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
Aircraft
Gulfstream Deliveries, Sales Continue Ascent
Last year, Gulfstream delivered 150 outfitted business jets, six above that in 2013.
Charter & Fractional
NetJets To Implement Flight Operational Quality Assurance Program
NetJets is poised to become the first U.S. fractional aircraft operator implement FOQA program, which uses flight recorder data to improve safety.
Safety
Aviation Safety Question of the Week (Jan. 26, 2015)
This week's question looks at flaps and their effect on an airplane's angle of attack
Charter & Fractional
Sentient Jet Sales, Revenues Soar in 2014
It experienced a 25-percent surge in year-over-year sales, to $214 million, and the $178 million in revenues for the year was a 17-percent bump over 2013.
J.P.Morgan Expects Muted Optimism in 2015 Bizjet Guidance
Firm believes Textron, parent of Cessna Aircraft and Beechcraft, has the most leverage in the ongoing economic recovery in the U.S.
Avionics
Garmin Offers Up To $50K in Rebates for G1000 King Air Retrofits
G1000 retrofit provides operators with enhanced capabilities that minimize pilot workload, increase situational awareness and provide NextGen capabilities.
Maintenance and Modifications
Jet Aviation Dubai Wins EASA Approval for G650 Mx
Facility is an authorized service center for Gulfstreams and the Rolls-Royce BR725-series engines that power the G650 and G550.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
San Marino Aircraft Registry Ratifies Cape Town Treaty
Ratification gives confidence to banks and leasing companies.
Charter & Fractional
Air Charter Association Publishes Broker Best Practices
Document addresses contract language, payments, agency relationships, waivers of subrogation, flight irregularities and cancellation, among other things.
Maintenance and Modifications
Stevens Aviation Teams with Executive Flight Training
Goal is one-stop maintenance and recurrent training capabilities for the King Air, PC-12, TBM, Citation, Conquest and Cheyenne.
Charter & Fractional
Online Charter Portal PrivateFly Plans U.S. Expansion
Company plans to raise up to $9 million in growth capital early this year for U.S. expansion, marketing and technology developments.
Safety
Air Safety Institute Releases Forced-landing Survival Guide
“Survive: Beyond the Forced Landing” program was developed in conjunction with the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association.
Safety
Study: Pilots Exposed to High Amounts of UVA Radiation in Flight
For roughly every hour of flight time at 30,000 feet, pilots are exposed to the same amount of UVA radiation as that from a 20-minute tanning-bed session.
Charter & Fractional
STAjets Garners Argus Platinum Rating, IS-BAO Stage One
Santa Ana, Calif.-based STAjets is one of only 125 Platinum safety-rated aircraft charter operators.
Up, Up and Away: Bizav Flying Continues Unabated Climb
Traffic rose 1.6 percent year-over-year last month, while Argus projects that flying this month will increase by 1.8 percent over last January.
Rotorcraft
Russian Oil Company Places Order for 160 AW189 Helicopters
Helicopters will be supplied mainly through HeliVert, a joint venture between AgustaWestland and Russian Helicopters.
Charter & Fractional
NetJets Plans To Hire Nearly 200 Pilots, 50 Flight Attendants in 2015
Company has already received more than 1,000 resumes from qualified pilots and about 200 from flight attendant candidates.
Aircraft
Aboulafia: Gulfstream Widebodies Top Bizjets in 2014
The Bombardier Learjet 85 landed at the other end of the spectrum.
Aircraft
Garmin ADS-B Solution for Gulfstream G150 Now Certified
Low-cost equipage includes GTX 3000 Mode S extended-squitter remote transponder paired with GDL 88 ADS-B datalink.
Training and Workforce
FlightSafety Promotes Davenport, Johns to Executive V-p Slots
David Davenport is now executive vice president of the commercial segment, while Raymond Johns is executive vice president of the government segment.
Engines
GE Aviation Begins Flight Trials of Passport Turbofan
To date, the Passport engine has logged more than 750 hours and 300 cycles of testing on the ground.
Training and Workforce
Emirates-CAE Expanding Dubai Training Center
ECFT to double simulator bays at second Dubai facility.
Bob Hoover Awarded with 2014 Wright Brothers Trophy
Trophy awarded annually to a living American for “significant public service of enduring value to aviation in the U.S.”
NASA Testing Software That Allows Pilots To Fly More Efficient Approaches
ASTAR gives pilots specific speed information and guidance so that airplanes can be more precisely spaced.
Aircraft
Learjet 70 and 75 Get Nod from Mexican Civil Aviation Agency
Jets were certified by the FAA and Transport Canada late last year and by EASA in September.
Accidents
Embraer Phenom 100 Crashes into Gaithersburg Home
The accident occurred a half mile from the airport, according to an FAA preliminary report.
Charter & Fractional
NetJets Pilots Sue Company, Alleging Interference
Lawsuit alleges that “NetJets Aviation used Twitter to impersonate union members and unlawfully obtained confidential communications."
Engines
Pratt & Whitney Canada Pledges $1B in Near-term R&D
Funds will be used to develop the “next generation of high-performance aircraft engines.”
Bizav Flying Ascends for 12th Consecutive Month
Segment activity climbed by 3.7 percent year-over-year. While this was a solid gain, it was slightly below Argus’s estimate of 3.9 percent.
