Chad is the editor of AINalerts, AIN's daily business aviation newsletter, and is also the news editor at AIN Media Group.&nbsp;He has been writing about aviation, with an emphasis on business aviation, since 1994. Chad started his writing career at The Avion,&nbsp;the&nbsp;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&nbsp;magazine, he joined&nbsp;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.

Online Editor

Chad Trautvetter

Nextant Aerospace announced an order for up to 50 400XTis worth $202.5 million from Elkhart, Ind.-based aircraft charter firm Travel Management Company (TMC) yesterday at NBAA 2013. The agreement is for the conversion of TMC’s entire Hawker 400XP fleet. Deliveries to TMC begin next year and run through 2019.
With this latest order, Nextant now has firm commitments to convert more than 100 Beechjet 400A/XPs, which represents approximately 20 percent of the in-service fleet. By reaching this 20-percent level, “The market is approaching a tipping point where remanufacturing is now the accepted long-term solution for competitive performance and value,” noted Nextant president Sean McGeough.
“The TMC deal is more than just another endorsement of the Nextant 400XTi,” he added. “It’s an acknowledgment by TMC that the 400XTi meets the demands of their operations while simultaneously helping them to expand their future business. The transition to the new 400XTi fleet also offers an enhanced residual value relative to their current fleet.”
TMC chose the 400XTi because it “offers a 50-percent increase in range relative to our previous aircraft and a 30-percent reduction in operating cost,” according to TMC president Scott Wise. “This combination significantly increases our mission capability and allows us to meet the needs of a larger customer base. We’ve done our research and it’s clear that re-equipping with the 400XTi will keep us ahead of the competition for years to come.”

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