Chad is the editor of AINalerts, AIN's daily business aviation newsletter, and is also the news editor at AIN Media Group.&nbsp;He has been writing about aviation, with an emphasis on business aviation, since 1994. Chad started his writing career at The Avion,&nbsp;the&nbsp;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&nbsp;magazine, he joined&nbsp;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.

Online Editor

Chad Trautvetter

Business aircraft activity maintained its positive momentum into the new year, thanks to a robust Part 135 segment, according to the latest TraqPak data from aviation services company Argus. Last month, flying increased 1.8 percent from the same period a year ago, the company said.


Part 135 charter activity was up 8 percent year-over-year, marking more than a year of consecutive increases in this segment. Meanwhile, Part 91 and fractional flying decreased marginally, falling 1.1 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively. While fractional activity is still suffering to some extent, the effect of the Avantair shutdown on the segment as a whole appears to be waning.


By aircraft category, jets continued their climb and turboprops lagged again. Large-cabin jet flying posted a 9.7-percent increase, while light and midsize jet activity rose by 6.1 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively, year-over-year. Turboprop activity declined by 6 percent.


Looking at individual segments, light and large-cabin jets at both fractional and charter operators posted double-digit gains. At the fractionals, these aircraft saw gains of 24.7 percent and 13.3 percent, respectively, while in the Part 135 world they rose by 11.3 percent and 10.7 percent, respectively. The largest loss in individual market segments was in fractional turboprops, down 58.7 percent in the wake of the Avantair shutdown.


Argus TraqPak data provides “serial-number-specific aircraft arrival and departure information on all IFR flights in the U.S. and Canada.”

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