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&amp;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.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

Universal Avionics has completed initial flight testing of its software-based interactive flight management system (i-FMS) in Austria on a government-owned Bell 212 helicopter. The tests are part of a joint effort with Universal parent company Elbit, testing the i-FMS as an add-on to the helicopter’s mission computers.
The company expects the tests to validate NextGen capabilities using global navigation satellite system features. They include the use of RNAV (area navigation), RNP (required navigation performance), and VNAV (vertical navigation) for all phases of flight when flying in civilian airspace and without special air traffic control handling, according to Universal.
“By combining civil and military mission management without special handling by the ATC, customers can take advantage of state-of-the-art, efficient flight capabilities,” said Universal CEO Dror Yahav.
During test flights, pilots demonstrated holding patterns and floating waypoints in civilian airspace as well as loading and flying SIDs/STARs, using RNAV to and from heliports and airports. The use of actual and required navigation performance allows the system to provide VNAV guidance in climb, cruise, and descent. Another flight test in October validated further improvements.
Because it is software-based, i-FMS can be hosted on a variety of hardware platforms, and customers can specify desired functionalities. In a future development, i-FMS will integrate with Universal’s SkyLens head-wearable display “to project waypoints and information from the FMS into the real world,” according to Universal. “This augmented reality will enable pilots, for example, to interact with features through head/eye tracking and a selection button on the aircraft throttle.”

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

Universal Avionics Finishes Successful Initial Round of i-FMS Testing

The test regime showed the system's compatibility with RNAV, RNP, and VNAV platforms

Universal Avionics has completed initial flight testing of its software-based interactive flight management system in Austria on a Bell 212 helicopter. 

Universal Avionics Claims i-FMS Tests A Success

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Chad Trautvetter

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Added features include CPDLC, ADS-B In weather, and enhanced connectivity

Collins Unveils Pro Line 21 Upgrade for Cessna CJs, XLS+

Failure to upgrade could cause service interruptions

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News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

New Garmin avionics and a Finoff Aviation engine upgrade modernize the Swiss  turboprop

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News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Compromised navigation information is an ongoing problem

Mitigating the Effects of GNSS Jamming and Spoofing

The autopilot is based on Thales' Compact Autopilot System for the Airbus H125

StandardAero To Begin StableLight Autopilot Installs

Product is a replacement for unreliable Eclipse 500 air data computers

Avilution’s XFS Software Achieves First FAA Approval

Charles Alcock

News, issues, personnel, equipment and developments about air traffic management.

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