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

Embraer has delivered the first of its new Praetor 600 super-midsize twinjets in a ceremony at its São José dos Campos facility in Brazil. The aircraft, handed over to an undisclosed European customer, rolled off the hybrid assembly line that also produces the Legacy 450 and Legacy 500.

 


The first super-mid with full fly-by-wire and turbulence-reduction technology, the Praetor 600, <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-10-14/embraer-moves-ahead-praetor-program">which made its debut at NBAA’s annual convention last year</a>, received certification from ANAC, FAA,&nbsp;and EASA earlier this year, the first in its category to be certified since 2014.

 


With an intercontinental range of 4,018 nm&nbsp;(four passengers, NBAA IFR reserves), the Praetor 600 claims the longest legs in its class, able to link Dubai and London; Paris and New York; and São Paulo with Miami, non-stop.

 


The aircraft, which will also be assembled at the airframer’s Melbourne, Florida, production facility, offers a 5,800-foot cabin altitude&nbsp;and a six-foot-high flat-floor cabin.

 


“We are thrilled to deliver the first Praetor 600 and we are confident that our customer will be fascinated with the most disruptive and technologically advanced super-midsize business jet to enter the market,” said Michael Amalfitano, president and CEO of Embraer Executive Jets, adding that "the aircraft is certain to create a new value experience for its customers and help them outperform in their business and personal endeavors.”

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.

First Embraer Praetor 600 Enters Service

The Praetor 600, handed over to a European customer, rolled off the hybrid assembly line in Brazil that also produces the Legacy 450 and Legacy 500.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Jessica Reed

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.

Jo Damato and Andrew Broom assume additional responsibilities

NBAA Expands Roles for Two Senior Executives

Matt Thurber

Similarities between the piston- and jet-powered Cirruses make transition training easier

Transport Canada Certifies Cirrus SR G7 and Vision G2+

Kerry Lynch

Aircraft will be able to take off in 150 feet of runway

Electra Launches Hybrid-electric EL9 STOL Aircraft

Hanneke Weitering

First production-representative Alia CX300 takes flight

Beta Flies First Electric Airplane Produced in Vermont Factory

G700 next headed to the Bahrain International Airshow for display alongside the G500

Gulfstream’s G700 Surpasses 65 City-pair Records

Honda's secretive eVTOL program picks up steam

FAA Greenlights Honda eVTOL Flight Tests

Some models are seeing high demand, others not so much

Broker: Preowned Cessna Citation Market Remains Mixed

Charles Alcock

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

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

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