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

GE Aerospace is highlighting its hybrid-electric propulsion advances this week at Verticon. The company has teamed with Sikorsky to provide a CT7 turboshaft engine, electric motor/generator, and associated power electronics for the latter’s HEX (Hybrid-Electric eXperimental) VTOL demonstrator, the power train test bed of which is currently under construction. HEX is viewed as Sikorsky's stepping stone to a larger commercial passenger hybrid-electric vehicle.
The engine maker is also a partner with the U.S. Army on the Applied Research Collaborative Systematic Turboshaft Electrification Project, which focuses on the research, development, and testing of a megawatt (MW) class electrified powerplant. It also will further evaluate how hybrid-electric systems can enhance military rotorcraft.
A collaboration with NASA and Boeing, GE's Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration Program centers on the development and testing of a MW-class hybrid-electric powertrain for commercial aviation. These systems can provide improved fuel efficiency and performance compared to today’s commercial aircraft engines.
Also in partnership with NASA, the Turbofan Engine Power Extraction Demonstration will embed electric motor/generators in a high-bypass commercial turbofan to supplement power during different phases of operation. This creates a system that can work with or without energy storage units such as batteries.
“At GE Aerospace, we think the future of flight is more electric. To that end, we’re pursuing a range of hybrid-electric programs that will demonstrate the integration of power electronics with gas turbines compatible with multiple energy sources, meeting our customers’ needs for more efficient propulsion systems,” said Christine Andrews, GE Aerospace’s executive hybrid-electric systems leader.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

GE Aerospace Touts Hybrid-electric Propulsion System Efforts

Engine maker is contributing its expertise to several cutting-edge projects

Engine maker GE Aerospace is contributing its expertise to several cutting-edge development projects.

GE Aerospace Touts Hybrid-electric Propulsion Efforts

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

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.

Fireflighting mission is ideal for large rotorcraft nearing the end of their useful lives

First Firefighting Sikorsky S-92 Unveiled at Verticon

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

The engine maker unveiled a new label at Verticon

Safran Designates Optimal Connectivity Providers

Hanneke Weitering

PHI Aviation launched commercial flights with the H160 on March 6

Airbus H160 Helicopter Begins Offshore Operations in Louisiana

Black Diamond Heliaero upgraded the helicopters with Basix Pro avionics

Indonesian Army Receives Six Modernized Bell 412EPs

Matt Thurber

Agreement expands maintenance coverage for SkyOS buyers

United Rotorcraft To Support Skyryse Modified Helos

The Michigan airframer aims to accommodate all trim tastes

Enstrom Upgrades 480B Product Lineup Options

Charlotte Bailey

News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

Helicopter has more space and performance, along with a Safran Arrius 2ES engine

Airbus Unveils H140 To Bridge Light Twin Market Gap

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

Verticon 2025

In this article

GE Aerospace

More In Rotorcraft