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
Cessna Announces Leadership Changes
Cessna Aircraft tapped Ron Alberti, senior v-p of integrated supply chain, to assume a new role responsible for the previously announced relocation of work
FBOs
APP Buys Volo FBOs, Plans Rebranding
Thom Harrow, former president of Volo Aviation, last year formed a new company called Airport Property Partners (APP) and in December purchased four Volo F
Aircraft
Pilatus Logs Record Deliveries in 2009
Pilatus today reported that 2009 was a record-breaking year for PC-12 deliveries, bucking the downward trend seen at most business aircraft manufacturers.
Safety
ARG/US Endorses IS-BAO as Standard
Aviation Research Group/US (ARG/US) is endorsing the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) as the “one standard that all operato
Safety
FAA Warns of Fire Extinguisher Dangers
The FAA is seeking comments on an Airworthiness Directive aimed at contaminated Halon 1211 used in some handheld cabin fire extinguishers.
Avionics
Rockwell Finalizes Acquisition of AR Group
Early last month, Rockwell Collins completed the acquisition of AR Group and its affiliated companies, including business aviation trip-support services pr
Charter & Fractional
Solairus Launches Program To Help Fund CAN
Aircraft charter and management firm Solairus Aviation launched a program to help fund the Corporate Angel Network’s (CAN) continued efforts to provide can
ATC
FAA and Europe Vow To Work Together
With a view to guaranteeing interoperability between the FAA’s NextGen air traffic management system (ATM) and the European Union’s Sesar (Single European
Maintenance and Modifications
Eclipse Aerospace Growing, Parts Flowing
Eclipse Aerospace has grown to more than 60 employees since
Missing Son of NSF Owner Believed Dead
Robert Wiles, the 26-year-old son of National Flight Services (NSF) owner Tom Wiles, is believed to be dead and a former coworker has been arrested for his
Airports
ExecuJet In Charge of Schoenefeld GA Terminal
Berlin Airports has selected ExecuJet Europe to be the official operator of the new general aviation terminal at Berlin-Schoenefeld Airport.
Engines
Rolls-Royce BR725 Obtains FAA Approval
In late December, the FAA granted type approval for Rolls-Royce’s BR725 turbofan, which powers the Gulfstream G650.
Aircraft
First Signature Red Learjet 60XR Finds a Home
NewJet International, Bombardier Business Aircraft’s distributor in Monaco and Italy, recently delivered the first Signature Red Series Learjet 60XR to an
Airports
FAA Should Use Its ‘Nuclear Option’ To Save America’s Airports
Right now, two towns on opposite sides of the U.S.
Arlene Elliott, Cofounder of Elliott Aviation, Dies
Elliott Aviation cofounder Arlene Elliott, 91, died on Sunday at her home in Naples, Fla., the business aviation sales and services company announced today
Embraer’s Bizjet Deliveries Tripled in 2009
While other business aircraft manufacturers struggled last year, Embraer more than tripled its production output of executive jets.
Business Aviation Rallies To Help Haiti Quake Victims
The business aviation community quickly swung into action yesterday to help earthquake victims in Haiti.
Training and Workforce
Linear Air, High Performance Team on Eclipse Training
Eclipse 500 air-taxi operator Linear Air and High Performance Aircraft Training (HPAT) yesterday announced that they have partnered to provide Eclipse 500
Avionics
SAIBs Address Honeywell FMS Software Glitch
The FAA late last week issued special airworthiness information bulletins
Accidents
Cargo Learjet 35 Crashes on Approach to Chicago Exec
A Royal Air Freight Learjet 35 crashed into a river in a forest preserve on Tuesday afternoon while on approach to Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling, I
UBS Reaffirms Rising Bizjet Flight Activity Forecast
According to UBS Investment Research’s latest business jet update, flight activity in November was roughly unchanged from the same period in 2008, stemming
Aircraft
Rockwell Finalizes Acquisition of AR Group
Rockwell Collins yesterday completed the acquisition of AR Group and its affiliated companies, including business aviation trip-support services provider A
Aircraft
Phenom 300 certified in U.S. and Brazil
Embraer last month received type certification for its Phenom 300 from both Brazil’s civil aviation authority, Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC), an
Aircraft
Gulfstream G650 flight testing in full swing
The wide-cabin Gulfstream G650 resumed flight testing on December 4, following the
Aircraft
Handoff - Cirrus: Alan Klapmeier to Dale Klapmeier
The Cirrus board of directors opted not to renew company cofounder and chairman Alan Klapmeier’s contract and instead installed his brother, Dale, the othe
Handoff - Hawker Beechcraft: Schuster to Boisture
Hawker Beechcraft tapped industry veteran Bill Boisture Jr.
Charter & Fractional
Air Platinum Club Is Latest Casualty
Miami-based Air Platinum Club–which until recently was touting membership options in its Gulfstream IV-SPs, exotic cars, a beachfront condo and a yacht–app
Aircraft
Hawker 4000 Obtains Chinese Approval
Hawker Beechcraft received type approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China for the super-midsize Hawker 4000.
Airports
Oxford Airport Now an EU Point of Entry
The UK’s Oxford Airport has been granted customs-designated status, allowing it to be used as a point of entry for operators importing aircraft into the Eu
Safety
More Operators Pass ACSF Charter Audit Muster
The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) announced that three more aircraft charter operators passed its “industry audit standard” and achieved “registered
