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&amp;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.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

At 9 a.m. tomorrow at EAA AirVenture, 12 skilled flyers will face off in the Flying Challenge Cup, pitting their Redbird simulator flying skills against each other in three final events–a short-field takeoff, steep turn and precision landing to a full stop on a virtual Runway 18 at Oshkosh Wittman Regional Airport.


The Flying Challenge Cup invited anyone interested in testing their flying skills to practice in a Redbird simulator and compete for one of the 12 finals slots at EAA AirVenture 2014. More than 300 people flew the challenge, flying about 8,000 times and logging more than 500 simulated hours. The challenges tested the flyers’ skills in various scenarios, including precision landings, steep turns and lazy-eight maneuvers.


The finalists for the AirVenture event–which will be filmed–range from age 15 to 71. All 12 finalists received free transportation to Oshkosh, as well as complimentary hotel rooms.


Redbird Flight Simulations brought 29 simulators of various types to AirVenture this year, including its new full-motion VTO helicopter simulator.


Eight Redbird simulators are housed at the IFR Proficiency Center at AirVenture, which is hosted by the IMC Club. Visitors are encouraged to practice IFR proficiency on the simulators by flying various instrument approach scenarios, guided by teachers from the National Association of Flight Instructors. During the scenarios, pilots will be able to interact in real time with air traffic controllers using the PilotEdge live ATC service. There is no charge for participation in flying the IFR scenarios in the Redbird simulators, nor is there any charge for attending IFR Proficiency Center Tech Talks, two of which are being held each day during AirVenture.

Flying Challenge Pilots Face Off in Skills Competition

Twelve skilled flyers will compete to see who can win the Flying Challenge Cup on July 30.

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EAA AirVenture 2014

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