In aviation maintenance, training is often discussed in terms of compliance. Regulations require it, documentation tracks it, and audits confirm it. But inside a maintenance hangar, training represents something more. It signifies a constant investment in the technicians responsible for returning aircraft to service safely. 

That philosophy sits at the very center of the FAA’s Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards Program (AMT), where the highest level of employer recognition is the FAA Diamond Award of Excellence. The award is reserved for organizations where every eligible maintenance technician completes FAA-approved recurrent training within the calendar year. It is a benchmark that requires both coordination and company-wide collaboration. 

In 2025, Pro Star Aviation’s locations in both Manchester, NH and Grand Rapids, MI achieved that standard. For aircraft owners and operators, the meaning behind this recognition is straightforward. For Pro Star’s General Manager, Sean Peterson, the award reflects a level of team participation that goes far beyond basic regulatory compliance.

“Earning the FAA Diamond Award demonstrates that we achieved 100% participation from every technician and supervisor in completing advanced, FAA-approved training,” Peterson explains. “This recognition signifies that we went well beyond the minimum regulatory requirements to ensure our team is highly trained, deeply knowledgable, and fully committed to maintaining the highest standards of competency and professionalism.”

In business aviation, where aircraft systems continue to evolve and new technologies are regularly introduced, maintaining that level of knowledge requires continuous learning. Modern business jets require increasingly advanced avionics, connectivity systems, and complex aircraft management technologies, all of which demand specialized training long after technicians first earn their Airframe and Powerplant certification.

Programs recognized under the Federal Aviation Administration training initiative encourage technicians to complete approved coursework throughout the year, resulting in an individual Aviation Maintenance Technician Certificate of Training. Achieving the Diamond Award means that an entire maintenance organization has completed that process. At Pro Star Aviation, Peterson says the recognition represents a culture that places hard work and integrity at the center of operations.

“The FAA Diamond Award is a direct reflection of Pro Star Aviation’s culture of accountability, professionalism, and continued improvement,” Peterson notes. “Achieving this level of recognition demonstrates that our team doesn’t just talk about quality and safety–we invest in them, prioritize them, and live them every day.”

The milestone carries particular significance in Michigan. Pro Star’s Grand Rapids facility recently celebrated its first anniversary, making the 2025 recognition an early indicator of the standards the team is building. For Grand Rapids’ Director of Maintenance and Operations Manager, Jeremy Mangum, the award reflects a deliberate effort to prioritize training opportunities that directly benefit customers. He also notes that the team has taken advantage of opportunities to attend OEM, AAEA, and FAA-sponsored training events to ensure technicians are gaining knowledge that directly supports the aircraft and the operators they serve.

“This has allowed us to not just take any training that ‘meets the requirements’, but training that directly applies to the support of our customers and the values and goals of Pro Star Aviation,” Mangum says. 

Behind the recognition is also a significant investment of time and effort from the technicians themselves. Peterson notes that many team members balanced demanding schedules and deadlines while simultaneously completing the required coursework.

“This achievement was the result of a focused, organization-wide commitment to training, professional development, and operational excellence,” Peterson says. “Our technicians and supervisors dedicated significant time to completing advanced FAA-approved coursework, often alongside demanding project schedules.”

Ultimately, awards like the FAA Diamond recognition serve as a visible benchmark for something that happens behind the scenes every day: technicians investing in their knowledge so they can continue delivering the level of precision and reliability that modern aircraft maintenance demands. When that commitment spans across an entire organization, the impact is bound to extend far beyond the hangar floor. 

Londonderry, NH and Grand Rapids, MI – Pro Star Aviation is proud to announce that both its Manchester, New Hampshire and Grand Rapids, Michigan facilities have received the FAA Diamond Award of Excellence (AMT Employer Level) for 2025. This marks the first time both locations have earned the distinction together in the same year. 

Presented by the FAA as part of its Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards Program, the Diamond Award represents the highest level of employer recognition under the program. To qualify, 100% of a company’s eligible aviation maintenance technicians must complete FAA-approved recurrent training and receive an individual AMT Certificate of Training within a calendar year.

