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

Hanneke Weitering

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

Infrastructure development ramps up as electric aviation builds momentum

Beta’s Aircraft Charging Network Doubled in 2024

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.

Autonomous eVTOL manufacturer continuous work on China's "low-altitude economy"

EHang Launches eVTOL Infrastructure Partnerships in China

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

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's airport will be renamed for a hometown aviation legend

Illinois Airport To Honor Local Aviator, FBO Owner

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.

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