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

In this year’s AIN Product Support Survey, readers picked a new top-place turbofan finisher, Williams International, with an overall average rating of 8.4 (out of a possible 10). Williams’s rating, up 0.3 from its 2017 results, moved it up from last year’s third-place to first place this year. In the ratings categories, Williams received high scores for technical manuals (8.6) and cost-per-hour programs (8.1) for its FJ44 engines.

 


Rolls-Royce saw a 0.1 increase in its overall rating this year, to 8.3, putting it in second place, the same as in 2017. Top ratings included the highest overall average for a turbofan, an 8.5 for the AE3007. That engine also received high ratings for authorized service centers (8.7), parts availability (8.8), warranty fulfillment (9.1), and overall engine reliability (9.3).

 


GE moved into third place this year, down from last year’s first place, with a slight drop in overall average to 8.2. GE scored a high rating for cost-per-hour programs for its CF34 engine (8.1).

 


Also in third place this year at 8.2 is Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada, up 0.2 from last year’s fourth place. P&amp;WC engines saw top ratings for overall engine reliability (PW500, 9.3) and AOG response and technical reps (PW600, 8.9).

 


Honeywell is moving up in the rankings, having scored 8.0 this year, up 0.2 from last year, and a fourth-place ranking for turbofan manufacturers, up from fifth last year.

 


In the turboprop/turboshaft segment, Honeywell retained its first-place ranking with an 8.7 overall average, up 0.1 from last year’s first-place finish. Honeywell’s TPE331 received top scores in a number of categories, including factory service centers (9.1), authorized service centers (9.1), parts availability (8.7), cost of parts (7.2), AOG response (8.8), warranty fulfillment (8.9), technical manuals (9.1), technical reps (9.3), and the highest ranking for overall engine reliability (9.7).

 


P&amp;WC sustained its second-place ranking with the same score as last year, 7.7.

 


Safran Helicopter Engines came in third with an overall average of 7.4, up 0.4 from last year. The company received the highest score (7.6) for cost-per-hour programs for turboprop/turboshaft manufacturers.

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

Product Support Survey 2018, Part 3: Engines

Readers rate the support the engine makers have provided over the last 12 months.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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.

New facilities represent an investment of more than $1 billion

Williams Int’l Building Turbine Engine Factory in Florida

Charles Alcock

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

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

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.

$12 million in funding released to support Hydrogen Center of Excellence

Scotland Backs ZeroAvia's Hydrogen Propulsion Manufacturing Site

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.

Three companies will help prepare for the integration of as-yet-unspecified turboshaft engines

XTI Names Powertrain Partners For TriFan 600 VTOL Aircraft

Kerry Lynch

Engine progresses as Rolls-Royce celebrates the delivery of the 9,000th turbofan from Dahlewitz

Rolls-Royce's Pearl 10X Completes Most Major Cert Tests

VH4-T propulsion system could be applied to TriFan 600 VTOL and possible uncrewed aircraft

XTI and VerdeGo Work on Hybrid-electric Propulsion Options

Hanneke Weitering

FAA approves first G-1 certification basis for a hybrid-electric aircraft powertrain

Ampaire Scores FAA G-1 for Hybrid-electric Propulsion System

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.

More In Engines

Williams Int’l Building Turbine Engine Factory in Florida

New facilities represent an investment of more than $1 billion

Scotland Backs ZeroAvia's Hydrogen Propulsion Manufacturing Site

$12 million in funding released to support Hydrogen Center of Excellence

XTI Names Powertrain Partners For TriFan 600 VTOL Aircraft

Three companies will help prepare for the integration of as-yet-unspecified turboshaft engines

Rolls-Royce's Pearl 10X Completes Most Major Cert Tests

Engine progresses as Rolls-Royce celebrates the delivery of the 9,000th turbofan from Dahlewitz

XTI and VerdeGo Work on Hybrid-electric Propulsion Options

VH4-T propulsion system could be applied to TriFan 600 VTOL and possible uncrewed aircraft

Ampaire Scores FAA G-1 for Hybrid-electric Propulsion System

FAA approves first G-1 certification basis for a hybrid-electric aircraft powertrain

Cargo Operator Plans To Fly Hydrogen-powered Caravan Aircraft

Single turboprop aircraft will be leased from asset management group Monte

Vertical Confirms Plans for Longer-range Hybrid-electric VTOL Aircraft

New version of VX4 aircraft will fly 1,000 miles with a 1,100-kg payload

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