Fred George

Chief Aircraft Evaluation Editor

San Diego, CA

Summary

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.

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Articles

Kerry Lynch, Fred George
The Experimental Aircraft Association’s search for a new president appears to have halted. Jack Pelton, who last fall agreed to take the position of chairman after former President Rod Hightower stepped down, says the association currently is not searching for a successor to Hightower, and suggested that he may not be replaced. He noted that the board is looking at the possibility of a different leadership structure, led by board chairmen. Pelton, who has steered the association since Hightower’s departure, is serving a three-year term.
Business Aviation

Fred George (Vancouver)
Whether it comes to cost or to handling, this aircraft is compatible.
Business Aviation

Fred George
Icon Aircraft earned a 250-lb. weight exemption from the FAA for its Icon A5 LSA amphibian, enabling the firm to grow the aircraft from 1,430 lb. to as much as 1,680 lb., Kirk Hawkins, company founder and CEO, said during EAA AirVenture 2013 in Oshkosh. “Credit FAA for getting this done. We needed enough of a weight increase to not compromise weight for safety. There are arbitrary and tight weight standards for LSA [light-sport aircraft]. But, you can’t get for free. There’s no free lunch in aircraft design,” says Hawkins.
Business Aviation