The Best in Aviation, From Pivotal’s Helix to Boom’s Supersonic XB-1

In January, Boom’s XB-1 became the first civil supersonic jet to break the sound barrier since the Concorde. The Colorado- based start-up is using the needle-nosed jet as a testing platform for Overture, a commercial supersonic airliner that Boom plans to have in service by 2030. The XB-1’s Mach 1.122 (860.87 mph) flight became a milestone in aviation history, partly because it was the first civilian supersonic jet built in the U.S., but mostly because the aircraft was created by a small core team of about 50 people on a limited budget—supersonic programs developed by militaries typically cost tens of billions—with zero government assistance. The Overture’s Symphony engines will have a Boomless Cruise feature that allows it to transition to supersonic speeds at altitudes above 30,000 feet without the supersonic boom reaching the ground. That’s a detail that could prove critical to Overture’s feasibility for overland travel. The XB-1, which many naysayers argued would never fly, is proof that supersonic commercial flight is not only a possibility but could soon be downright routine. 

Introduced in 1964, the Beechcraft King Air is not only the world’s best-selling turboprop business aircraft but also an icon among aircraft aficionados. Parent company Textron created a commemorative 60th Crimson Edition to celebrate its success, with deliveries taking place this year. The vibrant red and silver exterior, with a custom interior featuring dark leather seats and crimson accent piping, harks back to the King Air’s earlier days, while its modern cockpit includes digital pressurization, multi-scan weather radar, and Collins Aerospace’s Pro Line avionics. Perhaps the real beauty behind this new King Air is its ability to recall the past while embracing the future. 

In the small but competitive niche of private-jet journeys, Aman Resorts and Remote Lands have partnered to develop an even more exclusive nook: global adventures for clients who don’t usually do group travel. Compared to flying competitors with 48-seat jets, Remote Lands’ custom Airbus ACJ319, configured in a lounge design, accommodates just 16 to 19 people, with two flight attendants, two pilots, an engineer, and a chef. In keeping with the uber-exclusive approach, guests stay at Aman five-star hotels and resorts on itineraries that include round-the-world travel or region-specific destinations such as Southeast Asia. Many trips include personalized tours with private cars, drivers, and guides. This combination of selective socialization and bespoke travel sets Aman Jet Expeditions apart. 

In January, Honda Aircraft Company began construction of the first model of its new Echelon at its North Carolina facility, with flight tests scheduled for next year. The Echelon is a clean-sheet design rather than simply a stretched HondaJet, with stats that surpass competitors’, including a best-in-class range of 2,625 nautical miles, 120 cubic feet of baggage space, and a maximum cruise speed of 450 knots. The important breakthroughs, though, lie behind the numbers. The Echelon has a fuselage length of 57.8 feet, compared to 42.6 feet for the standard HondaJet, and it maximizes cabin space to offer 4.5 inches more headroom than the HondaJet, as well as more legroom. The new avionics suite is yet to be revealed, but a confirmed gold-standard feature is Garmin’s Emergency Autoland. The technical leaps have not gone unnoticed: The Echelon has received almost 500 letters of intent to purchase. 

Scheduled to begin flight tests this year, the Hill HX50 helicopter could be a game changer if it lives up to founder Jason Hill’s expectations. The aerospace engineer showed the first rendering in 2020 after spending more than a decade conceiving a private helicopter with much newer technology than the competition. “It’s geared to make everything about helicopter flying simpler than before,” says Hill, likening it more to a supercar experience than to a traditional rotorcraft. The sleek design includes quality features such as a carbon-fiber monocoque frame, roll cage, and impact-absorbing leather seats. The cockpit’s hybrid helicopter-automotive design is sure to please, given that a third of the people who have reserved the 1,300 presold examples have never previously owned an aircraft. 

FBOs are experiencing rapid infusions of capital as private-equity firms see the potential for modernizing private-jet facilities. The most impressive FBO, however, is now being built by industry stalwart Clay Lacy Aviation on its 14-acre property at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif. The development will include 41,800 square feet of office space and an upscale passenger terminal, with four new hangars (totaling 145,000 square feet) built to accommodate the largest business jets. Global architecture firm Gensler paired modern design with passenger comfort across the project. The campus will also be the first Envision Gold Certified FBO designated by the Institute of Sustainable Infrastructure and certified as carbon-neutral. High-capacity charging stations for electric eVTOL and hybrid aircraft, as well as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), also illustrate how Clay Lacy is preparing for the next aircraft revolution. 