“This is not the first time our Manchester facility has earned the FAA Diamond Award,” said Jeff Shaw, Pro Star’s Director of Sales & Marketing. “That consistency reflects our long-standing commitment to safety-focused training, regulatory compliance, and investing in our technicians.”

While Manchester has previously received the recognition, 2025 marks the first time the Grand Rapids facility has achieved the honor, marking a significant milestone just over one year after beginning operations. 

“Following the celebration of our first anniversary, this recognition confirms that our Grand Rapids team is building on a strong foundation,” said Jeremy Mangum, Director of Maintenance and Operations Manager in Grand Rapids. “It reflects the professionalism and dedication of our technicians and reinforces our commitment to delivering the highest level of quality to business jet owners.”

With 100% technician participation in approved recurrent training in both its New Hampshire and Michigan facilities, Pro Star Aviation demonstrates a consistent, company-wide commitment to workforce development and safety excellence. That unified standard reflects the company’s ongoing effort to meet and exceed FAA maintenance training requirements, supporting the reliability and performance expectations of today’s business aviation operators.

Pro Star Aviation, headquartered at the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (KMHT) in New Hampshire with locations in Grand Rapids, Michigan (KGRR), and Portland, Maine (KPWM), is a recognized leader in maintenance, modernization, engineering, and aircraft sales solutions for business aviation. A factory-authorized service center for Dassault Falcon Jet, Embraer, and Pilatus, Pro Star provides disciplined MRO services and extends its technical capabilities across avionics upgrades, in-flight connectivity solutions, and special mission aircraft modifications. With proven capacity to manage complex projects and provide targeted solutions for unique operational requirements, the company stands apart through its engineering depth, certification expertise, and rapid AOG support. Pro Star is part of the Laughlin Family Aviation Group, founded in 1948, and has additional operations in FBO, airline services, and aircraft de-icing. https://www.prostaraviation.com

For additional information, please contact:
Jeff Shaw, Director of Sales & Marketing
603-627-7827
jeff@prostaraviation.com

While our Michigan facility officially opened in May of 2025, the reality is that Grand Rapids began operating much earlier, with a soft opening in February of last year. As the location reaches its first anniversary, I spoke with Grand Rapids’ Director of Maintenance and Operations Manager Jeremy Mangum, Vice President at Pro Star Pilatus Center Mike Kenny, and President at Northeast Air Jesse Laughlin about the facility’s first year in operation. Together, we reflected on the path it took to get here and what that progress has meant for Pilatus owners in the Midwest.

That reflection begins with why Grand Rapids was chosen in the first place. From a strategic standpoint, Pro Star’s decision to establish a presence in Grand Rapids was rooted in its role supporting Pilatus sales and service across the Northeastern territory, including Michigan. “As the Pilatus brand continued to gain market share in the U.S., it became imperative that we expand our service and support capabilities,” Mike Kenny noted. With facilities already established in Manchester, NH and Portland, ME, Grand Rapids represented a logical westward expansion. 

For Jeremy Mangum, the appeal of Grand Rapids was more personal. Jeremy joined Pro Star in August of 2024, which allowed him to be a part of the facility’s story from the very beginning. What initially attracted him to the role was the rare opportunity to build a maintenance facility from the ground up. “That doesn’t happen very often in this industry,” he said. In this case, ‘building from the ground up’ wasn’t a figure of speech. In the early months, he was working out of a construction trailer while the hangar was still taking shape. 

At the same time, Jeremy was focused on building the right team, as well as defining what the Grand Rapids facility should represent. When doors first opened in Michigan, the operation consisted of four mechanics, an office manager, a chief inspector, and Jeremy himself. One year later, the facility has more than doubled in size, adding mechanics, avionics support, and additional resources as demand increased. According to Mike Kenny, that growth validated the original plan for Grand Rapids. “The response from our customers in the region surpassed our expectations,” he said. “The team has really stepped up to deliver the highest quality for our customers.”

