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.

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Matt Thurber

After announcing plans to open a helicopter leasing company at last year’s Verticon show, Rotortrade has officially begun operating its new RotorLease business. The leasing arm’s fleet of seven helicopters includes Leonardo A169s, AW139s, and Airbus H145s.
Lease offerings include dry leases and financial leases with lease-to-purchase options. Terms range from one year to midterm agreements of five or seven years, according to Rotortrade. While RotorLease is headquartered in the U.S., the company said it will offer leases in high-demand markets in Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Africa, with a focus on EMS, offshore, utility, and government operators.
Rotortrade started the leasing division “because it was the demand from our customers,” said Rotortrade founder and CEO Philippe Lubrano. Operators with shorter-term contracts might not want to buy a helicopter, although Rotortrade does offer to buy the helicopter back after the contract ends. “So, they asked, ‘Why don’t you go into leasing?’
“We went back to our shareholders,” he added, and given that Rotortrade sister company AviLease specializes in fixed-wing leasing, “everybody was happy to contemplate that. So this was launched…first, we’re moving to Delaware, and we are negotiating with the OEMs for a new fleet.”
The leasing business fits well with Rotortrade’s helicopter sales and MRO work, Lubrano explained. “Because if there is one thing we know, it’s how to sell aircraft, and also you have to be able to have facilities to reconfigure your aircraft for either another contract or for a client who wants a different configuration. So to have that completion tool was key for us.”
Rotortrade’s MRO facilities are located in Tallard, France, and Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
“Establishing a dedicated U.S. leasing entity allows us to structure transactions with financial discipline and strong compliance standards, while supporting our broader international activities,” Lubrano said. “Our objective is to build a focused portfolio centered on high-demand platforms such as the H145 and AW139, and to provide operators with transparent and efficient capital solutions. RotorLease complements Rotortrade’s integrated model across sales, maintenance, and financing.”
At Verticon, Rotortrade also announced that it has completed the sale of two 2023 Airbus H145D3s to Life Flight Network. Both are fitted with Air Ambulance Technology interiors.

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