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

Wrong-surface landings are one of the FAA’s top-five&nbsp;safety hazards, and to help mitigate the threat of pilots lining up to land on taxiways&nbsp;the agency has completed its enhancement of ground radar systems at 43&nbsp;airports with an ASDE-X Taxiway Arrival Prediction (ATAP) upgrade. These airports already had&nbsp;either ASDE-X or similar ASSC ground radar systems.
The ATAP software analyzes the flight paths of arriving aircraft and anticipates when one is lining up for an improper landing. It will then issue visual and audible warnings to alert controllers.
“ATAP is a great technology aid to assist controllers in mitigating these events, and has proven to be effective,” said Bridget Singratanakul, runway safety representative for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association&nbsp;and co-lead for the National Collaborative Workgroup on ATAP.
Since its first implementation in 2018 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the system has prevented more than 50 attempted taxiway landings. There have also&nbsp;been eight alerts already this year among the 43 airports so equipped.
“Aircraft as small as a Cessna Caravan 208 up to a Boeing 757 have been sent around due to an ATAP alert,” explained Giovanni Dipierro, former manager of the FAA’s runway safety group.&nbsp;Later this year the agency will begin testing in Omaha of a comparable system for airports that do not have ASDE-X or ASSC systems.

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

New Radar Software Protects Against Taxiway Landings

Select U.S. airports have received installation of ASDE-X Taxiway Arrival Prediction, a software enhancement that alerts controllers to improper landings.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Helsinki city officials want to build housing on the historic site and nature reserve

Campaigners Push to Reopen Helsinki's Malmi Airport

Hanneke Weitering

New developments at FBOs including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

News and developments about aviation fuel, including jet fuel, aviation gasoline, and biofuel.

Electric aircraft and ground vehicles can now charge at KBAF in western Massachusetts

Atlantic and Beta Add Aircraft Chargers in Massachusetts

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Airport ground vehicles create a memorable holiday light display

Czech Airport Lights Up with Holiday Spirit

Matt Thurber

ADS-B and computer vision enables system to detect landing and on-runway traffic

Purdue Polytechnic Patenting Runway Status Lights 

Galesburg Regional Airport will be renamed for a hometown aviation legend

Illinois Airport To Honor Local Aviator, FBO Operator

AmyWilder

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

New operator plans upgrades and eVTOL integration

New Operator, Upgrade for Downtown Manhattan Heliport

KTPF accepts night flights for the first time since September

Tampa GA Airport Now Fully Operational after Storms

Peter Shaw-Smith

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

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