Matt Thurber
Editor-in-Chief
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&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.
Latest from Matt Thurber
Aircraft
MENA means growth for Hawker Beechcraft
Soaring sales of its business aircraft family have prompted Hawker Beechcraft to enlist ExecuJet Aviation to boost its product support network here in the
Charter & Fractional
Spot Air Sees Charter Growth
Air charter group Spot Air is expanding its services into additional European countries after experiencing significant growth during the past two years.
Jeppesen Mobile TC: The World at Your Fingers
Jeppesen wasn't the first to offer an iPad app to the aviation market, but its Mobile TC app was worth the wait.
MEBAA welcomes MEBA show growth
The fourth Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) show is off to a strong start, with exhibitor numbers climbing more than 40 percent from 2008 and registere
Charter & Fractional
Rizon To Manage Airbus Corporate Jetliner
Rizon Jet will manage and operate a new Airbus Corporate Jetliner for an undisclosed Aranian Gulf customer.
Aircraft
Aviation Partners' Winglets Wing Their Way to MEBA
Visitors to the MEBA static display will see some Dassault Falcon business jets equipped with Aviation Partners, Inc.
A Trend or Golden Opportunity?
The grand opening on September 29 of Signature Flight Support’s new FBO at California’s Fresno Yosemite International Airport was an interesting move.
Aircraft
Brazil midair Legacy finally returns to U.S.
The Embraer Legacy 600 involved in the midair with a Gol Transportes Aéreos Boeing 737 on Sept.
FBOs
Touching Bases FBO Profile: Port City Air
When the former Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth, N.H., was converted into a civil airport in the early 1990s, Bob Jesurum, a computer hardware and softw
FBOs
First SMS NPRM released
The FAA’s first notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on safety management systems (SMS) was published on October 7 and will require Part 139 airports to
FBOs
Touching Bases: TWC and ACM set purchase deal
Van Nuys, Calif.-based TWC Aviation signed a binding agreement to acquire ACM Aviation, a worldwide aircraft management and charter firm based in San Jose,
FBOs
Touching Bases: TEB Honors Good-Neighbor OPS
Jersey’s Teterboro Airport (TEB) honored 24 company flight departments and individuals with its annual Good Neighbor Awards at the NBAA Conventio
FBOs
Touching Bases: City of Sugar Land rebrands FBO
Sugar Land Regional Airport near Houston has renamed its FBO Global Select.
FBOs
Touching Bases: Signature adds Montreal FBO
Signature Flight Support has opened its first Canadian FBO, at Montreal Pierre-Elliott Trudeau International Airport.
FBOs
Touching Bases: Ross adds Ronson to FBO network
FBO chain Ross Aviation has acquired the assets of an FBO formerly operated by Ronson Aviation at Trenton Mercer Airport in West Trenton, N.J.
FBOs
Touching Bases: Fuel setup available from Flightaware
FlightAware announced at the NBAA Convention that users of its online flight-tracking, flight-data and flight-planning services can now make fuel arran
FBOs
Touching Bases: TWG finalizes Vitesse purchase
TWG Aviation, which provides charter/management, maintenance and FBO services under the names Business Jet Access and Business Jet Center, has completed t
FBOs
Touching BAses: Skyvector mapping added by arinc
Arinc has added new map technology and automated risk factor assessment for meeting safety management system (SMS) requirements to Arinc Direct, its flig
FBOs
Touching Bases: Argus improves Cheq system
Argus International has revamped its Charter Evaluation and Qualification (Cheq) system with a new user interface to ease searching, and unlimited TripCheq
FBOs
Touching Bases: AC-U-Kwik database adds improvements
AC-U-Kwik’s online airports database has seen a 33-percent increase in traffic over the past year.
FBOs
Touching Bases: Avfuel scholarship winners
Fuel distributor Avfuel awarded its annual Avtrip scholarships to George Hoyt and Sage Santangelo.
FBOs
Touching Bases: JetEx donating revenues to Unicef
JetEx Flight Support, a handling and services company with more than 260 locations worldwide, will donate to Unicef one percent of the revenues it genera
Touching Bases: World Fuel, Exxonmobil launch premier card
World Fuel Services and ExxonMobil Aviation partnered to launch the Avitat Premier Card program, which provides discounted fuel and aviation-related serv
FBOs
Tac Air Sells Greenville Fbo
TAC Air sold its FBO location in Greenville, S.C., to Greenville Jet Center.
Rotorcraft
Robinson wins FAA OK for turbine-powered R6
On October 25, Robinson Helicopter entered a new phase as a manufacturer of turbine-powered rotorcraft when the FAA handed over the new R66’s type certif
Maintenance and Modifications
FAA proposes change to IA renewal policy
The FAA has issued a proposed policy change that would clarify the definition of the words “actively engaged” as it relates to application for and renewal
Aircraft
In the works: Cessna – Citation Ten
Cessna didn’t resurrect the canceled large-cabin Columbus at the NBAA Convention in October but did unveil a major upgrade to its largest and fastest jet
Aircraft
In the works: Bombardier – Global 7000, 8000
Bombardier added two new jets to its ultra-long-range Global line, t
Aircraft
Ice system, avionics update planned for FedEx Caravans
FedEx Express is converting its entire fleet of 250 Cessna 208 Caravans from de-icer boots to CAV Aerospace TKS ice-protection systems and Garmin G600
FBOs
TWC closes purchase deal for ACM Aviation
On November 12, Van Nuys-based charter/management provider TWC Aviation completed its acquisition of ACM Aviation, which is headquartered in San J
