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
Rotorcraft
New Helicopter Training and R&D Center Opens in Canada
R&D will focus on human factors research in areas such as aircrew health monitoring and helmet fatigue.
Maintenance and Modifications
Duncan Aviation Offers No-cost Aircraft STC Resource
Book includes a section on importing and exporting aircraft and an explanation of the process of obtaining an STC.
Aircraft
Gulfstream G280 Logs Speed Record En Route to London
Super-midize jet completed the 3,377-nm/6,254-km journey in exactly seven hours, at an average speed of Mach 0.82.
Charter & Fractional
Meridian Preps for Hayward FBO Opening in September
Its new West Coast facility will include a 6,300-sq-ft FBO terminal and offices, a 30,000-sq-ft hangar and a 3.5-acre ramp.
Charter & Fractional
Skyjet Adds Instant Private Jet Booking to Website
Skyjet Max fleet are available for booking instantly since there are no wait times to obtain quotes and no need for jet owner approvals.
Engines
Dallas Airmotive Launches Online Resource for TFE731
Site provides operators with professional advice, as well as tips and tricks for the service and support of their TFE731 engines
Aircraft
Dassault Lands FAA Approval for Flagship Falcon 8X
U.S. certication comes just two days after the French aircraft manufacturer announced European approval for the ultra-long-range trijet.
Aircraft
Milestone 7,000th Cessna Citation Delivered to NetJets
Model is also the first Citation Latitide for the fractional aircraft provider.
Regulations and Government
Bolen Leads Panel on Expanding Genav in China
Event brought together senior officials from China's CAAC and the U.S. FAA, as well as the Shanghai Airport Authority, and industry leaders.
Airports
Arguments Heard in East Hampton Airport Curfew Appeal
Central issue in the case is whether the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 (ANCA) continues to apply at the airport.
Aircraft
NARA Brokers/Dealers Dominate Used Bizjet Transactions
Members now represent half of the pre-owned business jet transaction market, even though they represent just 5 percent of some 1,000 aircraft brokers.
Aircraft
Falcon 8X Gets European Nod; U.S. FAA Approval Pending
Derived from the Falcon 7X, the 6,450-nm 8X was unveiled at EBACE 2014 and first flew on Feb. 6, 2015.
North American Bizav Flying Bounces Back in May
Flying last month surged 2.2 percent from a year ago—a full percentage point above the firm’s forecast.
Aircraft
Cessna Powers On First Citation Longitude
Milestone comes three weeks after the company successfully mated the wing and fuselage of the first Longitude.
Charter & Fractional
OneJet Expanding Per-seat Bizjet Service at KPIT
The company now plans to add 10 more nonstop destinations from Pittsburgh, deployed in a metered sequence over the next two years.
Maintenance and Modifications
Hartzell Five-blade Prop OK'd with Finnoff PC-12 Upgrade
Its swept blades increase aircraft performance and reduce flyover and cabin noise, Hartzell said.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Airbus To Dispose of All Shares in Dassault Aviation
Offering to institutional investors was also priced at €950 per share via a zero coupon bond due in 2021.
Aircraft
Western Aircraft Gives New Life To Pilatus PC-12
Company is first Pilatus-authorized service center in the U.S. to complete a life extension program on a Pilatus PC-12.
Aircraft
Gulfstream Opens New Product Support Distribution Center
Savannah, Ga. facility is home to more than 300 employees and houses more than $1.6 billion in spare parts for Gulfstreams.
Aircraft
Nextant, Constant Hosting Beechjet Ops Conference
Conference will cover NextGen mandates, Pro Line 21 cockpit upgrade, lessons learned in engine overhaul and Beechjet systems troubleshooting strategies.
European Bizav Flying Dips Slightly in May
Year-to-date, business aviation flying activity in Europe is down 1.2 percent from a year-ago.
Maintenance and Modifications
Bombardier M&O Conference Opens with Shatner as Speaker
Conference opened yesterday with brand ambassador William Shatner as a surprise keynote speaker.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Textron Aviation Installs First AeroWave System in CJ3
AeroWave service plans are “low cost and easy to understand,” with billing based on hours of use rather data consumed.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Zetta Jet Selects ViaSat Datacom for Its Global Fleet
ViaSat's global in-flight internet service allows full internet capabilities, including live video streaming, email access and videoconferencing.
Engines
FAA OKs Williams FJ33-5A Turbofan
Since the new FJ33 engine has been selected to power the Cirrus SF50 Vision and Flaris LAR1, it also includes sensor suite redundancy.
Regulations and Government
FAA: Auto Detailers Not Suited To Clean Aircraft
Auto detailing companies cannot ensure compliance with related maintenance-related procedures, says FAA.
Aircraft
Embraer To Close Legacy 650 Assembly Facility in China
More than 40 ERJ 145 were assembled in China from 2004 to 2010, and five Legacy 650s were built there from 2012 to this year.
Safety
Wyvern Launches New Risk-management Products
New suite will provide “independent, customizable, comprehensive and systematic” in-house risk management programs for operators and their vendors.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
TrueNorth Enhances In-flight Connectivity
New service will be a “hybrid cloud solution” designed to amplify bandwidth and enhance the in-flight connectivity experience.
Aircraft
Embraer Starts Legacy 450/500 Production in U.S.
Up to 600 new employees will be added at the U.S. facility for Legacy production.
