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

One of the helicopters on static display this week at ABACE 2016–a Guimbal Cabri G2–is not for transporting business executives but has a far more utilitarian purpose. X-Square Aviation, the company that brought it here, is highlighting the two-seat helicopter’s capabilities; this Cabri was the first in China when it arrived in 2014, after Guimbal received China certification.
X-Square Aviation already owns six Cabris here in Shanghai, and they are based at a local temporary heliport about 15 minutes flying time from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport. The company is working on obtaining CAAC certification to begin offering helicopter flight training this year but, in the mean time, the helicopters are available for other missions, including aerial photography.
“General aviation is developing in China,” said X-Square Aviation pilot Yi Dongyu, who learned to fly in Southern California. “I think we will need more pilots and helicopters.”
Meanwhile, X-Square Aviation is offering to sell more Cabris in China, and the company is also planning to develop a maintenance training course.

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