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

The oldest and first-certified fiberglass airplane is taking to the sky again, but this time the four-seat Windecker Eagle will be flying in the experimental exhibition category. Originally FAA certified in 1969, the Eagle never went into volume production, but it preceded more recent composite designs by decades. The current owner of the type certificate, Austin, Texas-based AC7 (owned by Chinese entrepreneur Wei Hang), is restoring the Eagle, and it should fly in late summer or early fall.

 


Most of the components and wiring are being replaced, including the engine (a new Continental IO-550-N replacing the original IO-520), new Hartzell composite propeller (which seems appropriate as it replaces a metal prop) and all-new Garmin avionics, including the G3X Touch system designed for the experimental amateur-built market.

 


“We found that virtually every piece of metal in the airframe had to be replaced,” said Don Atchison, head of the restoration team. “Remarkably, the fiberglass held up thanks to a UV protective coating that was applied at the time of manufacture.”

 


Original performance specs include 170+ knots true airspeed, 1,400-pound useful load and 84-gallon fuel capacity. There is no word yet on future plans for the design, but the Eagle certainly earned its place in the pantheon of historical aviation artifacts, and it will be neat to see it fly again and see how it compares to modern high-performance single-engine airplanes.

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.

In the Works: Windecker Eagle

The four-seat Windecker Eagle will be flying in the experimental exhibition category.

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.

Certainty benefits the preowned business aircraft market

AINsight: Election Results and the Fence

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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 about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

AltiSky will assemble, sell, and service VoltAero's aircraft

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Charles Alcock

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

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