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

Attending NBAA 2017 with a selection of its branded dealer locations, global fuel provider Avfuel (Booth N4314) is highlighting the three newest members of its network, including Bohlke International Airways, the lone service provider at St. Croix’s Henry E. Rohlsen Airport; WestAir Aviation in Shannon, Ireland; and the Denver jetCenter. The Ann Arbor-based company also recently renewed its partnership with the Sheltair FBO chain of 17 FBOs along the U.S. East Coast.

 


“Our partnerships with these four companies strengthen our network, incorporating 20 aviation service locations stretching from the Caribbean to New York, and from the west to the UK,” said Joel Hirst, the fuel provider’s vice president of sales. “These award-winning locations are valuable for operators flying throughout the Avfuel network in North America and Europe.”

 


Bohlke, which was established in 1959, just endured the wrath of Hurricane Maria and is currently serving as a staging hub for relief missions throughout the entire weather impacted region. The location offers charter and FAA Part 145 maintenance service, along with the only hangar facilities in the southern Caribbean.

 


&nbsp;A U.S.-style FBO, WestAir operates its own dedicated fuel trucks at Shannon Airport. The facility offers a VIP passenger lounge, crew rest, hangar space, maintenance and a main ramp office for tech stops and quick turns, while the airport provides U.S. Customs pre-clearance.

 


The latest addition to the network, Denver jetCenter is one of several service providers at Centennial Airport, just 12 miles from the city’s downtown. Guests there benefit from nationally recognized catering provider The Perfect Landing, five conference rooms and onsite U.S. Customs.

 


Those locations can now take advantage of Avfuel’s two newest systems, Avfuel Network Referrals and Avfuel Rewards Network, which were introduced earlier this year.&nbsp; According to the company, since its March rollout nearly half of the company’s 650 branded FBOs have participated in the programs by either sending or receiving referrals.

 


Under the rewards program, the company has provided special rewards and benefits to hundreds of FBO employees. When pilots follow those referrals, they can earn extra Avtrip points. “Our goal was to connect our locations with one another in order to work together as a true network, and refer pilots between one another,” explained Marci Ammerman, the company’s vice president of marketing. “That goal is being accomplished every time a CSR sends a referral.”

 


Avfuel also announced corporate captain Joshua Manley of Cedar Park, Texas, as this year’s Avtrip Scholarship recipient, providing him with $2,000 to help support his goal of obtaining an NBAA certified aviation manager designation.

 


“We’ve been awarding this scholarship for 19 years, and the joy we feel to help an aspiring aviator never gets old,” said Ammerman. “Manley’s passion for aviation education leapt off the application page and stood out to our committee. His values mirror those of Avfuel’s and exemplify the purpose of this scholarship.”

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

Avfuel Boosts Dealer Network

While it expands its network, the global fuel provider has instituted several new programs to keep customers in the family.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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.

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