Fred George

Chief Aircraft Evaluation Editor

Redmond, Oregon

Summary

Fred formerly served as senior editor and chief pilot with Business & Commercial Aviation and as Aviation Week & Space Technology's chief aircraft evaluation pilot. He has flown left seat in virtually every turbine-powered business jet produced in the past three decades. He now is managing member of Fred George Aero LLC of Redmond, Oregon.

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

By Fred George
The biggest noise at this year’s NBAA-BACE came from Gulfstream with the unveiling of its new G700. But the topic of how industry can become more sustainable is becoming louder. And with electric aircraft entering the mix, where is the industry heading next? Listen in as our editors discuss.
Business Aviation

By Fred George
Faster, higher, roomier, quieter and, surprisingly, less expensive are five ways to differentiate the $60 million 6,500-nm-range G600 from the G550 in Gulfstream’s top-end product line-up.
Business Aviation

By Fred George
With four or perhaps five aircraft dedicated to the flight test program, the G700 is targeted to get its type certification and enter service in 2022.
Business Aviation