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
Production change halts deliveries of Texan II
As reported first in AINalerts on September 20, the U.S.
Accidents
UA accident investigation yields safety recommendations
The NTSB’s first investigation of an unmanned aircraft accident highlighted a problem that many have worried about and that the FAA has yet to address: the
New to bizjet market, Embraer takes on Wichita heavyweight
It’s no secret that Embraer is rapidly adding new business jets to its product line, but what’s interesting about that is that the Brazilian company seems
UK firm invests in Sino Swearingen
Production activity at San Antonio-based jet developer Sino Swearingen Aircraft has not yet picked up since the company announced at the NBAA Convention th
Charter & Fractional
Sentient Flight Group acquires two more charter divisions
On October 23, Sentient Flight Group purchased Hawker Beechcraft’s charter/management business.
Charter & Fractional
AMI certificate revocation spooks charter industry
AMI Jet Charter’s trouble with the FAA didn’t start on October 12, when the agency revoked AMI’s charter certificate, nor the week before, when it suspende
Production change halts Texan II deliveries
As reported first in AINalerts on September 20, the U.S.
Charter & Fractional
FAA Suspends AMI Jet's Part 135 Certificate
The FAA suspended AMI Jet Charter’s Part 135 certificate yesterday on an emergency basis, citing many problems with the Burlingame, Calif.
Where will Piper land next?
Asked if he has his house on the market as Piper grapples with the decision on whether to stay in Vero Beach, Fla., or move the entire company to Albuquerq
Charter & Fractional
The Fractional Market Special Report
It’s been 21 years since Richard Santulli opened the doors of NetJets, having figured out a way to lower the barriers to entry to business aviation by sell
Maintenance and Modifications
Winglets improve local Hawkers
Local pilot Brian Ross is a big fan of Aviation Partners winglets after adding the efficiency-improving devices to all four of his employer’s Hawker Beechc
Charter & Fractional
Pogo Jet charter service would use Eclipse 500s
Pogo Jet clarified plans to launch a charter service using Eclipse 500 very light jets in a registration statement for an initial public offering (IPO) sub
FAA employees raised concerns about Eclipse certification
Last October, an FAA certification engineer and a flight-test pilot filed a grievance against their managers at the Fort Worth, Texas FAA Aircraft Certific
FBOs
GFK building jet center in North Dakota
GFK Flight Support broke ground on new FBO facilities at Grand Forks Airport in North Dakota last month.
FBOs
Execujet Europs adds own fuel
Pilots flying to Berlin Schönefeld Airport in Germany can now enjoy U.S.-style FBO services at ExecuJet Europe’s Berlin FBO.
FBOs
Avantiar looking at Caldwell, N.J.
As part of its strategy to increase its FBO holdings, fractional-share operator Avantair has set its sights on buying or building a second FBO, this one at
In The Works: Comp Air
Comp Air continues to fly the Comp Air 12 proof-of-concept prototype while the company works with “potential investor groups and experienced engineering an
FBOs
Universal's UVGlobal gets a new name
Universal Weather & Aviation has renamed its UVglobal Network of ground-support services and independent partnership handlers, branding the division
FBOs
Buchanan and Byron see growth
Two San Francisco-area airports are growing, with new FBOs and hangars under construction.
FBOs
Aero Toy expanding its Montreal facility
Aero Toy Store has begun construction on a 45,000-sq-ft expansion of its facility at Montreal’s Pierre-Elliot Trudeau International Airport.
FBOs
Swiss airports offer co-op services during WEF
For travelers flying to Switzerland early next year for the World Economic Forum (WEF) meetings in Davos (January 23-27), St.
FBOs
Infinity buys Keyson at Nashua
Infinity Aviation Group has purchased assets of the former Keyson Airways and Keyson Enterprises FBO at Boire Field Airport in Nashua, N.H.
FBOs
FBO Profile: Rectrix
Rectrix Aerodrome Centers is attempting something that has bedeviled many an FBO over the years, trying to force an airport’s municipal owners to allow FBO
Aircraft
Premier Aircraft shows two Falcon 50 Dash4s
Premier Aircraft brought two of its newly certified Dassault Falcon 50 Dash4s to the NBAA static display, the first time the modified Falcon 50 has been sh
FBOs
Landmark buy just the first step for Dubai firm
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise is here with its most recent acquisition, the Landmark Aviation and Standard Aero maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) busines
Avionics
Pro Line Fusion the power for Bombardier’s Global Vision
At a late afternoon press event yesterday, Bombardier announced a long-awaited flat-panel upgrade to the Global Express XRS and 5000 cockpits.
Aircraft
Latest CJ builds on lessons learned with CJ3
The latest member of the CitationJet family, the CJ4, is beginning to take shape on jigs and fixtures at Cessna’s headquarters in Wichita.
FBOs
FBOs integrated under Atlantic name
Atlantic Aviation and its owner, Macquarie Infrastructure, plan to rebrand a number of the recently acquired FBOs under the Atlantic Aviation brand.
Honeywell continues Zing trials
Since launching the Zing engine data-gathering service at last year’s NBAA Convention, Honeywell has been testing the system in a select group of customer
