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
Aircraft
In The Works: Dassault Falcon 7X
Last month Dassault said its engineers have validated several improvements to the Falcon 7X– such as increased mtow, engine thrust, fuel capacity and wingl
Aircraft
Start-up hopes to outfox other VLJ competitors
Tony Fox, the 84-year-old entrepreneur credited by those with long memories as being the father of the very light jet, last month sold the 1970s-era Foxjet
Aircraft
In The Works: Embraer Phenom 100
Early last month Embraer announced it cut the first metal for its Phenom 100 very light jet.
Aircraft
In The Works: Grob G180 SPn Utility Jet
Grob Aerospace recently announced significant enhancements to its G180 SPn light jet.
Aircraft
In The Works: Raytheon Hawker 4000
On May 31, Raytheon Aircraft reached the FAA’s five-year time limit for certification of the Hawker 4000 (née Horizon) under Part 25 amendments that existe
Charter & Fractional
Avantair: The Little Fractional That Could
Piaggio Avanti fractional provider Avantair is fast becoming a major player in the industry.
Charter & Fractional
The New Breed of Jet Cards
Last month, Flight Options and Flexjet began offering tiered-pricing jet cards that provide steep discounts for not flying during peak periods.
Charter & Fractional
Fractionals: Evolution in action
Twenty years after its birth, the fractional concept is finally a mainstream part of the business aviation industry.
Aircraft
Embraer thinks big with the Lineage 1000
Embraer delivered on its promise to expand its line of business jets with the introduction last month at EBACE of the Lineage 1000 jet derived from its fly
Charter & Fractional
Will the air limo industry take off?
As anticipation builds over the pending certification of the first very light jet, the Eclipse 500, “There’s a new sense of legitimacy for the idea of pers
Aircraft
In The Works: Spectrum 33
Cardiff by the Sea, Calif.-based Spectrum Aerospace said flight testing of its Spectrum 33 very light twinjet is progressing on schedule.
Aircraft
In The Works: ATG Javelin
Aviation Technology Group in late June announced several design changes to its two-place Javelin twinjet.
Aircraft
In The Works: Diamond D-Jet
Following initial flight-testing in late April, the Diamond D-Jet single-engine very light jet resumed flight testing after installation of its data acquis
Aircraft
In The Works: Comp Air 12
Comp Air of Merritt Island, Fla., last month unveiled plans to certify its 10-seat, all-composite Comp Air 12 turboprop single.
Aircraft
In The Works: Aerion SSBJ
After an initial round of meetings with potential OEM partners on its supersonic business jet (SSBJ), Aerion is refining its business case.
Aircraft
In The Works: Dassault Falcon 7X
The Falcon 7X flight-test program is progressing on schedule, with four of the trijets logging more than 850 hours during 275 test flights.
Aircraft
In The Works: Cessna Citation Mustang
Cessna began function and reliability (F&R) flight-testing on the Citation Mustang early last month, the last step before gaining type certification from t
Airbus opens North American ACJ center at Miami facility
In a bid to boost sales of the Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) in North and South America, Airbus last month opened a corporate jetliner center in the U.S.
Aircraft
New Turboprops
Turboprop-powered aircraft will continue to be effective business tools, though their role is likely to be eclipsed to an as yet unknown degree wi
Aircraft
Honda’s new aircraft division shifts into gear
Two weeks after Honda revealed its long-anticipated commercial plans for the HondaJet, the Japanese company on August 8 established a wholly owned subsidia
Aircraft
Eclipse, Cessna race to VLJ certification
Not to rain on Eclipse’s parade, but…the July 27 waving of the checkered flag in the very light jet (VLJ) race might have been premature.
NTSB wants ice detectors on all jet engines
Several Beechjet flameouts have led the NTSB to make recommendations to prevent recurrences.
Aircraft
HondaJet gets green light to enter VLJ fray
Honda announced on July 25 at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., that it will “enter the HondaJet into the growing very light jet market.” According to proje
Safety
Third dual flameout raises questions about Beechjet
The third Beechjet dual engine flameout in less than two years has left NTSB investigators, as well as aircraft manufacturer Raytheon and engine maker Prat
Aircraft
Sino Swearingen customers still await SJ30 deliveries
While the SJ30 light jet received FAA certification in late October last year, the production certificate has still eluded San Antonio-based Sino Swearinge
Regulations and Government
Congress Passes Bill Banning U.S. Participation in EU-ETS
