A lifelong aviation enthusiast who joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in 2007, Curt came to&nbsp;the publication&nbsp;from the broadcast industry where he was a national science and technology television reporter and producer. He writes on the FBO field, aviation finance, and sustainable aviation and occasionally contributes to&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;sister publication&nbsp;Business Jet Traveler. Curt was a member of the AINtv reporting staff that won the 2008 Aerospace Journalist of the Year award for Best Airshow Daily. That same year, he was a finalist for another AJOYA award. He earned an AJOYA for Best Business Aviation Submission in 2018 and was a finalist in that category in 2021. He received the National Air Transportation Association’s&nbsp; Aviation Journalist Award in 2012 and won a Pegasus Sapphire Business Aviation Award for outstanding journalism in 2021.
Before joining AIN, Curt worked with&nbsp;Consumer Reports’ television division, CRTV, and for several local television news staffs. An honors graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, he earned a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University in 1995. Curt lives in New York State with his wife and two young sons.

Senior Editor

Curt Epstein

Eric Cardinali has been named president of Bell Helicopter Canada. He replaces Jacques St-Laurent, who is now president of Bell’s European operations.
Avidyne announced several changes to its management staff. Tom Neufelder, formerly v-p and g-m for independent practice engineering with General Electric’s healthcare organization in Texas, was named v-p of engineering; Mark Sindone, most recently director of customer logistics at AGL Resources, has been hired as the new director of customer service for the avionics supplier. Michael Glover, formerly with Innovative Solutions &amp; Support, has been tapped to direct the company’s development of OEM and strategic alliances; and Dave Spector from Gen-Probe was chosen as senior director for aftermarket integrated flight deck sales. Jacob Ward was also hired as the regional sales manager for the Southeast U.S. 
Charlie Miller has been promoted to v-p of international corporate communications for Boeing. He will be based in London and will lead the company’s team of communications directors and outside agencies working around the globe.&nbsp; 
Brazilian airframer Embraer announced that two of its executives will be retiring at the end of the year. Antonio Luiz Pizarro Manso, the executive v-p for finance and CFO, will be replaced by Luiz Carlos Siquiera Aguilar, executive v-p of defense and government market, while Satoshi Yakota, executive v-p for strategic planning and technology development, will be succeeded by Emilio Kazunoli Matsuo, the current senior v-p of engineering.
Aircraft service provider Stevens Aviation promoted Jim Williams to v-p of its avionics sales and defense avionics group.
Montreal-based CAE has made several changes to its executive staff. Tom Stelter, previously v-p and g-m of CAE SimuFlite, has been appointed v-p for training and services and innovation, North America. Bill Dolny was named v-p and g-m of CAE’s training center in Dallas; Michael Fedele was hired to the same position at CAE’s facility in Morristown, N.J. The company also appointed new management in Asia, including Sébastien Caire, v-p for Asia and Australasia, and Suzanne Roy, v-p for India.
DAE Engineering and its StandardAero subsidiary consolidated their leadership teams. Rob Mionis, DAE’s CEO, will take on the additional position of president and CEO of MRO provider StandardAero, while current president and CEO Paul Soubry will become a strategic advisor to the new organization. StandardAero also appointed Mike R. Turner avionics sales manager supporting the domestic and international sales teams. He comes from Bombardier, where he served 28 years.
Robert Sullivan has been named v-p of human resources for Cleveland-based air services provider Flight Options.
Massachusetts-based aviation communications firm Satcom Direct has chosen Tony Queenan as its new v-p of sales. He moves from Arinc, where he was senior sales director.
Aviation services provider Greenwich AeroGroup has named Gerald Goguen executive v-p. Most recently he was senior v-p of global customer relations and business strategy for Dassault Falcon.
Shell Aviation has appointed Julie Laviolette, formerly Air Canada’s v-p of procurement, as general manager for North America. She replaces Michael Sergeant, who remains with the company as a senior project leader. 
Bombardier Aerospace has appointed Brad Tolbard director of business development for its service center network. Specializing in aviation interior modification, he served in similar roles with Bombardier Flexjet, Jetcorp and most recently Atlantic Aero.
