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

NBAA’s safety committee will join in an industry hazard assessment on the risks associated with fuel contamination, after <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-08-24/close-call-falcon-def-contaminated-fuel">the August 14 incident that nearly downed a Dassault Falcon 900EX in Florida</a>, the second such incident involving diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) contamination in less than a year.

 


“That will include leveraging subject matter experts and industry partners to identify hazard causes and develop targeted mitigations, as well as outreach to FBOs and fuel providers to review their fuel and additive handling practices,” said NBAA safety committee vice chair Tom Huff.

 


In December 2017, following the first confirmed instance of DEF-tainted fuel, which occurred in Omaha, Nebraska, NATA released a DEF contamination prevention training course through its Safety 1st Supplemental Safety Training program. It was provided free to anyone in the industry to help prevent future incidents. The FAA also issued a special airworthiness information bulletin (SAIB) on the matter.

 


"Despite that advisory, this latest incident demonstrates that while rare, these incidents do occur, and highlights the need to closely examine methods to mitigate and eliminate this potential hazard," said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen.﻿

 


Meanwhile, Fair Wind Air Charter, which operated the Falcon 900EX that made an emergency return to Miami Opa-Locka Airport after experiencing clogged fuel filters and engine shutdowns, is calling for aviation industry groups, lawmakers, and federal regulatory agencies to take immediate action to eliminate the risk and associated hazards tied to this type of jet fuel contamination. In hopes of facilitating necessary recommendations and actions to achieve a system-wide, long-term solution, the Florida-based company noted it has reached out to the heads of the U.S. Department of Transportation, FAA, and EPA, as well as elected officials in Congress, and industry groups such as NBAA, NATA, and AOPA.

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

Industry To Tackle Fuel Contamination Problem 

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2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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

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

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Energy group supported flight pioneers in the 1920s

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U.S. still relies on imported oil from Middle East for jet fuel

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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.

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News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

EASA and Eurocontrol are considering measures to save aircraft fuel 

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

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.

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