Several milestones marked that progress along the way. The arrival of the first aircraft into the hangar was a big one. Seeing the hangar filled with PC-12 and PC-24 aircraft soon followed, something Mike described as a particularly meaningful moment for him. Jeremy echoed that sentiment, recalling the first time the hangar reached full capacity as a clear indicator that the operation had found its footing. In that moment, standing over the mezzanine and looking out over the hangar floor, Jeremy saw a tangible reminder of just how far the facility had come in such a short period of time. That scene has since become familiar, reflecting the sustained success Grand Rapids has achieved in its first year.

As with any serious undertaking, those milestones were also accompanied by early challenges. Jeremy was candid about the learning curves that come with launching a new operation. In the early months, the team often found themselves reacting–realizing they needed a specific tool, a new vendor relationship, or a refined process after encountering a real-world scenario. Jesse Laughlin resonated with these early struggles, noting that even with careful planning, some things can only be learned once operations are underway. “We learned what we didn’t know,” he said. “But we’re quick learners, and we focus on continuous improvement.” What helped, according to all three, was collaboration. Support from experienced teams, open communication with the FAA, and a shared commitment to doing things the right way created a strong foundation for Grand Rapids.

Looking ahead, the outlook is optimistic. Jeremy’s focus remains on refining capabilities and ensuring the facility continues to meet customer needs as demand grows. Mike sees Grand Rapids becoming “a solid member of the global Pilatus support community,” while Jesse emphasized that long-term success really comes down to people. “The success of a new location hinges on having the right individuals in the right seats,” he said. “That’s what we’re seeing in Grand Rapids.” One year in, the facility continues to evolve with intention, transparency, and a never-ending willingness to learn. As growth continues into the future, Grand Rapids stands as a testament to what can be achieved when leadership, team expertise, and customer focus come together through steady effort and collaboration.

Last January, I attempted to predict what the coming year might look like for business aviation. As post-COVID growth began to subside in 2024, I anticipated a year defined more by consistency than expansion. That expectation largely proved accurate, with flight activity remaining steady throughout 2025, consistent with industry forecasts predicting only marginal year-over-year growth. 

I did, however, highlight two clear caveats to this general trend: the continued rise of LEO technology and the growing challenge of parts obsolescence. Both factors had a meaningful impact on the industry, particularly in driving maintenance demand, as parts availability remained strained and LEO connectivity adoption rapidly accelerated. What I did not fully anticipate in my predictions was the extent to which shifting and unpredictable tariff policies would disrupt the aviation landscape in 2025.

While the tariffs themselves were not entirely unexpected, the pace and variability of their implementation created challenges that were difficult to model in advance. Ever-changing timelines, fluid percentages, and evolving country-specific rules significantly impacted cost and availability of aircraft and parts, particularly for platforms manufactured outside the United States. This instability made accurate pricing and delivery forecasting extremely difficult and, in some cases, delayed aircraft deliveries that had previously been considered straightforward. 

Fortunately, however, as 2025 came to a close, much of that uncertainty began to subside. Many aviation-related components were exempted under existing trade agreements, and previously problematic tariffs (most notably those affecting Swiss-manufactured aircraft) were eliminated, restoring a degree of predictability heading into 2026.

Looking ahead to 2026, I expect many of the core themes from 2025 to persist. Business aviation utilization is likely to remain relatively stable, extending the flat utilization trends seen over the past year rather than entering a new growth phase. Parts obsolescence will most certainly remain a central challenge. As I noted last year, components are becoming obsolete more quickly, largely due to reliance on commercially available products with shorter practical lifespans. 

In 2026, waiting for a part to fail before addressing it is simply no longer a viable strategy. Flight departments that anticipate and schedule replacements for potentially obsolete components will reduce the risk of unplanned downtime and ensure that aircraft will remain operational. In short, proactive planning is essential for operators moving forward.

There is also no denying the momentum of LEO technology entering the new year. While competitors like Gogo are working toward certifications, with new forces like Amazon Leo (previously Project Kuiper) planning to enter the market, Starlink continues to remain the clear front-runner. This is really due to the head start the company has, as aviation-specific solutions for newcomers in the LEO space remain years away from widespread adoption. For operators in 2026, the timing of installations will be critical. 