Christian Kennedy has been named Dassault Falcon’s new international sales manager for Canada. He recently held sales and marketing positions with XOJet and Guardian Jet.
Gulfstream has named Matt Huhn director of product support scheduling at 12 Gulfstream and General Dynamics Aviation Services facilities, and appointed John Hodges a product development leader for the G650 program. The company also promoted Jeanette Brewer to manager of flight crew cabin operations.
Aviation services provider AirNet Systems named George Gonzalez CEO. He succeeds Bruce Parker, who will remain a member of the company’s board of directors.
Dominic Chow has been promoted to director of custom power solutions at Crane Aerospace &amp; Electronics. Most recently he led the company’s business development and business management functions for custom power.
European Aviation Safety Agency management board member Jules A.J.M. Kneepkens has been named rulemaking director of the agency. He is Belgium’s former director general of civil aviation.
Steve Fisk has joined private business analysis firm International Bureau of Aviation as director and general manager. Fisk was formerly v-p of structured finance and export credit for Rolls-Royce. The firm also hired Ben Lamzed, recently with Close Aviation Finance, as director of its asset management and technical group. 
Flight services provider DB Aviation has hired Tehmina Jauhar as managing director of its client enrollment team. The Illinois-based firm also announced the promotions of Jason Shook and Jeff Konz to managing directors, Granville Horton and Michael Aiken to assistant managers-FBO, and Michelle Gold to senior customer service representative. 
David Lincoln has been named director of operations for ProJet Aviation. The Winchester, Va.-based flight services and sales company also appointed Kristine Hartzell chief pilot.
Universal Avionics promoted Andy Seaton to director of product support. He most recently was manager of the company’s Midwest regional product support division. The company also promoted Robert Clare from manager of central region marketing to director OEM marketing. 
Doug Caldwell has joined Long Island, N.Y.-based electrical repair specialist Naasco as general manager.
BBA Aviation Engine Repair and Overhaul, headquartered in Dallas, has appointed Max Allen to the new position of director for continuous improvement and component repair. He will coordinate ERO operations at the company’s three facilities.
Canadian firm TrueNorth Avionics has hired Chris de Hoog as avionics product program manager to assist with customer and product sales support for its Simphone airborne telecommunications systems.
Chris Crum has been named a business developer and strategist for customer service training specialist ServiceElements. Most recently, he was president and CEO of Royal Jet Group, based in Abu Dhabi, and was a founding board member of the Middle East Business Aviation Association.
Wichita-based Mid-Continent Instruments promoted Nehal Syed to assistant manager for the avionics lab, and Ramon Torres-Blas to the same position in the gyro lab.

<h3>Final Flights</h3>
Erica Simpson, 32, a captain with CitationShares and director of the International Aerobatic Club, died on September 6 in Reno, Nev., when the wings of her homebuilt single-engine Formula One airplane failed as she prepared to compete in the National Championship Air Races. According to authorities, the accident is still under investigation. 
Simpson graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and received a master’s of aeronautical science in 1999. She also served an internship with the NTSB, helping investigate aviation accidents. She is survived by her husband, Kendal.
Abie Nathan, 81, a former Israeli fighter and airline pilot, peace activist and humanitarian, died on August 27 in Tel Aviv. Described as a business pilot whose business was trying to eliminate war and hunger, Nathan made two daring unauthorized peace flights in a Stearman from Israel to Egypt, in the 1960s, hoping to meet with Egyptian President Nasser. Nathan was rebuffed both times and was imprisoned by Israel after the second attempt. Nathan later traveled the world campaigning for peace, meeting with world leaders including Yassir Arafat, which earned him another jail sentence in Israel. Aside from his maverick peace efforts, Nathan flew or shipped emergency supplies to victims of war, famine or earthquakes around the world. He was married twice and had one daughter, Sharona.

People in Aviation: October 2008

Eric Cardinali has been named president of Bell Helicopter Canada.

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