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

Women in Corporate Aviation (WCA) is preparing to celebrate its 25th year and wants members to know that <a href="http://wca-intl.org/scholarships.html">$10,000 worth of scholarships</a> are available, but applications are due by January 8. The association is also ramping up fundraising to help it expand and serve new members all over the world.

 


WCA will award scholarships from Air Training International for a flight procedures course; Charlie Bravo Aviation, aircraft acquisitions course; Dassault Falcon Jet, safety and/or management course; and a USC Viterbi Aviation Safety and Security program. Winners will be notified on February 15, and the awards will be announced at a ceremony at the International Women in Aviation Conference in Reno, Nevada, on March 23.

 


“We encourage any member—whether a pilot, maintenance technician, flight attendant, or aspiring aviation leader—to apply for a scholarship,” said WCA president Cindy Youngblood. “There is a wide variety of training opportunities available for nearly any role within the business aviation industry.”

 


To help expand its fundraising efforts, WCA is tapping alternative resources, including GoFundMe and Amazon Smile. Traditional donation sources are dwindling due to flight department closures and “general downturns in the industry,” according to WCA executive director Elizabeth Clark. “It’s become necessary to work harder to fund our events, and, especially with this organization’s international growth, these new, creative funding resources are becoming ever more vital to us.”

 


The association depends on volunteers to help support its worldwide activities. “They’ve kept us going, because there’s a definite need for the aviation world to see and benefit from the contributions of women in corporate and business aviation,” Clark explained. “As we prepare for our 25th year, we’re excited to increase our brand awareness and grow our membership throughout the world.

 


“We bring not only&nbsp;visibility to many women who work behind the scenes, but also a sense of camaraderie not found elsewhere. We are in a unique segment of the aviation world and though we, ourselves, are relatively few in number, we must support and encourage the increasing number of women interested in these careers. Opportunity is present, preparation is present, desire is present, and we need to keep the momentum going to further this very worthy cause.”

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

WCA Seeking Applicants for $10,000 in Scholarships

Women in Corporate Aviation is seeking scholarship applicants and creative new sources of fundraising.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

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.

Four-decade career in aviation journalism culminated in leading AIN’s editorial team

AIN Editor-in-chief Matt Thurber To Retire in October

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

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.

The Dutch air force will receive eight of the two-seaters in 2027

Pilatus PC-7 MKX Basic Trainer Makes First Flight

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Why not teach new pilots to go around before learning how to land?

AINsight: You Can (and Should) Always Go Around

Kerry Lynch

Most major manufacturers will be at static this year

NBAA-BACE Taking Shape with Expanded Program, Most OEMs

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

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.

First step toward licensing could encourage youth to seek aviation careers

GAO Wants High Schoolers To Take Mechanic General Test

Charlotte Bailey

Evolving AI-augmented simulator-based approach to ‘gamify’ learning 

Saab Shaking Up Gripen Training with Project Skynapse 

Howard Hardee

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 Training and Workforce

AIN Editor-in-chief Matt Thurber To Retire in October

Four-decade career in aviation journalism culminated in leading AIN’s editorial team

Pilatus PC-7 MKX Basic Trainer Makes First Flight

The Dutch air force will receive eight of the two-seaters in 2027

AINsight: You Can (and Should) Always Go Around

Why not teach new pilots to go around before learning how to land?

NBAA-BACE Taking Shape with Expanded Program, Most OEMs

Most major manufacturers will be at static this year

GAO Wants High Schoolers To Take Mechanic General Test

First step toward licensing could encourage youth to seek aviation careers

Saab Shaking Up Gripen Training with Project Skynapse

Evolving AI-augmented simulator-based approach to ‘gamify’ learning

Cutting 'Traveled Work' Delays At Spirit Critical To 737 Output

Spirit AeroSystems workers give Leeham News and Analysis the inside track

People in Aviation —September 2026

Michel Denis was named CEO of Daher, Steve Varsano president of Flexjet, and Robert Sumwalt was the next Wright Trophy recipient

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