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

Robinson Helicopter will provide a subscription to the Crewchief Systems digital aircraft management system for buyers of new R66 NxG and R88 helicopters, legacy R22s and R44s, and helicopter trade-ins.
Crewchief replaces paper maintenance logbooks with a digital solution that not only simplifies recordkeeping but provides “real-time operational and maintenance intelligence,” according to Robinson. Helicopter owners will also be able to order parts directly through their Crewchief platform.
Other features include AI assistance for visibility of airworthiness directives, inspection requirements, and maintenance status, according to Robinson, “keeping documentation organized and audit-ready. This proactive digital approach allows operators to continuously monitor aircraft health, strengthening regulatory adherence and operational confidence.”
“Most customers use their own spreadsheets,” said Robinson president and CEO David Smith. “The majority…don’t use anything. They use paper records, and maybe they’ve got an electronic logging system or scanning-in record system. This is taking everybody up a level, and also giving us the ability to see the fleet maintenance at a more granular level, so when customers maintain within Crewchief, we’ll have access to that information to see fleet-wide patterns and regular removals of [components]. We can then proactively understand why that’s happening.”
The selection of Crewchief stemmed from Robinson’s use of the program to manage its company helicopter fleet. “We’ve been evaluating lots of vendors in this space,” Smith said. “It’s an impressive platform across the board. By having it built [into the helicopter], the records are all created for your aircraft before you pick up a new aircraft.”
After the initial subscription period, owners of Robinson helicopters with Crewchief will have the option to continue the service and select various enhancements to the platform. “By that point, the hope is that this eliminates the worry and the anxiety of deciding, is it worth it or is it not?” he said.
In any case, the helicopter owner is also the owner of any information stored in the Crewchief system and can keep that information, even if they cancel the service. “This kind of system is only an upside for the customer,” Smith said. “It is beneficial, but you can maintain aircraft without it, and it’s certainly up to them.
“By supporting the transition away from paper logbooks, we are giving our customers the real-time intelligence they need to stay ahead of the maintenance curve and prolong the life of their helicopter,” Smith said.

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.

Buyers of Robinson Helicopters Get Crewchief Mx Management System Built-in

System replaces paperwork with digital platform

Crewchief replaces paper maintenance logbooks with a digital solution that provides “real-time operational and maintenance intelligence.”

Buyers of Robinson Helicopters Get Crewchief Built-in

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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.

Adds Cessna 560XL and Latitude to MRO menu

Aero Star Aviation Expands into Citation Maintenance

Charles Alcock

Austrian MRO base is part of a network that also includes Germany and Florida

Aero-Dienst Vienna Station Marks 20 Years of MRO Support

Chad Trautvetter

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Company is providing support for Recoil’s aerial firefighting equipment

Recoil Aero Taps Aero Products as Authorized Center

Curt Epstein

Addition gives it service locations in Dallas and Miami

FlyHouse Expands Mx Capabilities with JetsMRO Purchase

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

New facility will speed up turnaround times for U.S. customers

Essential Turbines Triples Rolls-Royce MRO Capacity

Amy Wilder

Company also won multi-ship New York State Police contract

Metro Aviation Completed 24 Aircraft Last Year

Repair station certificate bolsters company’s ability to serve worldwide customers

Precision Support Services Gains EASA Part 145 Approval

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Verticon 2026

In this article

Robinson Helicopter Company

More In Maintenance and Modifications