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

Mitsubishi Aircraft has named Hideo Egawa, former Mitsubishi Heavy Industries director and senior executive v-p, as its new president. He succeeds Nobuo Toda, who will assume the post of vice chairman.
Minneapolis-based Shadin Avionics has appointed Dan Nelson, most recently president of start-up materials testing company Swift Nanotech, as its new CEO. 
Waterloo, Ontario-based flight operations solutions provider Navtech has named Michael Hulley CEO and president. Hulley, a former senior partner with Tata Consultancy Services, will also join Navtech’s board of directors.
Seattle-based Raisbeck Engineering has promoted Pat Harty from controller to CFO. 
Gulfstream has promoted Bill Williams, formerly v-p of product support materials, to v-p of materials, succeeding Jim McQueeney, who is retiring after 20 years with the company. 
Bombardier has restructured its three U.S. business jet sales teams into a single unit led by Brant Dahlfors, v-p of sales. It also appointed three regional vice presidents: Scott Westfall, western region; Ed Thomas, central region; and Peter Vasconcelos, eastern region. Mike Fahey continues as v-p for Learjet sales, with ultimate responsibility of all Learjet-related sales activity worldwide. He also takes on responsibility for pre-owned aircraft sales worldwide.
Hawker Beechcraft has appointed Edward Petkus v-p of product development and engineering. He served as acting v-p of engineering since December. 
David Schueler, previously with Mobil Chemical, has joined de-icing specialist Kilfrost as its new commercial v-p for the Americas.
Aviation safety management and support firm Baldwin Aviation has hired Dr. Dave Huntzinger as v-p of safety and security. He was most recently v-p of safety, security and compliance for Korean Air.
East Syracuse, N.Y.-based air navigation and traffic control specialist Sensis has hired retired Vice Admiral John Morgan Jr. as senior v-p and chief strategy officer. He will replace Marc Viggiano, who was promoted to the newly created position of COO.&nbsp;&nbsp;
John Bingham has been named executive v-p of marketing and sales for Piaggio America. He most recently held that same position at&nbsp; Cirrus Design, along with managing director of Cirrus International.
New York-based Jet Options International has hired Justin Briggs, previously director of business development at Sentient Flight Group, as v-p of charter and development. He will lead the company’s new office in San Francisco. &nbsp;
Sunset Aviation, LLC, headquartered in Petaluma, Calif., announced that Jake Cartwright, formerly with Jet Direct and TAG Aviation, has joined the newly formed company as executive v-p.
Schuler Aviation Group has named Anthony Gubera vice president. He will also serve as general manager of its Red River Turbine subsidiary. The company also announced that Richard Howard, former chief inspector and maintenance manager for King AeroSpace, has been named general manager and director of maintenance at its Lake Texoma Jet Center, located at North Texas Regional Airport. 
Sean Hames, formerly a senior engineering manager for B/E Aerospace, has joined PAC Seating Systems as its v-p of engineering. The company also announced Hector Marini has taken the new position of v-p of product development. &nbsp;
Indiana-based 1st Source Bank has promoted Eduardo Ferreira to assistant v-p of the company’s aircraft financing division. 
Experimental Aircraft Association president Tom Poberezny has been appointed chairman of the board, taking over from his father and EAA founder Paul Poberezny, who officially stepped down last month at the age of 87. &nbsp;
Aviation maintenance provider Jet Support Services, Inc. has named Tim Coggin technical services director for Europe. He will lead the company’s technical services team in Europe and Africa from its new Basel, Switzerland office. 
Atlanta-based helicopter and avionics support provider Precision Aviation Group has promoted two of its employees. Ketan Desai, previously sales manager for PAG subsidiary Precision Avionics &amp; Instruments, is now the company’s director of sales and marketing, while former v-p, operations Chad Lemke is now v-p for government programs. &nbsp;
Embraer has named Brett MacLachan and Manfred Baudzus as executive jet sales directors for the Asia Pacific region. 
Larry Dean, most recently v-p of aircraft finance for Honeywell, has been named as private jet provider JetChoice’s director of business development for the Denver area.
MAC Aircraft Interior Specialists, based in the UK, has appointed Toki Ogunkolati, formerly with Eaton Aerospace, as its new quality assurance manager. 
Cara Tweyman has joined Ontario, Canada-based parts repair and overhaul specialist Precision Aero Components as sales manager.
Gama Aviation has named Floriano Bove, previously an account v-p with Jet Aviation, as manager of client relations in the aircraft management services group.
 The charter, management and maintenance provider has also hired Ashley Santini, formerly with TAG Aviation, as a charter services representative.
Cutter Aviation has appointed two new southwest regional sales managers for aircraft technical services. Michael Hedding, previously regional sales manager for Premier Aircraft Sales, will be based in Texas, while David Harsay, who has experience with KC Aviation, Bombardier, Gulfstream, and ARINC, will handle customers in Arizona and New Mexico.&nbsp;&nbsp; 

<h3>Awards and Honors </h3>
Richard Thrasher, a senior airworthiness inspector with Gulfstream, recently received the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award from the FAA. Thrasher is the first Gulfstream employee to receive the award, which recognizes the lifetime accomplishments of senior mechanics.

<h3>Final Flights</h3>
Sydney “Sid” Baker, 63, the recently retired head of Eastman Kodak’s flight department and a business aviation veteran of nearly 30 years, died February 27 after a sudden illness. A former Marine Corps pilot, Baker was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Silver Star for his service in Vietnam. Following discharge, he worked for Bell Helicopter and later served 17 years at IBM’s flight department before joining Kodak. Baker was also vice chairman of the Flight Safety Foundation’s corporate advisory committee. He is survived by his wife, Yvonne, and two sons Nicholaus and Patrick.
Daniel Winborne, 60, a long-time customer service representative with Epps Aviation at Atlanta’s DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, died on February 8 after an apparent heart attack. He is survived by his children Courtney and Blanton, and one grandson.

People in Aviation: April 2009

Mitsubishi Aircraft has named Hideo Egawa, former Mitsubishi Heavy Industries director and senior executive v-p, as its new president.

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