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

Canada’s 10% luxury tax on aircraft and vessels has been repealed as of Wednesday, according to the Canadian Business Aviation Association. The Canadian government said the luxury tax proved to be “inefficient, costly to administer, and challenging for Canadian industries at a time of ongoing global economic uncertainty.”
The repeal of the luxury tax was a surprise announcement from panelists during the “O Canada”session at Corporate Jet Investor Miami 2025 this week.&nbsp;“About three-ish years ago, the Canadian government instituted a luxury tax on aircraft, essentially new aircraft, 10% on that,” said panelist and Levaero Aviation v-p of sales and business development&nbsp;Stan Kuliavas.
“So if you buy…a $10 million airplane, there's a $1 million luxury tax, and then you pay the sales tax on top of that. [It’s] not very business forward or friendly. A lot of people for years have been educating and lobbying the government that this is a very counterproductive measure of theirs. We were very happy to learn in our federal budget that was just tabled…they have eliminated the luxury tax.”
Co-founder and COO of charter operator Flight Club and managing partner at YYZlaw Ehsan Monfared told attendees that Bombardier averaged eight to 10 business jet sales in Canada before enactment of the tax. “Post-luxury tax, they were around the two-aircraft mark.” Already, he remarked, salespeoples’ phones were “absolutely blowing up on budget day, so that’s a really good sign.
“Fundamentally,” he added, “Canada's [philosophy] is changing to orient towards business investments, getting products to market, and making Canada competitive in a global marketplace.”
The Canadian business aviation market is growing, Kuliavas said. “It's not growing at a frantic pace. I would say that most of the transactions in Canada on an annual basis are turboprops, light jets, and long-range jets. Year to date, we've had probably 70-ish turboprop transactions…PC-12s, King Airs. But the fleet continues to grow…You’re going to see a lot of fleet renewal and fleet growth.”
“At least a fifth of our [charter] clients are new entrants to the market,” said Monfared. “They haven't ever owned an aircraft before. They definitely chartered, and they're getting pulled in. We still enjoy that post-Covid bump and value proposition where people started to see business aviation as a huge tool and asset, even just for the comfort of it. So there are new market entrants [and]…we end up having to be more involved and support them understanding how this market works.”

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

Canada Budget Eliminates Punitive Luxury Tax on Aircraft, Boats

10% assessment resulted in fewer aircraft sales in the country

The Canadian government said that the luxury tax proved to be “inefficient, costly to administer, and challenging for Canadian industries at a time of ongoing global economic uncertainty.”

Canada Budget Eliminates Luxury Tax on Aircraft, Boats

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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.

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Highlights include sustainable growth and future aircraft vision

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News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

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.

EBAA France says "solidarity tax" poses a threat to the French charter sector

French Business Aviation Group Demands Flight Tax Reform

Speakers highlight risks, integration challenges, the importance of relationships

CJI Miami Panelists Dissect Scale, Culture in Bizav M&A

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Discounted safety-focused software and services available to members  

Aeronautical Data Systems Joins Starr Safety Partnership

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.

Appointments finalize leadership before aerospace separation

Honeywell Sets 2026 Aerospace Spinoff Leadership Team

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Increased deliveries of executive jets was a third quarter highlight

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News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

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