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
Charter & Fractional
Directional Aviation Launches Premium Air Charter FXAir
Directional Aviation has launched FXAir as a premium product that “redefines and rescopes on-demand air charter.”
Charter & Fractional
NetJets Reinstates Europe Fleet, Plots Path for Growth
NetJets is reinstating most of its fleet in Europe and all NetJets Europe pilots and cabin crew who were furloughed in April.
Maintenance and Modifications
Gulfstream Opens New Farnborough Service Center
Gulfstream’s new service center at Farnborough Airport is now open and took in its first aircraft, a Middle East-based Gulfstream G450, for service.
Avionics
Garmin Cyberattack Affects Aviation Data Services
A reported ransomware attack that shut down several data services at Garmin over the past day includes those in its aviation portfolio.
1H Falcon Deliveries Flat, but Will Be Down for 2020
Dassault Aviation delivered 16 Falcons in the first half, one fewer than a year ago, and now plans to deliver only 30 business jets this year.
Regulations and Government
Innovation Key To Helping Aerospace Climb Out of Covid Crisis
Though Covid-19 has delivered a “body blow” to the aerospace industry, it will come back better and stronger thanks to the industry’s innovative spirit.
Engines
Safran, ZF Aviation Team on Ardiden 3-based Turboprop
Safran Helicopter Engines and ZF Aviation Technology have signed an MoA to offer a turboprop engine based on the Safran Ardiden 3 turboshaft.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Duncan Ups Falcon’s Seating Capacity, Shaves Weight
The company rose to the challenge when a customer asked it to reduce the weight of his Falcon 900EX while also increasing its seating capacity.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Jetcraft Taps F/List for MicroShield 360 Applications
The business jet brokerage is the launch customer for an interiors specialist's treatment program.
Charter & Fractional
Charter Broker Offers Expedited Pre-trip Covid Testing
Paramount Business Jets is providing the tests through a new partnership with The COVID Consultants.
Aircraft
NetJets Takes Delivery of Capstone Challenger 650
NetJets’ acceptance of its 25th Challenger 650 fulfills more than $10 billion in firm orders placed by the fractional provider between 2010 and 2012.
Aircraft
Aerocor Expands Aircraft Buyer's Guide Library
Aerocor has expanded its digital aircraft library from just the Eclipse 500 to all single-pilot-certified Citations and the Beechcraft Premier I/A.
Charter & Fractional
AINdebrief Episode 17 | July 17, 2020
FIA Connect, Dassault Falcon 6X, Charter Fraud, Textron Aviation Layoffs, ADS Airs Concerns about UK Aerospace Industry
Safety
Bombardier Safety Standdown Going Virtual for 2020
Bombardier's Safety Standdown 2020, originally slated for August 25 to 27 in Wichita, will be held virtually this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
N. American Bizav Flying Continues Post-Covid Climbout
North American business aircraft flight activity gained back another one-third of Covid-19-related losses in June, as flying increased 40 percent from May.
Charter & Fractional
Qatar Executive Launches Fixed-rate Charter Program
Qatar Executive's new Diamond Agreement program allows customers to pre-purchase flight time at fixed-hourly rates on its long- and ultra-long-range jets.
Avionics
Honeywell Gets TSO Approval for RDR-7000 Wx Radar
Honeywell Aerospace has received FAA TSO approval for its IntuVue RDR-7000 weather radar and is now working to complete STCs for 15 aircraft by year-end.
Aircraft
Trio of Flight-test Dassault Falcon 6Xs Taking Shape
The first three pre-production Falcon 6Xs are taking shape, and the program is on track to achieve first flight early next year.
Fuel
AINdebrief Episode 16 | July 10, 2020
NASA X-59, Sustainable Aviation Fuels, FlightAware Partners on Microsoft Flight Simulator
U.S. Bizav Flying Boosted by July 4 Holiday Traffic
Business aviation traffic in the U.S. was down only 7 percent over the extended Independence Day holiday weekend, according to data from WingX Advance.
Aircraft
Bombardier Delivers 350th Challenger 350
Bombardier is celebrating the 350th delivery of its super-midsize Challenger 350, a milestone reached six years after the 3,200-nm twinjet entered service.
Global Bizav Flying Now 70% of Normal, Says WingX
Global business aircraft activity continued its post-Covid-19 recovery last month, with traffic down 30 percent from year-ago levels, said WingX Advance.
Aircraft
AINdebrief Episode 15 | July 3, 2020
NBAA Cancels BACE, 737 Max Resumes Flight Testing, Global 7500 Gets Green Papers, Farnborough Airshow Goes Virtual, OSHA Proposes Fine at Textron Aviation
Aircraft
200th Gulfstream G280 Enters Service
Gulfstream Aerospace has delivered the 200th G280, a milestone reached some eight years after the super-midsize business jet entered service.
NBAA-BACE 2020 Go/No-go Decision Could Come This Week
With the Covid-19 crisis looming in the background, NBAA could make a decision this week on whether to hold its annual convention.
AINdebrief Episode 14 | June 26, 2020
NBAA-BACE 2020, Bizav Traffic Recovery, Pilot Records Proposal, Pakistan Accident, Lufthansa and Qantas Plot Comebacks from Covid
FlightAware: U.S. Bizav Flying Sees YOY Rise on June 20
Business aviation fliying continues to mount a substantial post-Covid-19 recovery, with U.S. traffic on June 20 actually increasing 2.5% from a year ago.
Rotorcraft
Kopter Resumes Flight Testing of SH09 Helicopter
Leonardo subsidiary Kopter said flight testing of the third SH09 light helicopter prototype restarted in Pozzallo, Italy, after a Covid-incuded pause.
AINdebrief Episode 13 | June 19, 2020
IATA Sounds Off on Covid Travel Restrictions, Gulfstream Ending G550 Production, GE Progresses on Catalyst, Supersonic Is Just Starting Point for Aerion.
Argus Sees U.S. Bizav Flying at 83% of Normal in July
U.S. business aviation flying is expected to return to 73 percent of normal this month and 83 percent of normal in July and August, according to Argus.
