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

Camp Systems International purchased maintenance-tracking provider Avtrak last week. In early May, Camp was sold by private equity firm Warburg Pincus to another private equity company, GTCR (owner of the Landmark Aviation FBO chain), for a reported $600- to $700 million.


Camp CEO Ken Gray said that he had indicated an interest in buying Avtrak to co-founders Joe and Glenn Hertzler. He added, “The Hertzler brothers made a decision for personal reasons that it was time to exit, and we were a logical acquirer.”


Camp, which also owns Cessna’s Cescom maintenance-tracking system, has less than 50-percent market share in the turbine-powered business aircraft market, according to Gray. “There are a lot of aircraft that Avtrak and Camp do not service,” he said.


Camp specializes in maintenance tracking aided by full-service analysts, while Avtrak has been targeted more at the type of customer that doesn’t use an analyst. Camp did not purchase Avtrak’s software development business, which provides the software that runs Gulfstream’s CMP maintenance tracking system. Gray said that some consolidation will occur at Avtrak’s and Camp’s Wichita offices. “We made job offers to all the analysts and support people,” Gray 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.

Hertzler Brothers Sell Avtrak to Camp Systems

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News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

New developments at FBOs including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

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.

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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.

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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.

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