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: 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
JPMorgan: Business Jet Sentiment Improving
“We’ve felt a more positive vibe on business jets recently, with used inventory ticking down slightly and flight operations edging upward,” JPMorgan Equity
Former FBI Agent Pegged for Top TSA Post
President Obama last month announced his intent to nominate Erroll Southers as Assistant Secretary, Department of Homeland Security (Transportation Securit
Regulations and Government
NBAA Offering eApis Tool for Members
NBAA has partnered with Arinc Direct to offer a new online tool to help members comply with U.S.
Aviation Groups Fuming over USA Today Story
A story on general aviation airports in the September 17 issue of USA Today, and a companion video news segment broadcast that same day on NBC’s T
Aircraft
Citation Excel/XLSs OK’d for BoomBeams
LoPresti Aviation received FAA STC approval for BoomBeam high-intensity discharge (HID) lights on the Cessna Citation Excel/XLS.
Bizav Flight Activity Showing Sign of Life
Business aircraft flight activity for Part 91 operators appears to have bottomed, according to data from Aviation Research Group/U.S.
Aircraft
Gulfstream G650 Rolled Out, Under Its Own Power
Gulfstream Aerospace this morning rolled out the first wide-cabin G650 to much fanfare, and a crowd that completely filled the G650 production hangar, at i
Avionics
ACSS Intros TCAS Change 7.1 Update
Aviation Communications & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) is readying a software update for the Phoenix company’s TCAS II and TCAS 2000 traffic alert and c
Maintenance and Modifications
NATA: Updates Are maintenance Tasks
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA), responding to recent member requests, issued a statement that clarifies FAA regulations that apply to u
Airports
Fewer Delays For Colorado Airports
Corporate operators can expect fewer delays at Colorado’s Craig, Steamboat Springs, Hayden and Rifle Airports this winter since the Colorado DOT has purcha
Charter & Fractional
NBAA issues Guide for Charter Brokers
NBAA published best-practices guidelines for charter brokers that outline the regulatory environment in which air-charter brokers work, along with business
Charter & Fractional
Frax pilots vote on strike authorization
Teamsters Local 1108, the union representing some 500 pilots at fractional provider Flight Options, on September 21 mailed strike-authorization vote ballot
Aircraft
Emivest delivers its First SJ30
Emivest Aerospace, formerly Sino Swearingen Aircraft, on September 23 delivered its first SJ30 light jet and continues to ramp up production at its San Ant
STUDY: Bizcraft boost firms’ performance
NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) welcomed a new study from Nexa Advisors that indicates companies using business aviation out
Charter & Fractional
NetJets trims workforce by 5 percent
Fractional provider NetJets on September 11 announced the first major workforce reduction since David Sokol took over in early August as chairman and actin
Aircraft
First Flight 40 Years Ago Gave Lift to Citation Series
Cessna Aircraft last month celebrated the 40th anniversary of the maiden flight of the Citation 500, the first model in its now broad series of business je
Maintenance and Modifications
Winglets available for Citation X
Cessna Aircraft in late August delivered the first Citation X retrofitted with elliptical winglets made by Wichita-based Winglet Technology.
Companies with Bizcraft Outperform Those Without
NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) today welcomed the release of a new
Regulations and Government
Ground-based Augmentation Landing System OK’d
Honeywell’s SmartPath precision-landing system yesterday became the only ground-based augmentation system (GBAS) to receive FAA approval.
Charter & Fractional
Air Charter Best Practices Guide Released by NBAA
NBAA last week released best-practices guidelines for charter brokers that outline the regulatory environment in which air-charter brokers work, along with
UBS: Bizjet Market ‘Less Worse, Not Better’
UBS Investment Research’s September business jet market index came in at 43, 16-percent higher than its previous survey in July and moved upward for the si
Charter & Fractional
Flight Options Pilots Vote on Strike Authorization
Teamsters Local 1108, the union representing some 500 pilots at fractional provider Flight Options, yesterday announced a strike-authorization vote as fina
Charter & Fractional
Air Royale President Leaves UK Charter Broker Group
Wayne Rizzi, president of Los Angeles-based aircraft charter broker Air Royale International, yesterday resigned as the U.S.
