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
Piper’s M-Class Gets Upgrades, New Options
Garmin G1000 NXi is now certified on both the Piper M500 turboprop single and M350 pressurized piston single.
Aircraft
ATP Places Repeat Mega Order for Piper Archers
With 40 locations, ATP is the largest private flight school in the U.S. and leading supplier of pilots to the nation’s regional airlines.
Lightspeed Partners To Help Jump-start Pilot Growth
A partnership with AOPA will further accelerate growth initiatives under the association’s “You Can Fly” program.
Avionics
Bose Unveils Noise-cancelling Headset for Jet Pilots
Bose designed the headset for long-term comfort—a feature that has already been tested on long flights in a Gulfstream G650.
FBOs
Signature Flight Support Continues SNF Sponsorship
Company to also use its booth to provide information to those interested in getting involved in the aviation industry.
Avionics
Epic Optix Unveils $2K Portable HUD for Genav Airplanes
HUD mirrors data from software such as Avidyne IFD100, ForeFlight, WingX, Garmin Pilot, and Appareo Horizons for Stratus.
U.S. Bizav Flying Rises, but Part 91 and Frax Still Lag
All aircraft categories saw increases last month, with large-cabin jets coming out ahead with a 4.7-percent year-over-year increase.
Used Bizcraft Values Rise, Led by Super-midsize Jets
Amstat’s latest Aircraft Valuation Tool Aircraft Values Report shows business aircraft values up across all categories.
Aircraft
HondaJet Racks Up More Approvals, Makes FIDAE Debut
HondaJet has received type certifications from Argentina’s Administración Nacional de Aviación Civil and Panama’s Autoridad Aeronáutica Civil.
Aircraft
Cirrus Aircraft Wins Collier Trophy for SF50 Vision Jet
Collier Trophy is awarded annually “for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America."
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
China's New Aircraft Tariffs Hit G550, G650, and BBJ1
25 percent aircraft import tariffs imposed today by China are the result of an escalating tit-for-tat trade war with the U.S.
Accidents
Citation CJ4, Cessna 150 Collide at Non-towered Airport
The two people aboard the Cessna 150 were killed; no injuries were reported among the five on board the Cessna Citation CJ4.
Charter & Fractional
Flexjet Pilots To Vote on Union Decertification
Move comes more than two years after the company’s 600 pilots voted for representation by IBT 1108.
NARA: U.S. Tax Law a Boon for Aircraft Sales
NARA-certified brokers have recognized a change in the marketplace just in the first few months of 2018 since the U.S. tax reform was enacted.
IJET Expands European Reach with Spanish Venture
Its new office in Mallorca will serve Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American business aircraft operators.
Charter & Fractional
My Aircraft Reporting System Adds Features, Customers
New features include the capability to automatically integrate with any flight information or accounting software in real-time.
Aircraft
Embraer Executive Jets Delivers First Phenom 300E
This follows recent type certifications of the light jet from the FAA, EAA and Brazil’s ANAC.
Gulfstream Expands Student Leadership Program
Aviation/STEM-themed program in Dallas will expose more than 300 local students each year to work readiness and leadership skills, and info on careers.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
FDS Gets Hollywood Nod for HD Streaming on Bizjets
To load the tiered content, aircraft operators insert a solid-state drive into the do Capsule, enabling up to 22 passengers to simultaneously watch movies.
Aircraft
Supersonic Bizjet Launch Inches Closer, Says Analyst
Supersonic business jets are "still moving at the very subsonic speed of technology, regulation and money,” though.
Avionics
Amstat: Less Than 40% of Bizav Fleet Ready for ADS-B
Specifically, they said 39 percent of U.S.-based business jets and 38 percent of U.S. based business turboprops are currently known to be compliant.
Avionics
SmartSky 4G System Wins FAA PMA Nods
SmartSky partners can develop new STCs more rapidly using the PMA’d components.
Bizav Has an Image Problem, Survey Says
Just one in three business aviation professionals believe the sector has a positive image, while 64 percent describe it as either “negative” or “neutral.”
Regulations and Government
FAA Mulls Options for More-transparent Aircraft Registry
The FAA “wants to provide as much transparency as possible” in the registry, while also taking into consideration aircraft owners’ privacy concerns.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
U.S. Tax Reform Narrows Business Use of Aircraft
Law expanded bonus depreciation, but also significantly narrowed or eliminated activities that previously qualified as business use.
Preowned Business Jet Market Finds Balance
Now that buyers and sellers are on even ground, prices of used jets have stabilized.
Avionics
ADS-B Will Bring Reckoning to Preowned Bizjet Market
U.S. operators of 13,425 business jets—one-third of the in-service fleet—currently have no ADS-B upgrade plan in place.
Several New Features Coming To ABACE 2018
This includes a reconfigured show layout, expanded exhibitor chalets, aircraft making ABACE debuts, and additional sessions.
Avionics
Gogo Sees Rising Demand for In-flight Connectivity
Demand for in-flight connectivity was up across all business aircraft segments, but was especially robust for light jets and turboprops.
Maintenance and Modifications
Safe Flight Developing Tailstrike Warning System
Safe Flight’s Tailstrike Warning System uses ground clearance and angle of attack (AoA)—a relationship that can even provide predictive alerts.
