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
TEB facing weight limits?
It’s too soon to know the fate of the so-called user-fee bills working their way through the sausage-making legislative apparatus in Washington, D.C., but
FBOs
Encore adds Frederick FBO
Encore FBO bought the sole FBO at Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick, Md., the chain’s fourth U.S.
FBOs
Esco EMAS installations growing
Aircraft arresting system manufacturer Esco has completed its first Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) installations outside the U.S., at China’s
FBOs
NATA warns of more SMO problems
The California State Assembly voted to approve Assembly Bill 700, a requirement for the City of Santa Monica to measure emissions of aircraft using Santa M
FBOs
Signature, NetJets Europe sign handling agreement
NetJets Europe tapped Signature Flight Support as its Europe-wide “preferred handler.” The agreement covers Signature FBOs in Belgium, France, Greece, Irel
FBOs
Charleston gets second FBO
Ken Allison, owner of a growing chain of Million Air FBOs, has added a seventh facility to his stable, Million Air Charleston at South Carolina’s Charlesto
FBOs
Houston Executive under way
Groundbreaking for the FBO at Houston’s newest airport, Houston Executive, took place on June 11.
FBOs
Million Air moves to Paris
Million Air president and CEO Roger Woolsey and partner FlyingGroup celebrated the opening of the Million Air FBO at Paris Le Bourget Airport.
FBOs
Jet Aviation Geneva: Different challenges for European, U.S. Facilities
One of the great challenges for an FBO company seeking to build a chain is to strike gold not only with facilities in the U.S.
FBOs
Unique fuel deal at Carroll County FBO
American Pilot Services, a new second FBO at Carroll County Regional Airport north of Washington, D.C., is offering visiting aircraft operators the opportu
FBOs
Tac Air giving away 'timeless' Chris-Craft
Visitors to Tac Air FBOs can qualify for the chain’s annual NBAA giveaway contest, which features a rare Chris-Craft Capri runabout named Timeless.
FBOs
Landmark, Enterprise sign rental car deal
Finding a rental car at an FBO will be much easier soon as Enterprise Rent-A-Car signed an agreement to serve customers at Landmark Aviation’s 34 North Ame
FBOs
Million Air Medford opens
The newly built Million Air FBO franchise at Rogue Valley International Airport in Medford, Ore., opened in January, and the new FBO terminal was unveiled
FBOs
Universal Paris back to normal
Almost four months after suffering a damaging fire, the Universal Aviation FBO at Paris Le Bourget Airport has been fully restored.
FBOs
Castle & Cooke opening FBO in Hawaii
In the third quarter property development company Castle & Cooke will open a new FBO at Honolulu International Airport, sited on the 3.2-acre former Ci
Aircraft
Bombardier debuts upgraded CRJ900
Bombardier Aerospace unveiled a series of updates to its CRJ900 regional jet during a June 5 event at the Signature Flight Support FBO at Washington Dulles
Avionics
OP Technologies develops SR22 avionics
Avionics manufacturer OP Technologies is about to enter the market for TSO’d avionics in FAA-certified airplanes.
Aircraft
In The Works: Comp Air 12
Comp Air is firming up plans to certify the single-engine turboprop Model 12, having agreed to work with Downing Aviation Associates “to secure funding, en
Aircraft
In The Works: Utilicraft Aerospace FF1080-300ER
Design of Utilicraft’s prototype FF1080-200 twin-engine freight-hauling turboprop has been finalized, and the airplane is scheduled to fly in January, acco
Aircraft
In The Works: Gulfstream Aerospace SSBJ
Recent news reports that Gulfstream plans to build a prototype supersonic business jet (SSBJ) by 2013 are inaccurate, according to a company spokesman.
Aircraft
In The Works: Epic Aircraft Elite
Epic’s Elite VLJ made its maiden flight on June 7 from Redmond, Ore.’s Roberts Field.
Charter & Fractional
Air-taxi operations steal spotlight at VLJ conference
Air-taxi operators and potential operators used a recent VLJ forum, “Business Models for VLJs and Light Jets,” to outline their plans for using the new cla
Training and Workforce
Industry makes progress on VLJ training standards
Mentoring, where a more experienced pilot flies for some time with a new very light jet buyer until the owner gains confidence and experience, is receiving
Training and Workforce
Opinicus readying Eclipse simulators
Simulator manufacturer Opinicus is in the final stages of completing four full-motion simulators and one fixed training device for the Eclipse 500 very lig
Aircraft
Bombardier: NextGen RJ will have lower costs
Bombardier Aerospace is showing its CRJ900 NextGen regional-jet here in 76-seat guise and the uniform of Northwest Airlines subsidiary Mesaba Airlines less
Heico gets BA’s first PMA parts order
Aftermarket parts manufacturer Heico has jump-started sales of FAA-approved PMA replacement parts to airlines with a new agreement it signed with British A
Aircraft
OEMs turn attention to single-engine jets
The race is on; the first manufacturer to certify, build and deliver a single-engine jet that offers reasonable performance and price might have the market
Training and Workforce
Training aid targets approach accidents
Approach and landing accidents cause 45 percent of hull losses, according to the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF), despite the fact that this phase of each f
FBOs
Galaxy Aviation: Florida chain looks beyond state lines
Galaxy Aviation is, for now, a small regional FBO chain with five bases in Florida and ambitions to extend the company’s brand of family-atmosphere custome
FBOs
XJet opens at Centennial
XJet’s private jet facility at Denver’s Centennial Airport opened late last month.
