Matt Thurber
Editor-in-Chief
Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.
Latest from Matt Thurber
Eclipse hits the big time in Euro sales
Eclipse Aviation’s announcement of a 180-airplane order yesterday signaled the launch of a very light jet (VLJ) air-taxi operation that will be based in Tu
Middle East bizav group is ‘still there and still growing’
The Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) has grown to 41 members since the last EBACE show, up from 30.
Avionics
TFE731 operators can enter fault-code reporting service
Operators of jets powered by Honeywell TFE731 engines with digital electronic engine controls (DEECs) will be able to participate in the fault-code reporti
Avionics
Universal upgrades EFB trip planning
Universal Weather and Aviation is demonstrating its new electronic flight bag CD-ROM and online editions of its UVTripPlanner airport information database
Avionics
Gulfstream switches to Collins HUD
Rockwell Collins’ new HGS-5860 is the first head-up display (HUD) system with an LCD projector to be certified on a business jet–Dassault’s Falcon 7X.
Adam invades China with order for 50 A700 VLJs
Hainan Zhong Hangtai General Aviation Airlines Company, the China-based operating entity of Los Angeles, California company Ameritec, placed a firm order f
Aircraft
New King Air 90 to fly with Collins Pro Line 21
Hawker Beechcraft’s latest King Air, the model C90GTi, is joining its larger siblings with a new Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite.
Aircraft
In the Works: Cirrus The-Jet
Early adopters who plunked down $100,000 for a position on the Cirrus jet assembly line got to participate in a clever Cirrus marketing campaign that is dr
Industry group looks for jet-fuel alternative
As oil prices remain above the $60 per barrel mark, operators, oil companies and government regulators are showing ever more interest in alternative jet fu
Aircraft
In the Works: Excel-Jet Sport-Jet
Twelve people, including company president Bob Bornhofen, continue to work on the Sport-Jet single-engine jet program based in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Aircraft
In the Works: Embraer Phenom 100
Embraer has begun construction of its second Phenom 100 airframe and is on schedule for planned first flight in the middle of this year and entry-into-serv
Aircraft
Honda chooses suppliers for nascent jet
Honda Aircraft officials have decided to outsource manufacture of major portions of the HondaJet, including the fuselage and wings.
FBOs
FBO Survey 2007
When business aviation is booming, as it is now, nowhere is it more evident than at FBOs, the place at airports where everybody ends up hanging out, workin
Aviation Industry Expo 2007 Report
Aviation Industry Expo 2007 hosted attendees from across the nation and around the globe, including a 30-person contingent from Russia.
Aircraft
Engine, interior upgrades revitalize older Learjet 25s
The ranks of small business jets are about to swell with the imminent buildup of new sub-10,000-pound jets certified to FAA Part 23 regulations.
Safety
Standdown addresses safety and security
Spurred by the popularity of Bombardier’s blockbuster annual standdown in Wichita, safety stand- downs are becoming regional one- day events.
Aircraft
Gulfstream Demonstrates 'Quiet Spike' for Potential Supersonic Bizjet
Gulfstream Aerospace hosted a NASA F-15 in Savannah, Ga., on February 14 for an aerial demonstration of its Quite Spike telescopic nose spike installation.
Training and Workforce
FSI tool tracks training progress
FlightSafety International (FSI) is expanding its training options, offering a Web-based eLearning system that also provides a learning management system (
Aircraft
In The Works: Grob Aerospace SPn
Grob Aerospace resumed the SPn flight-test program on February 23, with acting chief test pilot Tore Reimers and flight-test engineer Alan Lawless taking t
Aircraft
In The Works: Bell/Agusta BA609 Tiltrotor
The BA609 Tiltrotor program is continuing slowly toward certification, now planned for 2010.
Aircraft
In The Works: Embraer Phenom 100 and 300
Embraer technicians were scheduled to begin final assembly of the Phenom 100 very light jet (VLJ) prototype in preparation for the jet’s mid-year first fli
Aircraft
In The Works: Comp Air CA12
Expect to see the first flying Comp Air Model 12 single-engine turboprop at the Sun ’n’ Fun Fly-In from April 17 through 23 in Lakeland, Fla.
Safety
NTSB takes a close look at ice bridging
Every few years, a debate erupts about whether the phenomenon of ice bridging is real or something questionable that pilots discuss while hangar flying or
Engines
Engine ready for PiperJet prototype
The first flight-worthy Williams FJ44-3AP engine for the prototype PiperJet has arrived at Piper Aircraft’s factory in Vero Beach, Fla.
FBOs
Florida FBO focuses on amenities
Florida FBO focuses on amenities Plenty of FBOs at popular destinations offer movie rooms with giant projector screens, comfortable seating an
FBOs
Runway shortening opposed
NBAA and the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) have submitted comments to the FAA about the proposed shortening of Santa Monica, Calif.’s sing
FBOs
Second BWI FBO still pending
Although Mercury Air Centers/Corporate Wings won the bid to build an FBO at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) early last y
FBOs
New GA hours, gateway for DCA
Hanscom Field, Bedford, Mass., is now a gateway airport for companies that want to fly into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
