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

With three conforming Vision SF50 single-engine jets logging time for the certification flight-test program, Cirrus Aircraft is on track for first delivery by year-end. “The program is coming along really well,” said Matt Bergwall, Vision SF50 product line manager. Conforming prototype C1 is finishing natural-icing testing, and any additional flight-into-known-icing tests can be done on the ground so that full known-icing capability will be included with type certification. C2 is undergoing systems testing and will have a production interior installed in July.

 


Another key milestone is the Vision’s Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (Caps). Cirrus has dropped more than fifty 6,000-pound cylinders to test the Caps for the SF50. “We’re fine-tuning the design,” he said. An in-flight deployment is planned this summer using C1, and the parachute will be jettisoned after the deployment, as was done during testing of the SR20/22 piston series.

 


Assembly of the first production airframe—P1—is under way, with composite components made at Cirrus’s&nbsp;facility&nbsp;in Grand Forks, N.D., flowing to the assembly line in Duluth, Minn. Cirrus has orders for more than 550 of the $1.96 million (2012 $) jets, which are powered by a Williams International FJ33-5A producing 1,800 pounds of thrust and feature a touchscreen-controlled Garmin G3000-based avionics suite. “There are a still a lot of position holders from way back,” Bergwall said. “We originally announced it in 2007, and for more than eight years or so they were right with us in the darkest of times. We’re anxiously awaiting getting these aircraft in customers’ hands.”

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Cirrus Aiming for Year-end Certification of Vision Jet

Three conforming prototype Cirrus Vision SF50s are flying, and construction of the first production version is under way.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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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.

Strong North American market boosts overall activity

Business Aircraft Flying Soars Higher in December

The Super Versatile Jet is full of surprises

Pilot Report: Pilatus PC-24

Charles Alcock

Latest version of the design was unveiled at the recent China Airshow in Zhuhai

Manta Steps Up Work on Ann6 Hybrid-Electric Aircraft

The SUV of jets can land on unpaved runways and has a massive cargo door

Flying the Updated Pilatus PC-24 Super Versatile Jet

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

Air Bravo purchased the freighter version of the twin-turboprop

Cessna SkyCourier Certified by Transport Canada

Jessica Reed

Pilatus and Piper products make up the majority of sales

Western Aircraft Achieves $2B in Total Aircraft Sales

AmyWilder

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.

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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People in Aviation - January 2025

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