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

Rotorcraft

Leonardo’s Production AW09 Leading Flight-test Program

Prototypes have been retired, and industrialization phase moves forward
AW09
Accidents

NTSB Cites Flight Control Laws in Praetor 500 Accident

Changes to software and operational procedures have been mandated
Flexjet Embraer Praetor 500 business jet
Rotorcraft

Robinson Preps Torrance Factory for R88 Production

Ever more vertical integration is the mantra for this manufacturer
Robinson president and CEO David Smith
Maintenance and Modifications

Boca Aircraft Maintenance Expands with Sarasota Facility

Third base on Florida’s west coast will augment service capabilities
Boca Aircraft Maintenance Sarasota, Florida
Maintenance and Modifications

Bluetail AI Automates Maintenance Logbook Records

Eliminates the hassles of dealing with paper documents
Bluetail AI-powered logbook
Accidents

NTSB Finds No Aircraft Anomalies in KSBS Accident

Autopilot was engaged when aircraft impacted Emerald Mountain below MDA
Steamboat Springs Airport notam
Maintenance and Modifications

West Star Aviation Acquires Bizav MRO Provider DCJet

Move expands AOG service opportunities
West Star
Cabin Interior and Electronics

Starlink Mini Flyers Facing Large Price Increase

New speed limit for low-cost plans is 87 knots
Sporty's Starlink Mini antenna mount
Operations

Dove 1 Flight Named for 2026 Special Olympics Airlift

Owners of Cessna, Beechcraft, and Hawker airplanes donating flights
Omani Carson and Special Olympics athlete Rachel
Airports

Monmouth Airport Deploys LPV Instrument Approaches

Private funding sped up the process to add new IFR procedures
New IFR approach procedures at Monmouth Executive Airport
Maintenance and Modifications

Expanded StandardAero KAGS Inducts First Gulfstreams

Facility added a maintenance hangar and expanded engine shop
New expansion at StandardAero facility in Augusta, Georgia
Rotorcraft

Bristow Taps Centrik 5 for Safety, Risk, Compliance

Global operator integrating software to facilitate safety management system
Bristow Sikorsky S-92A helicopter
Finance, Taxes, Insurance

Jeteffect Celebrating 25 Years in the Broker Business

Company services clients from offices on the West and East Coasts
JetEffect at NBAA-BACE show
Charter & Fractional

HTM Adopts Moove’s Charter Digital Booking Platform

System facilitates scheduling, passenger information, and mission execution
HTM helicopter
Rotorcraft

Airbus Helicopters H175 Gets Transport Canada Nod

Third country to certify the multirole rotorcraft
Airbus H175 helicopter
Safety

Stakeholders Express Support, Opposition to ALERT Act

Dispute centers on ADS-B In equipage and alerting requirements
Avionics

Aircraft Analysis Services Join FlyGarmin Platform

Providers add value to data captured from aircraft systems
FlyGarmin data sharing and analysis
Avionics

FAA STCs Garmin Height Advisor for Certified Aircraft

Small unit installs on the bottom of the aircraft and provides audible advisories
Garmin GHA 15 height advisor
Maintenance and Modifications

SPAES Approved for EASA CS-25 Avionics Modifications

Adds to company’s Part 21J independent design organization privileges
SPAES avionics services
Training and Workforce

Gama Aviation Adds King Air Maintenance Training

Enhances customer flexibility with classes in Bournemouth and Glasgow
Beechcraft King Air
Accidents

Mx Process ID’d as Possible Issue in H160 Ditching

Cenipa report examined camera images from helicopter and hangar feed
Omni Helicopters H160 incident
Avionics

Garmin Opening Flight Test, Cert Facility in Mesa

Supports market development and flying operations for new products
Garmin Mesa Gateway
Rotorcraft

Alpine Aerotech Utility Basket STC Approved on Bell 412

Adds 32.8 cu ft of carrying capacity to the helicopter
Bell 412 helicopter
Aircraft

Singapore Welcomes the Falcon 6X to Show Site

Singapore Airshow offers Dassault an opportunity to engage customers in a promising market.
Falcon 6X at Singapore Airshow 2026
FBOs

WingsOverAsia Breaks Ground for Seletar Jet Hangar

More than 50 high-value jobs will come as a result of the new facility
WingsOverAsia
Aircraft

Airbus Milestones Include Massive Order Backlog

Last year's deliveres included 793 airplanes, of which 278 were for Asia-Pacific airlines
Airbus A350-1000
Aircraft

Cirrus Aircraft Unveils Third-generation G3 Vision Jet

Jet is gaining ground for business travelers and charter users
Cirrus G3 Vision Jet
Avionics

StableLight Autopilot Adds Big Helo Capability to AStar

System improves safety in all helicopter flight regimes
Thales test pilot Nico Couder
Rotorcraft

Proponents Fighting To Keep Downtown Heliports Open

Once closed, critical facilities will never be replaced
IU Health helicopter at 8A4 Indianapolis Heliport
Security

Echodyne MESA Radars Close Critical Detection Gaps

System has no moving parts, low weight, and low power requirements
EchoFlight MESA radar on AATI UAV