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

Fred George
Cessna has launched the Citation Longitude as its latest attempt to break the super mid-size market three years after canceling the Columbus program. In an effort to curtail costs, the Longitude will have virtually the same performance capabilities as the Columbus, although the fuselage cross section mirrors the manufacturer's Citation Latitude, which is six inches narrower than the Columbus. Also, the main seating area will be seven inches shorter.
Business Aviation

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 [email protected]
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