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

Canada-based Viking Air Limited has launched an avionics upgrade program for the Canadair CL-215T and CL-415 fleet of water bombers. Designed around the Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion avionics suite, it will provide modernization in communications, navigation, surveillance, and air traffic management, which will address current regulatory requirements and those in the future, according to Viking, which since 2016 has owned the type certificates for the aircraft.

 


The upgraded Pro Line flight deck includes flight director, flight&nbsp;management system&nbsp;coupled with SBAS-GP and LPV capability, terrain&nbsp;awareness warning system, ADS-B Out, synthetic vision, crew alerting system display indicators, and a multifunction keyboard panel with dual cursor controls. Available options include satcom, Latitude Technologies Ionode system, weather radar, and autopilot.

 


The upgrade will be available either as a complete modification, including supply and installation, or as a parts kit for installation by an approved maintenance repair organization.

 


“The Pro Line Fusion’s advanced technology will be the backbone for the evolution and support of these incredible aircraft for the next 25-plus years, and I am excited to see this integrated avionics suite equipping current CL fleets, as well as the new Viking CL-415EAF Enhanced Aerial Firefighter,” said Gregory Davis, the airframer’s v-p for customer service and product support. “This system will form the basis for any new production aircraft, allowing for seamless interoperability and maintainability between new and legacy aircraft.”

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

Viking Launches Avionics Upgrade for Its Fire Bombers

The Canadian company acquired the CL-215 and CL-415 type certificates in 2016 and is responsible for all product support.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Matt Thurber

News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

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.

A sale of peripheral assets could net up to $12 billion for the aerospace and defense group

Jeppesen and ForeFlight Sale Could Yield $8B For Boeing

Charles Alcock

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.

News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

Start-up is developing a family of hypersonic aircraft using air-breathing propulsion

Hermeus Installs Starlink for Beyond-line-of-sight Tests

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

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.

Vulnerability to bad actors is a critical aviation issue

Aerodata Backup GPS Approved for Anti-spoofing/jamming

Hanneke Weitering

Garmin introduced the third-generation flight deck last month

Beta’s Electric Airplane Debuts Garmin G3000 Prime Avionics

Approval enables operators to add head-up display to King Air turboprops

Global Aviation STCs ClearVision EFVS in King Airs

Upgrade adds 3D synthetic vision and next-gen capabilities

Thornton Aviation Installs InSight Suite on Falcon 900B

Chad Trautvetter

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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Jeppesen and ForeFlight Sale Could Yield $8B For Boeing

A sale of peripheral assets could net up to $12 billion for the aerospace and defense group

Hermeus Installs Starlink for Beyond-line-of-sight Tests

Start-up is developing a family of hypersonic aircraft using air-breathing propulsion

Aerodata Backup GPS Approved for Anti-spoofing/jamming

Vulnerability to bad actors is a critical aviation issue

Beta’s Electric Airplane Debuts Garmin G3000 Prime Avionics

Garmin introduced the third-generation flight deck last month

Global Aviation STCs ClearVision EFVS in King Airs

Approval enables operators to add head-up display to King Air turboprops

Thornton Aviation Installs InSight Suite on Falcon 900B

Upgrade adds 3D synthetic vision and next-gen capabilities

Autothrottles on HondaJet Elite II Get FAA Nod

Automation helps reduce pilot workload and improve passenger comfort

Eclipse Flight Tests Daedalean Visual Awareness System

Tests are being done in an Eclipse 550 twinjet

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