Fred is a senior editor and chief pilot with Business & Commercial Aviation and Aviation Week's chief aircraft evaluation pilot. He has flown left seat in virtually every turbine-powered business jet produced in the past three decades.
He has flown more than 195 makes, models and variants, ranging from the Piper J-3 Cub through the latest Boeing and Airbus large twins, logging more than 7,000 hours of flight time. He has earned an Airline Transport Pilot certificate and six jet aircraft type ratings, and he remains an active pilot. Fred also specializes in avionics, aircraft systems and pilot technique reports.
Fred was the first aviation journalist to fly the Boeing 787, Airbus A350 and Gulfstream G650, among other new turbofan aircraft. He’s also flown the Airbus A400M, Howard 500, Airship 600, Dassault Rafale, Grumman HU-16 Albatross and Lockheed Constellation.
Prior to joining Aviation Week, he was an FAA designated pilot examiner [CE-500], instrument flight instructor and jet charter pilot and former U.S. Naval Aviator who made three cruises to the western Pacific while flying the McDonnell-Douglas F-4J Phantom II.
Fred has won numerous aviation journalism awards, including NBAA’s David W. Ewald Platinum Wing Lifetime Achievement Award.
For $300,000 to $450,000, you can a buy a 1986 to 1989 Beechjet 400 (RJ-0001 to RJ-0065) that climbs directly to FL 400 to FL 410, that cruises at 440 KTAS and that can carry four passengers more than 1,600 nm. While there are plenty of choices in today’s pre-owned light jet market, few offer this aircraft’s blend of speed, cabin comfort and full-tanks payload. Of the 65 units built, around 50 remain in service.
Facing increased competition, Bombardier has updated its popular super-midsize business jet with improved avionics, more powerful engines, new winglets and cabin enhancements. For a modest price increase, the resulting Challenger 350 provides a significant increase in value.
At the time, I’d do anything to get 1,000 hr. of turbine PIC to qualify for the airlines,” said a young first officer who now flies jetliners for a commuter air carrier. “Everyone who flies for them is hungry for turbine flight time.” So, when offered a job as a twin-turboprop captain flying freight on an inter-island carrier, he jumped at the opportunity. It was a big step up from his previous assignment as a copilot in an Embraer Brasilia.