As this technology continues to grow in popularity, it makes sense that installations will continue to expand throughout the year. While this, of course, is a positive for the industry, limited MRO capacity and inventory issues are going to make it more difficult to schedule downtime to adopt the new technology. Just a year ago, it was not uncommon to schedule a Starlink installation within a couple of weeks. In 2026, a similar installation will likely take months of planning. This again signifies the importance of pre-planning and proactivity for aircraft operators this year.

For Pro Star, 2026 will continue to be defined by strategic evolution across facilities, aircraft types, and connectivity solutions. The Grand Rapids location will further establish itself as a Pilatus Center of Excellence, while Pilatus work in Manchester will increasingly be replaced with Falcon and larger-cabin aircraft support. This shift reflects the growing demand for more complex maintenance and upgrade services coming into the new year.

Connectivity adoption will also remain a central focus. By the end of Q1 in 2026, every aircraft type within Pro Star’s supported portfolio will have a viable LEO solution available. Many routine maintenance events will include companion connectivity installations, allowing operators to address multiple needs during a single downtime period. This integrated approach will help to minimize unplanned disruptions and improve scheduling efficiency for flight departments. Operators who coordinate in advance will see the most reliable results, while Pro Star will continue to position its facilities and teams to meet the increasing complexity and demand across its aircraft portfolio throughout the coming year.

Grand Rapids, MI – Pro Star Pilatus Center, an Authorized Pilatus Sales & Service Center, is proud to have played a key role in the delivery of the first Pilatus PC-12 PRO to a U.S. customer. This milestone reinforces Pro Star’s leadership in supporting Pilatus aircraft and its commitment to bringing next-generation capability to operators across the country.

The aircraft was delivered to owners Ravi and Pheroza Arcot at Pilatus’ North American headquarters in Broomfield, Colorado, and will be based in the Northeastern United States. “I’m honored to deliver the first PC-12 PRO to the U.S. market,” said Michael Kenny, Vice President at the Pro Star Pilatus Center. “This amazing airplane is a supreme example of safety, technology, and exceptional operating economics. Pilatus has once again set the bar to a completely new level.”

The PC-12 PRO redefines what operators can expect from the world’s best-selling single-engine turboprop, featuring a redesigned cockpit, advanced Garmin G3000 PRIME avionics, and integrated Safety Autoland. Paired with the latest Pratt & Whitney PT6 engine and EPECS technology, the PC-12 PRO delivers improved efficiency, reliability, and simplified operation. 

With a growing fleet of PC-12s throughout the United States, Pro Star Pilatus Center continues to provide the expertise, technical support, and customer-focused service that Pilatus owners rely on. This first U.S. delivery marks the beginning of a new era for the PC-12 platform, solidifying its position as the world’s greatest business turboprop.

Pro Star Aviation, headquartered at the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire with locations in Grand Rapids, MI, and Portland, ME, is a recognized industry leader in the maintenance and upgrade of business and government aircraft. The company is a factory-authorized service facility for Dassault Falcon Jet, Embraer, and Pilatus. Pro Star has gained national recognition specializing in avionics upgrades, in-flight connectivity solutions, special mission aircraft modifications, and aircraft sales. With proven capacity to manage complex projects and provide targeted solutions for unique operational requirements, Pro Star consistently meets the highest standards of performance and reliability. Pro Star is part of the Laughlin Family aviation group of companies, which was founded in 1948 and has additional operations in FBO, airline services, and aircraft de-icing. https://www.prostaraviation.com

For additional information, please contact:
Jeff Shaw, Director of Sales & Marketing
603-627-7827
jeff@prostaraviation.com

For much of our 25-year-plus history, Pro Star has been a collaboration of specialized businesses, each excelling in its own domain. In 2025, however, something shifted. This year marked the first truly concerted effort to bring the full breadth of the Laughlin family of companies together under a unified umbrella. It was a year not just defined by growth, but by alignment. Aircraft sales, manufacturing, maintenance, special missions, and new facilities were no longer operating as parallel efforts but as parts of a singular, more integrated operation. This resulted in greater internal clarity, a more cohesive customer experience, and a strong foundation built to support continued growth in the years ahead.

