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
In The Works: Spirit Wing SpiritLear
Spirit Wing Aviation of Guthrie, Okla., has begun the final phase of flight-testing the Spirit-Lear, a re-engined and modified Learjet 24/25.
Aircraft
In The Works: Socata TBM 850
The Socata TBM 850, a faster, more powerful derivative of the TBM 700 turboprop single, received FAA approval on January 23, six weeks after the EASA certi
Aircraft
AIN Special Report: VLJs fly in the face of critics
The dawn of the very light jet (VLJ) is nearly upon us, with the first, the Eclipse 500, set to receive FAA certification in June.
Aircraft
In The Works: Raytheon Hawker 850XP
Last month Raytheon Aircraft received FAA certification for the Hawker 850XP, essentially a Hawker 800XP with homegrown winglets.
Aircraft
In The Works: Cessna Citation Encore+
According to Cessna Citation Encore+ program manager Lynn Young, the program is on track to reach FAA certification in the third quarter.
Aircraft
In The Works: Grob SPn Utility Jet
The Grob SPn Utility Jet’s flight-test program has been progressing well since the twinjet made its first flight last July 20, according to a company spoke
Aircraft
Farnborough F1 gets its wings
The saga between Farnborough Aircraft and Epic Aircraft parent Aircraft Investor Resources (AIR) continues.
Charter & Fractional
Flight Options pilots vote for union backing
Last month the Flight Options pilots overwhelmingly voted for union representation under International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Local 1108.
Will Santulli Succeed Buffett?
In his annual letter to shareholders, 75-year-old Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett addressed the issue of management succession at his company: “
Charter & Fractional
Despite increased revenue, NetJets’ profits disappear
When Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett speaks, everyone listens.
FBOs
Sky Services wins battle at Milan airport
Italian FBO group Sky Services has broken a 40-year-old fuel monopoly at Milan Linate Airport.
Aircraft
Avocet ProJet is latest VLJ casualty
Avocet Aircraft last month joined the ranks of Safire Aircraft, Century Aerospace and plenty of other failed start-up aircraft manufacturers.
Aircraft
In The Works: Eclipse 500
Eclipse Aviation, of Albuquer-que, New Mexico, said it has overcome the supplier problem, revealed in December, that was blamed for delaying FAA certificat
Aircraft
In The Works: Cessna Citation Mustang
As of early last month, the Citation Mustang prototype and two production examples (S/Ns 0001 and 0002) had logged more than 850 flight hours.
Aircraft
In The Works: Adam A700
Adam Aircraft president Joe Walker is optimistic that his company will receive FAA certification late this year for its very light jet.
NASA Turns Regional Airline Turboprops into Flying Weather Stations
Notwithstanding this spring’s violent (and numerous) tornadoes, forecasters in the Midwest are able to make more accurate local weather predictions thanks
Aircraft
Embraer plans more business jets
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer left no doubt that it plans to become a major player in the business aviation market over the next decade.
Aircraft
DayJet plans for Southeast service launch
Air-limo startup DayJet of Delray Beach, Fla., late last month revealed its launch region–the Southeast–and said it would start on-demand, per-seat operati
Aircraft
Will Cirrus unveil jet at EBACE?
With Duluth, Minn.-based Cirrus Design set to be a first-time exhibitor at this month’s EBACE, the speculation is that the company will finally unveil its
D-Jet No Longer Just a Diamond in the Rough
The Diamond D-Jet (S/N 001) single-engine very light jet flew for the first time on April 18 from London International Airport in Ontario, Canada, home of
Aircraft
In The Works: Gulfstream QSJ
Gulfstream Aerospace president Bryan Moss dismissed the company’s long-discussed “Quiet Supersonic Jet” (QSJ) during last month’s EBACE, prompting the airc
Aircraft
In The Works: Excel-Jet Sport-Jet
Excel-Jet’s four-seat, single-engine very light jet, the Sport-Jet, flew for the first time on May 14 from Colorado Springs Airport.
Aircraft
In The Works: Dassault Falcon 7X
Last month Dassault said its engineers have validated several improvements to the Falcon 7X– such as increased mtow, engine thrust, fuel capacity and wingl
Aircraft
Start-up hopes to outfox other VLJ competitors
Tony Fox, the 84-year-old entrepreneur credited by those with long memories as being the father of the very light jet, last month sold the 1970s-era Foxjet
Aircraft
In The Works: Embraer Phenom 100
Early last month Embraer announced it cut the first metal for its Phenom 100 very light jet.
Aircraft
In The Works: Grob G180 SPn Utility Jet
Grob Aerospace recently announced significant enhancements to its G180 SPn light jet.
Aircraft
In The Works: Raytheon Hawker 4000
On May 31, Raytheon Aircraft reached the FAA’s five-year time limit for certification of the Hawker 4000 (née Horizon) under Part 25 amendments that existe
Charter & Fractional
Avantair: The Little Fractional That Could
Piaggio Avanti fractional provider Avantair is fast becoming a major player in the industry.
Charter & Fractional
The New Breed of Jet Cards
Last month, Flight Options and Flexjet began offering tiered-pricing jet cards that provide steep discounts for not flying during peak periods.
Charter & Fractional
Fractionals: Evolution in action
Twenty years after its birth, the fractional concept is finally a mainstream part of the business aviation industry.
