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 (Oshkosh, Wis.)
The Experimental Aircraft Assn.’s $3.8-million investment in improvements for the 2009 AirVenture fly-in event at Oshkosh-Wittman Regional Airport appears to have paid off. At midweek, attendance was up 8-10% compared with the same point during AirVenture 2008, according to Chief Financial Officer Brian Wierzbinski.

Fred George
The Experimental Aircraft Association’s board of directors reached an impasse July 28 while attempting to confirm a successor to current President Tom Poberezny, several directors told BA. As a result, Peter Bunce, president of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, withdrew from running for the post. “Without the unanimity of the EAA board, it would have been tough to take over leadership of the organization,” Bunce told BA. He declined to elaborate. The directors met in Oshkosh, Wis.

Fred George
New Piper Aircraft CEO Kevin Gould last week mapped out his long-term, two-pronged growth strategy for the company. He plans to pursue development of the Piper Jet to provide piston-engine and single-engine turboprop owners with a move-up airplane while continuing to upgrade Piper’s existing product line, he said during an interview with BA. He also wants to expand Piper’s global presence with sales and marketing, training, MRO, financing and dealer organizations. Admittedly, that is tough to do in the current economy.