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

David Schmidt has been named president of newly formed Tailwind Technologies subsidiary Hartzell Aerospace. He previously held senior leadership positions at Meggitt and Esterline. 
St. Louis-based engineering services and structural component supplier LMI Aerospace has appointed Jim McQueeney president and CEO. Most recently he was v-p for material with Gulfstream Aerospace.
Orlando, Fla.-based Signature Flight Support has named Patrick Sniffen, formerly v-p of marketing and communication with Jet Aviation, v-p of marketing for its worldwide network of FBOs.
Aircraft management and charter services provider Volo Aviation has made two executive additions. Stephen Clyne, most recently v-p for client services for Jet-Direct/Tag Aviation USA, has been named v-p of aircraft management, while Rita Berlin, previously corporate sales manager with Virgin Charter, was chosen regional sales director for aircraft charter, management and acquisition services. 
Todd McCredie was elected president of the international Aviation Insurance Association. Before his election, he had served on the association’s board of directors for eight years.
Gulfstream Aerospace has promoted James Ross from sales director of pre-owned aircraft to v-p for pre-owned aircraft sales, replacing Matt Harnett, who retired. 
Seattle-based Raisbeck Engineering announced two executive promotions. Tyler Chase, formerly director of operations, is now v-p of operations, while Gary Lidstone, previously director of engineering, has been named v-p of engineering.
Jet Works Air Center in Denton, Texas, hired Patrick Murphy as its new v-p of sales and marketing. Most recently he was a v-p with aircraft broker Corporate Fleet Services.
Chester Schickling has been named v-p of business development by Huntsville, Ala.-based aviation integration, engineering, manufacturing and logistics services provider WestWind Technologies. Most recently he served as senior v-p of sales marketing and customer support with AAI Acquisition (the former Adam Aircraft) of Englewood, Colo. 
Jet Aviation announced two promotions at its Beijing joint-venture FBO. Lutz Wierschin, formerly director of the company’s Basel maintenance shops, was appointed v-p and general manager, while Paul Desgrosseilliers, previously manager of ground and facility operations at Jet Aviation’s Boston-area FBO, was named director of FBO services in Beijing.
Ohio-based Nextant Aerospace subsidiary Constant Aviation named Rick Purcella regional sales director for the Southwest. He most recently was director of sales and marketing and avionics director for the Jet Works Air Center.
Chris Faulbaum, formerly director of maintenance at Executive Beechcraft’s Spirit of St. Louis Airport facility, has joined Midwest Aviation Center in that same capacity.
Calgary-based Skyplan Services appointed Jay Smith, formerly with Jet Fleet International, as senior executive of sales and marketing at the company’s new U.S. sales office in San Jose, Calif.
Rolland Vincent, an industry veteran with experience with Cessna, Bombardier and Flexjet, has launched Rolland Vincent Associates, an aviation consulting firm based in Plano, Texas. &nbsp;

People in Aviation July'09

David Schmidt has been named president of newly formed Tailwind Technologies subsidiary Hartzell Aerospace.

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