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

The Charitable Aviation Foundation, a nonprofit group based in New Orleans, will now offer funding support for volunteer pilot organizations (VPOs) engaged in charitable flights that benefit people, patients, animals, and communities.
Founder Jay Taffet noted that he established the foundation to further the efforts of the approximately 100 organizations in the U.S. that fly more than 50,000 charity flights a year in areas such as disaster relief, patient transport, animal rescue, conservation monitoring, and community support.
The foundation raises money from aviation and non-aviation sources to help VPOs employ staff and recruit pilots, as well as purchase software and administrative systems required to pursue their missions.
“There are thousands of pilots around the country that volunteer their time and aircraft towards compassionate airlift and public benefit flights, and the organizations that match these volunteer pilots and humanitarian missions are indispensable to the wider nonprofit community,” said Taffet. “Unfortunately, there is very little funding visibility for these VPOs and, thus, a shortage of funds to expand their mission and impact.”
The foundation will award grants to VPOs based on stated needs and will fund only those groups that meet or exceed the standards set by the Air Care Alliance, which promotes charity flights. “We actively solicit grant applications from the VPOs…towards quick-turn funding in support of their mission and services,” Taffet said.

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

Charitable Foundation Accepting Grant Requests from Aviation Groups

The Charitable Aviation Foundation is soliciting funding requests

Volunteer pilot organizations offering charity and community assistance flights can now apply for funding with the Charitable Aviation Foundation.

Foundation Accepting Grant Requests for Charity Flights

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

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.

Four-decade career in aviation journalism culminated in leading AIN’s editorial team

AIN Editor-in-chief Matt Thurber To Retire in October

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.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

The Dutch air force will receive eight of the two-seaters in 2027

Pilatus PC-7 MKX Basic Trainer Makes First Flight

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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.

Why not teach new pilots to go around before learning how to land?

AINsight: You Can (and Should) Always Go Around

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Most major manufacturers will be at static this year

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

First step toward licensing could encourage youth to seek aviation careers

GAO Wants High Schoolers To Take Mechanic General Test

Charlotte Bailey

Evolving AI-augmented simulator-based approach to ‘gamify’ learning 

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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.

More In Training and Workforce

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People in Aviation —September 2026

Michel Denis was named CEO of Daher, Steve Varsano president of Flexjet, and Robert Sumwalt was the next Wright Trophy recipient

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