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

Canadian helicopter maintenance and modification specialist Alpine Aerotech has received an STC from Transport Canada for its digital flight instrument package for the Bell 212.

 


It was designed to replace legacy heading and attitude indicators with modern digital versions with no moving parts to wear out. In addition, the installer can also remove the Tarsyn/rate gyros, flux valve, remote compensator, compass control, and all associated wiring, leaving fewer components to fail. The upgrade kit, applicable for day/night VFR operations, is a near plug-and-play solution, requiring only minor structural modifications.

 


“Average lead times for ADI/HSI/gyro repairs are approaching four months and parts are getting more expensive daily,” said Tod Lansing, the company’s avionics manager. “This kit will provide hours of reliable, low-maintenance operation, and will ultimately be ready for immediate delivery on request.”

 


The British Columbia-based company noted that the kit will be cost-effective relative to the repair/replacement of the analog instruments. FAA and EASA STCs are pending.

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

Alpine Aerotech Earns Bell 212 Upgrade STC

Canadian helicopter MRO specialist Alpine Aerotech has received an STC from Transport Canada for its Bell 212 digital flight instrument package.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Hanneke Weitering

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Results could inform development of Merlin's autonomous flight control system

Merlin and Quikjet Team on Pilot Fatigue Study

Matt Thurber

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

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.

Upgrade changes round dials to larger arc-type gauges

Garmin Adds Engine Indicating for TPE331-10 Turbines

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.

Company 'received overwhelming support from European operators'

Boost Systems Gets EASA Approval for Carrying Device

Chad Trautvetter

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.

Added features include CPDLC, ADS-B In weather, and enhanced connectivity

Collins Unveils Pro Line 21 Upgrade for Cessna CJs, XLS+

Failure to upgrade could cause service interruptions

Universal FMS GPS Rollover Date Coming Due May 31

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

New Garmin avionics and a Finoff Aviation engine upgrade modernize the Swiss  turboprop

Fargo Jet Completes PC-12 Avionics Modernization

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

More In Avionics

Merlin and Quikjet Team on Pilot Fatigue Study

Results could inform development of Merlin's autonomous flight control system

Garmin Adds Engine Indicating for TPE331-10 Turbines

Upgrade changes round dials to larger arc-type gauges

Boost Systems Gets EASA Approval for Carrying Device

Company 'received overwhelming support from European operators'

Collins Unveils Pro Line 21 Upgrade for Cessna CJs, XLS+

Added features include CPDLC, ADS-B In weather, and enhanced connectivity

Universal FMS GPS Rollover Date Coming Due May 31

Failure to upgrade could cause service interruptions

Fargo Jet Completes PC-12 Avionics Modernization

New Garmin avionics and a Finoff Aviation engine upgrade modernize the Swiss turboprop

Mitigating the Effects of GNSS Jamming and Spoofing

Compromised navigation information is an ongoing problem

StandardAero To Begin StableLight Autopilot Installs

The autopilot is based on Thales' Compact Autopilot System for the Airbus H125

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