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.

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Several features were recently added to Becker Avionics’ AMU 6500 digital intercom, including 3D audio, Bluetooth compatibility, and split-screen functionality. The AMU 6500 was introduced in 2019 and is installed in a variety of civil, government, and military helicopters and airplanes.
The 3D audio feature, also known as spatial or positional audio, enables audio inputs that are perceived as coming from various locations. This is helpful for a crewmember monitoring more than one radio, according to Becker. “To orientate radio channels to different positions allows the receiving person to isolate these frequencies without changing volumes or muting the channel not currently being used. This is very beneficial in command-and-control aircraft either in firefighting or law enforcement.”
With Bluetooth capability, crewmembers in the back of the aircraft can communicate without having to plug cords into the intercom system.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the split-screen capability permits two users to share one audio management unit (AMU), including access to 10 programmable buttons, an independent intercom, main volume adjustments, individual vox adjustments, and a transmitter selector, according to Becker.
Customers can opt to add the ARU 6510 digital audio management unit to the AMU 6500, and this expands the AMU 6500 from three intercom positions to 12 transceivers using nine stereo headsets or 15 positions when using a mix of stereo and mono.

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