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
Aviation World Loses Legendary Designer Ed Swearingen
Ed Swearingen died on May 15, leaving behind a legacy of extraordinary airplanes.
Rotorcraft
AgustaWestland Enjoys Steady Growth in European Market
AgustaWestland brought a GrandNew helicopter and a scale mockup of a special AW169 interior to the EBACE show this year.
Aircraft
Pilatus Welcomes Flood of PC-24 Orders On First Day of EBACE
Orders for the Pilatus PC-24 shot up to 75 in the first day of the EBACE 2014 show.
Aircraft
Textron Aviation Brings New Family to EBACE
Bringing together Cessna and Beechcraft under one umbrella seems to have been handled well by Textron.
Pilatus Opens Order Book for PC-24 Jet at EBACE
The company is officially signing agreements with launch customers this week.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Rockwell Collins Retrofits Improve Passenger Experience
Two new cabin systems shown: a new Tailwind 550 satellite TV antenna and a Venue HD cabin system retrofit for Global XRS and 5000 jets.
Aircraft
Pilatus Opens the PC-24 Sales Pipeline
Launch customers for the Pilatus PC-24 twinjet begin signing purchase agreements today at the EBACE show.
FBOs
Mototok Tug Helps Halt Hangar Rash
Wireless-controlled electric tug from Germany frees up wasted hangar space.
Avionics
TrueNorth Simplifies FANS With Iridium Data Link Unit
TrueNorth’s Iridium-based Simphone data link unit promises to make FANS compliance simpler and less expensive.
Sales Soaring After Jetcraft Adds ExecuJet Sales Team
Jetcraft sees plenty of opportunity in the aircraft sales brokerage business, with the U.S. and Europe the strongest markets.
Avionics
New UTC Module Delivers Aircraft Data To Mobile Devices
UTC Aerospace invites EBACE attendees to plug their mobile devices in for a fresh battery charge and a test of the company’s Tablet Interface Module.
ASIG flyTab Turns iPads Into Class 2 EFBs
ASIG and the flyTab consortium offer a range of solutions incorporating the iPad as a Class 2 EFB.
Avionics
Cellphone Ban Could Affect Some Business Aircraft
Proposed rule could unnecessarily ban business aviation passengers from making voices calls from their mobile phones in flight.
Avionics
Aircell Gogo Biz Now Live in Canada
The new Canadian coverage reaches into the country’s southern territories and along its western borders with Alaska.
Avionics
Two More App Developers Add X-Plane Connection
FltPlan and CloudAhoy now integrate with the flight-sim program.
AirSatOne Flightstream Filtering Helps Save Satcom Costs
The new Flightstream SA services are free to any AirSatOne customer and do not require that AirSatOne’s Flightstream AOC router be installed.
Regulations and Government
Airport Commission Revisits Emissions Limits at SMO
Latest effort to curtail operations at Santa Monica Airport involves a proposed recommendation to limit emissions from aircraft operating there.
SyberJet Breaks Ground on SJ30 Delivery Center
Company plans to deliver the SJ30i version with a Honeywell Primus Epic 2.0/SyberVision cockpit and new interior late next year.
Operators Add Worldwide Communications With Low-cost Flyht Dragon System
Dragon allows pilots and passengers to communicate using voice or data, without the need for an expensive certification and installation approval program.
NextGen GA Fund Offers Money For Avionics Upgrades
Low-interest loans available for owners and operators of business aircraft.
Air Charter Safety Foundation Asap Expands To West Coast
Van Nuys-based Jet Edge signs on.
Safety
FAA Rulemaking Might Ease Medical Certification Requirements
Rulemaking effort could delay action mandated by Congress.
Jeppesen Offering Free Aviation Nav Info and Charting Webinars
Jeppesen is holding a series of free webinars to help pilots improve their knowledge of navigation information and charts.
Regulations and Government
NBAA Tax Seminar To Tackle Key Bizav IRS Issues
Subjects to be covered include application of federal excise tax to managed aircraft flying under Part 91 and business aircraft leasing structures.
Maintenance and Modifications
Honeywell Adds Retrofits Through Bombardier Agreement
Operators Of Bombardier Jets based in the Asia-Pacific region can now obtain many more Honeywell upgrades at Bombardier’s Singapore service center.
Regulations and Government
Groups Work To Ease Bizav Ops in Asia-Pacific
Core principles could boost business aviation prospects in the Asia-Pacific region.
Rotorcraft
Helicopter Fleet in China Grows Unabated
Easing regulations and further opening of the airspace is helping helicopter sales grow by an average of 20 percent per year in China.
