why cheap gimmicks and influencer‑bait content are hurting the industry’s credibility.

This week, Preston joins live from EAA AirVenture Oshkosh with news on Emily Deaton's move to NBAA and show updates. Then: a 14-year-old bush pilot case out of Alaska heads to the U.S. Supreme Court over a six-pack of beer and a seized Cessna, a viral air traffic control exchange reignites the cockpit-professionalism debate, and two market reports land the same week — one on the private aircraft MRO boom, one on the ultra-wealthy buyers reshaping the business jet market. Plus: Textron's new Pipistrel Voyager trainer arrives right as the FAA's MOSAIC rule takes effect, Gianni Infantino's Gulfstream G650 racks up more miles than most fleets fly in a year, and Preston explains how he ended up quoted — and slightly cornered — in a story about AI wealth flooding into private aviation.

This week’s episode of The VIP Seat hits all the major pressure points in business aviation: connectivity, new aircraft, regulation, legal risk, and AI‑driven fraud. Jessie and Preston start with Starlink’s latest aviation pricing changes, breaking down “Elonomics” at altitude—regional Aviation Unlimited rising to $12,500 per month with a 500 Mbps cap, the 25 GB plan doubling from $2,000 to $4,000, and a worldwide 1 Gbps unlimited tier now at $20,000 per month. They walk through what this means for new Gulfstreams, charter fleets, and other private jets that already require $300,000–$500,000 of Starlink hardware, and why some operators’ annual Wi‑Fi bills could approach 10% of the airplane’s value.

On the hardware side, Embraer’s new Phenom 300EV takes center stage. The episode covers Autoland for single‑pilot and owner‑flown operations, the multi‑purpose electronic controller (MEC) that brings rudder‑by‑wire and auto‑brake into a fly‑by‑wire system, cabin refinements including a vacuum lav, and planned LEO connectivity. Jessie and Preston dig into the roughly $13.99 million list price, long lead times into 2027, and hefty deposits and pre‑delivery payments that reshape the math for buyers weighing the Phenom 300EV against CJ4s, PC‑24s, and other light jets.

Regulatory and legal stories add more fuel. They unpack FAA vs. California over crew rest and meal‑break rules, including the Ninth Circuit’s decision extending California’s 30‑minute break requirements to flight attendants even on interstate flying, and why many aviation employers avoid basing staff in California. They also explore a lawsuit involving Peter Thiel’s husband, a Solairus‑operated flight, and allegations that a cabin cooler strike injured a flight attendant—raising questions about principal vs. management company liability and cabin safety in tight business jet interiors.

Finally, Jessie and Preston tackle a move under the Trump administration to study tariffs on aerospace products and jet engine parts in the name of national security, plus NBAA’s warning about AI‑enhanced scams targeting private jet sales, charter deals, and aviation M&A. They lay out how AI can spoof voices, emails, and texts inside multimillion‑dollar transactions, and why escrow agents, charter ops teams, MROs, and brokers need stronger authentication and training. Mile High Madness brings levity with animal rescue flights, while sponsors AB Jets and RealJet ground the conversation in the realities of operating and chartering modern business jets.

This week on The VIP Seat, we’re covering one of the strangest weeks in aviation news yet.

The FAA moves one step closer to allowing civilian supersonic flight over the United States, and what that could mean for Boom Supersonic and the future of business aviation.

Plus:

• Canada’s bizarre battle between Billy Bishop Airport expansion and a historic nudist beach.
• China grounds virtually all general aviation around Beijing after a small aircraft crashes into a skyscraper.
• Inside the Sun Valley billionaires conference, where hundreds of Gulfstreams, Globals and Falcons descend on Idaho.
• A Delta airliner is struck by fireworks during Fourth of July celebrations.
• Jared Isaacman flies for Freedom 250 in his F-5 despite FAA objections.
• A hard Hudson River landing involving a Blade-booked Kodiak 100 seaplane.
• Why Part 145 repair stations are becoming one of the hottest M&A sectors in aviation.

Plus another round of Mile High Madness, including a barefoot helicopter pilot landing on a fishing vessel.

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This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie and Preston break down the biggest stories in business aviation — from Wheels Up becoming the launch customer for Surf Air’s AI-powered SurfOS platform to the growing race for the private aviation software layer.

They also ring the Canadian M&A Gong for AirSprint’s private equity deal, unpack ATI Jet/JetVia’s lawsuit against Pratt & Whitney over engine program delays, and discuss new safety concerns from slacklines and drones creating risks for pilots.

Plus, Kennedy Ricci of 4AIR joins the show to explain CORSIA, the international aviation emissions framework, why compliance is becoming more important, and what business jet operators need to know before the next major deadline.

Finally, Jessie and Preston discuss Flexjet’s Gulfstream G500 announcement, the future of the G650/G700 fleet strategy, and why Gulfstream exclusivity matters in fractional aviation.

business aviation, private aviation, Wheels Up, Surf Air OS, SurfOS, private jet AI, aviation software, AirSprint, private equity aviation, fractional aviation, ATI Jet lawsuit, JetVia Pratt Whitney, engine program lawsuit, CORSIA, sustainability, aviation emissions, 4AIR, Kennedy Ricci, Flexjet Gulfstream G500, Gulfstream G700, private jet safety, drone strikes aviation, emissions compliance, carbon offsetting

This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie Naor and Preston Holland break down a packed week in business aviation.

