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

California aviation services provider Desert Jet earned two of the industry’s highest safety standards, Wyvern Wingman Pro and Argus Platinum.&nbsp;These latest additions give Desert Jet the trifecta of top safety certifications, joining its’ IS-BAO Stage 3 registration. Fewer than one percent of all charter operators in the U.S. have earned all three ratings concurrently.
Based at Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (KTRM) in Palm Springs, Desert Jet is now one of just 16 private aircraft operators to earn Wingman Pro status, which is the safety benchmark above Wyvern’s standard Wingman program. It is issued to companies that demonstrate effectiveness in all areas of safety management systems, excellence in addressing human factors and operational safety culture, as well as continuous conformity to international standards through an internal audit program.
The Argus Platinum rating is bestowed to operators who pass a rigorous on-site safety audit and have a well-developed safety management plan and emergency response plan. Only companies that have implemented industry-best safety practices relative to their operations and maintenance receive the auditor's highest certification.
In addition to offering FBO services, aircraft charter, and management, the company operates an FAA Part 145 repair station.
“Desert Jet is fully committed to embracing all available safety tools, including the third-party auditing services that assist in sharpening our approach to operating safely every single day,” said CEO Jared Fox.&nbsp;

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Desert Jet Earns Charter Industry's Highest Safety Ratings

Fewer than one percent of operators have Wyvern's Wingman Pro, Argus Platinum and IS-BAO Stage 3 ratings concurrently

Ahead of NBAA's Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference, California aviation services provider Desert Jet earned Wyvern Wingman Pro and Argus Platinum ratings.


2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

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.

Altitude and course deviation, traffic proximity remain top categories

ACSF Data Shows Stable Bizav Risk Amid 2026 Pressures

Kerry Lynch

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.

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.

Aircraft remained within separation guidance but neared each other after the presidential helicopter was unable to alert ATC

Faulty Comms Preceded Marine One/Envoy Close Call

Graham leaving agency within months of confirmation to another term

NTSB Vice Chair Michael Graham To Retire October 2

Stuart “Kipp” Lau

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.

UK CAA concerned over rise in unstable approaches continuing to land

AINsight: Go-arounds Are a Normal and Expected Outcome

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Helicopters more than twice as vulnerable to loss of visual reference accidents than airplanes

TSB: Rotorcraft More Prone To Loss-of-visual-reference Accidents

Charlotte Bailey

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

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.

NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference 2024

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NTSB Vice Chair Michael Graham To Retire October 2

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Helicopters more than twice as vulnerable to loss of visual reference accidents than airplanes

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First episode features three-time space shuttle veteranJanet Kavandi

Li-ion Thermal Runaways on the Rise in Aircraft Cabins

Numbers are rising and the risk of a serious incident is increasing

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