Chad is the editor of AINalerts, AIN's daily business aviation newsletter, and is also the news editor at AIN Media Group.&nbsp;He has been writing about aviation, with an emphasis on business aviation, since 1994. Chad started his writing career at The Avion,&nbsp;the&nbsp;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&nbsp;magazine, he joined&nbsp;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.

Online Editor

Chad Trautvetter

Surf Air co-founder and former CEO Wade Eyerly’s experiment to start a similar all-you-can fly member airline, dubbed <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2015-02-10/surf-air-co-founders-start-similar-service-northeast">Beacon</a>, in the Northeast has ended in failure. After starting service last summer, Beacon ceased operations at the end of January, company co-founder and now-former CFO Cory Cozzens told attendees at the recent NBAA aircraft registration, finance and legal conference in Boca Raton, Fla.

 


Like Surf Air, the company charged a monthly fee (starting at $1,750) to provide members unlimited access to flights. However, Beacon had offered scheduled flights on a mixed fleet of PC-12s and King Air 350s only between New York and Boston, a route that business aviation consultant Rollie Vincent said is already well saturated by low-cost, high-speed train and airline service. Beacon’s plans to add flights to the Hamptons and Nantucket on weekends never materialized.

 


Boston-based Romulus Capital led the first round of fundraising for Beacon last year. It is unknown how much capital it raised and if the lack of funding led to Beacon’s demise. AIN was unable to reach Eyerly, Cozzens or the company’s third co-founder, Reed Farnsworth, for further comment.

 


In an <a href="http://bjtonline.com/business-jet-news/industry-insider-beacons-wade-eyerly" target="_blank">interview conducted late last year</a>, Eyerly told AIN sister publication Business Jet Traveler that he planned to launch additional regional subscription services “as fast as we can.”

News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

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After starting service last summer, Beacon ceased operations at the end of January.

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News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

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News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

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News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

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