We start with Global Jet Capital’s $659 million aircraft-backed securitization and why Fortune 500 companies use operating leases for corporate jets. Then AirShare CEO John Owen joins us for a special Mile High Madness segment after the company went viral offering to fly Freddy to a World Cup match on a private jet.

We also discuss the retirement of one of the classic Air Force One 747-200s, the controversy surrounding the Qatari 747-8, and Boeing’s delays on the next presidential aircraft.

In safety news, we cover NetJets’ first fatal accident, the industry’s reaction, and why everyone is waiting for the NTSB’s findings. Jessie also explains the first confirmed NTSB preliminary report involving GPS jamming in a fatal medevac crash.

Plus: the American pilot finally home after being detained in Guinea, Magellan Jets’ M&A strategy, charter brokerage consolidation, and why gross marketplace value is not the same thing as revenue.

Topics include:
-Global Jet Capital aircraft securitization
-AirShare’s viral Freddy World Cup offer
-Air Force One 747 retirement
-Qatari 747-8 presidential aircraft controversy
-NetJets fatal accident
-GPS jamming and aviation safety
-Pilot detained in Guinea returns home
-Magellan Jets M&A strategy
-Charter brokerage consolidation
-Private aviation finance and safety news

This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie Naor and Preston Holland unpack a packed week of private aviation headlines. FlyHouse announces a leadership change, raising new questions about its ambitious “Uber for private jets” strategy. NetJets files for an exemption to extend certain crew duty limits, sparking a bigger conversation about fatigue, rest rules, and whether safety practices should be shared across the industry.

Plus, Cirrus faces federal restrictions tied to Chinese ownership, AeroVanti’s founder is convicted in a major wire fraud case, Steve Varsano sells The Jet Business to Flexjet/Directional Capital, and Mile High Madness brings mini cows on a private jet and PE guy comedy to the cabin.

This interview with Kenny Dichter and Robert Withers of REAL Jet covers the founding of Marquis Jet, the success of Avion Tequila, the experience with capital markets, the growth of Wheels Up, and the impact of going public on the industry. It also highlights the importance of authentic conversations and the journey to becoming a billion-dollar company.

The conversation delves into the challenges faced during COVID, lessons learned, and the evolving landscape of the aviation industry. It also explores the transition from Wheels Up to RealJet, the vision for RealJet and Real SLX, and the unique hospitality model of RealJet. The synergy of REALJet, REAL SLX, and REAL come from learnings at Wheels Up.

Takeaways

• Authentic conversations are what drive our industry forward
• Success in the private aviation industry requires strategic partnerships and innovative business models. Adaptability and resilience are crucial in navigating challenges in the aviation industry.
• Safety, trust, and quality are essential components of a successful aviation business.

Chapters

• 00:00 RealJet Sponsorship
• 05:21 Founding of Marquis Jet
• 10:54 Success of Avion Tequila
• 17:56 Growth of Wheels Up
• 23:13 Journey to a Billion Dollar Company
• 28:47 Going Public and Industry Impact
• 34:12 Lessons Learned in Challenging Times
• 40:07 Safety and Trust in Aviation
• 45:25 The Vision for RealJet and Real SLX
• 53:28 RealJet's Unique Hospitality Model
• 01:00:45 Encouragement for the Future of Aviation

Thanks to AB Jets and REALJET for sponsoring this week's episode of The VIP Seat!

Check out our newsletter at The VIP Seat.

Aviation attorney Joe LoRusso joins Jessie Naor and Preston Holland to explain the lawsuits following the Greg Biffle aircraft crash, including aircraft LLC liability, pilot qualification issues, insurance coverage questions, operational control, and why litigation often begins long before an NTSB final report is released.

The episode also covers responsible crash commentary, underinsurance in private aviation, Flexjet’s win against the IRS over federal excise tax, the GAO’s eVTOL infrastructure report, V2 Jets’ acquisition of Corporate Aviation, and the possible sale of ICE’s Gulfstream G700s.

Thank you to AB Jets and RealJet for sponsoring this week’s episode.

Berkshire Hathaway has disclosed a major stake in Delta Air Lines — but with Delta now deeply tied to Wheels Up, what does that mean for private aviation, premium travel, and NetJets?

This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie Naor and Preston Holland break down Berkshire’s Delta investment, Delta’s continued commitment to Wheels Up, and the growing connection between airline premium cabins and private jet customers. They also discuss the NTSB’s decision to shut down safety dockets after AI tools were used to reconstruct cockpit voice recorder audio from spectrograms, raising major questions about privacy, accident investigation data, and public access.

Plus: the FAA’s new Modern Skies air traffic control modernization dashboard, NASA’s moon base ambitions, seaplane bases as aviation infrastructure, and the debut of Captain Keyboard, where Jessie and Preston rate their meanest internet comments like turbulence.