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
Vendor woes contribute to Eclipse 500 delivery delays
In one year, Eclipse Aviation has ramped up its production of Eclipse 500 very light jets to a rate of nearly one per day.
Safety
Recent accidents highlight value of runway threshold margin
Two accidents late last year involving Bombardier Global 5000s landing short of the runway have provoked scrutiny of safety issues associated with the land
Training and Workforce
Winter’s here, time to brush up on training for ground icing
When pilots turn their attention to icing, it’s the in-flight kind that garners the most attention and training focus.
Training and Workforce
Association: standard training could attract more pilots
As the industry prepares for a possible pilot shortage, an organization called the Professional Aviation Board of Certification (PABC) has its own plan to
Engines
P&WC Launches New Engine for Biggest Citation
Pratt & Whitney Canada has joined the 10,000-pound-thrust class with formal launch of the PW800 series, the first version of which will power Cessna’s
Aircraft
Cessna Sets Sail with Long-awaited Columbus
Yesterday, Cessna chairman, president and CEO Jack Pelton revealed the name of the company’s newest and largest business jet, the large-cabin CE-850 Citati
Awaiting cash infusion, Adam prioritizes projects
Very light jet developer Adam Aircraft has laid off 300 employees and temporarily suspended operations at its satellite facility in Ogden, Utah.
Aircraft
Newest Learjet will be all composite
Bombardier’s Learjet division surprised the aviation world on January 22 when it announced that the airframe of the new Learjet 85 will be built entirely o
Aircraft
New investor secured, Eclipse adds manufacturing facility
Eclipse Aviation secured a new source of financing from Etirc Aviation that resulted in sale of a minority stake in Eclipse to the new investors.
NBAA 19th Schedulers & Dispatchers Breaking Records
On the second day of this year’s NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, which is being held in Savannah, Ga., attendee numbers had already exceeded
Regulations and Government
FAA Finalizes Mandatory MU-2 Training SFAR
Yesterday, the FAA issued the final version of MU
Aircraft
Special Conditions Notice Reveals Phenom 100 Weight
The FAA on Friday issued a request for comments on special conditions that would apply to Embraer’s Phenom 100 VLJ to cover “novel or unusual design featur
Aircraft
Bombardier Partners with Grob on Composite Learjet
In October, after announcing that it planned to offer a next-generation Learjet for the midsize jet market, Bombardier said that it considered the new Lear
Aircraft
Adam Aircraft Revises Production, Spending Plans
Adam Aircraft today announced “a revision to the company’s overall production plan.” The result is a “strategic adjustment” necessary to achieve two key ob
Etirc Aviation Injects $100M+ into Eclipse
Eclipse Aviation president and CEO Vern Raburn announced yesterday that Etirc Aviation is deepening its partnership with Eclipse with an equity investment
Regulations and Government
Contractors Arrested for DOD Fueling Conspiracy
On Sunday, authorities arrested Christopher Cartwright and Paul Wilkinson in New York City,
Charter & Fractional
Sentient Buys The Air Group
On Friday, Sentient Jet Holdings completed its acquisition of Van Nuys, Calif.-based charter/management firm The Air Group.
FBOs
Contract Fueler Best AeroNet No Longer in Business
Best AeroNet, a business aviation contract fueling company that was launched in the 1980s, is no longer in business, having saddled FBOs through which it s
FBOs
Castle & Cooke Aviation: California company slowly builds U.S. chain
Castle & Cooke Aviation burst onto the FBO scene at the NBAA Convention with the purchase of two FBOs, the former Circle Rainbow facility at Honolulu I
FBOs
Avfuel signs up more FBOs
Executive Beechcraft’s three Kansas City area FBOs (owned by BBA Aviation) have joined Avfuel’s dealer network and will offer Avtrip reward points and cont
FBOs
Texas airport reopens
The runway resurfacing project at Collin County Regional Airport in McKinney, Texas, is complete, and operations resumed there on November 30.
FBOs
FAA testing incursion warnings
Pilots flying to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and San Diego Lindbergh Field might notice unusual runway status lights that warn of possible conf
FBOs
Ranger Jet ready for business
After transferring its FBO operations to Atlantic Aviation, Ranger Jet Center at Orlando/Kissimmee Gateway Airport began building its new business center w
FBOs
Salina's new hangar progressing
Growth at Salina Airport in Kansas has been so rapid that the airport is running out of hangar and office space for businesses that want to move to the air
FBOs
Encore buys eighth FBO
FBO chain Encore acquired Million Air Cleveland at Burke Lakefront Airport early last month.
FBOs
All hangars full at Houston airport
Houston Executive Airport has leased all available new T-hangars, some even before they have been built.
FBOs
TFR to blanket Superbowl
In an effort to protect National Football League Super Bowl XLII patrons and players from the possibility of a terrorist strike, government authorities pla
Rotorcraft
Small design changes focus of seminar
Rotorcraft design has reached a plateau and advancements are taking place in incremental steps rather than as major breakthroughs.
Engines
Honda breaks ground on new engine plant
Honda Aero held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new engine plant in Burlington, N.C., on November 28.
Aircraft
OEMs prepare for first flights this year
There are many new jets and a few new turboprops on designers’ drawing boards, but the volume of new aircraft making it to the entry-into-service point rem
