Matt Thurber
Editor-in-Chief
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&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.
Latest from Matt Thurber
Aircraft
In The Works
Dornier Seaplane - Seastar
Dornier Seaplane has selected Montreal suburb Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu as the location to build a new facility fo
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Aviation insurance
Buyers of coverage for aircraft, aviation businesses and property have found a silver lining in the recession: relatively stable prices for insurance.
Engines
FAA Cleen Program May Revive Open Rotor Engines
The FAA awarded five contracts worth a total of $125 million over five years to engine manufacturers and Boeing to “develop and demonstrate technologies th
FAA: Large Airplanes Must Handle Supercooled Drops
Proposed changes to Parts 25 and 33 address dangerous ici
Safety
Incident illustrates risk of improper tire mx
A video circulating on the Internet shows what happened, on April 27, when the nose tire of a 1976 Falcon 10 was overfilled.
Charter & Fractional
Acquisition by Arcadia closes book on Wayfarer
On June 11, charter/management company Wayfarer Aviation received bridge financing from Arcadia Aviation to continue operations, then four days later Ar
Regulations and Government
Pilots split on new rule for antidepressants
The FAA’s plan to allow pilots to continue flying wh
Aircraft
Gulfstream Ramps Up G650 Test Fleet
Gulfstream’s fourth large-cabin G650–and the first production example–joined the flight-test pr
Aircraft
Will the Piaggio Avanti Shed Its Distinctive Whine?
According to an industry source, Piaggio will announce more improvements for the P.180 Avanti twin turboprop before year-end.
Aircraft
Cessna Slows Citation Mustang Production
Cessna Aircraft instituted rolling furloughs on May 17 affecting up to 200 people at the company’s Independence, Kan.
Charter & Fractional
End of an Era as Wayfarer Aviation Closes Doors
Wayfarer Aviation is closing tomorrow, after having let go most of its employees earlier this week.
Charter & Fractional
FAA To Establish Ops Specs for Non-U.S. Charter Outfits
The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that could provide a somewhat simpler means for non-U.S.
Aircraft
Suppliers, Orders Grow for Cirrus Vision Jet
Cirrus Aircraft’s SF50 Vision single-engine jet program is “making good progress,” according to president and CEO Brent Wouters, who spoke during a Web pre
Charter & Fractional
Darby challenges certificate revocation
Five years after the February 2005 Challenger overrun at Teterboro–one of the most notorious accidents in business aviation history–the FAA has
FBOs
FBO wants to bring corporate ops back to Reagan National
It has been almost nine years since terrorists showed the world how easy it was to hijack fuel-laden airliners and use them as missiles on Sept.
Charter & Fractional
VistaJet sees surge in revenue
European charter operator VistaJet reports that revenues grew by 20 percent last year and that the company has expanded its fleet of Bombardier jets to 26
Environment
Phillips 66 provides rebate for compassion missions
Phillips 66 Aviation is offering a $1-per-gallon rebate to qualifying pilots flying Angel Flight Northeast and Mercy Medical Airlift missions, when fuel is
Regulations and Government
FAA gives compliance a closer look
The FAA seems to have been extraordinarily busy of late finding incidents of non-compliance with regulations.
Maintenance and Modifications
Honeywell To Tear Down TPE331s that Operated in Ash
Honeywell’s engine division scored a unique opportunity last month when two TPE331-5 engines arrived at the company’s Phoenix headquarters.
FBOs
Sporavia and Aviastec plan FBO at Spanish airport
On May 4, Sporavia and Aviastec signed a 30-year lease with CR Aeropuertos for a four-acre lot at Ciudad Real Airport south of Madrid, where the companies
FBOs
Execujet opens new Zurich hangar
In April ExecuJet Aviation Group took over a 20,000-sq-ft hangar at Zurich’s Kloten Airport.
FBOs
Lyon Bron opens green hangar
Lyon Bron Airport in France held a grand opening for a new 32,000-sq-ft hangar on April 2.
Maintenance and Modifications
Volcanic ash imposing new layer of ops, mx concerns
A bold move by British Airways in April–the launching of 26 airplanes toward the UK while British airspace was closed–finally broke the European
FBOs
Landmark joins Globalair.com Air Resource Center
Landmark Aviation has added its 33 continental U.S.
FBOs
Privatair plans Bahrain expansion
PrivatAir is targeting a July 1 opening date for its new charter/management business in Bahrain.
FBOs
JetEx opens first international FBO
JetEx Flight Support has opened its first FBO, a refurbishment of the former Flying Group facility at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, which it acquired in Feb
FBOs
Rizon FBOs to open soon
Rizon Jet’s two FBOs at London Biggin Hill and Doha, Qatar, are set to open in July.
