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

Business aircraft flight activity last year in the U.S. and Canada was the best since 2008, rising 2 percent in 2014, according to TraqPak data released late last week by aviation services company Argus. “Flight activity had a great start in the first half, with gains of 1.6 percent, but an even stronger performance in the second half, with a 2.4-percent increase,” the company said. Activity in all four quarters grew year-over-year, with the fourth quarter posting a 2.8-percent gain.

 


Part 135 flight activity logged another year of solid gains, climbing 3.9 percent from 2013. This operating segment saw a year-over-year increase in flight activity in all but one month last year. Flying at the Part 91K fractionals rose 1.2 percent, while Part 91 private operators reported a year-over-year increase in activity of 1.1 percent.

 


Aircraft category results indicated a strong market for the jet categories, led by large-cabin jets for the second year in a row, Argus noted. Large-cabin jet flying jumped 6.2 percent last year, followed by the light and midsize categories, with gains of 4 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively. Turboprop flying finished the year down 1.5 percent from 2013, but Argus pointed out that the segment finished the fourth quarter on a positive note, rising 2 percent from 2013.

 


Fractional light jets marked the largest single year-over-year increase, with a 23.6-percent gain. Meanwhile, fractional turboprop activity dove by 29.8 percent last year, attributable to Avantair ceasing operations in June 2013.

 


Argus TraqPak data provides “serial-number-specific aircraft arrival and departure information on all IFR flights in the U.S. and Canada.”

 


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Business Aircraft Flying in U.S. and Canada Soars in 2014

Activity in all four quarters grew year-over-year, with the fourth quarter posting a 2.8-percent gain.

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