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

Robinson Helicopter unveiled the R44 Utility interior yesterday at the Verticon show in Atlanta. Designed for “high-intensity, ‘dirty’ missions,” according to the company, the R44 Utility trim was requested by operators seeking something better suited to harsh environments, such as muddy agricultural and job sites. An R44 equipped with the Utility option is on display at Robinson’s Verticon exhibit.
The new design replaces the fabric headliner with a TitanPlate “durable, abrasion-resistant, textured coating.” Black R-Force nylon replaces fabric on the back wall of the cabin, and seat inserts are made of camouflage weave compound with easy-to-clean black Muirhead leather bolsters. Rubberized floor mats with positive retention eliminate the need for carpeting.
Other features include olive-green seat belts, flat khaki exterior paint with a Sherwood green stripe, and pulsing LED landing and taxi lights. The R44 Utility is an option that buyers can select when speccing out a new helicopter.
Robinson president and CEO David Smith said part of the impetus to develop the R44 Utility was the company’s renewed focus on higher-risk missions. “They're essential—from tuna spotting to agriculture, wildlife relocation, conservation, anti-poaching—all those things are uniquely helicopter-based missions, and Robinson’s done a great job being at the center of it all. The fabric headliners and leather seats didn’t always hold up that well to those environments, so this is intended to be a much better setup for that.”

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