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
Airports
NBAA Members Tell TSA DCA Access Unworkable
NBAA vice president for safety, security and regulation Doug Carr, representatives from five NBAA member companies and other industry groups met with Brian
Maintenance and Modifications
EASA Awards STC for Soloy LTS101 Helo Mod
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) awarded a supplemental type certificate (STC) to Soloy Aviation Solutions for conversion of Eurocopter AS350BA h
Maintenance and Modifications
FAA Revises Alternate Compliance Approval Process
The FAA has issued a draft revised Order 8110.103A with new information about how agency personnel process alternative methods of compliance (Amoc) request
Safety
Techs Need Help with Fatigue Issues, Too
While it seems that most of the focus on fatigue issues is on pilots, the FAA is concerned about maintenance technician fatigue and has taken steps to educ
Maintenance and Modifications
Cessna Aids Special Olympics with Mobile Service
Citation owners who donate the use of their jets to fly participants in this year’s Special Olympics USA National Games to Lincoln, Neb., can rest assured
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
ARSA Mx Liability Insurance Group Licensed
The Aeronautical Repair Station’s efforts to create a risk-retention group to provide commercial liability insurance for its members is closer to fruition.
FBOs
FBO PROFILE: AAR Aircraft Services
For many years, AAR Aircraft Services has operated the sole FBO at Oklahoma City’s Will Rogers World Airport, and it seems that activity is heating up at <
FBOs
Touching Bases
MILLION AIR OPENS FACILITY IN SAN BERNARDINO
The newest facility in the Million Air FBO franchise chain has opened at San Bernardino Internat
ATC
Despite quirks, the iPad shines in bizav cockpits
Apple’s new iPad tablet computer is enjoying instant popularity, with more than two million of the $499-and-up units selling since deliveries began in earl
Safety
APG Offers Part 91 Performance-analysis Software
Aircraft Performance Group (APG) cofounder Rogers Hemphill believes that the business aviation industry is moving into a new era of applying technology to
Safety
Author urges close look at Part 91 runway data
Aircraft performance is a subject that many pilots dread, during both preflight planning and post-lunch ground school sessions in stuffy classrooms when th
FBOs
ALLFBO develops web booking service
Chase Larabee has launched a new Web-based service called AllFBO.com to eliminate the problem of pilots showing up at an FBO only to find that the customer
Aircraft
In The Works
Dornier Seaplane - Seastar
Dornier Seaplane has selected Montreal suburb Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu as the location to build a new facility fo
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Aviation insurance
Buyers of coverage for aircraft, aviation businesses and property have found a silver lining in the recession: relatively stable prices for insurance.
Engines
FAA Cleen Program May Revive Open Rotor Engines
The FAA awarded five contracts worth a total of $125 million over five years to engine manufacturers and Boeing to “develop and demonstrate technologies th
FAA: Large Airplanes Must Handle Supercooled Drops
Proposed changes to Parts 25 and 33 address dangerous ici
Safety
Incident illustrates risk of improper tire mx
A video circulating on the Internet shows what happened, on April 27, when the nose tire of a 1976 Falcon 10 was overfilled.
Charter & Fractional
Acquisition by Arcadia closes book on Wayfarer
On June 11, charter/management company Wayfarer Aviation received bridge financing from Arcadia Aviation to continue operations, then four days later Ar
Regulations and Government
Pilots split on new rule for antidepressants
The FAA’s plan to allow pilots to continue flying wh
Aircraft
Gulfstream Ramps Up G650 Test Fleet
Gulfstream’s fourth large-cabin G650–and the first production example–joined the flight-test pr
Aircraft
Will the Piaggio Avanti Shed Its Distinctive Whine?
According to an industry source, Piaggio will announce more improvements for the P.180 Avanti twin turboprop before year-end.
Aircraft
Cessna Slows Citation Mustang Production
Cessna Aircraft instituted rolling furloughs on May 17 affecting up to 200 people at the company’s Independence, Kan.
Charter & Fractional
End of an Era as Wayfarer Aviation Closes Doors
Wayfarer Aviation is closing tomorrow, after having let go most of its employees earlier this week.
Charter & Fractional
FAA To Establish Ops Specs for Non-U.S. Charter Outfits
The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that could provide a somewhat simpler means for non-U.S.
Aircraft
Suppliers, Orders Grow for Cirrus Vision Jet
Cirrus Aircraft’s SF50 Vision single-engine jet program is “making good progress,” according to president and CEO Brent Wouters, who spoke during a Web pre
Charter & Fractional
Darby challenges certificate revocation
Five years after the February 2005 Challenger overrun at Teterboro–one of the most notorious accidents in business aviation history–the FAA has
FBOs
FBO wants to bring corporate ops back to Reagan National
It has been almost nine years since terrorists showed the world how easy it was to hijack fuel-laden airliners and use them as missiles on Sept.
Charter & Fractional
VistaJet sees surge in revenue
European charter operator VistaJet reports that revenues grew by 20 percent last year and that the company has expanded its fleet of Bombardier jets to 26
