Chad Trautvetter
Online Editor
Chad is the editor of AINalerts, AIN's daily business aviation newsletter, and is also the news editor at AIN Media Group. He has been writing about aviation, with an emphasis on business aviation, since 1994. Chad started his writing career at The Avion, the student newspaper at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, serving as editor-in-chief before graduating with a bachelor's in aeronautical science. After a stint as managing editor at Professional Pilot magazine, he joined AIN in late 1998. Chad holds a commercial pilot certificated with instrument and multi-engine ratings, and he also is a CFI/CFII. He lives and works from his home in Venice, Florida.
Latest from Chad Trautvetter
Rotorcraft
Spirit AeroSystems To Make Wing for CityAirbus NG eVTOL
Spirit AeroSystems will develop and manufacture the wings for the CityAirbus NextGen’s eVTOL at its facility in Belfast,Northern Ireland.
Aircraft
First flights in the past 50 years (March and April)
These aircraft took to the skies for the first time during March and April, from 1972 through 2021
Rotorcraft
HAI Bestows Pilot of Year Award to USCG's Travis Christy
U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Commander Travis Christy, who flies a Sikorsky MH-60 Seahawk, is the recipient of HAI’s 2022 Pilot of the Year Award.
Security
Universal Donates Ukraine Humanitarian Flight Services
Universal Weather and Aviation is donating its services to support humanitarian missions during the Ukrainian crisis.
Rotorcraft
57-year Pilot Dwayne Williams Lands HAI Lifetime Award
Dwayne Williams, a helicopter pilot with more than 16,000 hours of accident-free flying, is the 2022 winner of HAI's Lifetime Achievement Award.
Aircraft
Tradewind Aviation To Double Its PC-12 Fleet
Tradewind Aviation today placed an order for 20 Pilatus PC-12 NGXs that will more than double its existing fleet of 18 PC-12s.
ATC
European Union Closes Airspace to All Russian Aircraft
In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union on February 27 closed its airspace to all Russian aircraft.
Charter & Fractional
Survey: 51% of Bizav Users Expect To Fly More This Year
A survey from Private Jet Card Comparisons indicates that 51 percent of business aircraft users plan to fly more this year.
Aircraft
Foley: Bizjet Shipments To Reach 900 Annually by 2025
Industry analyst Brian Foley is calling for business jet shipments to “get out of their 700-unit-per-year rut and approach 900 units as soon as 2024."
Aircraft
Rolls-Royce Taps FACC for Pearl 10X Composite Parts
Rolls-Royce has selected Austria-based FACC to develop and manufacture the complete composite package for the Pearl engine to power the new Falcon 10X.
Avionics
Plane Simple Reaches Milestone with Inmarsat Satellite
Satcom Direct's Plane Simple terminal for the Inmarsat Jet ConneX broadband service has moved a step closer to commercial service.
Avionics
AEA: Bizav/Genav Avionics Sales Climb 6.5% in 2021
Worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales last year climbed 6.5 percent, to nearly $2.37 billion, according to AEA's latest market report.
Aircraft
New Owners To Resurrect Jetcruzer as Electric Aircraft
The Jetcruzer—a turbine single pusher fixed-wing design dating back to the mid-1980s—is being revived as an electric aircraft.
Aircraft
NBAA Launches Aircraft Owner-pilot Coalition
NBAA has launched a new coalition that aims to bring together leaders of business aircraft owner-pilot organizations to tackle top concerns.
Safety
USAIG Adds Polaris to Performance Vector Program
USAIG has added Polaris Aero's Vocus, a cloud-based safety management software suite, to its Performance Vector safety program.
Daher To Acquire Triumph's Florida Aerostructures Plant
Daher has inked an agreement to acquire Triumph Group’s metallic aerostructures production and assembly business in Stuart, Florida.
Maintenance and Modifications
Flying Classroom Bombardier Academy Sees First Grads
The Flying Classroom Bombardier Academy graduated its first class of 30 students on Tuesday at the NBAA regional forum in Miami.
NBAA Regional Forum Rides Bizav's Wave of Optimism
The NBAA regional forum on Tuesday at Miami-Opa locka Executive Airport (KOPF) attracted more attendees and exhibitors than initially expected.
Aircraft
Gulfstream Preps To Increase Wing Production Capacity
Gulfstream Aerospace is expanding the capacity to manufacture wings for its large-cabin twinjets as the company plans to ramp up aircraft production.
Embraer Reintegrates Commercial Aviation Business
Embraer has completed the reintegration of its commercial aviation business, following its split in 2019 to prepare for a joint venture with Boeing.
Charter & Fractional
Wheels Up Inks Deal To Acquire Air Partner
Wheels Up has reached an agreement to acquire London-based aviation services provider Air Partner for approximately $107 million in cash.
Aircraft
Gulfstream Shipments Projected To Reach New High in '24
Aircraft deliveries at Gulfstream Aerospace are projected to reach 170 units in 2024, topping the company's previous high of 156 aircraft in 2008.
Aircraft
Spirit Aero Now Offering Citation X FMS Software Update
Spirit Aeronautics is now able to perform the v6.1 software upgrade for Honeywell FMZ-2000 flight management systems in Cessna Citation Xs.
Aircraft
Bidding Process Reopens for Piaggio Aerospace
Piaggio Aerospace extraordinary commissioner Vincenzo Nicastro has reopened the bidding process for the sale of the Avanti Evo manufacturer.
Aircraft
Vertical Flight Society Grows Alongside eVTOL Industry
Growth in the emerging eVTOL industry is spilling over to the Vertical Flight Society, which saw its company membership increase by 20% last year.
Safety
Phoenix Air Gets First IS-BAO Remote-piloted A/C Nod
The International Business Aviation Council has issued its first IS-BAO Remote Piloted Aircraft System to Phoenix Air Unmanned.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Avsurance Turns 30, Sees Record Year
Avfuel’s in-house aviation insurance subsidiary, Avsurance, celebrated its 30th anniversary with its best year ever in terms of assets covered.
Aircraft
Altea: Business Aircraft Seller's Market To Continue
Business aircraft brokerage and consultancy Altea expects the preowned market to continue to tilt in the seller’s favor for now.
Aircraft
Embraer Selling Évora Aerostructures Units to Aernnova
Embraer is selling its Évora, Portugal-based metal and composite aerostructures subsidiaries to Aernnova for $172 million, with closing expected by April.
Aircraft
First flights in the past 50 years (January and February)
These aircraft took to the skies for the first time during January and February, from 1972 through 2021
