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

Private lift provider Wheels Up has launched a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) program for its charter customers. It will allow users to opt into the program to seamlessly integrate SAF use into their bookings and contribute to the decarbonization of aviation.
While SAF is expected to play a major role in the industry’s carbon reduction ambitions, it still only makes up a small fraction of the fuel supply, with limited geographical availability. As such, Wheels Up will partner with Delta Air Lines to purchase SAF, which will be used in a book-and-claim format to allow private aircraft passengers to participate regardless of their departure airport. Via the program, charter customers can determine the amount of SAF they wish to support, and the company will coordinate with Delta—using sustainability software solutions provider Chooose—to direct those contributions into the airline’s SAF program.
Programs like this are expected to play a critical role in signaling the need for SAF, as well as scaling the fuel's production and use over the coming years.
“As demand for ESG-conscious travel grows, this initiative allows our customers to take meaningful steps toward reducing their carbon footprint, while reinforcing Wheels Up’s commitment to sustainable aviation,” said Jill Greer, the company’s v-p for investor relations and sustainability.

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

Wheels Up Adds SAF Option for Customers Via Partnership with Delta Air Lines 

Through a Delta Air Lines deal, its charter customers can now book SAF anywhere

Wheels Up has rolled out a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) usage program for customers in partnership with Delta Air Lines.

Wheels Up Adds SAF Option for Charter Customers

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

News and developments about aviation fuel, including jet fuel, aviation gasoline, and 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.

Green Fuel Forward aims to spur demand for SAF

New Sustainable Aviation Fuel Initiative Targets APAC

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.

Program offers clients verifiable offsets

Tamarack Aerospace Launches Carbon Offset Option

Charles Alcock

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

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

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.

FBOs in the UK, South Africa, and the U.S. are all now partly powered by solar energy

Airports , FBOs Tap Solar Power in Decarbonization Plans

Company exceeds 1.6 million tons of CO2 offset

Sentient Jet Updates Annual Sustainability Progress

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.

Study predicts a nearly sevenfold growth 

U.S. SAF Market To Hit $7 Billion by 2030

The site will produce up to 165 million gallons of SAF a year

Neste Starts SAF Production at Rotterdam Facility

The online feature helps streamline the SAF usage process

World Fuel Rolls Out SAF Book-and-claim Tool

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

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