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

The possibility of commercially available synthetic jet fuels took a step closer to reality last week when ASTM International’s aviation fuels subcommittee passed a new specification for alternative jet fuel. The new specification details the properties and criteria required to control the production and quality of synthetic fuels for aviation use. With the subcommittee’s approval, the standard has now moved to the members of the organization’s main petroleum products and lubricants committee, which is to vote on the special ballot. After a 30-day window, if there is a 60-percent response rate with no negative votes, the measure could be adopted as an official specification by the end of next month. Both the FAA and the industry-sponsored Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative support the measure. According to Nancy LoBue, the FAA’s acting administrator for policy planning and the environment, this step could lead to the approval of a number of alternative fuels in the next few years and help lower aviation’s carbon footprint as part of the NextGen air transportation system plan.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

Synthetic Fuels Move Toward Acceptance

The possibility of commercially available synthetic jet fuels took a step closer to reality last week when ASTM International’s aviation fuels subcommittee

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

News and developments about aviation fuel, including jet fuel, aviation gasoline, and biofuel.

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.

Fuel giant aims to help customers meet sustainabilly goals

Air bp Looks to Educate on SAF

Charles Alcock

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

A new international section of the website will feature content from national associations

Climbing Fast Bizav Advocacy Initiative Goes Global

Amy Wilder

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.

Research aircraft targets convection-driven wave activity

HIAPER Gulfstream V To Track Gravity Waves Over Iowa

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

The FBO at Hong Kong International Airport is now stocking SAF

HKBAC Brings Sustainable Aviation Fuel to Hong Kong

Hanneke Weitering

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.

Focus of research and development work will shift to ground-based testbed for thin wings

Boeing and NASA Shelve X-66 Sustainable Flight Demonstrator

News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

Through a Delta Air Lines deal, its charter customers can now book SAF anywhere

Wheels Up Adds SAF Option for Charter Customers

Green Fuel Forward aims to spur demand for SAF

New Sustainable Aviation Fuel Initiative Targets APAC

Sarah Rose

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.

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