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

SyberJet Aircraft celebrated the groundbreaking for a new completion and delivery center on Thursday at Cedar City (Utah) Regional Airport, where its SJ30 light jets will be finished and delivered to customers. SyberJet owner MSC Aerospace also owns the adjacent Metalcraft Technologies, a long-time manufacturer of metal aircraft and turbine engine components, including about 70 percent of the SJ30’s airframe structure. SyberJet was formed by MSC in 2011 and <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ainalerts/2011-04-12/metalcraft-buys-sj30-assets-only-35m">purchased the SJ30 assets</a> from bankrupt Emivest Aerospace.


The company is planning to deliver the newest version, the <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/nbaa-convention-news/2012-10-31/sj30-re-enter-production-2014-sybervision">SJ30i equipped with a Honeywell Primus Epic 2.0/SyberVision cockpit</a> and Jason Castriota Design interior, late next year, followed in 2017 by the SJ30x powered by more powerful and efficient Williams FJ44-3A engines delivering about 200 nm added range. Four SJ30s are in service and all four showed up for the groundbreaking, including actor and pilot Morgan Freeman’s S/N 10.


At the ceremony, Freeman announced that he is buying the first SJ30i and the first SJ30x. Six people who attended the groundbreaking have contracts for SJ30s. The Metalcraft and SyberJet facilities can manufacture up to 24 jets per year, but the line will be profitable at 12 per year, according to SyberJet president Chuck Taylor.

SyberJet Breaks Ground on SJ30 Delivery Center

Company plans to deliver the SJ30i version with a Honeywell Primus Epic 2.0/SyberVision cockpit and new interior late next year.

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