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
Avionics
Helicopter Features Added to Garmin Pilot iOS
New features includes helicopter route charts and identification/documentation of the highest obstacles along flight paths.
Maintenance and Modifications
JSSI Seeks To Cover More Helicopters
Independent provider of hourly cost maintenance programs recommits to helicopter market.
Avionics
Astronautics Demos Next-gen Helo Avionics
Company showing new helicopter avionics platform that will have synthetic vision and terrain awareness capabilities.
Rotorcraft
Bell Helicopter Adds Second Jet Ranger X to Test Fleet
Since fligth testing began in November, the helicopter program has quickly progressed, performing additional tests and numerous practice autorotations,
FBOs
Landmark Acquires Second FBO in Houston
Landmark Aviation acquired Ellington Partners and Southwest Airport Services at Houston Ellington Airport.
Aircraft
Milestone 1,300th Pilatus PC-12 Lands at Surf Air
Surf Air, which placed an order last fall for 15 PC-12 NGs and options for an additional 50, now has four of the turboprop singles in its fleet.
Safety
Aviation Safety Question of the Week (Feb. 23, 2015)
In the last 10 years, what condition has produced the greatest number of aviation fatalities?
Argus: Bizav Traffic Climbs for 14th Consecutive Month
Company is projecting that flying this month in North America will improve by 0.9 percent from last February.
Bizav Issues Panel at NBAA Forum Urges Participation, Advocacy
Speakers highlighted the value of business aviation to the state and local economies.
Engines
PW800 Engines for G500/G600 Get Transport Canada Nod
During testing, the PW800 engines logged more than 3,300 hours, including more than 350 flight hours on P&WC's Boeing 747SP flying testbed.
Aircraft
Gulfstream G650ER Shows Off Long Legs on Global Flight
N650GA flew from White Plains, N.Y. to Beijing and back to Savannah, Ga., in 25 hours 20 minutes.
Aircraft
Cessna Ramps Up Citation X Elite Program, Mulls Expansion to Other Citations
As part of the refurbishment, the aircraft are stripped, repainted and corrosion-proofed, and new wheels, brakes and tires are installed.
Safety
Aviation Safety Question of the Week (Feb. 16, 2015)
What is reported to be the most common cause of aircraft engine failure?
FBOs
Jet Aviation Raises $20K for Boys & Girls Clubs at La Bella Macchina
Event attracted 1,000 guests to view about a dozen business aircraft and more than 100 Ferraris.
JetNet: Used Bizjet Transactions Set New Record in 2014
There were 2,569 pre-owned business jet retail transactions last year, besting the previous peak of 2,181 in 2007.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
EBACE 2015 To Feature Unmanned Aircraft Zone
The UAS zone will provide a venue for exhibitors to do live demonstrations of their products in a 12m-by-12m netted pavilion.
Safety
Gulfstream Flight-test Unit Elevates IS-BAO Status
Department has 43 pilots who conduct more than 2,200 annual test flights.
Eurozone Crisis, Ukraine Weigh on European Bizav Flying
European business aircraft activity dropped last month by 5.8 percent from a year ago to 49,929 flights, according to WingX Advance.
Charter & Fractional
NetJets Europe Lands London City OK for Phenom 300s
More than 53 percent of NetJets' European customer base comes from the London finance sector, making the London City approvals essential.
Safety
Aviation Safety Question of the Week (Feb. 9, 2015)
Which components are typically used in certification of a turbojet aircraft to determine the accelerate-stop distance during takeoff?
Training and Workforce
FlightSafety To Add Fourth Gulfstream G650 Simulator
Will be installed at the company's learning center in Wilmington, Delaware, early next year.
Arizona Bizav Group To Host 14th Golf Benefit
Rounds of golf will be followed by a dinner and awards banquet that includes a raffle, silent auction and live auction.
Charter & Fractional
Wyvern Elevates Wingman Program with IS-BAO Standards
The company delevloped the Wingman Standard in 1994 to establish air charter aviation safety parameters that exceeded regulations.
Gulfstream G650, Embraer Legacy 500 Nominated for 2014 Collier Trophy
Trophy awarded annually “for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America.”
Aircraft
Nesterov To Sell, Service Pilatus PC-12s in Russia
Eugene Okladnikov, general director of Nesterov Aviation, said the Russian market holds “great opportunity” for the turboprop single.
Safety
Rockwell Collins, NOAA Expand Airborne Weather Observation Research
Research will now expand to include coverage over sparse areas of the U.S., allowing the NWS to get complete weather data for the entire country.
Avionics
Honeywell Flight Testing Voice Control on the Flight Deck
Voice recognition will be a huge advancement in the cockpit because speech can eliminate many manual steps required to execute a command.
Business Aircraft Flying in U.S. and Canada Soars in 2014
Activity in all four quarters grew year-over-year, with the fourth quarter posting a 2.8-percent gain.
Safety
Aviation Safety Question of the Week (Feb. 2, 2015)
Which of the following is true regarding the operation of aircraft flight controls at or below maneuvering speed (VA)?
Aircraft
Jet Deliveries, Finances Rise at Textron Aviation
Business jet deliveries at Textron Aviation division Cessna Aircraft climbed to 159 Citations last year, a 12-percent increase over 2013.
