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
'Lost Decade' for Light and Midsize Bizjets Nears End: Citi Analyst
The light and midsize jet markets have now “found a floor” since deliveries exceeded long-term trends in the 2000s.
Avionics
40% of U.S. Business Aircraft Fleet Won't Meet ADS-B Out Deadline
“Looking to install ADS-B Out next year is too late,” warned Duncan Aviation president Aaron Hilkeman.
Training and Workforce
FlightSafety Launches New P&WC PT6A Pilot Course
One-day course will provide pilots with info on turboprop engine's normal and abnormal operation, operational procedures and recommendations.
Maintenance and Modifications
Tamarack Plans To Offer Active Winglets for Phenom 100
Active winglets will greatly expand the capability of the light jet, specifically improving the Phenom 100's hot-and-high performance and adding range.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
New Normal: Bizjets Depreciate by 50% at Year Five
Owners of aircraft older than 15 to 20 years need to realize that they might be the last owner of the airplane.
Airports
Surf Air Europe Moving Base from Luton to London City
UK-based FlairJet, which operates Phenom 300s for Surf Air Europe, is working on obtaining the required steep approach approvals to fly into LCY.
Avionics
SmartSky Offers Unlimited Data for Early-bird Customers
Company's 4G air-to-ground network is on schedule to provide 95 percent Continental U.S. coverage in mid-2018.
Aircraft
Bombardier Moving Global 5000 Completions to Wichita
As part of the announcement, the Canadian aircraft manufacturer designated Montreal as a center of excellence for interior completions of Global 7000s.
Avionics
AEA: Retrofits Lift Avionics Sales through 3Q
Of the total avionics sales during the first nine months, 57.7 percent, or nearly $1 billion, came from the retrofit market
Aircraft
Bombardier To Ramp Up Hiring for Global 7000 Production
The OEM currently has about 50 open positions related to Global 7000 production and completions listed on its website
Avionics
Extant Aero Expanding at Its Central Florida Campus
Additional facility will support company’s growing product portfolio and accommodate future growth in its high-mix, low-volume product lines and services.
Charter & Fractional
Tax Bill Provision Eliminates FET on Aircraft Mgmt Fees
Provision directly responds to a March 2012 IRS Chief Counsel Advice Memorandum that concluded management fees were subject to 7.5 percent tax.
Aircraft
Embraer Lowers Cabin Altitude for Legacy 450/500
mbraer is now increasing the cabin pressurization differential from 9.3 psi to 9.73 psi to reduce the maximum cabin altitude to 5,800 feet.
Avionics
ACSS Taps BendixKing as Bizjet Dealer for NXT-700
Agreement offers aircraft operators a sales channel for purchasing and installing the ADS-B-compliant transponder.
FBOs
ExecuJet To Consolidate Dubai FBO/MRO Services at DWC
Construction of its new combined FBO/MRO at Dubai South is slated to start early next year, with opening expected in late 2019.
Aircraft
Chinese Firm Orders $37B in Boeing Airliners
The order announcement from the airliner leasing company was part of the U.S. trade mission to China.
Aircraft
XTI Aircraft Racks Up 60+ Orders for TriFan 600
Using three ducted fans, the TriFan will be able to lift off vertically and then rotate its two wing fans forward for forward flight.
North American Bizav Flying Continues Ascent
This marks the fifth consecutive rise for the month of October, going from about 240,000 flights in October 2012 to more than 270,000 last month.
Training and Workforce
Emirates Academy Welcomes First Embraer Phenom 100EV
The aircraft is the eighth 100EV manufactured by Embraer at its Phenom assembly facility in Melbourne, Florida.
Charter & Fractional
VistaJet’s Middle East Customer Base Jumps 50%
Sixty-eight of the more than 1,600 airports that VistaJet’s all-Bombardier fleet has flown into globally are in the Middle East.
Charter & Fractional
Encompass 'Quietly' Takes Over Surf Air Cali Flights
Part 135 firm now operates Surf Air’s more than 70 daily weekday flights in California.
Regulations and Government
Astronautics To Continue Cybersecurity Work for FAA
The contract modification for Phase 1B is focused on mitigation strategies and safety risk assessments on different avionic systems.
October Bizav Flying in Europe Soars 8%
Year-to-date, segment flying is up 4 percent, or 28,000 more flights, versus the same period in 2016.
Regulations and Government
$10M Investment Positions Flightdocs for More Growth
Company provides maintenance, compliance and inventory flight departments, air medical service providers, air charter and fractional aircraft operators.
'One Belt One Sky' Highlighted at Macau Bizav Show
The expo will advocate the Macau government’s “One Belt One Sky” that seeks to develop the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao greater bay area.
Aircraft
Challenger 350 Buoys Bombardier Bizjet Deliveries in 3Q
During the quarter, Bombardier Business Aircraft delivered 31 jets, down from 36 in the year-ago period.
Aircraft
Used Bizjet Inventory Drops, but Still a Buyer's Market
Over the first nine months, used bizjet sale transactions rose 5.9 percent year-over-year, to 1,946, but jets are taking the same amount of time to sell.
Charter & Fractional
With New Hire, Victor Sets Sights on U.S. Growth
Victor said it reached its sales revenue forecast of $39 million to $41 million in 2016 and is on target to exceed $60 million this year.
Charter & Fractional
PrivateFly: Charter Customers Edge Younger, Spend More
The average age of private jet customers is now 38 years, while nearly one in five passengers are children under 16 years old.
FBOs
Argus Integrates ADS-B Flight Data into TraqPak FBO
Integration of ADS-B enables more precise aircraft tracking, as well as an increase in the number of flights tracked in the tool.
