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
FBOs
Touching Bases:Salinas site of new FBO
Central Coast Aviation announced plans to build an FBO facility, to be called Salinas Jet Center, at Salinas Municipal Airport near California’s Monterey P
FBOs
Touching Bases: Signature buys anothe FBO
Signature Flight Support purchased Carolina Air Center at South Carolina’s Hilton Head Airport on September 28.
Airports
Touching Bases: New hangar at Hong Kong
Business aviation traffic continues to grow at Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok International Airport, and to serve that traffic, Hong Kong Business Aviation Centr
Maintenance and Modifications
Court orders AvTrak to destroy mx data from former clients
The debate between Littleton, Colo.
FBOs
Austin opening new airport
Ron Henriksen, developer of Houston Executive Airport, has purchased Bird’s Nest Airport, a small facility with a 2,700-foot runway 12 miles Northeast of A
FBOs
Touching bases: PASSUR Offers fuel uplift info
Megadata added to its Passur FBO aircraft-tracking system a new feature that informs FBOs of fuel uplift requirements for incoming aircraft.
Aircraft
In the works: Supersonic Business Jets
Supersonic Aerospace (SAI) and Aerion continue their quest to bring a speedy yet environmentally friendly supersonic business jet to market.
Aircraft
In the Works: Excel-Jet Sport-Jet
Excel-Jet is looking for a new home to continue with development of the single-engine Sport-Jet and is considering a move to Chennault International Airpor
Aircraft
In the works: Utilicraft Aerospace
FF1080-200ER/300ER Progress on the Utilicraft FF1080-200ER freight-feeder pro- totype is accelerating.
Aircraft
In the works: Ibis Ae270B
News reports of the death of the Ibis Ae270B program are premature, according to Frank Hong, director of the business management division at Taiwan’s Aeros
Aircraft
In the works: Diamond D-Jet
Diamond’s second single-engine D-Jet made its first flight on September 14 in London, Ontario.
In the works: Dassault Falcon 2000DX
The EASA granted certification to the Falcon 2000DX on September 19, and FAA certification followed on October 3.
Aircraft
In the works: The ‘Concept Jet’
Airplane programs traditionally began in one of two ways: either as a conceptual design, such as the Eclipse 500, which the manufacturer used to drum up de
AVGAS production stays stable
A small percentage–about 20 percent–of the piston-powered fleet requires 100-octane fuel.
Cessna launches Thielert diesel Skyhawk TD
Although avgas is expensive, there is no shortage in the U.S., and oil companies continue to support its production and distribution.
Aircraft
New Bizliners
As the normal business jet evolves to fill ever smaller niches in the market, it’s no surprise to see more airliner-derived VIP jets offered to an ever wea
Aircraft
Production change halts deliveries of Texan II
As reported first in AINalerts on September 20, the U.S.
Accidents
UA accident investigation yields safety recommendations
The NTSB’s first investigation of an unmanned aircraft accident highlighted a problem that many have worried about and that the FAA has yet to address: the
New to bizjet market, Embraer takes on Wichita heavyweight
It’s no secret that Embraer is rapidly adding new business jets to its product line, but what’s interesting about that is that the Brazilian company seems
UK firm invests in Sino Swearingen
Production activity at San Antonio-based jet developer Sino Swearingen Aircraft has not yet picked up since the company announced at the NBAA Convention th
Charter & Fractional
Sentient Flight Group acquires two more charter divisions
On October 23, Sentient Flight Group purchased Hawker Beechcraft’s charter/management business.
Charter & Fractional
AMI certificate revocation spooks charter industry
AMI Jet Charter’s trouble with the FAA didn’t start on October 12, when the agency revoked AMI’s charter certificate, nor the week before, when it suspende
Production change halts Texan II deliveries
As reported first in AINalerts on September 20, the U.S.
Charter & Fractional
FAA Suspends AMI Jet's Part 135 Certificate
The FAA suspended AMI Jet Charter’s Part 135 certificate yesterday on an emergency basis, citing many problems with the Burlingame, Calif.
Where will Piper land next?
Asked if he has his house on the market as Piper grapples with the decision on whether to stay in Vero Beach, Fla., or move the entire company to Albuquerq
Charter & Fractional
The Fractional Market Special Report
It’s been 21 years since Richard Santulli opened the doors of NetJets, having figured out a way to lower the barriers to entry to business aviation by sell
Maintenance and Modifications
Winglets improve local Hawkers
Local pilot Brian Ross is a big fan of Aviation Partners winglets after adding the efficiency-improving devices to all four of his employer’s Hawker Beechc
Charter & Fractional
Pogo Jet charter service would use Eclipse 500s
Pogo Jet clarified plans to launch a charter service using Eclipse 500 very light jets in a registration statement for an initial public offering (IPO) sub
FAA employees raised concerns about Eclipse certification
Last October, an FAA certification engineer and a flight-test pilot filed a grievance against their managers at the Fort Worth, Texas FAA Aircraft Certific
FBOs
GFK building jet center in North Dakota
GFK Flight Support broke ground on new FBO facilities at Grand Forks Airport in North Dakota last month.
