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

MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (KBLV) expects to complete the first phase of its new U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility by year-end. Construction began on the nearly $30 million project at the Belleville, Illinois gateway in the third quarter.
According to airport director Darren James, the general aviation portion of the 25,277-sq-ft facility will come online first, followed by the Federal Inspection Station for commercial passengers and cargo, a move that will allow the airport—which is co-located with Scott Air Force Base and has a 10,000-foot main runway—to receive international airline flights.
While St. Louis-area KBLV has an existing general aviation customs clearance facility, James told AIN that it is now out of compliance with CBP specifications. Since the new building is under construction, the airport is permitted to continue using the old facility until its replacement is ready for use.&nbsp;The work is funded by FAA grants, community and state money, passenger facility charges, and local matching.
“The project will expand service offerings and increase airline competition by facilitating new international entrants into the regional market,” James explained. “We have worked closely with CBP to ensure the facility is designed to meet existing requirements and anticipated needs.”

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

St. Louis-area Airport Building a New Customs & Border Protection Facility

$30 million facility will allow KBLV to receive more international flights

MidAmerica St. Louis Airport is anticipating the arrival of a major new U.S. Customs and Border Protection clearance facility.

St. Louis-area Airport Building a Major CBP Facility

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Kerry Lynch

News, issues, personnel, equipment and developments about air traffic management.

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.

ASCE aviation rating remained unchanged from its last report in 2021

Engineering Org Grades U.S. Aviation Infrastructure a D+

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 issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

Partners say they are working on projects in Oman and the UAE

Lyte, Bluenest, and LynePorts Form Team To Develop Middle East Vertiports

UAS participates in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Reimbursable Services Program at 30 airports

UAS Adds Five Airports to Its U.S. Customs Program

Matt Thurber

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

More helicopter operations and growth in the area prompted the expansion

Garland/DFW Heliport Expands with New Landing Pad

New developments at FBOs including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

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.

Handlers, aircraft operators, and airports have three years to comply with new rules in Europe

Ground Handlers Must Comply with New EASA Regulations

Amy Wilder

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 Airports

Engineering Org Grades U.S. Aviation Infrastructure a D+

ASCE aviation rating remained unchanged from its last report in 2021

Lyte, Bluenest, and LynePorts Form Team To Develop Middle East Vertiports

Partners say they are working on projects in Oman and the UAE

UAS Adds Five Airports to Its U.S. Customs Program

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City officials and FBOs pave the way to build infrastructure for eVTOL operations

FBO Chains Working To Build Vertiports for eVTOL Ops

City-center eVTOL landing sites could be as small as one acre

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