Author name: Aviation World

FARNBOROUGH, United Kingdom — 21 July 2026 The Helicopter Company (THC), Saudi Arabia’s leading commercial helicopter operator, today announced its strategic move into fixed wing business aviation for the charter and management of jets. THC and Bombardier signed a LOI towards finalizing a firm order for 12 aircraft, including 5 Challenger 3500, 5 Global 5500 and 2 Global 8000 aircraft, with purchase options for 48 more aircraft across these platforms. (1) The signing ceremony took place at the Farnborough International Airshow, currently taking place in the United Kingdom until 24 July. The ceremony was attended by CEO of THC, Captain Arnaud Martinez, and Head of Aviation & Security at the Public Investment Fund, Muhammad Ovais Yousuf, and leadership from Bombardier, including CEO Éric Martel and company Chairman Pierre Beaudoin. With the launch of this new segment of operations, THC, a Public Investment Fund (PIF) company, enters the business aviation sector as a natural extension of the journey it has been on since its founding in 2018. The new business stream is designed to meet growing demand for private and general aviation, driven by Saudi Arabia’s expanding tourism sector, business activity, and emerging destinations. “As a portfolio of companies, THC was always poised to expand beyond rotary-wing aviation into fixed-wing operations,” said Captain Arnaud Martinez, Chief Executive Officer of THC.” Our vision has always been to become the General Aviation Champion from Saudi Arabia to the world.” “Bombardier’s aircraft are uniquely positioned to meet the evolving needs of customers around the world, offering exceptional versatility, dispatch reliability and a world-class customer experience,” said Éric Martel, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bombardier. “We are honored that The Helicopter Company has selected Bombardier to support its future fleet ambitions. This is a powerful symbol of our companies’ shared customer-centric DNA and vision for economic growth in the region. This signing also represents a significant endorsement of our aircraft, our people and our long-term commitment to supporting growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” The new business aviation segment addresses a growing demand in Saudi Arabia’s business aviation market. By combining a unique identity with a highly personalized, customer-centric experience, THC aims to become the region’s leading business aviation operator and the national carrier of choice in private charters and business aviation. To launch, the companyintends to operate up to 60 aircraft spanning Bombardier’s industry-leading Challenger and Global aircraft families, including the Challenger 3500, Global 5500 and Global 8000. As such, the fleet will combine efficiency, long-range capability and premium passenger comfort across the super-midsize, long-range and ultra-long-range segments,to establish a modern and highly capable aircraft fleet, built to match Saudi and regional demand. “Every investment we make is guided by the same philosophy – to build an integrated aviation ecosystem that supports Saudi Vision 2030 through innovation, operational excellence and long-term value creation.” Captain Arnaud further commented. “Fleet commonality, advanced aircraft technology and a commitment to more efficient and sustainable operations are fundamental to that approach, enabling us to deliver the highest standards of safety and service while positioning Saudi Arabia at the forefront of modern aviation.” “As demand continues to grow across the region for the super-midsize category, the Challenger 3500 is ideally positioned to meet customer expectations for performance, comfort and reliability. The Global 5500 continues to set the benchmark in its class with industry-leading range and outstanding versatility, while the flagship Global 8000 – the pinnacle of business aviation - ushers in a new era of business aviation performance and capability,” added Éric Martel. “Our team looks forward to working hand-in-hand with THC to support their ambitions and success throughout the lifecycle of their soon-to-be extensive, bespoke fleet. Through planned local investments dedicated to supporting THC’s operations and the strength of our global support network, we are committed to delivering the resources, expertise, and service wherever their operations take them.” This foundation now underpins THC’s expansion into fixed-wing business aviation, supporting the growth of Saudi Arabia’s general aviation sector while attracting investment and advancing localization to build a robust aviation ecosystem in the Kingdom.

