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
Charter & Fractional
Ricci Back in Left Seat at Flight Options
Cleveland-based fractional provider Flight Options yesterday named Kenn Ricci chairman and Mike Silvestro CEO, replacing former CEO S.
Training and Workforce
Jeppesen online CFI renewal program a cut above the rest
In aviation, the old saying goes, “You don’t want to lose the ratings and certificates that you’ve already got.”
Aircraft
Cirrus SJX Jet Single Enters Flight-test Phase
Engineers at Duluth, Minn.-based Cirrus Design are still poring over telemetry data from the first flight of the company’s single-engine jet late last week
Aircraft
Comp Air’s CA-9 Turboprop To Fly Soon
Merritt Island, Fla.-based Comp Air is preparing its CA-9 prototype for first flight, three months after unveiling the all-composite turboprop single at th
Charter & Fractional
NetJets Pilots Break from IBT, Choose In-house Union
NetJets pilots this week overwhelmingly voted to switch union representation from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to the NetJets Association of
ATC
New Alliance Plans To Help Usher In NextGen ATC
The Alliance for Sustainable Air Transportation (ASAT) was publicly launched late last week at a Florida summit on global climate change in Miami.
Aircraft
It's official: Eclipse launches single-engine sibling for EA-500
Eclipse Aviation in late May launched the Eclipse 400, a single-engine jet that will be a close relative of the Eclipse Concept Jet (ECJ) prototype reveale
Aircraft
HBC delivers first customer copy of the Hawker 4000
One week after gaining full FAA type approval and production certification for the Hawker 4000, Hawker Beechcraft delivered the first copy of the super-mid
Charter & Fractional
VistaJet Signs To Buy Bombardier Skyjet
Zurich, Switzerland-based VistaJet Holding today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Bombardier Aerospace’s Skyjet International
Aircraft
PiperJet Poised To Start High-speed Taxi Tests
Piper Aircraft today said that the PiperJet proof of concept’s Williams FJ44-3AP engine was started and tested on June 19, describing the first on-ship run
Aircraft
Cirrus Rolls Out ‘SJX’ Personal Jet
Duluth, Minn.-based Cirrus Design rolled out its single-engine jet prototype on Thursday, almost a year to the day after it unveiled a cabin mock-up to cus
Maintenance and Modifications
Cessna ratchets up its global service capability
According to Cessna’s v-p of service facilities Jim Morgan, “We are dedicated to expanding our worldwide Citation product network and doubling the capacity
Aircraft
Sovereign makes its debut at NBAA '02
“To date, all major milestones have been completed on or ahead of schedule,” noted Cessna Citation Sovereign senior product director Brad Thress.
Aircraft
Cessna betting on a ‘sure thing’ with CJ3
Cessna Aircraft is living up to its marketing tag line “Sure Thing” with the introduction yesterday afternoon of the Citation CJ3.
Aircraft
Epic Elite Jet To Be Certified in Russia First
Epic Aircraft parent company Aircraft Investor Resources (AIR) and Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing (TAM) last week further cemented their joint venture to d
NBAA, GAMA Slam Report on Private Jets
NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) have denounced a report on private jet travel and the general aviation industry issued by th
Aircraft
Flight into Known Icing OK for Eclipse 500
Eclipse Aviation yesterday received flight into known icing (FIKI) approval for the Eclipse 500, though in-service and undelivered aircraft up to S/N 265 w
Environment
GAMA Going Green
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) on Friday announced that it established an environment committee “to represent the general aviation m
Aircraft
PiperJet Ground Testing To Start Soon
Piper Aircraft reports that its PiperJet prototype is making progress, with the first engine start and run to “occur shortly.” Earlier this month, the Vero
Bizjet Manufacturers Continue To Rack Up Sales
Defying the sluggish U.S.
Aircraft
Sovereign on track to fly early next year
Wichita-based Cessna Aircraft is continuing to make progress on the development and certification activities of its super-midsize Citation Sovereign.
Safety
NTSB Addresses Landing Distances, Crew Fatigue
The NTSB issued a number of recommendations yesterday stemming from an April 12, 2007, landing overrun of a Pinnacle Airlines Bombardier CRJ at Cherry Capi
Aircraft
First Customer Hawker 4000 Finally Delivered
Hawker Beechcraft delivered the first super-midsize Hawker 4000 to launch customers Gary and Donna Hall during a ceremony yesterday at the company’s headqu
FBOs
SimuFlite expanding, adding new models
SimuFlite, which was recently rebranded as GE Capital SimuFlite to emphasize that it is a subsidiary of General Electric, has begun its third major expansi
Regulations and Government
FAA Amends ETOPS Rule
Effective yesterday, the FAA officially amended the regulations governing extended twin-engine operations (ETOPS) of turbine-powered airplanes operated by
FBOs
GreenFlight Continues Jet Biofuel Testing
Apopka, Fla.-based GreenFlight International continues to refine its “first generation” biofuel for jets and plans to conduct the first biofuel transcontin
Bizjet Planning Coming Along Smoothly for Embraer
Embraer’s plan to increase its business jet portfolio from the 16-seat Legacy 600, currently its only executive jet in service, to six business jets by 201
Aircraft
Stuck Power Control Leads To Eclipse 500 Tire Blowout
Eclipse Aviation on Monday issued a “customer pilot communication” regarding an incident last Thursday in which an Eclipse 500’s main gear tires blew out d
Regulations and Government
Congressional Hearing Takes On ATC Staffing, Training
During a House aviation subcommittee hearing on air traffic controller facility staffing yesterday, Natca president Patrick Forrey charged that “rampant un