One of the most prominent milestones was geographic expansion. For decades, Pro Star has operated primarily out of its Manchester, NH location. In 2025, the opening of the Grand Rapids, MI facility marked the company’s first major brand expansion, expanding Pro Star’s reach to the western edge of its Pilatus territory. In its first year of operation, the Grand Rapids hangar was frequently booked to capacity—a true testament to the teams on the floor and behind the scenes who made it happen. Just as importantly, the Michigan location elevated Pro Star’s national presence, reinforcing its credibility and awareness across the industry.

That growth was supported by deliberate internal investments in both leadership and operations. In Manchester, Pro Star strengthened its operational leadership structure with the addition of Wayne Tibbetts as Operations Director. Coming from Bombardier, Wayne brought deep OEM experience and immediately added structure, efficiency, and oversight to production operations. Additionally, Pro Star expanded planning and sales capabilities with dedicated experts for individual OEMs. This ensured that customers would be supported by teams with focused technical and operational knowledge. 

A major enabler of this alignment was technology. In 2025, Pro Star implemented a common ERP and CRM platform, Quantum, across locations, including Northeast Air. Though a major effort, it now provides real-time visibility into production, inventory, scheduling, and analytics across the organization. This resulted in improved predictability, better coordination between sites, and a more consistent customer experience from quote to delivery. 

Our newly centralized approach was especially evident in our sales and planning departments. Historically, these departments just served the Manchester location. With our concerted effort to unify locations, the sales and planning teams introduced a more streamlined quoting and workflow process this year, allowing technical teams to stay focused on maintenance and installations while ensuring customers receive clear expectations and reliable schedules. It’s a shift that benefits everyone: fewer bottlenecks, better communication, and a steady, predictable flow of work. 

On the technical front, 2025 was a year of ‘firsts’. Pro Star completed and initiated a number of milestone projects this year, including:

Willingness to push into new territory was also evident in Pro Star’s evolving approach to federal contracting. Rather than viewing the federal market solely through the lens of special missions modification, Pro Star took a more holistic approach—integrating maintenance, installation, and long-term support capabilities. While work remains on certifications and infrastructure, 2025 helped to identify gaps, test processes, and build the internal muscle needed to compete more effectively within the federal marketplace.

Underlying all of this progress was a renewed commitment to our identity. To reflect the consolidation of the Laughlin family companies and to celebrate more than 25 years in the business, Pro Star undertook a comprehensive rebrand in 2025. New logos, uniforms, a refreshed website, updated collateral, and trade show materials were not just cosmetic changes—they were outward expressions of a more unified organization. For the first time in our history, Pro Star’s full range of capabilities are being showcased together as one cohesive unit. While there is always more to come, 2025 positioned Pro Star Aviation to move into 2026 stronger, more connected, and more intentional than ever before. This year wasn’t just about doing more, it was about doing things together—and that may be the most important milestone of all. 

October 10, 2025 – Londonderry, NH – Pro Star Aviation has officially unveiled a new brand identity, marking the first major rebrand in the company’s history. Centered around an updated logo, this relaunch represents an important step in the company’s continued commitment to growth and innovation. The announcement arrives at a pivotal time for Pro Star, coinciding with significant expansion, including the opening of its new Grand Rapids, Michigan facility in April of this year. 

Pro Star’s Director of Sales & Marketing, Jeff Shaw, commented on the change, stating, “The relaunch isn’t just about a new design; it is also a reflection of our trajectory as a company. As our capabilities and reach continue to grow, it’s important that our brand evolves along with us.”

The refreshed identity reflects Pro Star’s development from a respected regional service provider into a multi-location enterprise with a growing national footprint. The new branding will roll out across all company touchpoints in the coming months, including major locations and digital platforms. 

