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 G500 on Final Approach for Certification
G500 certification is expected by the end of the first quarter, with G600 service entry to follow later this year.
Rotorcraft
Swisshelicopter Rebrands as Kopter
Name "makes a promise to its customers: whatever the missions, whatever the times, wherever the places, Kopter will get you where you’re going."
Rotorcraft
Revenues, Civil Deliveries Rise at Bell Helicopter
Scott Donnelly, chairman and CEO of Bell Helicopter parent Textron, forecast slightly lower revenues—$3.2 billion—for the helicopter manufacturer in 2018.
Citi on Tax Law: No Immediate Bump for New Bizjet Sales
"We think 2019 is the earliest we’d see a material benefit for OEM production rates,” said Citigroup Equities Research aerospace analyst Jonathan Raviv.
Charter & Fractional
Victor Raises $18M for Charter Industry Venture
Will create an ecosystem enabling business aviation industry stakeholders to boost efficiency and profitability by sharing data and intelligence.
Aircraft
Bizjet Deliveries Up, King Airs Dip at Textron Aviation
Last year, the Wichita-based aircraft manufacturer shipped 180 Citations, up six from 2016, and 86 King Airs, 20 fewer units from the previous year.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Helicopters Delivers 1,300th EC135/H135
H135-family global fleet has accumulated a total of more than 4.5 million flight hours since service entry of the first EC135 helicopter in 1996.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
SmarkSky's 4G LTE Hardware Wins First STC
SmartSky’s 4G ATG network uses “beam forming” technology to provide high data-transmission rates to aircraft.
Aircraft
Gulfstream G280 Adds to Long List of City-pair Records
Pending approval by the U.S. National Aeronautic Association, the G280’s latest records will bring its total city-pair records to more than 60.
Maintenance and Modifications
Eclipse, Advent Launch eABS Promotion for E500s
Offer is limited to the first 10 Eclipse 500 owners that sign a maintenance request form and schedule their aircraft for the upgrade.
Regulations and Government
EBAA to EU: Keep Status Quo for UK Bizav under Brexit
Transition guidelines are expected to be signed off in Brussels today at an EU Affairs Ministers meeting.
Aircraft
Epic Aircraft Flies Second Conforming E1000 Prototype
FAA certification, which previously had been expected by the end of last year, is now planned for this summer.
ATC
NBAA Chief: ATC Privatization Battle Far from Over
NBAA and other general aviation groups have created the ATC Not for Sale program.
Gulfstream Has Full Schedule of Support Events in 2018
Schedule Includes weeklong Operators & Suppliers Conference, two customer advisory board meetings, two flight operations forums, and 11 operators forums.
Training and Workforce
First FlightSafety Gulfstream G500 Sim Gets FAA Nod
These are the first business jet simulators equipped with FlightSafety’s CrewView collimated glass mirror display.
JSSI: Global Bizav Flying Soars in Fourth Quarter
Average flight hours climbed 4.5 percent year-to-date and 6.1 percent year-over-year in the fourth quarter.
Aircraft
Gulfstream's New G500 Goes on World Tour
Tour will stop at “select cities” such as Atlanta, New York, Chicago, Milan, Moscow, Beijing, and Melbourne, Australia.
Regulations and Government
FAA/EASA Task Force To Announce MMEL Solution Soon
In November 2016, EASA began requiring all aircraft transiting European airspace to have an approved MEL for each individual aircraft.
Training and Workforce
CAE Acquires Minority Stake in Pelesys
Pelesys provides more than 30 special operations courses that would benefit business aircraft operators.
Rotorcraft
Falcon Aviation Wins Kuwait Oil Helicopter Contract
The contract marks a “significant expansion” for Falcon Aviation, which will be adding personnel and supporting facilities in Kuwait.
Charter & Fractional
VistaJet Sees Double-digit Growth in Flight Hours
Its all-Bombardier fleet—which includes the Challenger 350, 650, and 850 and Global 5000 and 6000—now numbers 72 aircraft.
Aircraft
Embraer Bizjet Shipments Down in ’17, but Meet Target
As of December 31, Embraer’s backlog for both executive and commercial aircraft stood at $18.3 billion, down from $19.6 billion a year earlier.
Training and Workforce
Simhawk Logs 16,000 Hours of Booked Sim Time in 2017
Simhawk handled training requests that equate to the annual capacity of three full-motion flight simulators.
CBAA 2018 To Address Bizav Pilot Shortage
Aviation labor experts will discuss issues and strategies to deal with pilot shortages, recruitment, retirement, and succession planning.
Fuel
NATA Launches Supplemental Safety Training Program
Program provides background information on diesel exhaust fluid, identifying possible risk contamination pathways and mitigation steps.
European Bizjet Flying Surges 6% in December
The slowdown in activity last month was centered in Western Europe, with fewer departures from France, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy.
U.S. Business Aircraft Flying Ends 2017 with a Gain
Analysts at the business aviation services company are calling for a 3.3 percent gain in flying this month.
Preowned Gulfstream Market Tightens, Prices Firm Up
Three in-production Gulfstream models—the G650, G550, and G280—have very low inventory levels, with less than 4 percent of each fleet up for sale.
Aircraft
Garmin G1000NXi Avionics OK’d for Piper M500
G1000NXi features wireless cockpit connectivity, enhanced situational awareness, visual approaches, and map overlay on the horizontal situation indicator.
Aircraft
Dassault Falcon Deliveries Climb Above Forecast in 2017
French aircraft manufacturer shipped 49 Falcons last year, four more than forecast and on par with its overall number of business jet deliveries in 2016.
