Embraer's Phenom 300EV certified with Garmin Autoland; Sky Travel Solutions launches jet card

Embraer's Phenom 300EV has received certification from the FAA, EASA and Brazil's ANAC. The approvals make the aircraft the first light jet certified with Garmin Emergency Autoland, a system that can land the aircraft without pilot input in the event of pilot incapacitation.

In separate developments, a new Florida charter operator is scaling a jet card programme around Hawker 400s, and Textron Aviation has named a new chief executive to replace a retiring leader.

Embraer's Phenom 300EV receives triple certification with Autoland

The Phenom 300EV is certified by three regulators and equipped by default with Garmin Emergency Autoland, which can activate automatically if it detects pilot incapacitation or be triggered manually by a passenger. The system selects an airport and runway, communicates the aircraft's intentions to air traffic control, and completes the approach, landing and stop without pilot input.

The aircraft has a range of 2,055 nautical miles using NBAA IFR reserves and a maximum speed of Mach 0.80. It carries approximately 430 pounds of additional payload capacity compared with the previous Phenom 300E. The cabin includes low-Earth-orbit satellite connectivity, revised temperature controls, an air ionization system and a vacuum lavatory, with a maximum cabin altitude of 6,600 feet. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2028.

Embraer also equipped the 300EV with autobrake and rudder-by-wire controls, and added autothrottle, Emergency Descent Mode and Embraer's Runway Overrun Awareness and Alerting System. FlightGlobal notes that the 300EV has slightly more range than the prior-generation 300E, and AeroTime reports the aircraft was launched in July 2025 and is capable of carrying four passengers.

Sky Travel Solutions launches Hawker 400-focused jet card

Kevin Wargo, who built Dumont Aviation and Fly Alliance into leading charter operators, has partnered with Brazilian business aviation veteran Pedro Bizzotto to launch Sky Travel Solutions. The Winter Park, Florida-based Part 135 operator has one Hawker 400XP on its charter certificate and expects to have a fleet of 11 Hawker 400s by early 2027: six by year-end 2026 and another six in 2027.

Wargo sold his controlling interest in Fly Alliance to Christopher Tasca in July and subsequently bought Fly Alliance's used parts business. He launched Fly Alliance in 2019 with Tasca, building it to the 14th-largest U.S. operator based on charter and fractional hours in 2025. Bizzotto, now Sky Travel's president, relocated full-time to the U.S. last year after selling his stake in SyncJet Brazil, which operates a fleet of 60 aircraft including 16 Hawker 400s.

The Sky Travel Club jet card has three tiers—25, 50 and 100 hours—across six categories from light jets to ultra-long-haul aircraft. Members can switch between cabins at published rates. Discounts apply at 50 hours (2%) and 100 hours (5%). Callout notice varies by tier: 48 hours for 25-hour cards, 24 hours for 50-hour cards, and eight hours for 100-hour cards. For now, the programme will use third-party charter operators to supplement its own growing fleet.

Textron Aviation appoints Brian Rohloff as new CEO

Textron Inc. has named Brian Rohloff president and CEO of Textron Aviation, effective 31 August, succeeding Ron Draper, who is retiring after more than 27 years at Textron and eight years leading Textron Aviation. Rohloff has spent 29 years at Textron Aviation and most recently served as senior vice president of customer support. His previous positions include vice president of quality, vice president of sales, senior product director for the Citation XLS+ and Citation X, and director of paint operations.

Draper will remain at the company as a senior adviser through the end of 2026 to assist during the transition.

Corporate Transparency Act reporting narrowed

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has published a final rule that clarifies and slightly narrows the scope of companies required to report beneficial ownership information under the Corporate Transparency Act, enacted in 2021. The reporting does not say how the narrowing affects aviation businesses or the broader industry.

Magellan Jets hosts Red Sox event for clients

Magellan Jets hosted an exclusive batting practice for private aviation clients at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, as part of the companies' partnership that began in 2023. Guests and their families were able to step on the field and take swings. The private jet company also connects to the Boston baseball community through partnerships with David Ortiz and the David Ortiz Children's Fund, and has pursued recent partnerships targeting equestrian fans and wine enthusiasts.

What it means

The Phenom 300EV's Autoland certification addresses a growing market for safety automation in light jets. The system is now available on aircraft ranging from the HondaJet Elite II and Cirrus Vision Jet to the yet-to-be-certified Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen3, and Embraer is considering extending it to the smaller Phenom 100. For operators and owners, the 300EV offers the largest business jet platform with this capability, though deliveries remain two years away.

Sky Travel Solutions represents continued consolidation among charter and jet card operators, with experienced consolidators returning to the market in new ventures. The focus on Hawker 400s—a mid-cabin light jet with established support networks—targets a defined segment rather than chasing scale across multiple platforms. Whether the jet card can compete against established programmes without the fleet scale Fly Alliance developed remains an open question from available reporting.

Textron Aviation's leadership transition and the narrowed Corporate Transparency Act reporting requirements are administrative in nature and do not signal immediate operational changes, though the latter may affect how business aviation entities structure their ownership reporting.