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

Leonardo has granted authorized service center status to Egypt-based Petroleum Air Services, enabling the flight and maintenance provider to expand the services it offers to third-party customers and operators of Leonardo helicopters in the region. Previously, Petroleum Air was a Leonardo-recognized service center.
Petroleum Air Services operates a fleet of eight Leonardo AW139 medium twins for offshore energy service transportation in Egypt. The company’s AW139 fleet has logged nearly 24,000 flight hours since it began flying in Egypt in 2009.
As a joint stock company owned by shareholders Egyptian General Petroleum and Bristow Group, Petroleum Air Services operates a fleet of 31 helicopters and eight airplanes in Egypt and outside the country for oil and gas, tourism, and other segments. The company flies charter and scheduled flights and performs powerline insulator washing with helicopters, as well as providing aircraft maintenance. Its bases are located around the Red Sea, Mediterranean, and South Sinai areas.
Plans call for adding to the helicopter fleet to serve customers with new concession rights in Egypt for offshore oil and gas activities in either the Red Sea or the Mediterranean, according to Petroleum Air Services.

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

Petroleum Air Expands Leonardo Helicopter Maintenance Capabilities

Egypt-based company is expanding in the Red Sea and Mediterranean

Petroleum Air Services flies charter and scheduled flights and does powerline insulator washing with helicopters as well as providing maintenance services.

Petroleum Air Expands Leonardo Helo Mx Capabilities

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Neelam Mathews

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.

Single-engined rotorcraft will compete with Hindustan Aeronautics’ Light Utility Helicopter

Tata and Airbus Set To Build H125 Helicopters in India

Charles Alcock

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

News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

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.

Evacuation of Ukrainian troops from Mariupol inspired efforts to "reinvent helicopters"

Lithuanian Start-up Takes New Approach to Emergency Air Mobility

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

System would encourage operators to add equipment to prevent accidents

VAST Effort Explores Helicopter Safety Rating System

Aero Asset’s annual report noted a four-year peak in supply in Q4 2024

Single-engine Helicopter Market Stable, Supply Climbs

Helicopter sales for 2024 climbed 10% over 2023, including 58 Super Pumas

Airbus Helicopter Deliveries, Orders Climb During 2024

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

Purchase marks company’s first investment in utility helicopter segment

Fundamental Advisors Acquires Utility Operator HeloAir

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.

Works includes new avionics, fresh paint, ultra-leather seats, and pop-out floats

Meridian Delivers 29th Refurbished Bell 206 to FlyNYON

Jessica Reed

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.

In this article

Leonardo AW139

Leonardo

More In Rotorcraft