Author
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.
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Latest from Chad Trautvetter
Aircraft
Gulfstream, NASA Partner on SSBJ External Vision
Testing under way at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB in California is aiming to prove whether pilots can use high-definition video camera
Bombardier Testing Electronic Braking System
Bombardier Aerospace today said it flew a Global 5000 testbed with an all-electric braking system, which the Canadian company claims is a civil aviation fi
Maintenance and Modifications
UBS: Business Jet Activity Continues To Fall
UBS Investment Research’s business jet report–released yesterday–shows that business jet flight activity was 13 percent lower last month compared with the
Aircraft
With the G250, Gulfstream finds G200 successor
Gulfstream Aerospace at the NBAA Convention last month took the wraps off the G250, a successor to the G200 (née Galaxy), marking the second new aircraft l
Cessna earnings buoy Textron’s bottom line
While Textron said last month that its finance unit dragged down income in the third quarter, dropping year-over-year from $225 million to $210 million, re
Gulfstream Smoothly Riding Out Economic Turbulence
Despite what General Dynamics chairman and CEO Nicholas Chabraja termed a “tumultuous period in the markets and dislocation in the financial services secto
Charter & Fractional
OurPlane Makes Play for Former DayJet Eclipse 500s
London, Ontario-based OurPlane–a fractional provider of “new light aircraft,” including Cirrus SR22 piston singles and one Eclipse 500–today made a bid to
Hawker Beechcraft Chief Warns of ‘Uncertain’ Times
In a letter sent to employees last week, Hawker Beechcraft chairman and CEO Jim Schuster warned that the turmoil in the financial markets could have negati
Accidents
NTSB Issues Update on S.C. Learjet 60 Crash
The NTSB yesterday released an update on its investigation of the Learjet 60 that crashed while taking off from the Columbia (S.C.) Metropolitan Airport ju
Regulations and Government
Sabatini, Leverenz To Retire from FAA Posts
After nearly 30 years with the FAA, associate administrator for aviation safety Nick Sabatini will retire effective January 3, the agency announced today.
Regulations and Government
First-delivered Hawker 4000 Seized by U.S. Government
The first customer Hawker 4000, which was delivered to cigarette wholesaler Gary Hall in June, was seized along with other assets on Friday by the U.S.
Charter & Fractional
NTSB Judge Reinstates Air Trek’s Certificate
NTSB Administrative Law Judge William Pope II on Friday reversed an FAA emergency order of revocation issued in June that grounded Punta Gorda, Fla.-based
Teal Revises Business Jet Outlook Downward
Due to recent economic turmoil, The Teal Group earlier this month made the unusual move of revising its 18th annual Business Jet Overview, which was origin
Aircraft
Cessna Still Shines Brightly at Textron
While Textron this morning said its finance unit dragged down income in the third quarter, dropping year-over-year from $225 million to $210 million, reven
Are Recent Bizav Forecasts Already Outdated?
Brian Foley Associates president Brian Foley today sent a critical message to the various companies and consultants that recently released business aviatio
Safety
FAA Doesn’t Want Historical Accidents To Be Repeated
Those who don’t learn from the mistakes of the past are destined to repeat them.
Security
NBAA Members React Negatively to TSA NPRM
If the TSA was expecting the business aviation community to embrace its Large Aircraft Securit
Safety
Business Aviation Accidents Up This Year
According to aviation safety consulting firm Robert E.
Charter & Fractional
TAA/VLJ Air Taxis Optimistic Despite Failure of DayJet
Air-taxi operators employing technically advanced aircraft (TAA) and very light jets (VLJs) are upbeat about their futures, even in the face of DayJet’s de
Security
TSA Plan Would Sharply Complicate Operations for All GA Aircraft Weighing 12,500 Pounds or More
The TSA today released a notice of proposed rulemaking for its Large Aircraft Security Program
‘Solid Turnout’ at NBAA 2008 Despite Woes
The NBAA Convention in Orlando, Fla., which concluded yesterday, attracted 30,811 attendees, just shy of the 30,963 people at the event last year in Atlant
Aircraft
AAI Forges Ahead on A700
AAI Acquisition, which bought the assets of bankrupt Adam Aircraft in April, now has about 200 employees and says that design, manufacture and test activit
Aircraft
Comp Air Gets Funding for Large Turboprop Single
Merritt Island, Fla.-based Comp Air this week announced that it received $150 million in funding from MercMed, a California-based investment company headed
Safety
Bizav safety slips in first nine months of ’08
According to data released by aviation safety consulting firm Robert E.
AAI Acquisition picks up where Adam left off
AAI Acquisition (Booth No.
Aircraft
Diamond D-Jet Flies with Upgraded Williams Engine
On Sunday, Diamond Aircraft flew its D-Jet for the first time with the new Williams International FJ33-5A engine (formerly designated FJ33-19), the product
Maintenance and Modifications
Meggitt’s electronic brakes under test with Bombardier
Bombardier Aerospace installed Meggitt’s electrically actuated carbon brake system–dubbed EBrake–and electric braking controls on its technology demonstrat
Aircraft
Gulfstream Launches ‘Best in Class’ G250
Gulfstream Aerospace this morning unveiled the G250 to succeed the G200 (née Galaxy), which was the first super-midsize business jet to enter service–back
Aircraft
Hawker 450 Gives New Life To Old Design
Hawker Beechcraft today launched the Hawker 450XP, a derivative of the Hawker 400XP (née Beechjet 400A) with new cockpit avionics and engines.
