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 UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has approved Jet Aviation’s Dubai maintenance center to provide maintenance on the Gulfstream G550 and G650, making the facility the only Middle East maintenance center capable of fully supporting Gulfstream’s complete lineup of large-cabin jets, according to Jet Aviation.

 


Located at Dubai International Airport, the company’s Dubai maintenance center is factory authorized by Gulfstream as a service center for the G450, G550 and G650.

 


“Our goal is to maintain the highest business aviation standards,” said Hardy Butschi, v-p and general manager of Jet Aviation Dubai, “which these approvals demonstrate. And we also strive to differentiate our service by anticipating our customers’ needs.” He added that Jet Aviation clients in the region recently took delivery of G550 and G650 models, and the company sought the approvals in order to be able to serve these customers.

 


Jet Aviation (Stand 628, Chalet A19/20) also announced the addition of a Bombardier Global 6000 to its managed fleet in the Middle East, which now totals 20 aircraft. The Global 6000 is based in the UAE and joins an Airbus, four other Bombardiers, a BBJ, two Citations, three Falcons and eight Gulfstreams.

 


IS-BAH 11

 


In the EMEA and Asia regions, Jet Aviation’s entire network of 11 FBOs has received International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH) registration. The standard “establishes criteria to ensure handling systems, processes and practices meet rigorous safety and security standards,” according to Jet Aviation. IS-BAH was developed by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) and the National Air Transportation Association.

 


Independent auditing company AeroEx completed the audits of the 11 FBOs. “By ensuring registered ground handling organizations are conducting their operations under a set of standardized business practices,” said IBAC IS-BAH program director, Terry Yeomans. “IS-BAH registration helps raise the industry’s safety standards while offering assurance to aircraft owners and operators that they are in good hands.”

 


“Continuous improvement is a priority at Jet Aviation,” said Daniel Brechbühl, Jet Aviation safety and quality manager for EMEA and Asia region FBOs, “and our FBO facilities have been working closely together to standardize our handling processes since the IS-BAH program was introduced two years ago.”

 


Jet Aviation also announced that its Dubai International Airport FBO won the 2016 FBO of the Year Award at the Tenth Annual Middle East Aviation Business Awards ceremony organized by ITP Business. The FBO opened in May 2005 and has handled more than 25,000 aircraft.

News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

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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.

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