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
Congressional scrutiny proves newest travail for battered Eclipse
An extraordinary confluence of events has embroiled Eclipse Aviation in intense scrutiny, all without a single fatal accident to act as a catalyst.
Accidents
Student Pilot Awarded $4.5 Million in Midair Suit
The FAA has agreed to pay $4.5 million in damages to Gavin Heyworth, the sole survivor of a Nov.
Maintenance and Modifications
ExecuJet South Africa Moving Into New Facility
ExecuJet South Africa is adding maintenance services at its new FBO at Cape Town International Airport.
Maintenance and Modifications
M7 and San Antonio Aircraft Support Open Mod Center
M7 Aerospace and San Antonio Aircraft Support (SAAS) have launched a major modification center combining M7’s maintenance and engineering expertise with SA
Maintenance and Modifications
PremiAir Moving to New Base in October
In October, PremiAir will move into a newly refurbished hangar at Oxford Airport near London.
Avionics
Bendix/King unveils SVS handhelds
Although EAA’s AirVenture 2008 wasn’t a big show for avionics manufacturers, Honeywell’s Bendix/King showed that the manufacturer is serious about the gene
Aircraft
DOT: Eclipse Certification Probe ‘Just Beginning’
Last Wednesday’s congressional hearing on FAA certification and
Accidents
NetJets Consolidating Pilots Into Single Seniority List
NetJets pilots will be consolidated into a system-wide seniority list, per a letter of agreement penned by NetJets and the NetJets Association of Shared Ai
Aircraft
In The Works: Comp Air CA-9 and 11
The CA-9 single-engine turboprop program is warming up, with a first flight accomplished in July and plans for FAA certification in 2013, although initial
Aircraft
In The Works: Gippsland Aeronautics Next-Generation Nomad
The dwindling ranks of Australian-designed and -built Nomad twin turboprops may yet grow again as Gippsland Aeronautics has purchased the Nomad program and
Security
Electronic locking system monitors access to airplanes
AirLock Aviation Security Systems has developed a programmable electronic door and access-panel locking system that records all uses of the locks to gain a
Training and Workforce
ServiceElements Offering Quality Audits
Training provider ServiceElements launched a service delivery audit program that is designed to help business aviation maintenance and other aviation servi
Safety
DOT Report Says FAA Should Avoid ‘Nasty Shocks’
The FAA’s approach to Airworthiness Directive (AD) compliance was a significant feature in the Department of Transportation’s Independent Review Team repor
Maintenance and Modifications
Embraer’s First U.S. Bizjet Service Center Opens
Embraer held a grand opening ceremony for its first dedicated U.S.
FBOs
No Damage from Fuel Spill at Sioux Falls Landmark FBO
A valve left open on a fuel-farm tank at Joe Foss Field in Sioux Falls, S.D., late last Thursday allowed nearly 10,000 gallons of jet-A to spill into a con
Regulations and Government
DOT Review Team Points the Way to FAA
The Department of Transportation yesterday publicly released an Independent Review Team report summarizing its study of the FAA’s safety culture, including
Safety
Harco Probes Still Causing Eclipse Airspeed Problems
The FAA yesterday issued Airworthiness Directive 2008-19-01 warning that some Harco Labs pitot/angle-of-attack (AOA) probes are causing airspeed disagree c
Security
FAA Must Pay in Lost Case Against Corporate Pilots
The NTSB’s chief administrative law judge on September 3 ordered the FAA to pay $12,475 in attorney fees and expenses to two pilots, whom the Agency had ac
Maintenance and Modifications
‘Red Hot’ Bizav Maintenance Market Set To Soar
Consulting firm AeroStrategy sees a huge bump in business aircraft maintenance needs by 2012, due mainly to large numbers of deliveries during recent years
FAA, Congress Turn a Critical Eye to Eclipse 500
Since August 11, the FAA has been conducting a special certification review (SCR) of the Eclipse 500 very light jet, the agency announced on August 20.
FBOs
Visit Galaxy MCO, get a gift card
Galaxy Aviation is offering Visa gift cards to pilots who visit the company’s new FBO terminal and hangar facility during this year’s NBAA Convention (Octo
Eclipse Aviation Splits Into Two Divisions
As part of its “operational excellence strategy” to finish incomplete customer-delivered airplanes, improve production efficiency, fulfill overdue payments
Charter & Fractional
FAA Fishing for Sentient/TAG Connection
The FAA Eastern Region counsel’s office is trying to find out if employees of the former Sentient Jet Holdings were connected via payroll and other systems
FBOs
Big Sky joins AvFuel network
Pilots can earn double Avtrip points from Avfuel’s new dealer, Big Sky Aviation.
FBOs
A new FBO for Livermore
The underutilized Livermore Airport near California’s San Francisco Bay Area might yet see development of a new FBO.
FBOs
...and Yosemite's green solar system
Fresno Yosemite International Airport is reaping 40 percent of its energy requirements from a solar panel installation at the airport, the largest such sys
FBOs
New Hangar under construction at Republic
The Northeastern group of companies, which bills itself as a “specialty services operator” because it isn’t an FBO (no fuel service), is building a new han
FBOs
Castle & Cooke tops list for new VNY FBO
The empty Garrett Jet Center at Van Nuys Airport should finally see a new tenant.
