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.

Business Aviation Services Editor

Curt Epstein

A year after training school Silver State Helicopters shut its doors and declared bankruptcy–leaving 2,400 students deep in debt with their professional pilot training incomplete–helicopter flight schools are facing the double burden of tight credit and suspicion by lenders about students’ ability to repay loans. The Silver State collapse saw student accounts emptied of tens of thousands of dollars apiece by the company’s management, and lawsuits are multiplying. Today the helicopter flight training market is hurting, and many say it’s not only the economy’s fault. “Student enrollment is down,” said John Stonecipher, president of Guidance Helicopters, a flight school in Prescott, Ariz. “We’ve got a waiting list of 25 students trying to find financial aid.” Many are turning to mom and dad for loans rather than banks. The silver lining to the Silver State mess, if there is one, is that other flight schools have been able to buy many of the failed firm’s 200 Robinson R22s and R44s at bargain prices.

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

Silver State Mess Still Being Felt a Year Later

A year after training school Silver State Helicopters shut its doors and declared bankruptcy–leaving 2,400 students deep in debt with their professional pi

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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.

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.

Why not teach new pilots to go around before learning how to land?

AINsight: You Can (and Should) Always Go Around

Kerry Lynch

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.

Most major manufacturers will be at static this year

NBAA-BACE Taking Shape with Expanded Program, Most OEMs

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 international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

First step toward licensing could encourage youth to seek aviation careers

GAO Wants High Schoolers To Take Mechanic General Test

Charlotte Bailey

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Evolving AI-augmented simulator-based approach to ‘gamify’ learning 

Saab Shaking Up Gripen Training with Project Skynapse 

Howard Hardee

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.

Spirit AeroSystems workers give Leeham News and Analysis the inside track 

Cutting 'Traveled Work' Delays At Spirit Critical To 737 Output

Jessica Reed

Michel Denis was named CEO of Daher,  Steve Varsano president of Flexjet, and Robert Sumwalt was the next Wright Trophy recipient

People in Aviation —September 2026

Charles Alcock

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

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Austrian manufacturer has yet to say which rotorcraft types it will support 

Axis Announces Plans for Helicopter Training Systems

AIN Staff

In a Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit (CALS) roundtable on retention, an aviation staffing expert and flight department leaders traded hard-won lessons on money, culture, and knowing who you’re really competing with.

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