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
Landmark buy just the first step for Dubai firm
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise is here with its most recent acquisition, the Landmark Aviation and Standard Aero maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) busines
Avionics
Pro Line Fusion the power for Bombardier’s Global Vision
At a late afternoon press event yesterday, Bombardier announced a long-awaited flat-panel upgrade to the Global Express XRS and 5000 cockpits.
Aircraft
Latest CJ builds on lessons learned with CJ3
The latest member of the CitationJet family, the CJ4, is beginning to take shape on jigs and fixtures at Cessna’s headquarters in Wichita.
FBOs
FBOs integrated under Atlantic name
Atlantic Aviation and its owner, Macquarie Infrastructure, plan to rebrand a number of the recently acquired FBOs under the Atlantic Aviation brand.
Honeywell continues Zing trials
Since launching the Zing engine data-gathering service at last year’s NBAA Convention, Honeywell has been testing the system in a select group of customer
Aircraft
SSBJ developers having a hard time gaining traction
Three companies have expressed serious interest in developing a supersonic business jet (SSBJ), but none of the designs proposed by Aerion, Sukhoi or Super
Aircraft
Program Update: HondaJet
In designing a new sub-10,000-pound business jet, Honda designer Michimasa Fujino took an unusual approach.
Aircraft
New Business Jets
From new Cessna Citations to new versions of Hawker Beechcrafts to clean-sheet designs like Dassault Falcon’s fly-by-wire 7X, the world of business jets co
Aircraft
Adam Aircraft’s VLJ Gambit
Seven years ago, at an aircraft factory in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, two engineers met and worked together on Fairchild Dornier’s ambitious 728 and 928 pr
Aircraft
New Turboprops
Of all the sub-segments of the general aviation market, the turboprop field is the only one not experiencing a marked increase of new development.
Aircraft
New VLJs
By our count, there are more than a dozen aircraft ranging from single-engine personal jets to twin-engine very light jets either in the very early stages
Engines
GE turns its attention back to the small-engine market
For General Electric, the 50/50 partnership with Honda to produce and market the HF120 turbofan is a return to GE’s roots in the small-turbine-engine marke
EAA AirVenture 2007
the surprises started early at this year’s EAA AirVenture show, better known simply as “Oshkosh.” The night before the show’s official opening on Monday Ju
Aircraft
New Turboprops
Of all the subsegments of the general aviation market, the turboprop field is the only one not experiencing an increase in new development.
Charter & Fractional
Tax course addresses needs of commercial operators
If you are thinking of starting a business aviation charter or management company, consider sending as many of your company’s managers as possible to Conkl
Engines
Epic considers engine choices
At EAA AirVenture, Epic Aircraft’s single-engine Victory jet made its first public appearance.
Safety
FSF demo brings airline safety system to bizav
Flight operational quality assurance (FOQA) programs are finally seeing application in business aviation, and in early February the Altria flight departmen
DAE seeks buyer for Landmark’s FBO group
After purchasing Landmark Aviation and Standard Aero from The Carlyle Group on August 1, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) announced that it is selling a di
Charter & Fractional
DayJet to take operations from the virtual world to the real one
Ant farmers have a goal: keep the ant colony alive.
FBOs
FBO Profile: Trip-planning firm eyes market outside the U.S.
It might seem as if Universal Weather & Aviation doesn’t belong in a profile of FBO chains, but the aircraft handling and weather information company does
FBOs
Davis Flight adds Avfuel
Davis Flight Support, which purchased the former Woodland Aviation FBO at Yolo County Airport in Woodland, Calif., has signed on as an Avfuel dealer.
FBOs
Livermore Air Center wins RFP
The city of Livermore, Calif., is preparing to give up its exclusive fueling operation at Livermore Municipal Airport, having awarded a contract to Livermo
SheltAir opens another FBO
Growing East Coast FBO chain SheltAir Aviation ervices opened a new FBO–the chain’s fifth N.Y.
FBOs
Investment group buys Wester Aircraft
The owners of Boise, Idaho-based Western Aircraft sold 100 percent of the company stock to investment group Berkley Aviation Investors.
FBOs
Cutter opens new PHX hangars
A new 50,500-sq-ft hangar complex opened at Cutter Aviation’s Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) FBO.
FBOs
Avantair expands its FBO network to California
Fractional share operator Avantair opened its second FBO, in Camarillo, Calif., on August 6.
FBOs
Wisconsin Airport extends runway
Wisconsin’s New Richmond Regional Airport extended its runway by 1,500 feet–to 5,500 feet–in mid-June and added a new 18,000-sq-ft FBO terminal.
FBOs
New Orleans Lakefront tower reopens
Two years after Hurricane Katrina destroyed Lakefront Airport in New Orleans, the FAA control tower has reopened.