The idea of flying an advanced aircraft without a pilot’s license seems like sci-fi, but Pivotal’s Helix is the best of a new generation of electric aircraft turning that notion into reality. The one-person carbon-fiber eVTOL fits in the FAA’s Part 103 Ultralight category, which doesn’t require a pilot’s license. Silicon Valley–based Pivotal spent over a decade developing the advanced fly- by-wire controls and software that aid new pilots with flight navigation while automatically adjusting prop speed and wing trim for wind or altitude changes. Joystick controls become intuitive as pilots spend several weeks in a flight simulator guided by FAA-accredited flight instructors and then actually take to the air, flying the Helix through multiple scenarios. The fun factor makes the rigorous training worthwhile, as one eventually flies solo 150 feet above empty terrain, at a leisurely 55 mph, with the freedom only flight can bring. 

Superb sound can be the true differentiator of any executive jet’s entertainment system. To achieve that, Rosen Aviation partnered with audio engineer Laurence Dickie (designer of Bowers & Wilkins’ famed Nautilus speaker) to create a world-class system for business jets, bizliners, and first-class sections of commercial airliners. Part of Rosen’s new PO-RT-AL (Personally Optimized Real-Time Augmented Luxury) system, the Immersa In-Seat AudioSphere is the acoustic element, comprising 24 individual speakers tuned to create a phonichot spot, or what the company calls a hologram, that envelops the passenger without requiring headphones or earbuds. It accurately re-creates tone, timbre, and spatiality, and by using haptic drivers instead of sub-woofers, the bass effects remain localized. This sound bubble surrounds the passenger listening to music or watching a movie, while the person in the next seat, also in their own hologram, remains undisturbed. This tech brings serious audiophile quality to the in-flight experience. 

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Archer Aviation expects to see its Midnight eVTOL make its first commercial flight later this year in Abu Dhabi. With its stealth future-forward look, the electric aircraft is designed with a maximum takeoff weight of 6,500 pounds to carry a pilot and four passengers. Its 12 wing-mounted propellers, capable of both vertical lift and forward flight, are powered by six large battery packs and electric motors. Its top speed is projected to be 150 mph with a maximum range of 100 miles. The power train was developed in-house, while many other components were sourced from tier-one aerospace suppliers. The Silicon Valley–based company is focusing on “early-adopter” markets such as Abu Dhabi, where it will send pilots, technicians, and engineers to set up commercial-flight networks before establishing itself in the U.S. This smart business model and even smarter aircraft promise to lead the fast-emerging electric-air-taxi arena.

It’s rare to celebrate a non-flashy but critical component of an aircraft in these awards, but GE Aerospace’s Catalyst engine is a legitimate game changer in the burgeoning turboprop segment. The power plant, which includes lightweight 3-D-printed components, combines proven tech from GE’s larger commercial engines with integrated engine controls that automatically optimize fuel flow, prop, pitch, and speed. The result is almost 20 percent less fuel consumption, 10 percent more power, lower carbon emissions, decreased noise levels in the cabin, and a safer, simpler pilot experience thanks to its full-authority digital engine-control technology. The innovative power plant will first appear on the Beechcraft Denali as a clean-sheet aircraft, with certification expected in 2026. 

As part of its ultra-exclusive Red Label experience, which includes a special jet fleet and curated travel, Flexjet’s training academy has upped its game over the past year. Originally launched as a finishing school to instruct flight attendants in five-star service at its European headquarters in London, the white-glove program will expand as it moves in to larger and more lavish digs at Flexjet’s new private terminal at Farnborough Airport (the UK’s historic airfield where its first powered flight happened in 1908) early next year. The academy offers not only master classes in hospitality, mixology, wine pairing, and food prep at 40,000 feet but also modules on interpreting body language to better respond to passengers as well as children-focused service. Classes are led by hospitality experts, including trainers from the Dorchester Collection, a small luxury-hotel group known for impeccable service. The classrooms will feature full-size cabin and galley mock-ups of Flexjet’s multiple aircraft types. 

Despite its 1950s appearance, this propeller-driven airliner is the plane of the future. Since 2020, Airbus has been teasing different design concepts in its forward-focused ZeroE program. But it recently announced a winner: A 100-seat four-propeller aircraft powered by hydrogen-fuel-cell stacks and electric motors all running on liquid hydrogen, producing no CO2 or NOx emissions. The only exhaust will be water. Airbus, the world’s largest aircraft builder, has constructed the most comprehensive facility of its kind to produce the hydrogen fuel cells and equipment needed to store liquid hydrogen inside an aircraft. The company expects to be testing the propulsion system in 2026. When it eventually enters commercial service, the retro-looking aircraft promises to create a genuine revolution in airline transport. Also focusing on infrastructure, the Airbus Hydrogen Hubs at Airports program has more than 220 airports and multiple airlines as partners.