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.

Matt Thurber

Latest from Matt Thurber

Safety

Lightspeed Offers Headset Safety Discounts for CFIs

The Delta Zulu headset with built-in CO detector adds safety when flying multiple aircraft
Lightspeed aviation headset
Cabin Interior and Electronics

FCC Approves Gogo Galileo Antenna Terminals

The approval marks another step toward service launch later this year
Jim MacDougall, Gogo v-p of business development
Aircraft

FAA Grants Production Certification for Gulfstream G700

FAA approval acknowledges the manufacturer's quality and production processes
Gulfstream G700 jet interior
Cabin Interior and Electronics

Davinci Jets Installs SmartSky ATG in CJ4

Thousands of aircraft are candidates for installation, with many more to come
DaVinci CJ4
Avionics

Textron Aviation To Offer CJ2 Garmin Avionics Upgrade

The Garmin suite replaces the CJ2's original Collins Pro Line 21 avionics
Garmin Cessna Citation CJ2 avionics retrofit
Aircraft

Icon Aircraft Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

The restructuring process includes plans to sell the company
Icon A5 amphibious airplane
Rotorcraft

Robinson Instructors Can Add Skills in Factory Class

The week-long course covers important safety topics
Robinson Helicopter instructor pilot course
Cabin Interior and Electronics

Starlink Installs Move Forward at Duncan Aviation

The company's first installation in a Global XRS took three weeks
Starlink
Safety

ACSF Safety Symposium Highlights Risks, Opportunities

The annual symposium attracts a variety of operators and safety experts
ACSF Safety Symposium
Regulations and Government

International Issues Highlighted at NBAA IOC

The conference brought together more than 500 business aviation professionals
People at IOC 2024
Aircraft

Pilot Report: Diamond DA50 RG

The diesel-powered single packs a lot of performance into a sleek-looking package
Diamond DA50-RG in flight
Rotorcraft

VR Simulators Fly into Helicopter Training Space

Even with motion bases and control loading, these devices cost a fraction of the price of full-flight simulators
Leonardo simulator at Heli-Expo 2024
Avionics

CMC, Hexagon Partner on GNSS Jamming, Spoofing Solution

Technology uses multi-constellation, multi-frequency solutions to mitigate jamming and spoofing
CMC GNSS jamming and spoofing solution
Safety

Safety Talk: Flying Wisdom from King Air Pilot Ben Taber

Taber has logged more than 20,000 hours in 40 years of flying
Ben Taber, Beechcraft King Air pilot/mentor
Training and Workforce

CAE Taps Epic Games for Level-D Simulator Visuals

Plans call to upgrade full-flight simulators with the new Unreal Engine visuals
CAE 3D visuals with Epic Games Unreal Engine
Cabin Interior and Electronics

Gogo’s HDX Galileo Antenna Connects to OneWeb Network

Satcom service on the low-earth-orbit network is set to begin later this year
Gogo techs installing HDX antenna on roof for satellite commmunications testing
Cabin Interior and Electronics

STC Underway for Eutelsat OneWeb Satcom in Boeing 737

OneWeb promises system speeds of up to 195 Mbps download
Aloft AeroArchitects
Cabin Interior and Electronics

District Court Affirms Terms in SmartSky Patent Lawsuit

The Markman hearing formalized definitions of patent terms, phrases, or clauses
SmartSky antenna
Cabin Interior and Electronics

SmartCart Simplifies SmartSky System Testing

Troubleshooting problems is much easier without having to fly the airplane
Davinci Jets Citation Latitude SmartSky installation
Rotorcraft

Bell 412EP Gets Glass Retrofit Approval

Upgrade adds Astronautics Badger Pro+ displays and Garmin navigators
Bell 412EP helicopter with the Basix-Pro avionics upgrade
Maintenance and Modifications

FAA Proposes AD on Tamarack Aerospace Winglet Mod

The AD would require installation of placards and a flight manual update
Tamarack Aerospace winglet modification
Avionics

Avidyne Vantage Upgrade To Add Volume of Work to Dealers

The package includes adapters and harnesses to make installation easier
Avidyne Vantage avionics upgrade for Cirrus SR20/SR22
Avionics

Shadin Updates AIS-450 Synchro for Legacy Output

Enables retention of legacy interfacing systems in older aircraft
Shadin AIS-450 Synchro
Cabin Interior and Electronics

Simulated Virtual Flights Put Gogo 5G to the Test

Enables swifter software development for the 5G air-to-ground network
Gogo 5G coverage map
Cabin Interior and Electronics

AMI Aviation Demos King Air Starlink Satcom

Broadband low-earth-orbit satcom delivers high-speed service
King Air 200 Starlink satcom installation
Cabin Interior and Electronics

Standalone Smart Monitor Joins Collins Venue Family

Options now available to replace legacy bulkhead monitors in aircraft
Collins Aerospace Venue smart monitor
Avionics

Spoof-proofing is Send’s New Solution

The add-on to Airtext+ will be available in April
Spoof-proof annunciator by Send Solutions
Maintenance and Modifications

True Blue Ups the Amps on Lithium Main-ship Battery

The latest in the Gen5 battery series and a new emergency power supply
True Blue Power TB50 lithium-ion battery
Avionics

Dual Avidyne Atlas FMSs Upgrade Falcon 50 Avionics

Modernizing a legacy jet's flight deck improves safety and operational efficiency
Avidyne Atlas flight management system
FBOs

Hiller Family Takes Ownership Stake in Hill Aircraft

Plans call for expansion of the Atlanta-Fulton County Executive Airport FBO
Marty Hiller and Guy Hill Jr celebrate Hiller's investment in Hill Aircraft