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
Accidents
Cargo Learjet 35 Crashes on Approach to Chicago Exec
A Royal Air Freight Learjet 35 crashed into a river in a forest preserve on Tuesday afternoon while on approach to Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling, I
UBS Reaffirms Rising Bizjet Flight Activity Forecast
According to UBS Investment Research’s latest business jet update, flight activity in November was roughly unchanged from the same period in 2008, stemming
Aircraft
Rockwell Finalizes Acquisition of AR Group
Rockwell Collins yesterday completed the acquisition of AR Group and its affiliated companies, including business aviation trip-support services provider A
Aircraft
Phenom 300 certified in U.S. and Brazil
Embraer last month received type certification for its Phenom 300 from both Brazil’s civil aviation authority, Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC), an
Aircraft
Gulfstream G650 flight testing in full swing
The wide-cabin Gulfstream G650 resumed flight testing on December 4, following the
Aircraft
Handoff - Cirrus: Alan Klapmeier to Dale Klapmeier
The Cirrus board of directors opted not to renew company cofounder and chairman Alan Klapmeier’s contract and instead installed his brother, Dale, the othe
Handoff - Hawker Beechcraft: Schuster to Boisture
Hawker Beechcraft tapped industry veteran Bill Boisture Jr.
Charter & Fractional
Air Platinum Club Is Latest Casualty
Miami-based Air Platinum Club–which until recently was touting membership options in its Gulfstream IV-SPs, exotic cars, a beachfront condo and a yacht–app
Aircraft
Hawker 4000 Obtains Chinese Approval
Hawker Beechcraft received type approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China for the super-midsize Hawker 4000.
Airports
Oxford Airport Now an EU Point of Entry
The UK’s Oxford Airport has been granted customs-designated status, allowing it to be used as a point of entry for operators importing aircraft into the Eu
Safety
More Operators Pass ACSF Charter Audit Muster
The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) announced that three more aircraft charter operators passed its “industry audit standard” and achieved “registered
Cessna To Close Columbus, Ga. Facilities
Cessna Aircraft will close its three component-production plants in Columbus, Ga., over the next 24 months and will move the work to its facilities in Inde
Charter & Fractional
CitationAir Recalls 16 Furloughed Pilots
Business jet solutions provider CitationAir by Cessna early last month recalled 16 pilots from furlough, representing approximately 20 percent of those fur
Bombardier Bizjet Deliveries Drop
Bombardier reported $4.6 billion in revenues for its fiscal third quarter (ending October 31), which is on par with the previous year.
Huerta Nominated as Deputy FAA Admin
The Obama Administration last month nominated Michael Huerta as FAA deputy administrator.
Layoffs at Jet Aviation Basel
Jet Aviation laid off 94 full-time employees at its completions and maintenance facility in Basel, Switzerland.
Regulations and Government
FAA Proposes $4M Fine Against Spitfire Aviation
The FAA has proposed levying a $4 million penalty on Spitfire Aviation Services of Fayetteville, Ark., for allegedly conducting at least 798 illegal charte
GD Chief Optimistic about 2010/11
At a Bank of America/Merrill Lynch Global Industrial Conference last month, General Dynamics chief Jay Johnson said that his company’s aerospace division–n
Aircraft
Gulfstream, IAI Mark First Flight of Super-Midsize G250
Gulfstream Aerospace and Israel Aerospace Industries flew the super-midsize jet on Dec. 11, 2009
Charter & Fractional
ARG/US Endorses IS-BAO as Charter Audit Standard
Aviation Research Group/US (ARG/US) is endorsing the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) as the “one standard that all operato
Training and Workforce
NATA Developing Crew Briefing for EWR
Building on the success of its Teterboro (N.J.) flight-crew briefing module, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is developing a similar mod
Madoff Charter Firm Declares Bankruptcy
Swindler Bernard Madoff’s charter company, BLM Air Charter, filed for voluntary bankruptcy (Chapter 11) in the U.S.
Aircraft
NextGen Research Park Under Way
The FAA has broken ground for a NextGen research park that will sit adjacent to the agency’s William J.
Jet Professionals Extends Crew Advantage
Jet Professionals, a division of Jet Aviation, is making its Crew Advantage program available to business aviation crews globally.
Aircraft
Falcon 7X Obtains Indian Approval
The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India recently granted type approval for the Dassault Falcon 7X.
Accidents
All Survive Westwind Ditching in Pacific
After three missed approaches at Norfolk Island in the South Pacific due to bad weather, Capt.
Market For business jets Still Growing in Middle East
Research firm Frost & Sullivan said recently that the Middle East is one of the few world regions where the business jet market has registered growth, addi
Avionics
GE Acquires RNP Procedure Maker Naverus
GE Aviation acquired Naverus, the Kent, Wash.-based supplier of performance-based navigation (PBN) services.
Regulations and Government
FAA Sets ADS-B Standards
The FAA finalized the industry-wide technical standard orders (TSOs) for automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B), the backbone of NextGen.
