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

Helicopter charter firms Indiana Helicopters of Goshen, Indiana, and Helimotion of Joliet, Illinois, have merged to form Sweet Helicopters, the companies announced today. Sweet Helicopters provides private helicopter charters and aerial production services, the latter including utility and real estate surveying; aerial photography and videography; environmental studies; media coverage; and law enforcement.

 


The newly merged company is part of Chuck and Lisa Surack’s Sweet family of companies, which also includes online music instrument retailer Sweetwater Sound; Fort Wayne, Indiana-based flight school Sweet Aviation; and independent luxury and sports car dealership SweetCars. Chuck Surack is also a helicopter pilot and self-described “lifelong aviation enthusiast.”

 


“While we’ve changed the companies’ names and logos, we are and always will be committed to providing comfortable, convenient, safe and timely helicopter charter service,” he said . “There will be no change in pilots…[and] we are even adding two helicopters to our fleet.”

 


Sweet Helicopters operates out of Indiana bases in Fort Wayne, Goshen, Valparaiso and the downtown Chicago Vertiport. Its fleet includes an Airbus Helicopters AS355 TwinStar, two Airbus EC130s, an Airbus AS350 B3e AStar and an Airbus AS365N2 Dauphin.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

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