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

At its annual Air Charter Summit last week, the National Air Transportation Association gave an update on the EASA’s third country operator (TCO) regulation, which took effect last month.


To ensure no interruption of their flights to Europe during the 30-month transition period, operators must file their applications no later than November 25. Those whose applications are on file by that date will be allowed to continue to operate to the EU, even while their application is being processed, but those who apply after that deadline will have to wait until they have approval in hand before flying to Europe, according to industry consultant and former NATA staffer Jacqueline Rosser, who added that authorization is not required for Part 91 operations or for overflights.


Designed as a prerequisite for obtaining an operating permit from individual member states, the TCO process is intended to demonstrate each applicant’s ICAO compliance. In the absence of any significant safety concerns, it is expected to consist of nothing more than a desktop review for most U.S. operators.


Once approved, the blanket authorization will remain in effect indefinitely as long as the operator conducts at least one flight into the region every 24 months and keeps the information up to date.

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.

NATA Provides EU TCO Guidance

Adhering to EASA Third Country Operator program application deadlines can help operators avoid a disruption of service to Europe.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

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 information on safety procedures and concerns.

Officials from the UK, Japan, and Australia are being hosted at the company's California HQ this week

Joby Discusses eVTOL Rules with International Aviation Safety Agencies

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.

Consultancy will work to support bizav growth

Rolland Vincent Associates Joins IBAC Partnership Group

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Joby Discusses eVTOL Rules with International Aviation Safety Agencies

Officials from the UK, Japan, and Australia are being hosted at the company's California HQ this week

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Consultancy will work to support bizav growth

Charter Safety Group Adopts Document Management System

Air Charter Safety Foundation wants to encourage members to digitize documents

FAA Greenlights eVTOL Regs as NBAA-BACE Opens

FAA chief Michael Whitaker: “It’s here today. It is now a final rule”

AI Revolutionizing Aviation with Smarter, Safer Flights

Todd Giles of Honeywell Aerospace moderated a panel discussion on AI

AIN Editor Kerry Lynch Wins 2024 NBAA Gold Wing Award

Annual award given at the NBAA-BACE show for the best business aviation story

NBAA 'Newsmakers Luncheon' Praises Bipartisanship On FAA

Sam Graves and Rick Larsen join NBAA roundtable

Revamped U.S. Notam Format Delayed At Least One Year

Agency gave no reason for the delay in aligning format with ICAO standards

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