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

Fred George
The long wait for Bombardier to unveil replacements for the Learjet 40XR and 45XR is over with the launch of the Learjet 70 and 75 at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition this week in Geneva. The new models, which are scheduled to enter service in the second half of 2013, will offer more thrust, improved takeoff performance, faster climb to cruise altitude, better fuel efficiency and lower operating costs.
Business Aviation

ByFred George fred_george@aviationweek.com
The year 2011 was another tough one for the business aircraft industry, witnessing a 3.5% overall decline in general aviation aircraft shipments, according to GAMA statistics. Turboprop deliveries declined 2.4% from 2011, light jet deliveries fell 6.3% and the midsize aircraft sector was flat at best. Large-cabin aircraft fared much better with increased demand from China, Russia and other emerging markets.
Business Aviation

By Fred George fred_george@aviationweek.com
David Grant, president of SyberJet, the commercial name for MT LC, is wasting no time in resurrecting and reinvigorating the ill-starred SJ30 program, only a year after acquiring the assets of bankrupt Emivest Aerospace in April 2011. He and his investment team believe so strongly in the basic merits of the aircraft that they are launching the SJ30-Plus, a substantially improved third-iteration of the former Swearingen Fanjet with more powerful engines, better hot-and-high takeoff performance, improved fuel efficiency and up to 200 lb. more tanks-full payload.
Business Aviation