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
Wheels Up Raises $128M To Fuel Further Growth
Wheels Up raised $128 million in new equity late last week to help the private flight solutions firm accelerate growth and digital efforts.
Avionics
Avionics Sales Soar 14% in First-half 2019, Says AEA
Business and general aviation aircraft electronic sales climbed 14 percent year-over-year, to just more than $1.5 billion, in the first six months.
Aircraft
Gulfstream Aerospace Delivers First Large-cabin G600
Gulfstream Aerospace has delivered the first G600—to an unidentified U.S. customer—from its Savannah, Georgia headquarters.
Security
Savcom Intros Secure Communications Platform for Bizav
Savcom's new communications platform allows encrypted phone calls encrypted text, audio-videoconferencing, and file sharing onboard bizjets.
Bizav Flights in Europe Continue To Slip
Business aviation flight activity in Europe continued to slow last month, falling 2.5 percent year-over-year, to 90,550 departures, WingX said.
Aircraft
First Dassault Falcon 6X Taking Shape
After freezing the Falcon 6X design in May, Dassault said its super-midsize jet program is now well into the manufacturing phase.
Aircraft
HondaJet Elite Gets China CAAC Nod
HondaJet Elite deliveries will begin as scheduled in China later this year via in-country HondaJet dealer Honsan General Aviation Co., Ltd.
Aircraft
Bombardier Bizjet Deliveries, Revenues, Sales Climb
Second-quarter revenues at Bombardier Business Aircraft increased 6 percent year-over-year to $1.38 billion as the company delivered 35 business jets.
Aircraft
Gulfstream Bizjet Shipments Soar 25% in 1H19
Business jet deliveries at Gulfstream Aerospace climbed 25 percent in the first half, with large-cabin shipments solely driving this increase.
Training and Workforce
Simcom's TBM 910 Simulator Now Online in Scottsdale
Simcom has fielded the first FAA-certified Daher TBM 910 simulator at its Scottsdale, Arizona training facility.
Avionics
FlightSafety Adds EFVS Training for Gulfstreams
FlightSafety International has added enhanced flight vision system touchdown and rollout training for the Gulfstream G280, G450, G500, G550, G600, and G650
Avionics
Flexjet Taps GE To Take FOQA to the Next Level
Flexjet is elevating its flight operations quality assurance program by marrying GE’s flight safety analysis services with wireless quick access recorders.
Charter & Fractional
Signature To Provide Skyport Infrastructure for Uber
Signature Flight Support was named the first nationwide operations and on-airport infrastructure partner for Uber Elevate.
Aircraft
Vref: T-props, Phenom 300E Set To Hold Highest Values
Turboprop singles such as the Pilatus PC-12 and Cessna Caravan “have remained at an industry-low depreciation rate,” according to Vref.
Regulations and Government
AviationManuals Releases Free Bizav LOA Guide
AviationManuals' newly released free guide aims to help operators understand requirements for FAA Letter of Authorization (LOA) applications.
Maintenance and Modifications
Constant Completes 15th Challenger 300 Mid-life Check
Aviation has completed its fifteenth 7,500-cycle inspection event on a Bombardier Challenger 300; only 18 such inspections have been completed to date.
Charter & Fractional
PrivateFly Expands Fixed-price City Pairs Program
UK-based PrivateFly has added the Embraer Legacy 600 and three new routes with the large-cabin jet to its fixed-price City Pairs program.
Foley: GAMA 1Q Data Shows Pockets of Strength, Weakness
A more detailed view of the first-quarter GAMA general aviation deliveries reveals "pockets of strength and weakness.”
SmartFly Launches Aggregated Bizav Buying Program
SmartFly aims to save business aviation operators money via its aggregated buying power.
Charter & Fractional
Luxaviation Expands at Zurich, Adds Four Jets in Europe
Luxaviation Group has added a new hangar at its ExecuJet Zurich facility, which more than triples its capacity at the Swiss airport.
Charter & Fractional
Wheels Up Acquires Charter Operator TMC
Wheels Up has acquired Travel Management Company (TMC), an Elkhart, Indiana-based wholesale jet charter operator with a fleet of 26 Hawker 400XPs.
Charter & Fractional
Flexjet Launches Days-based G650 Frax Program
Flexjet's new days-based shared-ownership program for the Gulfstream G650 is aimed at high-utilization, large-cabin business jet customers.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
SmartSky In Final Phase of ATG Network Deployment
SmartSky Networks has begun the final site completion phase of its air-to-ground (ATG) 4G LTE data network for business and commercial aviation.
Citi Reiterates 'Cautious Optimism' for Bizjet Market
Despite macro factors, Citi Research is cautiously optimistic about the bizjet market, citing stabilized pricing/values and new products driving demand.
Avionics
Viasat Shipping High-speed Ka-band Global Aero Terminal
Viasat is now shipping its new Ka-band GAT-5518, which provides in-flight, high-speed connectivity for aircraft ranging from UAVs to business jets.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Gogo Plans To Have U.S./Canada 5G ATG Network in 2021
Gogo today announced plans to build a 5G air-to-ground network in the contiguous U.S. and Canada that would be available for bizav users in 2021.
EBACE 2019 To Highlight Jet Biofuels, eVTOL Revolution
Europe will once again be the focal point for the business aviation community when EBACE 2019 opens on May 21 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Avionics
AviationManuals Eases EFVS Approvals Process
AviationManuals today launched a new enhanced flight vision system (EFVS) package that streamlines materials required by bizav operators to use EFVS.
Aircraft
Pilatus PC-24 Will Help Keep U-Haul on the Move
U-Haul International took delivery of the first of two Pilatus PC-24s on April 29 at Pilatus Business Aircraft Ltd.’s facility in Broomfield, Colorado.
Aircraft
Gulfstream Deliveries, Sales Soar in First Quarter
Business jet deliveries at Gulfstream Aerospace climbed nearly 31 percent year-over-year in the first quarter, largely due to G500 shipments.
