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
NBAA adds event for small aircraft operators
As the annual NBAA Convention gets ever larger, so too grows the perception that the event tends to focus on and attract operators of larger business aircr
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-
Gulfstream Sales Continue To Soar
Sales of Gulfstream business jets in the first quarter increased 17 percent year-over-year, Nicholas Chabraja, chairman and CEO of parent company General D
Eclipse Aviation Looks To Out Blogging Critics
Eclipse Aviation is breaking new ground again, but this time it’s in the California courts.
Aircraft
Piper, Cirrus Jet Single Prototypes Near Completion
Piper Aircraft and Cirrus Design are neck and neck on progress with their respective single-engine very light jet prototypes, and the two competing airplan
Executive Shuffle at Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier today announced substantial changes to its aerospace group leadership team, most notably naming auto industry veteran Guy Hachey Bombardier Aero
Aircraft
Third Diamond D-Jet Joins Flight-test Fleet
The third flight-test D-Jet completed a one-hour 25-minute maiden flight on Tuesday from Diamond Aircraft’s London, Ontario facility, with chief test pilot
Safety
Air Charter Safety Foundation Lauds 2007 Safety Record
The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) has already reviewed the 2007 preliminary aviation safety stat
Textron: Cessna Bizjet Demand ‘Remains Unabated’
Cessna Aircraft and Bell Helicopter parent company Textron today reported revenues of $3.5 billion in the first quarter, up from $3 billion in the same per
Aircraft
More Cold-weather Limits for Bombardier Challengers
The FAA yesterday issued an Airworthiness Directive for all Bombardier Challenger business jets, as well as the derivative CRJ100 and 440 regional jets, th
Embraer on a Roll with Phenom 300 Program
Embraer rolled out the first Phenom 300 light jet at its Gavião Peixoto plant in São Paulo, Brazil, on Saturday, less than three years after the manufactur
Regulations and Government
AOPA Asks FAA To Scrap Congestion Pricing
“Congestion pricing should be the FAA’s last resort, not its first,” noted AOPA president Phil Boyer.
Aircraft
Comp Air Now Plans Trio of Turboprop Singles
Merritt Island, Fla.-based Comp Air took the wraps off two new aircraft–the CA-9 and CA-11–yesterday at the Sun ’n’ Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla., bringing
Avionics
Garmin Launches ‘G1000 Light’ Avionics
Garmin unveiled the G950 avionics suite at the Sun ’n’ Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla., on Tuesday.
Light Airplanes on NBAA’s Radar
At the Sun ’n’ Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla., yesterday NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen announced a new three-day industry event dedicated to operators who
Charter & Fractional
Wyvern Debuts Online Charter Safety Compliance Program
Wyvern is taking charter aircraft safety compliance to the next level with the introduction of the Pilot & Aircraft Safety Survey (Pass) program, which
Charter & Fractional
Flight Options Teams with Starlink on Canadian Venture
Fractional provider Flight Options of Cleveland and charter firm Starlink Aviation of Montreal yesterday announced an international partnership to form Fli
Hawker Beechcraft Running Strong at Age One
Hawker Beechcraft last week celebrated its first anniversary as a private entity, and the company reports it’s doing very well all on its own.
Aircraft
Nextant Bringing New Life, More Zip to Beechjets
Richmond Heights, Ohio-based Nextant Aerospace yesterday announced its 400NXT Beechjet retrofit and mo
ATC
FAA, Natca Forge Safety Action Pact
The FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (Natca) earlier this week signed an agreement to create an Air Traffic Safety Action Program (
Engines
Eclipse 500 Gets a Pair of Garmins
Eclipse Aviation this afternoon revealed another major change to the Avio NG avionics suite for the Eclipse 500, announcing the addition of two panel-mount
Aircraft
‘Plan B’ Announced for Adam Aircraft Sale
If an “acceptable bid” for the bulk assets of bankrupt Adam Aircraft isn’t received by the end of today, then the aircraft manufacturer’s individual assets
Aircraft
Embraer Goes Full Throttle on Two More Bizjets
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer on Friday announced that its board of directors approved the launch of the mid-light and derivative midsize busines
Accidents
New wings installed, damaged Mustang returns to service
The first customer-owned very light jet to sustain major damage, Cessna Citation Mustang S/N 049, returned to service on February 29 some two months after
ATC
Natca Chief Calls for More Scrutiny of FAA’s NextGen
“We believe that Congress should call for an immediate, comprehensive evaluation of NextGen, before additional funds to implement it are expended,” Natca p
Safety
Runway Safety a Top Focus for FAA
FAA Acting Administrator Bobby Sturgell on Tuesday said he is pleased with the aviation community’s response to the agency’s August “call to action” to mak
Adam Aircraft Auction Next Week
The next chapter for bankrupt Adam Aircraft will start Friday, April 4, when the start-up aircraft manufacturer’s bulk assets are set to be auctioned.
Charter & Fractional
NetJets Pilots Seek Independent Union
The “Strong Union” leaders that helped form IBT Local 1108 to organize fractional pilots in 2004 resigned from the local last week in the wake of “a resurg
Avionics
Avidyne Offers Sneak Peek at Homegrown FMS
In presenting its 2007 technical achievement award to senior engineer Steve Lindsey for his involvement in developing a flight management system for genera
