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
Garmin Unveils D2 Air Aviation Smartwatch
It has a simpler user interface with just two buttons and an Amoled touchscreen.
Avionics
Skytrac To Make Iridium Certus Terminals
Skytrac Systems is designing new Iridium satcom products that will enable video streaming and other bandwidth-intensive services.
Avionics
Blue Avionics Certifies ILS Deviation Training System
The Blue Avionics BA-540 AAU creates almost unlimited design opportunities to add new avionics functionality.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Reliable Robotics Flies Unmanned Cessnas
Gaining experience with unmanned aircraft should give Reliable Robotics a leg up on the race to bring new technologies to market.
Charter & Fractional
Eco Helicopters Launching Urban Air Mobility Operations
Eco Helicopters is laying plans to launch a fleet of electric-powered helicopters for charter flights in southern California.
Accidents
NTSB Releases Final Report on Earnhardt Jet Accident
The National Transportation Safety Board released the final report on the crash of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Citation Latitude on August 15, 2019.
Avionics
FAA Certifies AV-30-C Multi-mode Instrument
Owners of certified light aircraft can now replace older electromechanical instruments with uAvionix's new AV-30-C multi-mode instrument.
Avionics
Universal Launches Kapture CVR/FDR Line
New Kapture cockpit voice and flight data recorders from Universal Avionics will save operators time and money.
Avionics
Avidyne Obtains First Part 25 STC for IFD540 FMS
Avidyne's IFD540 FMS can be installed in the Citation Excel/XLS under a new STC.
Avionics
AFV Adds Another Company to Aviation Stable
AFV Partners' purchase of Seattle Avionics signals a new level of competition in the aviation chart data market.
Rotorcraft
Airbus H160 Pioneers Flight Control Safety Features
The Airbus H160's full-time automatic flight control system makes the pilot's job much easier.
Avionics
SD Marks 2,000th FlightDeck Freedom Install
Satcom Direct has activated its FlightDeck Freedom datalink service on 2,000 aircraft since launch in 2007.
Aircraft
Product Support Survey 2020, Part 2: Flight Deck Avionics and Cabin Electronics
Garmin, Satcom Direct, and Gogo receive top ratings from AIN readers
Turtles Fly Too Completes First U.S. West Coast Mission
Two pilots launched a mission to transport an endangered sea turtle from Seattle to San Diego.
Avionics
Avidyne FMSs Integrate with Appareo Insight EFB
Avidyne's Atlas and Helios flight management systems can share information with Appareo's Insight EFB app.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Alto Logs 100th Cadence Modules Set Installation
Alto Aviation's Cadence Switch Series is designed to replace broken, obsolete, and unserviceable CMS switch panels.
Aircraft
Ambular Promotes Universal Air Ambulance Concept
An ICAO-led volunteer group called Ambular is designing a dedicated eVTOL air ambulance aircraft.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
MySky Integrates with SD Pro
Satcom Direct users can now add MySky’s “spend-management platform” to their SD Pro subscription.
Avionics
G1000 NXi Certified in Piper Meridian
Garmin is now offering the G1000 NXi avionics upgrade for the Piper Meridian single-engine turboprop.
Aircraft
Cirrus Expands European Training, Finance Options
Pilots flying under European regulations can obtain their Cirrus Vision Jet type rating at Aero Poznan's facility in Poland.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Collins Makes First Aviation Certus Transmission
Collins Aerospace is first to test aviation transmissions to Iridium's Next high-speed satcom network.
Accidents
NTSB Cites Pilot Actions in Atlas Crash
The crash of an Atlas Air 767 in 2019 resulted from inadvertent activation of the airplane's go-around mode and the pilots' incorrect response.
Safety
FAA Seeks Penalties for Boeing South Carolina Work
The FAA is proposing to assess Boeing $125 million in civil penalties for alleged interference with FAA designees.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Aspen Avionics Joining New Aerospace/Defense Group
Airo Group is consolidating a number of aerospace and defense companies in a bid to develop a new publicly traded company.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Duncan Offers Free Year of Extra Gogo Services
Duncan Aviation is offering an incentive for Gogo Avance L5 installations, including free Text & Talk and Gogo Vision for one year.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
New Year Ushers in Cabin and Connectivity Improvements
Manufacturers of airborne connectivity and cabin equipment continue to add functionality thanks to improvements in technology.
Training and Workforce
SimVenture Flyers Get a Taste of Oshkosh Operations
While this year's EAA AirVenture show was canceled, there was a way for pilots to try their hand at flying into a simulated version of the iconic airfield.
Avionics
Garmin Restores Database and Flight-planning Functions
A cyberattack on Garmin resulted in widespread problems for aviation and sports product users.
Smart Factories Forge Path to Future
A smart factory can be a way to help manufacturers keep their doors open to support customers.
Airlines
CTOs Optimistic on Net-zero 2050 Target for Aviation
Chief technology officers from major aerospace OEMs shared their thoughts on how the industry can reach carbon-reduction targets.
