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

As Saudi Arabia-based The Helicopter Company (THC) and its Rotortrade subsidiary grow in the rotorcraft aftermarket, company officials are evaluating opportunities for further growth and new aircraft entering the market, including advanced air mobility (AAM) types.
In addition to its preowned rotorcraft sales and growth of its businesses, said THC CEO Arnaud Martinez, “We will keep focusing on opening and growing our EMS segments. In 2025 we'll focus on developing and launching our [AAM] segments.”&nbsp;
As a portfolio member of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, he added, “We are tackling that AAM journey by watching closer what is happening in the eVTOL world. I don't have any clear view of target dates by when we will have an eVTOL segment, but what I know for sure is we will have an eVTOL segment. The when is still the question mark.”
When AAM aircraft get closer to certification and entry into service, THC will apply the rigorous process that it uses for new helicopters to evaluate the new machines. “We have a technical team with a clear technical assessment on what we hope to get from this new platform, because the topography in Saudi Arabia is very specific. We want to make sure that whatever they are saying, that they will deliver.”
Last year, THC and Rotortrade fleets flew more than 15,000 hours, according to Martinez. “One of the biggest achievements every year is to make sure that we always finish the year with zero accidents and zero major incidents, which is what we achieved.”
Rotortrade's revenues climbed 20% year over year in 2024, according to founder and CEO Philippe Lubrano. Its MRO business is growing as well, and at the Verticon show this week, Rotortrade announced the launch of its rotorcraft leasing business. These businesses will help Rotortrade capitalize on opportunities in the rotorcraft field, which are driven by a ramp-up in oil and gas exploration, helicopter renewal programs, geopolitical challenges facing many parts of the world, and demand for AAM aircraft.&nbsp;
“Our target is to reach $400 million of revenue by 2030 and hopefully $300 million by 2028,” Lubrano said. “So we want to focus on that to get more revenue and also more footprint to be as close as possible to my clients in [many] countries, including the United States.”

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