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

Anyone attempting to view information on the Web site of European Technology and Investment Research Center (Etirc) will find what looks like a television test pattern occupying what was formerly a description of a thriving investment business. According to Netherlands newspaper de Volkskrant, Etirc has filed for bankruptcy, signaling a change in fortune for company founder Roel Pieper and his efforts to sell the very light jets in Europe, Russia and CIS countries. Etirc Aviation was the exclusive Eclipse distributor for those countries and had planned to assemble Eclipse 500s in Russia. Pieper told AIN at last year’s NBAA Convention that he had invested $150 million in Eclipse Aviation. In 2008 he became chairman of the company, then acting CEO when founder Vern Raburn was forced to leave last July. After Eclipse filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy late last year, Pieper mounted an effort to buy Eclipse Aviation but was unable to raise the money to see the acquisition through. Eclipse’s creditors sought Chapter 7 (liquidation) bankruptcy on February 24, and since then various entities have launched efforts to buy the company’s assets. Pieper sits on the board of one of those acquisition entities.

Eclipse Investor Bankrupt

Anyone attempting to view information on the Web site of European Technology and Investment Research Center (Etirc) will find what looks like a television 

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