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
UBS: ‘Incremental Improvement’ for Bizjet Market
Deterioration in the business jet market is continuing to slow, according to UBS Investment Research’s latest monthly business jet report, which was releas
Pre-owned Bizjet Market Stabilizing, Amstat Says
The worldwide inventory of pre-owned business jets on the market decreased from 18 percent to 17.2 percent of the in-service fleet last month, according to
GAMA/NBAA Survey Shows True Face of Bizav Users
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and NBAA today released a new survey showing that recent portrayals of business aviation as mainly “f
Cessna looks to existing market as it awaits economic rebound
Cessna chairman, president and CEO Jack Pelton has been holding on tight over the past year as the business aviation industry has taken manufacturers o
Aircraft
Program Update: Gulfstream G650 on schedule to make first flight by year-end
Under bright blue skies on September 29, Gulfstream Aerospace rolled out the first wide-cabin G650 powered by its two Rolls-Royce BR725 engines before a cr
Aircraft
Stratos Nets First Order, To Unveil Mockup at NBAA
Bend, Ore.-based Stratos Aircraft yesterday received the first deposit for its new single-engine Stratos 714 very light jet.
Aircraft
Aerion Claims It Will Be First To Market with an SSBJ
Aerion chairman Robert Bass is using the NBAA Convention next week to reiterate the company’s commitment to forging a partnership with one or more OEM part
ARG/US: Bizav Flight Activity Highest Since Oct.’08
Business aircraft flight activity last month was at its highest level since last October, according to data released yesterday by aviation services company
Regulations and Government
NATA Survey Shows Effects of FAA Inconsistencies
A recent survey conducted by the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) about inconsistent FAA regulatory interpretations has yielded “troubling, y
JPMorgan: Good Reasons for Bizjet Market Optimism
According to a monthly business jet report issued by JPMorgan this week, the pre-owned market recovery continues though new jet demand is expected to lag.
Avionics
Aircell Unveils Stand-alone Airborne High-speed Internet
Airborne communications provider Aircell today unveiled its new ATG 5000 high-speed Internet unit for the business aviation market.
Aircraft
Gulfstream G250 Makes Debut, One Week after G650
The first super-midsize Gulfstream G250 rolled out today at Israel Aerospace Industries’ facility at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Charter & Fractional
XOJet Dispels Citation X Disposal Talk
Responding to scuttlebutt about selling off its Cessna Citation X fleet, charter aircraft provider XOJet told AIN, “This is incorrect as t
Pelton: Bizav Issues Don’t End at Geographic Lines
Business aviation faces similar issues around the world that will require operators to cooperate across regional lines if the industry is to thrive, Cessna
Maintenance and Modifications
Jet Aviation São Paulo To Support Gulfstreams
Gulfstream Aerospace is designating the Jet Aviation facility in São Paulo, Brazil, as an authorized warranty repair facility.
Epic Air Filing for Bankruptcy
In a hearing of the lawsuit filed by Blue Sky Avgroup against kit-airp
FBOs
Shanghai FBO To Open Next Year
A private jet terminal at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport is scheduled to open ahead of the World Expo in May.
Rotorcraft
Sikorsky Whirl Tests Active Rotor System
Sikorsky Aircraft wrapped up whirl testing of a demonstration rotor system with active flaps as part of the company’s “commitment to design, develop, test
Cabin Interior and Electronics
BAE, Quest Team on Cabin Air FilterI
BAE Systems and Quest International of the UK have combined to launch a cabin-air system that can destroy airborne viruses and bacteria, including swine fl
Aircraft
Cirrus Hiking Price of Vision Jet
Cirrus Aircraft last month raised the price of the single-engine Vision Jet, a personal VLJ, to $1.39 million for existing position holders and to $1.55 mi
Aircraft
King Air 350i Gets Electric Shades
PPG Industries’ aerospace transparencies business and Gentex will be providing electrochromic window systems to Hawker Beechcraft as standard equipment for
Aero Resources Offers Contract Scheduling
Air-charter broker and consulting service Aero Resources added a new program for outsourced scheduling and dispatching.
Piper Aircraft Obtains ODA Approval
The FAA recently awarded Piper Aircraft type-certificate organization designation authorization (ODA), which gives the Vero Beach, Fla.-based aircraft manu
UBS: Pre-owned Inventory Trending Downward
Available business jet inventories dropped 2 percent in August, the second sequential decline in three months, following 18 months of consecutive increases
Market for older bizjets likely to remain stagnant
Business jet valuations for pre-mid-1990 models are in “dire straits” and likely will never recover, Conklin & de Decker vice president and co-owner David
Regulations and Government
NPS To Settle Grand Canyon Noise Issue
After debating Grand Canyon air-tour noise for eight years, the Grand Canyon Working Group (GCWG) has left the issue to the National Park Service (NPS), wh
Bizcraft Buyers ‘Out There,’ Piedmont Notes
Piedmont Aircraft has sold 24 pre-owned business airplanes since its official launch earlier this year, proving that “even in this market, which is one of
Avionics
UVdatalink Fleet Status Upgraded
Universal Weather and Aviation enhanced its online flight-tracking application, UVdatalink Fleet Status, to help flight departments more easily track and m
FAA Ordered To Pay Air Trek’s Legal Expenses
The FAA on August 20 reinstated the air-carrier operating ce
Aircraft
China Orders Three Citation Sovereigns
Cessna Aircraft last month during Asian Aerospace 2009 in Hong Kong received an order for three Citation Sovereigns from the China Flight Inspection Center
