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
FBOs
Touching Bases: Fuel volumes double at BJC
In the three years that Business Jet Center (BJC) has been open at Oakland (Calif.) International Airport, the FBO has doubled the number of gallons of fue
FBOs
Touching Bases: Midcoast finds permanent work for temporary hangar
While Midcoast Aviation was building yet another new hangar at its St.
FBOs
FBO Profile: Preofessional Jet Center
During Donald Staszko’s 42 years and 30,000 hours of flying and 32 years with American Airlines, he wisely built a real estate and commercial property deve
Touching Bases: Mali could see bizav growth
A study conducted by Millennium Challenge, MWH Americas and HNTB Federal Services projects a 51-percent increase in passenger traffic to Mali’s Bamako Airp
FBOs
Touching Bases: Oxfordjet new FBO name
After buying Oxford Airport in the UK last year from BBA Aviation, new owners the Reuben Brothers and Dawnay Day have selected a name for the airport’s FBO
FBOs
Touching Bases: Ross Aviation buys Bradley Pacific's Hawaii FBOs
Ross Aviation, backed by private equity firm Centre Partners Management, purchased a majority interest in Bradley Pacific Aviation’s five-FBO chain in Hawa
FBOs
Touching Bases: Panorama logs 50th year at HPN
There are fewer and fewer full-service FBOs, the kind that offer charter, maintenance and even a flying school in addition to fuel and aircraft storage.
Regulations and Government
FAA seeks comments on ETOPS OPSEC
The final rule on extended operations (ETOPS) remains mandatory starting on August 13.
Aircraft
Embraer’s Phenom 300 enters flight-test phase
Embraer achieved two milestones on April 29, the first flight of the Phenom 300 light jet and the first time any airplane has made a first flight from Embr
Aircraft
In The Works: EADS Socata TBM 850
After AIN reported that EADS was considering selling its Socata division to French aerospace, defense, nuclear and automotive manufacturin
Aircraft
In The Works: Grob Aerospace SPn
Grob Aerospace has settled on a strategy to perform completions and provide pilot training for its all-composite SPn business jet at St.
Aircraft
In The Works: Embraer Phenom 300
The Phenom 300 made its first flight on April 29, months ahead of Embraer’s previously announced schedule.
Aircraft
In The Works: Cessna Citation XLS+
On April 28 Cessna rolled out the first production version of the XLS+, the latest version of the Citation that entered production in 1998 as the Excel.
Aircraft
In The Works: Cessna CitationJet CJ4
Cessna flew the first prototype CitationJet CJ4 on May 5, with senior engineering test pilot Dan Morris at the controls and engineering flight-test manager
Aircraft
Cirrus Jet Single Flying by Oshkosh?
At the EBACE show in Geneva last week, Cirrus Design’s full-size mockup of its single-engine (and yet-to-be-named) jet enjoyed a prominent spot in Hall 7 n
Maintenance and Modifications
FAA Backs Down after MRO Company Fights Back`
After issuing emergency orders of revocation, the FAA agreed to rescind its revocation of Tulsa, Okla.-based Southwest Aviation Specialties’ repair station
Aircraft
With introduction of Premier II, Hawker Beech boosts range, speed
Hawker Beechcraft launched the Premier II update to the single-pilot Premier I on May 19 on the eve of the EBACE show in Geneva.
Airports
SMO Ban Repealed, Pending Further FAA Action
The city of Santa Monica’s latest attempt to prohibit operation of Category C and D jets at Santa Monica (Calif.) Airport (SMO) is on hold again, following
ATA: ‘Lavish Jet Planes’ Are Clogging the Airways
In an e-mail sent by Air Transport Association (ATA) president and CEO James May to airline customers, the ATA cites the heavy influx of business jets to t
Aircraft
Mustangs galloping to Russia
Cessna Aircraft announced yesterday an order for 20 Citation Mustang very light jets from Russian charter operator Dexter and 24 Citations by Austria’s Jet
Aircraft
Hawker Beechcraft Holds Commitments for 70 Premier IIs
After announcing the launch of the Premier II on Monday, Hawker Beechcraft yesterday revealed it has firm orders for 40 aircraft and lesser commitments for
Avionics
Boeing tweaks BBJ with EVS
Boeing continues to add utility to its BBJ series corporate jets, and the latest effort is the addition of enhanced vision system (EVS) capability to the B
Aircraft
Long-awaited Premier II ‘excites’ HBC
Hawker Beechcraft announced the long-awaited upgrade of the Premier light jet yesterday evening, highlighting improvements in range, time to climb, maximum
Aircraft
Hawker Beechcraft Premieres the Premier II at EBACE
This afternoon at EBACE Hawker Beechcraft announced the $7.365 million (2010 $) Premier II, a long-awaited performance-enhanced version of the Premier IA.
Regulations and Government
FAA Might Put Freeze on Polished Frost Rule
The FAA today issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to remove wording in Parts 91, 125 and 135 allowing pilots to take off with frost on wings, stabilizer
Charter & Fractional
DayJet Scales Back after Failed Capital Infusion
Eclipse 500 air-taxi operator DayJet has “reduced its employee base across most areas of its business,” according to president and CEO Ed Iacobucci in a st