Turkish Airlines, the airline that flies to more countries than any other airline, has signed a contract with CAE, a global leader in aviation training technologies, at the Farnborough Airshow for the delivery of five full-flight simulators (FFS), two flight training devices (FTD) with an option for two additional FFSs. The agreement further supports Turkish Airlines’ strategy to expand pilot training capacity and strengthen its training infrastructure with the latest technologies, in line with the airline’s fleet growth under its 10-year flight training investment plan. It will also contribute to the airline’s new, state-of-the-art Flight Training Center, which broke ground this past January. The new facility’s simulator hangars are scheduled to become operational in 2027, with the full center set to be completed and fully operational in 2028. Commenting on the agreement, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee Prof. Murat Şeker said: “As we continue to expand our fleet and global network, further strengthening our pilot training infrastructure is essential to supporting our long-term growth strategy. Building on our long-standing collaboration with CAE, the addition of these advanced training devices will enhance our ability to prepare pilots across multiple fleet types with the highest levels of safety, consistency, and operational excellence. This agreement will help ensure we continue meeting the growing training demands of our expanding operations while maintaining the world-class standards our passengers expect from Turkish Airlines.” Matthew Bromberg, President and Chief Executive Officer at CAE added: “This agreement is a testament to our longstanding relationship with Turkish Airlines and to the trust it continues to place in CAE as a strategic partner in advancing its pilot training capabilities. For more than 20 years, we have worked together to support the airline’s growth and evolving training needs. Through this comprehensive fleet of Airbus and Boeing training devices, we will continue to deliver advanced, high-fidelity simulation solutions that help Turkish Airlines build pilot capacity, maintain the highest safety standards, and support its long-term ambitions.” Under the contract, CAE will deliver the following devices to Turkish Airlines across Airbus and Boeing aircraft types: Two A321neo Full Flight Simulators (FFS) Two B787 Full Flight Simulators (FFS) One A350 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) Two A350 Level-1 Flight Training Devices (FTD) One A350 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) – optional One B787 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) – optional These next-generation simulators and training devices will expand Turkish Airlines’ pilot training capacity across both narrowbody and widebody aircraft types, offering a long-term solution to the airline’s growing operational needs on a global scale. With this new agreement, Turkish Airlines reinforces its long-standing collaboration with CAE, continuing to embrace a technology-driven, sustainable, and scalable approach to pilot training.

Farnborough, UK, 21 July 2026 Acron Aviation and Deutsche Aircraft have announced a long-term partnership and the signing of a supply agreement for Flight Recorder and Standby solutions for the next-generation D328eco, a regional turboprop that is designed, certified and industrialised in Europe. Designed to meet evolving operational and regulatory requirements, Acron Aviation’s 25-hour Recorder and Standby solutions combine proven reliability with advanced technology to enhance aircraft safety, operational efficiency and lifecycle performance. This directly supports Deutsche Aircraft’s vision to deliver a regional aircraft that meets the highest performance and certification standards, while enabling sustainable flight operations. The agreement secures the supply of flight recording and standby instrumentation systems for the D328eco programme, further solidifying Deutsche Aircraft’s industrial and supplier ecosystem as the aircraft progresses towards entry into service. “This agreement represents more than a supplier relationship; it is the beginning of a long-term partnership built on shared values, innovation and a commitment to advancing regional aviation,” said Ron Nye, President of Acron Aviation. “We are proud to support Deutsche Aircraft and the D328eco programme with our trusted Recorder and Standby solutions. As one of Europe’s most forward-looking aircraft manufacturers, Deutsche Aircraft is helping redefine sustainable regional flight, and we are delighted to contribute technologies that support the programme’s operational integrity and long-term success.” This partnership reflects a mutual commitment to strengthening aerospace supply chains through long-term collaboration and innovation. By pairing Deutsche Aircraft’s next-generation regional aircraft with Acron Aviation’s expertise in safety-critical avionics, both companies are shaping the future of regional aviation. “Building strong, long-term relationships with suppliers is fundamental to the success of the D328eco® programme,” said Patricia Ferrari, Vice President Supply Chain at Deutsche Aircraft. “Acron Aviation’s extensive expertise in safety-critical avionics systems and their proven track record makes them an important partner as we continue to mature our industrial ecosystem. This agreement reflects our shared commitment to quality, innovation and delivering a next-generation regional aircraft that meets the evolving expectations of operators and regulators worldwide.” The D328eco is a next-generation 40-seat regional turboprop developed and industrialised in Germany to meet the growing demand for efficient and sustainable regional connectivity. Building on the proven heritage of the Dornier 328, the aircraft integrates advanced technologies to reduce emissions, improve fuel efficiency and enhance economic performance. Supported by a growing network of strategic industry partners, the programme continues to move forward to deliver a modern regional aircraft tailored to the needs of airlines, passengers and communities.