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

Aviation Partners (Booth No. 876) is expanding its reach in the winglet modification market with new Hi-Mach Super Critical winglets optimized for the high-speed cruise regime. To date, the company’s Blended Winglets have helped operators enjoy lower fuel burn, higher initial climb altitudes and longer range while flying at long-range cruise speeds. The new Hi-Mach winglets have the same effect, but at Mach 0.80 and above.

Aviation Partners engineers used computational fluid dynamics tools to design winglets that help improve efficiency “deeper into the drag rise,” said Joe Clark, CEO. Drag rises steeply at higher speeds, and at 30 to 40 percent of the maximum drag rise, traditional winglets don’t offer the benefits available at lower speeds. The Hi-Mach winglets can improve range by as much as 5 percent at high-speed cruise or 8 percent at long-range cruise. 

“This is just a test winglet,” Clark said. “It’s a flight test program to prove a new technology. There are no [specific] aircraft types identified at this point, but they can fit on just about any airplane. We’ve taken our computational fluid dynamics to new heights on this supercritical winglet and we’ve been able to extend benefits way farther into the drag rise than we thought possible.” Although Aviation Partners has not yet started a certification program for the Hi-Mach winglets, Clark said the rough cost of the winglets for a large jet would be about $500,000.

Raytheon Hawker 800SP and 800XP operators have purchased about 60 sets of the $425,000 (installed) Aviation Partners winglets optimized for long-range cruise. Performance improvements on the Hawker include 7-percent lower fuel burn, 180-nm range increase, 18-knot increase in speed and 2,000-foot higher initial cruise altitude.

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.

Hi-Mach winglets dig deeper into drag rise

Aviation Partners (Booth No.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

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.

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.

Investments at its Basel HQ and beyond have expanded the group’s bandwidth

AMAC Boosts MRO Capabilities To Meet Rising Demand

Airline is adding 10 more of the E2 aircraft to its Africa-based fleet

Airlink Signs for E195-E2 Component Pool Support

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Installations are to meet a mandate for all aircraft using South Africa’s Class A airspace

ExecuJet MRO Services Fits ADS-B for South African Jets

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.

Agreement expands global support and service for aerospace test equipment

Bauer Signs Test Systems Partnership with Ascential Technologies

Corporate aviation maintenance experts sound off on software issues

AINsight: Too Much AI Talk, but Maybe It Can Help MROs

Kerry Lynch

Completion is ahead of year-end deadline

Gulfstream Implements Voluntary SMS Programs for U.S. MROs

The Swiss-based MRO group’s customer base spans the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Europe

AMAC Invests in Self-sufficiency To Support the World’s VIP Jets

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.

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