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

The FAA has extended the comment period for a <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2015-10-06/proposed-rewrite-updates-maintenance-school-rules">proposed change to Part 147</a> regulations governing the curriculum and operations of FAA-certified aviation maintenance technician (AMT) schools. The new comment period closes Feb. 1, 2016 (see Docket No. FAA–2015–3901 at regulations.gov).&nbsp;

 


The changes would “modernize and reorganize the required curriculum subjects in the appendices of the current regulations,” according to the FAA. “They would also remove the course content items currently located in the appendices and require that they be placed in each school’s operations specifications so they could more easily be amended when necessary.”

 


Comments posted thus far are both positive and negative. One commenter suggested that the FAA “set a minimum standard and let the industry build from there.”&nbsp;

 


An AMT school faculty member wrote: “The suggestion to remove specific content out of Part 147 is ill advised. It is also entirely at disingenuous, at best, to purport that the reason to do this is because the current situation prevents updates to this content. The facts are there have not been many attempts to change this content, and where it has been attempted, the attempts were successful. What you are proposing will lead to curriculum divergence across the country in ways that are costly and are likely to lead to increased confusion and frustration in fulfilling the critical role played by aviation maintenance schools and colleges.”&nbsp;

 


An instructor at a college AMT program is “pleased [that] changes are proposed. I would like to see training going closer to what Canada and Australia are doing. I have been an A&amp;P mechanic since 1979 and traveled to many countries where my A&amp;P was not valid. Our training is lighter and it needs to match more closely to the world’s view of aviation maintenance.” This commenter is also concerned that the new rules propose a change in instructor qualification, which could mean AMT certification is not required to be an instructor, as is currently the case, “so you are cutting A&amp;Ps out of jobs.” Another concern he outlined is that an FAA inspector could force a school to change the course content in the school’s operations specifications (OpSpec). “With the proposed changes it sounds as if our FAA inspector could come in and decide we needed to concentrate on lavatory systems and mandate that Ops change without a [rulemaking]. It could leave our school with an undue economic impact without any notice just because one inspector favors one area of training over another.”

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

FAA Moves Comment Period for AMT School Regulation Change to February 1

The rule change would allow AMT schools to amend curriculums using a simpler process. 

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Four-decade career in aviation journalism culminated in leading AIN’s editorial team

AIN Editor-in-chief Matt Thurber To Retire in October

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

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News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Why not teach new pilots to go around before learning how to land?

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Most major manufacturers will be at static this year

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News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

First step toward licensing could encourage youth to seek aviation careers

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News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

More In Training and Workforce

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