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
Modern business aircraft efficiently cruise as high as 51,000 feet, where the outside air pressure is 89-percent less than that at sea-level and the temperature is a decidedly brisk -56.5°C (-87.7°F). If you were exposed unprotected to such an extreme altitude and temperature, you would lose consciousness in three to five seconds and then freeze to death in a matter of minutes.

Fred George
Think that an Airbus is too big for routine business travel between North America and Europe? Try boarding 11 company employees on a conventional large-cabin business jet for a nine-hour overnight flight between the continents. Then, count the number of fully berthable seats. Most purpose-built, large-cabin business aircraft will sleep no more than six or seven. These 11 travelers are likely to lament this mission as another transatlantic "red eye."

Fred George
The fastest way to cross the United States or to fly between North America and Europe is aboard a Bombardier Global Express. It's also a purpose-built business jet with the largest cabin and one capable of using the shortest runways. The original version, delivered by Bombardier between 1999 and 2005, has virtually the same avionics package as the latest Global Express XRS models, but 1,614 pounds less fuel so it has 250 miles less range. Bombardier boasted the original aircraft could fly eight passengers 6,500 nm and land with NBAA IFR reserves.