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
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Fred George
Imagine being able to operate in and out of Teterboro, Morristown and White Plains, among other general aviation airports located near congested urban areas, without having to wait for an opening in the near-constant stream of airliner arrivals and departures at nearby commercial jetports. Then, envision being able to fly into Aspen, among other airports in mountainous terrain, using gently curving and descending IFR precision approaches that provide ILS-like weather minimums and that stabilize the aircraft directly on runway centerline and glide path.

Fred George
Ask AS350 AStar operators about their aircraft and they’ll readily tell you they love its smooth ride, roomy cabin and crisp handling, along with its versatility, reliability and rugged airframe. These aircraft take full advantage of composites to both reduce weight and lower maintenance costs. They have three-blade main rotors with hinge-less “Starflex” rotor heads along with fiberglass composite main and tail rotors. The fuselage also uses composite construction for the shell. The substructure, however, is fabricated from aluminum and steel.