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
Aircraft
Sino delivers first customer SJ30, awaits production OK
One year after receiving FAA type certification for its SJ30 light jet, Sino Swearingen delivered the first customer airplane to Doug Jaffe of San Antonio,
Safety
Icing Training & Options
Part 25 aircraft likely to get more stringent icing rules
Next year, the FAA hopes to release a new rule that closes a gap between flight-in-know
Aircraft
Eclipse explains snags on preproduction Model 500
Eclipse Aviation expected to have delivered its first Eclipse 500 very light jet by the time this issue was printed, according to Eclipse president and CEO
Boeing's GoldCare program offers Midas touch for 787s
Three years ago, Boeing product support experts started thinking about new ways to take care of the 787 fleet.
Engines
P&W prepares to deliver rivals’ parts in early ’07
After announcing the launch of its Global Material Solutions (GMS) division in February, engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney has been busy making and testi
Aircraft
Company seeks funds for its Avanti lookalike
Ravi Tripuraneni is here at NBAA’06 promoting his design for the RT-700, a new piston-powered twin-engine airplane with a three-lifting-surface design simi
Aircraft
Gulfstream positioned for sales growth
“It’s a good improvement year over year,” said Gulfstream Aerospace president Bryan Moss at the company’s press conference here, commenting on the company’
Safety
Look online for the latest FAA advisory safety information
The Internet is yielding important safety benefits for aviation, making critical information available to many more aviation participants and helping regul
Safety
Wireless airport surveillance tracks aircraft movements
Airport managers have a tool for tracking the comings and goings of every aircraft that uses their airport.
Charter & Fractional
Fractional Ownership: Frax market blues
More than 20 years ago, fractional jet ownership began with NetJets and then expanded rapidly in the late 1990s with the growth of Raytheon Travel Air and
FAA reacts to ‘Deadly Express’ articles
A series of articles in the Miami Herald that took a look at the safety of air-cargo operations has exposed what the articles’ author seems to view
Accidents
Unattended Falcon rolls through fence at McCarran
The FAA is not formally investigating a ramp accident that took place September 20 at McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, during which an unattended
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Flying Colours Finding Business at Home
Canadian independent completion center Flying Colours, which traditionally finds about 70 percent of its business south of the border, is seeing more Canad
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Full-Spectrum Enhances Touch Control
“Let there be light,” said designers at DeCrane Aircraft’s Audio International, and to make it even better, they added full-spectrum color.
FBOs
Landmark buys Vancouver neighbor
At Vancouver International Airport, Landmark Aviation added to its FBO inventory with the recent purchase of Executive Aircraft.
FBOs
Midcoast St. Louis FBO renamed Jet Aviation
After buying Midcoast Aviation in March, Jet Aviation continued to use the Midcoast name for the FBO but added the second barrel, “A Jet Aviation Company.”
FBOs
Albany hosts Million Air upgrade
Million Air Albany has completed phase one of its renovation program at the facility.
Former NTSB member John Goglia joins IFBOA
The Independent Fixed Base Operators Association (IFBOA) announced that John Goglia has accepted the position as president of the recently formed FBO opera
Airports
FAA: Closing L45 not an option
The FAA rejected an apparent request to close Bakersfield Municipal Airport (L45) sent by the mayor of Bakersfield, Calif., on January 5.
FBOs
McCreery celebrates 60th
Long-time South Texas FBO McCreery Aviation celebrated its 60th anniversary on October 27.
FBOs
...and a new hangar in Pittsburgh
Atlantic Aviation is growing in Pennsylvania with a new 29,400-sq-ft hangar at its Pittsburgh International Airport FBO, and an additional 7,000 sq ft of f
FBOs
Atlantic Aviation opens San Antonio FBO...
Atlantic Aviation is opening a new temporary FBO terminal at Lackland AFB’s Kelly Field Annex, a huge airport with an 11,550-foot runway five miles from do
FBOs
FBO opportunity at Arlington
Arlington, Wash., issued a request for proposal (RFP) for two properties at Arlington Municipal Airport.
FBOs
Rectrix expanding to Sarasota
Rectrix Aerodrome Centers has begun construction of a new FBO/hangar facility at Florida’s Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
FBOs
Money-saving Web site incites fueler feud
“Everybody is sensitive to the price of jet fuel,” said Steve Elefant, explaining why he founded fuel-pricing Web site AircraftFuel.com last year.
Maintenance and Modifications
Judge rules in favor of Camp in copyright suit
Gulfstream Aerospace’s maintenance manuals are not protected by copyright law, according to a September 27 decision by Savannah, Ga.
Rotorcraft
BLR tailboom strakes draw fire from Bell
Bell Helicopter recently issued new information letters expressing concern about BLR Aerospace tailboom strakes.
