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

With the continuing rise in private leisure aviation, Universal Aviation anticipates strong traffic to the Dominican Republic for the holiday season. As a result, the Houston, Texas-based trip support provider has expanded its footprint there through its partnership with local ground handler, Aviam. &nbsp;

 


Universal has established three new ground handling offices in the country—at Puerto Plata (MDPP), Samaná (MDCY), and Santo Domingo (MDJB)—joining its existing locations at La Romana (MDJB) and Punta Cana (MDCP). The&nbsp;latest additions give the company 23 offices throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.

 


Currently, the island is experiencing more private flights than it did before the pandemic and shows no signs of a let-up, according to Danilo Rosario Jiménez, Universal’s in-country director. “Before the pandemic, the Dominican Republic was gaining popularity for private aviation,” said Jiménez, adding that instead of curtailing that growth, Covid has only accelerated it. “Tourism is booming and the Dominican Republic has become one of the most sought-after private aviation leisure destinations in the world.”

 


He noted that the government of the Dominican Republic has “done an excellent job in creating a safe environment for tourism in spite of Covid,” and based upon the company’s current travel requests, Universal anticipates a highly active vacation season for the country, as well as for the region in general.

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

Universal Aviation Expands in Dominican Republic

Universal has established three new ground handling offices in Dominican Republic, ahead of an anticipated busy private aviation travel season.

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.

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