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

Competition is heating up in the smaller-aircraft segment of the airborne connectivity market, with Avidyne and Globalstar announcing a strategic partnership to offer satcom Internet and voice systems for light to midsize business and general aviation aircraft. Under the partnership, Avidyne will provide the systems to aircraft OEMs and via its dealers. Globalstar will provide the satcom infrastructure using its second-generation satellite network, which will provide connection speeds of multiples of Globalstar's current 9.6&nbsp;kbps (kilobits per second).

 


The network consists of low-Earth-orbiting satellites from Thales Alenia Space that provide coverage over most areas of the world where Globalstar has ground infrastructure in place. The connection speed and coverage will depend on the type of antenna mounted on the aircraft, according to Globalstar aviation products manager Elliott Borenstein. "Avidyne is going to be designing some super antennas,” he said. The satcom will use the CDMA protocol, which will allow callers on the ground to dial a normal 10-digit telephone number when calling an equipped airplane.&nbsp;

 


“By leveraging [Globalstar's] new Sat-Fi technology, second-generation satellite network and the ground infrastructure upgrades due to go live in the next few months, together we will provide increased aircraft connectivity for our customers at unrivaled value,” said Avidyne president and CEO Dan Schwinn. “I expect that mass adoption of airborne Internet hotspots across the full range of GA and business aviation aircraft will spur a host of innovative mobile-device and cloud-based applications that will enhance aircraft safety and utility in ways we can’t currently imagine.”

 


Details of&nbsp;the companies'&nbsp;new certified Wi-Fi-enabled airborne connectivity products&nbsp;and services&nbsp;“will be forthcoming,” according to Avidyne and Globalstar. The system will be on display at the upcoming Sun ’n' Fun airshow, which will be held April 5 to 10 in Lakeland, Fla.

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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.

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.

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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