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

Textron Aviation Beechcraft Beechjet 400 and Hawker 400XP series

Matt Thurber

Michael Donahoe Sr. died on June 16 at age 88, leaving behind a legacy of aviation adventures and generosity through a charity that he helped found to fly children to medical facilities for treatment.&nbsp;
Born in Ponca City, Oklahoma, in May 1938, Donahoe became entranced with aviation at age 12, started flying at 16, and earned his pilot license at age 18. “I learned to fly in a Piper Tri-Pacer in Oklahoma, where the wind never blew up and down the runway,” he said in an interview with AIN earlier this year. “I got my instrument rating by demonstrating extreme good performance on flying the [radio] ranges. That was far back, 1956, 1957, but that's how it all started.”
Flying then was not without risk, and a young Donahoe experienced his share. During a flight with a friend in the family’s Ercoupe, a low-wing two-seater, they noticed that the fuel was leaving the tanks at a higher-than-normal rate. Looking at the wing, they noticed that one of the fuel caps was not secured, allowing fuel to siphon out. Instead of landing at the nearest airport, his friend held onto Donahoe’s belt while he crawled onto the wing and secured the fuel cap.&nbsp;
An early proponent of business aviation, Donahoe owned and flew airplanes to support his far-flung business interests, including a pressurized Beechcraft Baron, Cessna Conquest turboprop, Lockheed Jetstar II, Learjet 24, Diamond 1A, Cessna Citations, and a Gulfstream IV and G550.&nbsp;
In addition to his flying skills, Donahoe earned a law degree and specialized in aviation legal issues, bought and sold airplanes as a broker, helped launch America West Airlines, was nominee for secretary of state in Oklahoma, and was the first owner of the Boeing 757 that later was purchased by Donald Trump, according to his son Michael Donahoe Jr. “He was a true aviator and had a remarkable influence on aviation in the late ‘70s and ‘80s. He was good friends with pioneers in the industry such as Howard Hughes, James Raisbeck, Bob Hope, Jack Pruitt, Olive Ann Beech, and many others.”
When he bought the Baron and took delivery from the Beechcraft factory, Mrs. Beech invited Donahoe to join her for tea, Donahoe Sr. recalled.&nbsp;
Donahoe’s son obviously doesn’t remember his birth story, but it captured the family’s passion for aviation and perhaps led to his own growth as a pilot and aviation entrepreneur.&nbsp;
It was in June in the 1980s, and Donahoe Sr. was flying a Cessna Citation 550, as a single pilot (allowable under an FAA exemption), from New York to Scottsdale, Arizona, with his pregnant wife Betsy on board. At 39,000 feet over Kansas, her water broke, and Donahoe told the controllers he needed to land quickly. With expedited clearance to make an emergency landing at the former Stapleton International Airport in Denver, Donahoe guided the Citation to an expedited touchdown, and Betsy was whisked to Rose Memorial Hospital where junior was born two months premature, weighing just 2.3 pounds.&nbsp;
Donahoe was also involved in the sale of the first Mitsubishi Diamond 1A jet, before the program was acquired by Beechcraft, which turned it into the Beechjet. He ended up owing the first and the last ones manufactured. “I really thought they had a good product,” he said. “The only problem was they were underpowered. They should have put Honeywell engines on them, and I told them that.”
Asked about his favorite airplane, Donahoe Sr. happily recalled the Jetstar. “I love that airplane. It was just a flying…solid rock.” One day while landing the Jetstar in Scottsdale, a young Donahoe Jr. borrowed a handheld radio from the line shack to monitor the landing, and when he saw the jet touch down, tried to chase it while running alongside the runway. “The problem is, I raised a child in the industry,” Donahoe Sr. said.
His legacy includes long-time support of Wings of Humanity, a charity that helps families travel together for specialized medical treatment. Donahoe and his friend Denny Sanford (who died five days after Donahoe) helped raise more than $4 million for children’s charities and funded and backed Wings of Humanity.&nbsp;
“His love and passion for aviation is not a story in its own,” Donahoe Jr. told AIN, “yet it is a legacy that will carry on through my lifetime and hopefully on to future aviators.”

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

Final Flight: Passionate Pilot Michael Donahoe Sr. Dies

Patriarch of a flying family put a fleet of business aircraft to work

Michael Donahoe Sr. died on June 16, leaving behind a legacy of aviation adventures and generosity through a charity that he helped found to fly children to medical facilities for treatment. 

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.

Urges flight departments to pay more attention to staffing issues

In-Flight Crew Connections Outlines Hiring Strategies

Amy Wilder

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

MOU covers initial and recurrent SF50 training for owners

Bop Aero Taps Elite for SF50 Vision Jet Owner Training

AIN Staff

Many individuals were highlighted for going above the call of duty

2026 Above & Beyond for Product Support

Jessica Reed

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.

JetAviva’s CFO, Kathy Oberbroeckling, is the interim CEO; TSA swore in David Cummins as administrator

People in Aviation

Kathryn B. Creedy

Academy founders look to standardize and increase professionalism of aircraft detailing services

Aero Detailing Academy Raising Standards on Services

Kerry Lynch

Event returns during last day of BACE

NBAA Drawing Students to BACE with Collegiate Connect

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.

In this article

Beechjet 400/Hawker 400XP

Textron Aviation

More In Training and Workforce

In-Flight Crew Connections Outlines Hiring Strategies

Urges flight departments to pay more attention to staffing issues

Bop Aero Taps Elite for SF50 Vision Jet Owner Training

MOU covers initial and recurrent SF50 training for owners

2026 Above & Beyond for Product Support

Many individuals were highlighted for going above the call of duty

People in Aviation

JetAviva’s CFO, Kathy Oberbroeckling, is the interim CEO; TSA swore in David Cummins as administrator

Aero Detailing Academy Raising Standards on Services

Academy founders look to standardize and increase professionalism of aircraft detailing services

NBAA Drawing Students to BACE with Collegiate Connect

Event returns during last day of BACE

Watchdog Calls for Improved FAA Workforce Plans

FAA’s workforce plans are incomplete, according to the DOT IG

AINsight: Build the Bridge before They Leave

“Thirty years of judgment does not fit neatly into an exit interview”

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN