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

California’s Orange County board of supervisors this week approved the awarding of 35-year leases at John Wayne-Orange County Airport (SNA) to&nbsp;FBO operators ACI Jets and Clay Lacy Aviation. The board last month <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-08-13/orange-county-selects-fbos-sna-shuts-out-atlantic">selected the two California-based companies</a> to spearhead its new general aviation <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-06-26/orange-county-approves-ga-restructuring-sna">redevelopment plan</a>, despite the airport’s RFP process awarding the highest score in the evaluation to incumbent Atlantic Aviation.
ACI, which replaced Signature Flight Support there in 2017, was unanimously approved by the supervisors. Meanwhile, Clay Lacy, which&nbsp;received a 3-2 vote in the initial selection phase, garnered the requisite 4-1 margin required for the lease approval after one board member relented and changed his vote in the interest of "moving forward."
Atlantic Aviation, which has serviced SNA for nearly two decades, is now operating there on a month-to-month lease, and CEO Lou Pepper told AIN that while his company disagrees with the decision, it is still maintaining a relationship with the airport as a tenant. He declined to comment on any possible legal options, stating “we’re going to try to do a very orderly transition if we have to do a transition, and we will be professional as always in taking care of our customers and fulfilling our obligations to the airport.”

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

Orange County Supervisors Award FBO Leases at SNA

California’s Orange County Board of Supervisors awarded 35-year leases at John Wayne-Orange County Airport (SNA) for FBO operators.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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.

Palm Beach closure will accommodate work being done in the runway's surrounding area

KPBI To Shut Down Runway for Three Months

Charles Alcock

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

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.

Dubai's Road and Transport Authority is involved in construction of four vertiports

Joby and Skyports Start Building First Dubai Vertiport for eVTOL Air Taxis

Matt Thurber

Ballot measure would have ceded decisions on runway expansion to residents

Aspen Residents Vote for County Control of Airport

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.

Aircraft owners will no longer have to fly to other airports to buy fuel

High-octane Unleaded Avgas is Now Available at Reid-Hillview Airport in California

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.

Reid-Hillview Starts Pumping High-octane Unleaded Avgas 

Jessica Reed

Strategic co-branding agreement bolsters ground support network

Universal Aviation Enters Portugal and Cape Verde with Safeport Partnership

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

More In Airports

KPBI To Shut Down Runway for Three Months

Palm Beach closure will accommodate work being done in the runway's surrounding area

Joby and Skyports Start Building First Dubai Vertiport for eVTOL Air Taxis

Dubai's Road and Transport Authority is involved in construction of four vertiports

Aspen Residents Vote for County Control of Airport

Ballot measure would have ceded decisions on runway expansion to residents

High-octane Unleaded Avgas is Now Available at Reid-Hillview Airport in California

Aircraft owners will no longer have to fly to other airports to buy fuel

Reid-Hillview Starts Pumping High-octane Unleaded Avgas

Aircraft owners will no longer have to fly to other airports to buy fuel

Universal Aviation Enters Portugal and Cape Verde with Safeport Partnership

Strategic co-branding agreement bolsters ground support network

Universal's ClearVision Adapts to Airport Lighting Changes

The ClearVision EVS-5000 features multispectral camera technology

Post-Milton, Florida Airports Pick Up the Pieces

Following the Category 3 storm, most Florida airports are back in service

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN