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

Honda Aircraft has achieved a key step in the development of the <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2023-10-16/echelon-bigger-faster-honda-light-jet">Echelon</a> light jet: inauguration of the advanced systems integration test facility (ASITF) at its Greensboro, North Carolina headquarters. The ASITF is a development simulator, replicating many aspects of the aircraft with actual hardware components and computer hardware and software.
According to the company, “There is a lot that goes into it, but it is important to stress that this is a development simulator. That means that, while it uses some real aircraft hardware and flight computing systems, it is built to a unique set of specifications for a unique purpose...to facilitate the maturation of the HondaJet Echelon systems.”
To build the flight model for the ASITF, Honda Aircraft engineers used wind tunnel data derived from the initial Echelon design. “These models are continually refined and updated as the maturity of the Echelon design increases,” the company explained.
As the Echelon program progresses, Honda Aircraft engineers will conduct “system development testing, system integration verification, and certification testing of flight controls, mechanical systems, and electrical components. The primary mission of the ASITF is to increase the maturity of aircraft systems and to find any issues as early in the development program as possible. This helps HondaJet to reduce development costs and accelerate the development cycle for the Echelon aircraft before the official flight test campaign.”

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.

Honda Aircraft Inaugurates Echelon Light Jet Integration Test Facility

Testing will inform further refinement of the next Honda business jet

Honda Aircraft has achieved a key step in the development of the Echelon light jet: inauguration of the advanced systems integration test facility.

Honda Aircraft Inaugurates Echelon Jet Test Facility

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Kerry Lynch

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.

Both the G800 and G400 programs are going ’very nicely’

Gulfstream Hopeful for G800 Certification by Mid-year

Gulfstream delivered 136 aircraft in 2024 and is expected to ramp up to 150 in 2025

Gulfstream Deliveries Soar Despite Lingering G700 Delays

Hanneke Weitering

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.

Boom broke the sound barrier three times during a January 28 flight test

Boom Achieves Supersonic Flight with XB-1 Demonstrator

Argus forecasts a 0.2% gain in business aircraft flights in North America

Argus Sees Business Aircraft Ops Ticking Up in 2025

Charles Alcock

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

Company plans include the AB-0 drone and the AB-2 two-seat eVTOL aircraft

Korean Start-up Airbility Raises Funds for Hybrid-electric VTOL Aircraft

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.

Half of the aircraft broker‘s transactions in 2024 came from repeat customers

JetAviva Expands into Large-cabin Business Jet Sales

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

In this article

Honda Aircraft

More In Aircraft

Gulfstream Hopeful for G800 Certification by Mid-year

Both the G800 and G400 programs are going ’very nicely’

Gulfstream Deliveries Soar Despite Lingering G700 Delays

Gulfstream delivered 136 aircraft in 2024 and is expected to ramp up to 150 in 2025

Boom Achieves Supersonic Flight with XB-1 Demonstrator

Boom broke the sound barrier three times during a January 28 flight test

Argus Sees Business Aircraft Ops Ticking Up in 2025

Argus forecasts a 0.2% gain in business aircraft flights in North America

Korean Start-up Airbility Raises Funds for Hybrid-electric VTOL Aircraft

Company plans include the AB-0 drone and the AB-2 two-seat eVTOL aircraft

JetAviva Expands into Large-cabin Business Jet Sales

Half of the aircraft broker‘s transactions in 2024 came from repeat customers

Airbus Pauses Plans to Bring NextGen eVTOL Aircraft to Market

Decision was announced as the European manufacturer announced strong growth in helicopter sales

Business Aircraft Ops Slide Again in North America, Europe

North American operations were down by 1.8% in 2024

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN