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
Aircraft
Europe meets the HondaJet
At its first official presence here at EBACE yesterday, Honda Aircraft (Booth No.
Aircraft
Europe Meets the HondaJet
Honda Aircraft made a big splash in its first official presence at EBACE today, announcing the appointment of three European HondaJet dealers to provide sa
Rolls-Royce Forecasts Steady Bizjet Growth
In its latest business jet forecast, released today at EBACE, Rolls-Royce predicts demand for 39,000 new aircraft, ranging from very light jets to bizliner
Aircraft
An Apex for Spectrum’s Freedom
Carlsbad, Calif.-based Spectrum Aeronautical yesterday announced that it selected the Honeywell Primus Apex integrated avionics suite for the all-composite
Charter & Fractional
Avantair Narrows Losses, On Way to Profitability
Piaggio Avanti fractional provider Avantair is narrowing its losses and on course to reach profitability in the near future, company CEO Steven Santo said
Charter & Fractional
Flight Options now #2
Wichita-based Raytheon Travel Air and Cleveland-based Flight Options on March 20 completed their planned merger, first announced December 20, creating the
Aircraft
Florida Plant To Increase Embraer Phenom Output
The 149,500-sq-ft Phenom 100/300 final assembly and completions facility that Embraer is building at Melbourne (Fla.) Airport will substantially increase t
Bombardier: 13,200 Bizjets Delivered in Next 10 Years
Bombardier Aerospace’s business aircraft market forecast, released last week, predicts that 1,320 business jets, ranging from light twinjets to corporate a
Teal Predicts More Good Times Ahead for Bizav
The 18th annual Teal Group Business Jet Overview, released on Friday, forecasts production of 14,289 business jets worth $218 billion (in 2008 dollars) ove
Aircraft
Sales Up, Deliveries Down at Hawker Beechcraft
Hawker Beechcraft reported continued strong sales for its airplane offerings in the first quarter, though snags with the Hawker 4000 resulted in the Wichit
Aircraft
Embraer’s Finances, Backlog Flying High
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer recorded first-quarter sales of $1.34 billion, a nearly 61-percent increase year-over-year, and a profit of $85 mil
Regulations and Government
GAMA: Bizjet Deliveries Climbed 40 Percent in 1Q
The business jet market has continued its spectacular rise, while turboprop shipments grew modestly and piston deliveries dropped sharply, according to fir
Training and Workforce
Job hunting: the power of networking
Want to learn how to land your dream flying job? Then Job Hunting for Pilots by Gregory Brown (Iowa State University Press; www.isupress.com; $21.
Aircraft
AIN Special Report: New Business Aircraft
Last year’s dot-com nosedive has taken its toll on the startup companies planning to build new business aircraft and seeking ever more elusive investor fun
Aircraft
In The Works: Cessna Citation Sovereign
All major milestones with the Sovereign have been completed on or ahead of schedule, according to Brad Thress, Sovereign senior product director, who added
FBOs
Mercury Opens Mega-size FBO in Kuwait
Mercury Air Group announced today that it has started flight operations at the Royal Terminal in Kuwait, the largest private aviation terminal in the Middl
Aircraft
Cessna’s new CJ3 proves to be a red-hot seller
Cessna Aircraft racked up orders for 156 Citation CJ3s (of which 100 are for NetJets and 25 for CitationShares) in the two days following its launch on the
Maintenance and Modifications
Cessna plans Citation shop expansions
“We are dedicated to expanding our worldwide Citation product network and doubling the capacity of our Cessna-owned service facilities during the next five
Charter & Fractional
Flight Options Pilot Union Seeks Mediation
On behalf of the approximately 575 Flight Options pilots, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 1108 last week filed for mediation with the Nati
Engines
NASA turns up the heat on cooperative turbofan research
Two NASA-industry partnerships could produce tangible benefits for aircraft operators in the near term.
FBOs
Cessna fuel card promises savings
Cessna Aircraft chairman and CEO Russ Meyer (right) and Avfuel Corp.
Aircraft
CJ4, Cessna’s Largest CitationJet, Makes First Flight
The Cessna Citation CJ4 prototype successfully achieved a two-hour 22-minute maiden flight yesterday morning, taking off from McConnell AFB in Wichita and
Aircraft
New Business Aircraft Report
The Chinese proverb “may you live in interesting times” certainly seems appropriate for manufacturers and would-be manufacturers of new business airplanes.
Avionics
Avidyne reveals its Entegra WAAS-enabled FMS
Avidyne unveiled its Entegra FMS900W WAAS-enabled GPS navcom flight management system last month at the Sun ’n’ Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla.
Aircraft
OEMs move forward on jet singles
Piper Aircraft and Cirrus Design are in a dead heat on the progress of their respective single-engine jet prototypes, and the two airplanes could fly withi
Regulations and Government
IBT or NJASAP? NetJets Pilots To Choose Next Month
An agreement was recently reached between the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP), the la
Charter & Fractional
NetJets pilots seek independent union
The “Strong Union” leaders who helped NetJets pilots obtain an industry-leading contract three years ago resigned from the local representing the fractiona
Safety
SMS: More Than Just the Latest Buzzword in Bizav
“Safety management systems aren’t just the latest fad for corporate flight departments,” Daedalus Aviation Services president David Bjellos told the nearly
Aircraft
Hawker 4000 Deliveries Still Stalled
Deliveries of the Hawker 4000 have not yet begun, despite Hawker Beechcraft saying for more than a month that it would “soon” start shipments of the super-
