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

Bombardier is leveraging its developing expertise in composite wing construction at its Belfast, Ireland facility to manufacture major wing structure for the Learjet 85. Belfast has been manufacturing major composite structures for many years and begins <a href="?q=node/27012">production of composite wings for the new C Series airliner</a> this year. Last year, the Belfast facility fabricated a pre-production demonstrator wing for the C Series. That wing was tested to ultimate load, according to Bombardier, “replicating 150 percent of the most severe forces the wing is ever likely to experience in service.” The Learjet 85 spar and wing skin panels will be made in Belfast then shipped to Bombardier’s Querétaro, Mexico, factory for final assembly of the wing. From there, airframe structure will be shipped to Wichita for final assembly, paint and flight testing.
Bombardier is using a resin transfer infusion (RTI) process to manufacture composite structure in Belfast. RTI reduces cycle times and requires fewer materials. Instead of curing resin-impregnated composite fabrics on hard tooling, RTI employs dry fabrics installed inside a mould that replicates the structure. After the component is placed into an autoclave, resin is inserted into the mold, coating the fabric, then the component is baked at specific temperatures and pressures.
The Learjet 85 program remains on schedule for entry into service in 2013, and it will be the first all-composite Part 25 business jet ever certified. Power is provided by two Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada PW307B turbofans and avionics are a Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion-based Bombardier Global Vision suite.

In the Works: Bombardier Learjet 85

Bombardier is leveraging its developing expertise in composite wing construction at its Belfast, Ireland facility to manufacture major wing structure for t

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