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

Washington-state aircraft modification specialist Soloy Aviation Solutions and French engine maker Safran’s subsidiary SMA are debuting a jet-A burning Cessna 182 at this year’s EAA AirVenture. According to Soloy, the new, more powerful SMA SR305-230E compression ignition engine package is being tested at its Olympia, Washington facility under EASA regulations. The aircraft flew from there to the show site in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, a 1,485 nm flight, and burned only 80 gallons of fuel. That total includes circling the airport in a holding pattern for more than an hour before being given clearance to land. Post-flight inspection revealed that the engine had consumed less than one-quarter of a quart (eight ounces) of oil during the nine-plus hour trip.

 


“The Cessna Skylane airframe is the perfect match for the French SMA engine,” said Soloy CEO James Cowan. “In areas of the world where 100LL avgas is becoming hard to source, the performance, reliability and hyper efficiency of the compression ignition engine is the answer.”

 


The conversion kit is expected to receive EASA certification by the end of the year. The companies are accepting deposits this week at show, offering&nbsp;special pricing on the program’s first 15 positions, expected to begin deliveries &nbsp;in the first quarter of 2018.

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

Soloy, SMA Unveil Jet-A Powered Cessna Skylane

The conversion will improve fuel economy for the long-serving aircraft.

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 about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

BR23 Energic is an electric version of the piston-powered two-seater

Elfly Will Distribute Electric BR23 Training Aircraft in Nordic Countries

Matt Thurber

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.

Low-cost turboprop engine could be suitable replacement for pistons

Serbia's Green Power Certifying Small Turboprop Engine

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

Technology demonstrator based on TBM aircraft logged 100 flight hours

EcoPulse Partners Report on Hybrid-electric Flight Tests

Magni650 electric propulsion unit simulated flight at 30,000 feet on a testbed aircraft

MagniX and NASA Complete Electric Propulsion Ground Tests

Sarah Rose

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.

"Supply chain is affecting a lot of things right now."

Engines Leaders Rev Up for 2025

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.

Chinese eVTOL aircraft manufacturer has also made its first passenger demonstration flights in Thailand

EHang Seeks Higher-performance eVTOL Electric Propulsion Systems

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

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.

Trading update reports strong demand in the commercial airliner engines sector

Rolls-Royce Confirms Closure of Electric Propulsion Unit

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

EAA AirVenture 2017

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