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
JetNet: Bizjet Inventory Takes 'Step Backwards' in 1Q
At the end of last month, 11.7 percent of the in-service business jet fleet was for sale, up from 11.4 percent last year.
Maintenance and Modifications
Bell Helicopter's Prague Facility Takes on Larger Role
New two-bay paint shop and delivery center make the Prague facility Bell's regional customization, delivery and aftermarket service center in Europe.
Charter & Fractional
SevenJet Revives Fractional Avanti Service
This marks the return of a fractional program for the Italian twin turboprop since Avantair ceased operations in June 2013.
ABS Jets Helps Refine Honeywell's In-flight Weather App
Under the effort, ABS Jets’ crews and operations personnel have worked with Honeywell on design and validation of new features.
Maintenance and Modifications
Empire Aviation To Market Citation X, Sovereign Winglets
To date, almost a third of Citation X owners have opted to have these winglets installed, and the winglets are standard equipment on the Citation X+.
Rotorcraft
With FAA Papers in Hand, R44 Cadet Now Ready for Duty
The training helicopter has the same airframe, rotor system and Lycoming O-540-F1B5 as the R44 Raven I, but the Cadet’s rear seats are removed.
European Bizav Flying Recovers in April
Year-to-date, flying in the region is still trailing 2015 by 1.6 percent.
Cape Town To Host AfBAA's Inaugural Annual Convention
Complementing regular panel sessions, keynote speeches and presentations, the convention will include “fireside chats” with influential aviation leaders.
Aircraft
GAMA: Business Jet and Turboprop Shipments Down in 1Q16
General aviation airplane deliveries in the first quarter dipped 3.7 percent from a year ago, while billings were down 9.5 percent.
jetAviva Expands Aircraft Sales Reach with Acquisition
Light jet broker jetAviva acquired Kansas City-based aircraft sales firm Kansas Aircraft
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Comlux America Expands Hangar, Adds Widebody Capability
Hangar can now simultaneously house one widebody and up to four single-aisle bizliners.
ATC
NASA Demos ATC-Aircraft Ground Wi-Fi Datalink
Technology provides flight crews with common-sourced aeronautical, weather and flight information while on the ground at an airport.
Maintenance and Modifications
Swiss CJ1 Is First Customer Aircraft with Active Winglets
Tamarack Aerospace Group secured EASA STC approval for its Atlas winglets on the CitationJet, CJ1 and CJ1+ in January.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Aircraft Transactions Seminar Returns To EBACE
May 23 seminar will provide an in-depth review of the tax, legal and regulatory issues involved in business aircraft transactions.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
FAA Warns of Fatigued Latch Springs on Pilot Seats
There has been a documented case of a copilot’s seat sliding aft in a Falcon on rotation due to fatigued springs.
Aircraft
Bizjet Deliveries Down, Sales Up at Bombardier
Shipments of business jets at Bombardier decreased 31 percent during the first quarter, while sales soared 111 percent.
Aircraft
Gulfstream Deliveries Dip 15.6% in First Quarter
Gulfstream delivered 27 completed jets (19 large-cabin, eight midsize) in the first quarter versus 32 (25 large-cabin, seven midsize) in 1Q 2015.
Aircraft
First U.S.-built Embraer Legacy To Roll Down Line in May
Facility will be able to assemble up to 96 Phenoms and 72 Legacys annually.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Gogo Enhances Its Bizav Entertainment System
These include free hardware for in-hangar content updates, more predicable pricing and the ability to stream content to cabin monitors.
Fuel
Phillips 66 Aviation Expands Contract Fuel Program
Its contract fuel program, Partners-Into-Plane, now allows Part 91 corporate and Part 135 charter operators to participate in the program.
UBS: Bizjet Market at Weakest Point Since 2009
Index is down 4 percent from February, at 29. This is “well below” 50, the threshold that determines strengthening (above) or weakening conditions (below).
Aircraft
Daher Starts TBM 930 Deliveries in U.S. and Europe
To date, four of the new TBM 930s have been handed over to customers, with a fifth scheduled for delivery before the end of this month.
Aircraft
Bizjet, Turboprop Deliveries Rise at Textron Aviation
Textron's aircraft division shipped 34 Citations and 26 Kings Airs in the first quarter, up one each from the same period a year ago.
Charter & Fractional
Charter Broker PrivateFly Opens U.S. Office
Fort Lauderdale/Miami was chosen as its U.S. office location to target a growing private jet audience in the area.
Aircraft
Legacy 450 Approved for Ops at France's La Mole Airport
To get the approval, the twinjet had to demonstrate strict performance requirements to operate on the airport’s short runway.
Aircraft
Flexjet Takes Delivery of Embraer's 1,000th Bizjet
Milestone comes 14 years after the company began delivering a VIP version of the ERJ-135 and 11 years since forming a dedicated bizav division.
Accidents
Pilot Incapacitation Preceded TBM 700 Landing Accident
Both the pilot and passenger were not injured in the Dec. 15, 2015 accident, but the aircraft was substantially damaged.
Business Aircraft Valuation Firms Merge
Business aviation asset evaluation firms Asset Insight Inc. and SAI Valuations have merged to form Las Vegas-based Asset Insight LLC.
Aircraft
Western Aircraft Celebrates 200th PC-12 Sale
On April 15, Western Aircraft became the first authorized Pilatus sales representative to sell 200 new PC-12s.
Regulations and Government
After Heathrow Incident, BACA Calls for Better UAV Regs
Association says that "reactive" regulations for UAVs is insufficient to keep drones from colliding with aircraft.
