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 required by the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, the FAA has released “The Transition Plan to Unleaded Aviation Gasoline.” This initial version of the <a href="https://www.faa.gov/unleaded/Transition_Plan_to_UL_Avgas_20260728_V1.pdf">plan</a> will be updated as new information is incorporated and phases of the plan are completed.
Phase 1 requires completion of FAA approvals and authorizations for the three candidate unleaded fuels that have been fielded or are under development. “Phase 1 also includes comparison testing and reporting to facilitate more informed decision-making by the end users,” according to the FAA.&nbsp;
The three fuels in Phase 1 are GAMI’s G100UL, which has been supplemental type certificate (STC)-approved for all spark-ignition piston aviation engines; Swift Fuels 100R, STC-approved for several engines but not yet for high-performance engines that require the detonation-protection features in 100LL; and LyondellBasell/VP Racing’s UL100, for which the companies hope to gain an FAA fleet-wide approval later this year covering certain aircraft and engines but not yet high-performance detonation-sensitive engines.
The FAA and industry have partnered on the transition to unleaded avgas through the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions initiative. As part of this effort, the FAA is testing the three fuels at its William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This testing is&nbsp;“part of the first phase of the transition to address key questions concerning performance and compatibility,” and the FAA will update the transition plan after this phase is done.
Meanwhile, both Swift Fuels and LyondellBasell/VP Racing are working with the FAA under the Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative on the fleet authorization program. The FAA is also working to expedite rollout of high-octane unleaded fuel using the STC pathway, for both GAMI’s G100UL (which is already STC-approved for high-octane engines) and Swift’s 100R.
During the transition to unleaded avgas, which is supposed to happen by the end of 2030 in the continental U.S. and 2032 in Alaska—although the FAA has indicated that these deadlines may slip—the FAA is “encouraging airports to introduce unleaded fuel alternatives while requiring maintaining 100LL availability for&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;through the transition.”
The FAA is also holding airports to grant assurance obligations that require them to “continue to offer&nbsp;leaded&nbsp;100LL until safe, fleet-wide unleaded alternatives are widely and locally accessible.”

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

FAA Releases Plan for Smooth and Safe Transition to Unleaded Avgas

Deadline is the end of 2030, but that may move to a later date

Phase 1 of the transition plan requires completion of FAA approvals/authorizations for the three unleaded fuels that have been fielded or are under development.

FAA Releases Plan for Transition to Unleaded Avgas

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

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.

Altitude and course deviation, traffic proximity remain top categories

ACSF Data Shows Stable Bizav Risk Amid 2026 Pressures

Kerry Lynch

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.

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.

Aircraft remained within separation guidance but neared each other after the presidential helicopter was unable to alert ATC

Faulty Comms Preceded Marine One/Envoy Close Call

Graham leaving agency within months of confirmation to another term

NTSB Vice Chair Michael Graham To Retire October 2

Stuart “Kipp” Lau

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

UK CAA concerned over rise in unstable approaches continuing to land

AINsight: Go-arounds Are a Normal and Expected Outcome

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

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

Helicopters more than twice as vulnerable to loss of visual reference accidents than airplanes

TSB: Rotorcraft More Prone To Loss-of-visual-reference Accidents

Charlotte Bailey

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

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.

More In Safety

ACSF Data Shows Stable Bizav Risk Amid 2026 Pressures

Altitude and course deviation, traffic proximity remain top categories

Faulty Comms Preceded Marine One/Envoy Close Call

Aircraft remained within separation guidance but neared each other after the presidential helicopter was unable to alert ATC

NTSB Vice Chair Michael Graham To Retire October 2

Graham leaving agency within months of confirmation to another term

AINsight: Go-arounds Are a Normal and Expected Outcome

UK CAA concerned over rise in unstable approaches continuing to land

TSB: Rotorcraft More Prone To Loss-of-visual-reference Accidents

Helicopters more than twice as vulnerable to loss of visual reference accidents than airplanes

EASA: Atmospheric Icing Insufficiently Understood

European air safety agency calls for more comprehensive studies into phenomenon

Embry-Riddle Introduces ‘Safer Skies’ Video Podcasts

First episode features three-time space shuttle veteranJanet Kavandi

Li-ion Thermal Runaways on the Rise in Aircraft Cabins

Numbers are rising and the risk of a serious incident is increasing

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