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
Training and Workforce
Textron's TRU Simulation Opens Florida ProFlight Center
New Lutz, Fla. facility already has Citation CJ3 and King Air 250/300i ful-motion, level-D sims and will add three more next year.
Aircraft
Flexjet Takes Delivery of First Embraer Legacy 500
Delivery marks the first fly-by-wire aircraft in the fractional provider's fleet.
Aircraft
New Supersonic Age in Flight Coming, Says Aerion Chief
Company developing the Mach 1.5+ AS2 supersonic business jet, which is now expected to be certified in 2023.
Aircraft
Embraer Legacy To Land at Flexjet This Month
Fractional provider will take delivery of five 500s by year-end, while Legacy 450 deliveries will begin in June next year.
Accidents
NTSB: Premier I Accident Pilot Impaired by Illegal Drug
Twinjet hit trees, crashed and was consumed by an explosion and post-crash fire on Dec. 13, 2013, while returning to land at Atlanta-area Airport.
Argus: Bizav Flying Up in August, but Short of Estimate
Business aviation flight activity last month in North America managed just a razor-thin year-over-year gain of 0.5 percent.
Aircraft
Software Update Boosts Gulfstream G280 Performance
Upgrade allows slower approach speeds, shorter landing distances and enhanced flight management system performance.
Aircraft
Mubadala Takes Full Ownership of Piaggio Aerospace
Abu Dhabi-based company purchased the minority 1.95-percent share held by Piero Ferrari
Aircraft
Now Fitted with Engines, First Global 7000 Takes Shape
In addition to the new engines, installation of the wiring harnesses and functional test procedures have begun on FTV1.
FBOs
Epic Aviation Fuels Aerial Firefighting Efforts
Company supplied more than two million gallons of aviation fuels from July to mid-September to bases supporting aerial firefighting ops in U.S. West.
FBOs
Eastern Aviation Fuels Celebrates 500th Shell Dealer
To celebrate the milestone, the company is giving away 500 bonus points to 500 Shell AeroClass members via a drawing.
Embraer Breaks Ground on Aero Seating Shop in Florida
Facility will include design, development and production of luxury seating solutions for Embraer’s business jets and airliners.
ATC
DOT IG: Privatized ATC Systems Safe, but Lack R&D Efforts
The report found that separating air navigation and safety/regulatory functions has not affected safety.
European Bizav Flying Hits Light Turbulence in August
Business aviation activity in Europe fell 1.5 percent from a year ago to 72,182 flight departures, while flight hours declined by 3.4 percent, says WingX.
Safety
Aviation Safety Forum To Be Held at NBAA 2015
Topics discussed will include runway excursions, fitness-for-duty, data sharing, professionalism and procedural compliance and airport/ground handling.
Fuel
JetFuelX Aims To Make Jet Fuel Pricing More Transparent
JetFuelX operates with most major fuel vendors to provide a quickly searchable electronic database of fuel prices.
FBOs
Sheltair Announces More Upgrades at its MacArthur FBO
The latest efforts bring Sheltair’s investment in updates to this facility to $1.1 million.
Embraer Taps Atlas Air as Bizjet Sales Rep in Europe
Atlas Air Service will work closely with Embraer's European sales team to increase its penetration in this traditional business aircraft market.
Avionics
Astronautics Secure Server Gets EASA OK for A320 Family
Nexis securely connects the aircraft by recording, monitoring and automatically transmitting flight and maintenance operational quality assurance data.
Charter & Fractional
Wheels Up Thinks Pink for October
Charter membership firm Wheels Up took delivery of a pink King Air that will serve as the flagship of the company's Breast Cancer Awareness initiative.
Aircraft
Embraer Legacy 450 Gets FAA Nod
The Legacy 450 can seat up to nine passengers and boasts a flat-floor, stand-up six-foot-tall cabin with a six-foot 10-inch cross section.
Aircraft
Cessna Begins Latitude Deliveries, Launches U.S. Tour
Pittsburgh, Pa.-based aircraft charter and management firm Aircraft Management Group (AMG) was among the first operators to take delivery.
Aircraft
Gulfstream To Webcast Opener at Customer Advisory Meeting
Live streaming will give customers access to the most up-to-date information on Gulfstream aircraft and service/customer support.
Avionics
Satcom Direct Validates Ka-band Services for Bizav
With speeds of up to 50 Mbps, Jet ConneX will deliver global satcom services that support streaming videos in flight.
FBOs
Freeman Group Looks To Expand FBO Holdings
The company holds nine of the 25 Million Air FBOs in North America, as well as three Freeman-branded facilities in California and Louisiana.
Charter & Fractional
Dallas' All-you-can-fly Rise Adds More Frequency
King Air 350 service expanded to the entire Texas Triangle with addition of eight more scheduled flights between Houston and Austin.
Charter & Fractional
Fired Union-organizing Flexjet Pilots To Be Reinstated
An arbitrator ruled that three union-organizing Flexjet pilots terminated by the fractional provider earlier this year be reinstated with back pay
Training and Workforce
FlightSafety Adds Second Gulfstream G280 Simulator
The FS1000 simulator built for the G280 include the company’s Vital 1100 visual system, electric motion cueing and new instructor operating station.
FBOs
Fourth Baltic Bizav Forum Held in Latvia
Presentations at the event largely focused on the current challenges facing the industry in the Baltic States and throughout the region.
Engines
Fourth Beechjet 400A Flameout Mirrors Past Issues
Both engines flamed out at 44,800 feet while the crew started a descent through a maturing convective storm cell.
