Kerry Lynch stepped into the role of editor of the&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;monthly magazine in May 2022 after serving with&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;for eight years. She joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in December 2014 as a senior editor covering Washington and business aviation news. She has also served on Convention News teams, including as editor of&nbsp;HAI Convention News. Lynch previously spent 25 years with Aviation Week. During her time there, she reported for and later steered&nbsp;The Weekly of Business Aviation, oversaw business aviation content on the&nbsp;Aviation Week Intelligence Network, served on the&nbsp;Show News&nbsp;staff, and held roles as the Washington columnist for&nbsp;Business &amp; Commercial Aviation&nbsp;and&nbsp;Overhaul &amp; Maintenance&nbsp;monthly magazines. In 2021 she was honored with the National Business Aviation Association Platinum Wing Award for lifetime achievement in journalism and was the 2004 recipient of the National Air Transportation Association’s Aviation Journalism Excellence Award. She also has been a recipient of an Aerospace Media Award for business aviation (2022) and NBAA Gold Wing Award (2003, 2024). Lynch graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts in journalism.

Editor, AIN monthly magazine

Kerry Lynch

The U.S. government has implemented <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-06-05/pdf/2019-11777.pdf">new restrictions</a> on traveling to Cuba, including a general ban on private and corporate flights from the U.S. to the island nation effective June 5. The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the Department of State are coordinating on policies to restrict non-family travel “to hold the Cuban regime accountable for its repression of the Cuban people and its support of the Maduro regime in Venezuela,” the agencies said.

 


BIS is amending its&nbsp;licensing provisions&nbsp;to effectively prohibit&nbsp;non-commercial aircraft to go to Cuba&nbsp;directly or indirectly. "License applications for the temporary sojourn to Cuba of those vessels and aircraft are subject to a general policy of denial.” Universal Weather &amp; Aviation <a href="http://www.universalweather.com/blog/new-cuba-sanctions-how-they-impact-business-aviation/">added</a> that the agency indicates licenses will be issued only in extraordinary circumstances.

 


In coordination with OFAC, BIS has implemented a general policy of denial for exports and re-exports to Cuba for items subject to the Export Administration Regulations—including private and corporate aircraft, the agency said. But it is allowing for certain exceptions, including&nbsp;for the safety of civil aviation and safe operation for commercial aircraft engaged in international air transportation.

 


OpsGroup issued a <a href="https://ops.group/blog/total-ban-on-us-private-flights-to-cuba/">notification</a> about the changes, saying effectively for Part 91 “you cannot operate an N-registered aircraft privately to Cuba for any reason. This includes corporate.” This is regardless of whether passengers meet the accepted travel category requirements. After inquiring with BIS, OpsGroup does believe Part 135 charter is still accepted travel&nbsp;but advises operators to first check with both BIS and OFAC. Passengers&nbsp;must comply with one of the accepted purposes of travel. Air ambulance flights further are permitted.

 


Further, the government has removed “people to people” as an accepted category for travel. This was commonly used for travel for educational purposes.&nbsp;Universal, however, notes there is a grandfather provision for travel under this category that had been previously booked.

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U.S. Implements Travel Ban on Private Flights To Cuba

After checking with the the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security, OpsGroup believes Part 135 flights are still accepted travel to Cuba.

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