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
Preowned Business Jet Market Finds Balance
Now that buyers and sellers are on even ground, prices of used jets have stabilized.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
U.S. Tax Reform Narrows Business Use of Aircraft
Law expanded bonus depreciation, but also significantly narrowed or eliminated activities that previously qualified as business use.
Several New Features Coming To ABACE 2018
This includes a reconfigured show layout, expanded exhibitor chalets, aircraft making ABACE debuts, and additional sessions.
Avionics
ADS-B Will Bring Reckoning to Preowned Bizjet Market
U.S. operators of 13,425 business jets—one-third of the in-service fleet—currently have no ADS-B upgrade plan in place.
Avionics
Gogo Sees Rising Demand for In-flight Connectivity
Demand for in-flight connectivity was up across all business aircraft segments, but was especially robust for light jets and turboprops.
Maintenance and Modifications
Safe Flight Developing Tailstrike Warning System
Safe Flight’s Tailstrike Warning System uses ground clearance and angle of attack (AoA)—a relationship that can even provide predictive alerts.
Aircraft
Denmark Firm Named Nordic Sales Rep for Daher TBMs
Its sales territory includes Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Avionics
Pentastar Broadens Connectivity Options for Gulfstreams
“Connectivity is vital for business travelers to be truly productive,” noted Jesse Beard, Pentastar Aviation’s director of engineering and inside sales.
ATC
DOT IG: FAA NextGen Development Projects Lack Oversight
Since Fiscal Year 2008, Congress has appropriated more than $1.7 billion for NextGen developmental projects.
Avionics
Jeppesen Charts Added To GoDirect Flight Bag Pro App
Honeywell's GoDirect Flight Bag Pro allows business aviation pilots to create flight plans, view weather, and access flight briefing information.
Airports
Landing, Parking Fees Set To Rise at 14 Greek Airports
This includes airports in Aktion, Chania, Corfu, Kavala, Kefalonia, Kos, Lesbos, Mykonos, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini, Skiathos, Thessaloniki, and Zakynthos.
Charter & Fractional
Horizon Air Group Rebrands as Leviate
The company, which started out as just a charter broker in 2015, has added capabilities from whole aircraft brokerage to aircraft operations since then.
Aircraft
Cessna Wraps Up Initial Wind Tunnel Tests of SkyCourier
First flight of the SkyCourier is slated for next year, with service entry planned in 2020.
Avionics
Jet Aviation Installs JetWave Datacom in Global 6000
JetWave operates on Inmarsat Aviation’s GX Ka-band network to provide high-speed onboard broadband connectivity.
European Bizav Flying Maintains Steady Growth
Spain reported the largest gains in business jet activity, with a last 12-month-trend increase of 9 percent in this segment.
Charter & Fractional
Luxury Yacht Seized in Zetta Jet Bankruptcy Case
Global law firm DLA Piper has seized the luxury yacht Dragon Pearl, which it claims was purchased with "misappropriated" Zetta Jet funds.
Avionics
In-service Bombardier Bizjets Get More Upgrade Options
Enhancements include avionics upgrades that elevate situational awareness or meet regulatory compliance, as well as cabin improvements.
Regulations and Government
IBAC Hails Change in Cockpit Door Rules for Bizjets
Threshold requirement for hardened cockpit doors for aircraft with 19 or fewer seats raised from 100,310 pounds mtow to 120,152 pounds.
Avionics
New Comms, Surveillance Requirements Coming for NAT Ops
Compliance with new performance-based communication and surveillance requirements will be required to fly on three North Atlantic Track routes.
Aircraft
Arrow Aircraft Tapped as HondaJet Dealer for India
Honda Aircraft has established a worldwide dealer and authorized sales network to provide service and support for HondaJet customers.
Charter & Fractional
NetJets Steps Up Support of Corporate Angel Network
In addition to giving CAN access to ferry flights, NetJets will now match owner flight-hour donations up to 50 hours annually.
Training and Workforce
Aviation Youth Outreach Orgs Team on Pilot Scholarships
Groups decided to work together to expand and diversify talent of aviation and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals.
Aircraft
New Aerion Exec To Guide Mach 1.4 AS2 To Finish Line
In his new role, Tom Vice will be responsible for all aspects of Aerion’s AS2 design, development, certification, and customer delivery.
Maintenance and Modifications
Aviation Groups Praise Mx Workforce Development Bill
Would allocate $5 million per year, from 2019 to 2023, for grants to support the education and recruitment of aviation maintenance technical workers.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Willis Towers Launches Cyber Insurance for Genav Firms
Product is a tailored and specific solution for general aviation companies to fill potential cyber coverage gaps due to the changing risk landscape.
Embraer Foresees Flat Business Jet Market in 2018
Its business jet shipment estimates for 2018 exactly mirror those it gave for last year: 70 to 80 light jets and 35 to 45 large jets.
Bizav Flying in U.S., Canada Continues Climb
Activity has steadily increased over the past three Februarys, climbing from approximately 212,000 flights in January 2015 to 237,000 last month.
Avionics
Garmin Flies First Citation XLS Retrofitted with G5000
According to Garmin, the G5000 retrofit for the Excel/XLS will provide a weight savings of about 150 pounds.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Global Jet Capital Lands More Financing
Global Jet Capital plans to continue to use the asset-backed security market as an “integral part” of its funding strategy in the future.
Maintenance and Modifications
Gulfstream Ups the Ante on Support with AOG Call Center
Incoming calls or messages designated as AOG are routed to the center, where experienced team members can tap into Gulfstream’s worldwide resources.
