Victor announces acquisition by an Abu Dhabi-based investment group

European on-demand jet charter company Victor has announced it has been successfully acquired by an Abu Dhabi-based aviation investment group. The new ownership follows a three-year growth plan set in motion by co-CEO’s Toby Edwards and James Farley in 2020, which has earned Victor its place as one of the fastest growing companies within Business Aviation and a leader in its approach to sustainability.

Victor is an on-demand jet charter platform, enabling flyers to search, compare and book private air travel. Launched in 2011, the company offers a transparent, subscription-free, globally ‘on-demand’ marketplace. Access to more than 7,000 aircraft via a global network of 200 partner operators means that any private aviation requirement can be fulfilled. Victor is the first business aviation company to offer Sustainable Aviation Fuel for every booking worldwide, thanks to a partnership with Neste. Victor publishes its CO2 emissions and reduction measures annually, and every Victor charter quote is labelled with its carbon impact, including fuel burn, CO2 emissions, and mitigation, allowing members to make informed decisions. www.flyvictor.com

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At your fingertips: Airbus flies an automated helicopter with a tablet

Airbus has successfully tested a new simplified human machine interface (HMI) along with advanced autonomous features through a project code-named Vertex. These technologies, developed by Airbus UpNext, are controlled by a touchscreen tablet and aim to simplify mission preparation and management, reduce helicopter pilot workload, and further increase safety.

The Airbus Helicopters’ FlightLab flew fully automated from lift-off, taxi, takeoff, cruise, approach and then landing during a one hour test flight by following a predefined route. During this flight, the pilot monitored the system which is able to detect unforeseen obstacles and automatically recalculate a safe flight path. Whenever necessary the pilot can easily override the controls through the tablet and resume the mission afterwards. “This successful demonstration of a fully autonomous flight from takeoff to landing is a great step towards the reduced pilot workload and simplified HMI that the Airbus Urban Air Mobility team intends to implement on CityAirbus NextGen. It could also have immediate applications for helicopters in low level flights,” said Michael Augello, CEO of Airbus UpNext. www.airbus.com

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EBAA welcomes Dutch U-turn on Schipol flight cap

The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) welcomes the recent decision by the Dutch government to suspend its plan to cap flights at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. The proposed cap, aiming to reduce approximately 9,100 flights from next summer’s schedule for noise reduction, faced strong opposition from industry stakeholders, the United States and the European Commission. The U.S. had threatened retaliation, and EU Transport Commissioner Adina-Ioana Vălean had expressed concerns over potential infringement proceedings against the Netherlands.

The EBAA, having actively participated in this case, played a significant role in voicing the concerns of the business aviation community. The association further iterates that reducing noise at airports isn’t solely about reducing flight slots; it involves adopting innovative strategies like constant descent approaches, optimising flight routings, and other procedural changes that can significantly mitigate noise impact while maintaining operational efficiency. www.ebaa.org

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People: Gulfstream promotes Michael Swift to group VP sales for EMEA and APAC

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. this month announced that Michael Swift has been named group vice president of Sales overseeing Europe, the Middle East, Africa (EMEA), and the Asia-Pacific region (APAC). In this newly created role, Swift will manage Gulfstream’s EMEA and APAC Sales teams, working closely with Gulfstream’s Customer Support and Marketing organizations to develop strategies that further increase market share in these important business aviation regions.

“As we continue to see strong demand in the EMEA and APAC regions, we wanted to create a role that would help elevate our presence and momentum to match that demand,” said Scott Neal, senior vice president, Worldwide Sales, Gulfstream.

Prior to joining Gulfstream in 2018 as regional vice president of Sales, Swift spent more than a decade in corporate aircraft finance at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Textron Financial. He received a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management from Siena College and a master’s degree from Columbia Business School. Swift will continue to be based in Gulfstream’s Sales and Design Center in London. www.gulfstream.com