Pro Star Aviation, headquartered at the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire with locations in Grand Rapids, MI, and Portland, ME, is a recognized industry leader in the maintenance and upgrade of business and government aircraft. The company is a factory-authorized service facility for Dassault Falcon Jet, Embraer, and Pilatus. Pro Star has gained national recognition specializing in avionics upgrades, in-flight connectivity solutions, special mission aircraft modifications, and aircraft sales. With proven capacity to manage complex projects and provide targeted solutions for unique operational requirements, Pro Star consistently meets the highest standards of performance and reliability. Pro Star is part of the Laughlin Family aviation group of companies, which was founded in 1948 and has additional operations in FBO, airline services, and aircraft de-icing. https://www.prostaraviation.com

For additional information, please contact:
Jeff Shaw, Director of Sales & Marketing
603-627-7827
jeff@prostaraviation.com

In the field of business aviation, market value can largely be shaped by perception. While value can certainly be influenced by logical factors, such as maintenance status and operating costs, it is often perception that plays an equal, if not greater, role in shaping what an aircraft is actually worth. Aircraft values, especially in the pre-owned market, fluctuate not only on condition or hours flown, but also on broader economic circumstances like stock market consistency, interest rates, and tariffs. The last of which, more recently, has proven to be one of the most volatile and disruptive factors.

While tariffs are certainly nothing new, their recent impact on business aviation has caught many operators and brokers off guard. Under the current U.S. administration, tariffs on imported steel and aluminum have been raised to 50%. On top of that, an additional 10% tariff now applies to nearly all imports from countries not already subject to specific trade sanctions. These tariffs have created a lot of uncertainty for this industry.

Aircraft, especially those sold in the U.S., are international by design. A Pilatus, for example, is assembled in Switzerland, but integrates components from across Europe, Canada, and the United States (including a U.S. made avionics and flight control system). So, when the U.S. government imposes these sweeping tariffs on foreign imports, it can be hard to know what exactly qualifies on an aircraft like this. On top of that, the price hike that these tariffs create for buyers also creates instability.

One thing that is certain is this: Buyers don’t like surprises, especially when a tariff suddenly increases the price of an aircraft after a deal is signed. But, again, with the uncertainty around how much of the aircraft is being ‘imported’, the specifics of the price increase are also in limbo. Seemingly in at least some cases the current Administration is expecting to assess the tariff on the full retail value of the aircraft. Logic would dictate that it is unreasonable when a sizeable portion of the cost is derived by goods made in North America which are not subject to tariffs. Whether or not a tariff is enforced, or how much of it will be absorbed by the OEM or dealer, is the subject of great uncertainty. This uncertainty has caused a great deal of disruption to the sale and importation of foreign aircraft. All three of the aircraft manufacturers that we represent with Authorized Service Center status had projected record-breaking sales this year. As of the end of the second quarter, all three are off their projected delivery pace which is most likely to be a result of the disruptive impact of the new tariff regime.

While in theory, tariffs are designed to level trade imbalances and incentivize domestic manufacturing, in practice, that is not always the case. Especially with industries as globally intertwined as aviation, tariffs more often serve as a tax on U.S. consumers and businesses. In fact, tariffs very rarely hit foreign OEMs the hardest. Instead, it is the American buyers and dealers who bear the brunt. In fact, many OEMs and resellers are forced to absorb a large part of the added tariff levies just to keep deals moving forward, naturally this can result in a significant impact to the dealer’s margin.

Unlike certain quick-moving industries, like oil, which can respond rapidly to shifts in pricing, aircraft sales and manufacturing can stretch years into the future. Contracts signed today may not be delivered for up to 2 years, depending on the specific aircraft. That lag makes it incredibly difficult to adequately price aircraft. This is especially relevant with the current U.S. administration, and the volatility with which certain tariff percentages come and go.

Ultimately, while tariffs have the capacity to reshape global aircraft manufacturing, any significant changes to come would unfold gradually over the course of several years. In the short-term, however, OEMs are the ones absorbing all of the cost and risk created by these tariffs. With the July 9th deadline, the industry is still holding its breath for resolution. We will revisit this topic next month for a more in-depth look on the effects of the tariffs, and to explore how the outcome of the deadline is shaping real-world decisions in business aviation.