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.

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Matt Thurber

John Saabas, president of engine manufacturer Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada (P&amp;WC), is focused on strengthening the company so that, he said, “we come out of this downturn stronger than we were coming in. We want to keep investing in the core of the business and reduce costs in areas we can and keep investing in new products.” During the past year, total revenues have dropped about 25 percent, according to Saabas.
Major P&amp;WC programs continue unabated, he said, including the PW307B for the upcoming Learjet 85, the PW210 for the Sikorsky S-76D and the PTC-67E for Eurocopter’s EC 175. Work continues, too, on the PW800 core for the engine that would have powered Cessna’s canceled Columbus large-cabin jet. “We want to be ready for something else that may show up,” Saabas said.
Another strong area of investment is customer service, under P&amp;WC’s Customer First initiative. With 90 percent of its 10,000 customers operating just one or two aircraft, P&amp;WC has to spread its service resources across the globe, including both factory-owned and authorized partners.
“We’ve done our best to be close geographically with parts, hot-section and overhaul capability and mobile repair teams,” he said. “We challenge ourselves with 24-hour return to service, if it doesn’t require engine removal. We’ve made significant progress toward that.”
At the NBAA show, P&amp;WC announced a new option for operators that want to enroll in the Eagle Service Plan hourly maintenance cost program. The new Flex option allows operators to enroll in-service engines (for a limited time) while deferring “payment for the majority of hours flown prior to enrollment to any convenient time in the future,” according to the company, “including up to the scheduled engine overhaul event.” Here at NBAA, P&amp;WC (Booth No. 5711) is celebrating the Eagle Service Plan’s 20th anniversary.&nbsp;

P&WC focused on strength

John Saabas, president of engine manufacturer Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada (P&amp;WC), is focused on strengthening the company so that, he said, “we come out

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