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.

Latest from Chad Trautvetter

Charter & Fractional

Flight Options Pilot Union Seeks Mediation

On behalf of the approximately 575 Flight Options pilots, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 1108 last week filed for mediation with the Nati
FBOs

Mercury Opens Mega-size FBO in Kuwait

Mercury Air Group announced today that it has started flight operations at the Royal Terminal in Kuwait, the largest private aviation terminal in the Middl
FBOs

Cessna fuel card promises savings

Cessna Aircraft chairman and CEO Russ Meyer (right) and Avfuel Corp.
Maintenance and Modifications

Cessna plans Citation shop expansions

“We are dedicated to expanding our worldwide Citation product network and doubling the capacity of our Cessna-owned service facilities during the next five
Aircraft

New Business Aircraft Report

The Chinese proverb “may you live in interesting times” certainly seems appropriate for manufacturers and would-be manufacturers of new business airplanes.
Avionics

Avidyne reveals its Entegra WAAS-enabled FMS

Avidyne unveiled its Entegra FMS900W WAAS-enabled GPS navcom flight management system last month at the Sun ’n’ Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla.
Safety

SMS: More Than Just the Latest Buzzword in Bizav

“Safety management systems aren’t just the latest fad for corporate flight departments,” Daedalus Aviation Services president David Bjellos told the nearly
Regulations and Government

IBT or NJASAP? NetJets Pilots To Choose Next Month

An agreement was recently reached between the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP), the la
Aircraft

OEMs move forward on jet singles

Piper Aircraft and Cirrus Design are in a dead heat on the progress of their respective single-engine jet prototypes, and the two airplanes could fly withi
Charter & Fractional

NetJets pilots seek independent union

The “Strong Union” leaders who helped NetJets pilots obtain an industry-leading contract three years ago resigned from the local representing the fractiona

NBAA adds event for small aircraft operators

As the annual NBAA Convention gets ever larger, so too grows the perception that the event tends to focus on and attract operators of larger business aircr
Regulations and Government

DFW Tracon Managers Misclassified Controller Errors

A DOT Inspector General report published late last week reveals that FAA managers at the Dallas-Fort Worth Tracon “routinely” and “intentionally” misclassi
Aircraft

Hawker 4000 Deliveries Still Stalled

Deliveries of the Hawker 4000 have not yet begun, despite Hawker Beechcraft saying for more than a month that it would “soon” start shipments of the super-

Gulfstream Sales Continue To Soar

Sales of Gulfstream business jets in the first quarter increased 17 percent year-over-year, Nicholas Chabraja, chairman and CEO of parent company General D
Aircraft

Piper, Cirrus Jet Single Prototypes Near Completion

Piper Aircraft and Cirrus Design are neck and neck on progress with their respective single-engine very light jet prototypes, and the two competing airplan

Eclipse Aviation Looks To Out Blogging Critics

Eclipse Aviation is breaking new ground again, but this time it’s in the California courts.

Executive Shuffle at Bombardier Aerospace

Bombardier today announced substantial changes to its aerospace group leadership team, most notably naming auto industry veteran Guy Hachey Bombardier Aero

Textron: Cessna Bizjet Demand ‘Remains Unabated’

Cessna Aircraft and Bell Helicopter parent company Textron today reported revenues of $3.5 billion in the first quarter, up from $3 billion in the same per
Aircraft

Third Diamond D-Jet Joins Flight-test Fleet

The third flight-test D-Jet completed a one-hour 25-minute maiden flight on Tuesday from Diamond Aircraft’s London, Ontario facility, with chief test pilot
Safety

ARG/US Helps Bizav Operators Avoid SMS Pitfalls

Aviation Research Group/U.S.
Safety

Air Charter Safety Foundation Lauds 2007 Safety Record

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) has already reviewed the 2007 preliminary aviation safety stat

Embraer on a Roll with Phenom 300 Program

Embraer rolled out the first Phenom 300 light jet at its Gavião Peixoto plant in São Paulo, Brazil, on Saturday, less than three years after the manufactur
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Aircraft

More Cold-weather Limits for Bombardier Challengers

The FAA yesterday issued an Airworthiness Directive for all Bombardier Challenger business jets, as well as the derivative CRJ100 and 440 regional jets, th

Light Airplanes on NBAA’s Radar

At the Sun ’n’ Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla., yesterday NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen announced a new three-day industry event dedicated to operators who
Aircraft

Comp Air Now Plans Trio of Turboprop Singles

Merritt Island, Fla.-based Comp Air took the wraps off two new aircraft–the CA-9 and CA-11–yesterday at the Sun ’n’ Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla., bringing
Regulations and Government

AOPA Asks FAA To Scrap Congestion Pricing

“Congestion pricing should be the FAA’s last resort, not its first,” noted AOPA president Phil Boyer.
Avionics

Garmin Launches ‘G1000 Light’ Avionics

Garmin unveiled the G950 avionics suite at the Sun ’n’ Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla., on Tuesday.
Charter & Fractional

Flight Options Teams with Starlink on Canadian Venture

Fractional provider Flight Options of Cleveland and charter firm Starlink Aviation of Montreal yesterday announced an international partnership to form Fli
Charter & Fractional

Wyvern Debuts Online Charter Safety Compliance Program

Wyvern is taking charter aircraft safety compliance to the next level with the introduction of the Pilot & Aircraft Safety Survey (Pass) program, which
Engines

Eclipse 500 Gets a Pair of Garmins

Eclipse Aviation this afternoon revealed another major change to the Avio NG avionics suite for the Eclipse 500, announcing the addition of two panel-mount