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

Carlsbad Jet Center, which has replaced Magellan Aviation Group as an independent FBO operator at California’s McClellan-Palomar Airport, began operations there on January 18. The FBO, one of three on the airport, is now managed by Josh and Julia Hochberg, the owners of Sonoma Jet Center at Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport, who have retained the previous staff.

 


“We’re excited to step in and lead this team,” said Josh Hochberg. “The Carlsbad Jet Center staff has established a great rapport with many existing customers and we’re looking forward to building on that, focusing on standard-setting customer care and safety.”

 


Magellan began construction on a 10,000-sq-ft terminal more than a decade ago, but the nearly completed building had remained vacant for a number of years while the FBO operated from a temporary structure.&nbsp;The new ownership will continue to operate the temporary facility but plans to finish the dormant terminal.

 


“It’s about 80 percent there,” said Hochberg, adding the Avfuel-branded location will include leasable office space, a conference room, pilot&nbsp;lounge, and passenger waiting areas. “We are excited to offer our customers a premier experience in a new facility.”

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Facility will be operated by charter provider FlyXcite

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The FBO chain acquired the facility and its customer care culture in 2007

Signature Shows Off 'Minnesota Nice' in St. Paul

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

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