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 U.S. FAA is warning aircraft passengers not to turn on or charge Samsung Galaxy Note 7 mobile devices onboard due to multiple cases of lithium-ion battery fires, including a car that reportedly caught fire while the phone was charging. “In light of recent incidents and concerns raised by Samsung about its Galaxy Note 7 devices, the [FAA] strongly advises passengers not to turn on or charge these devices on board aircraft and not to stow them in any checked baggage,” said an agency statement issued on September 8.

 


Samsung has begun a “global replacement program for the Galaxy Note 7 as a precautionary measure due to a battery cell issue.” The company noted that there had been 35 cases of fires globally as of September 1 and that it stopped selling the Galaxy Note 7. Samsung is also working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on a “voluntary corrective action plan to expedite a U.S. recall of the product.”

 


Consumers have reported that airline crews are advising them before departure not to switch on or charge the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 during flight. India’s Director General of Civil Aviation issued a notice on September 9 echoing the FAA’s warning.

 


While the risks of flying with lithium-ion-powered devices have long been discussed in the aviation industry and millions of these devices are carried onboard, used frequently and charged in flight, there have been few instances of actual mobile device battery-related fires in flight. AIN has been able to document only a few such cases, and one occurred during taxi after landing. Another was due to crushing by a seat mechanism after a passenger was unable to locate the device. So far there have been no reports specific to Samsung Galaxy Note 7 incidents on board aircraft.

 


Pilots, business aircraft operators and airlines that are concerned about the risks of lithium-ion-powered devices have a variety of choices of fire-containment systems, including heavily insulated bags with insulated gloves as well as cases. The following are some of the companies that provide such products: AirCare FireSock; Fire Containment Concepts Emergency Fire Containment System; Hot-Stop L (distributed by Baker Aviation); PlaneGard; and ShipitAOG FCB1200.

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

FAA Warns Pax About Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Phones

Aviation authorities are highlighting the risks of flying with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, which is subject to a global replacement program.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

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.

Altitude and course deviation, traffic proximity remain top categories

ACSF Data Shows Stable Bizav Risk Amid 2026 Pressures

Kerry Lynch

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.

Aircraft remained within separation guidance but neared each other after the presidential helicopter was unable to alert ATC

Faulty Comms Preceded Marine One/Envoy Close Call

Graham leaving agency within months of confirmation to another term

NTSB Vice Chair Michael Graham To Retire October 2

Stuart “Kipp” Lau

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.

UK CAA concerned over rise in unstable approaches continuing to land

AINsight: Go-arounds Are a Normal and Expected Outcome

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Helicopters more than twice as vulnerable to loss of visual reference accidents than airplanes

TSB: Rotorcraft More Prone To Loss-of-visual-reference Accidents

Charlotte Bailey

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

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 Safety

ACSF Data Shows Stable Bizav Risk Amid 2026 Pressures

Altitude and course deviation, traffic proximity remain top categories

Faulty Comms Preceded Marine One/Envoy Close Call

Aircraft remained within separation guidance but neared each other after the presidential helicopter was unable to alert ATC

NTSB Vice Chair Michael Graham To Retire October 2

Graham leaving agency within months of confirmation to another term

AINsight: Go-arounds Are a Normal and Expected Outcome

UK CAA concerned over rise in unstable approaches continuing to land

TSB: Rotorcraft More Prone To Loss-of-visual-reference Accidents

Helicopters more than twice as vulnerable to loss of visual reference accidents than airplanes

EASA: Atmospheric Icing Insufficiently Understood

European air safety agency calls for more comprehensive studies into phenomenon

Embry-Riddle Introduces ‘Safer Skies’ Video Podcasts

First episode features three-time space shuttle veteranJanet Kavandi

Li-ion Thermal Runaways on the Rise in Aircraft Cabins

Numbers are rising and the risk of a serious incident is increasing

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