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.

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With its network of nearly 700 FBOs and its role as a top supplier of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to business aviation, Avfuel is lending its expertise this week at EBACE with its leaders participating in two panel discussions: “The Business Aviation Airport of the Future,” and “Talking SAF: Market Access and Acceleration.”
“Business aviation has an incredible opportunity to reimagine the airport experience in ways that are smarter, greener, and more customer centric,” said C.R. Sincock II, the Michigan-based fuel provider’s executive v-p who will be participating in the Wednesday panel. “At Avfuel, we’re focused on helping our partners prepare for that future through sustainable solutions and operational excellence.”
The company currently offers consistent supplies of SAF to 57 airports/FBOs globally, in addition to an in-house book-and-claim program to manage SAF purchases anywhere. With SAF mandates now in effect, Keith Sawyer, its manager of alternative fuels, will discuss on Thursday how the industry can ramp up production and overcome regulatory and logistical hurdles to meet those goals.
Joining Avfuel at its stand on the show floor are eight of its FBO network partners. Among them is Overland Aviation, a service provider at North Dakota’s Williston Basin International Airport, a popular fee-free international tech stop for aircraft entering the U.S. The company just accepted its first delivery of SAF, making it the first Midwest U.S. location in Avfuel’s network to do so.
“We’re proud to help lead the charge in introducing SAF to the Midwest,” said Overland founder and president Tanner Overland. “Our goal is to provide world-class services that support a more sustainable future for aviation. This special fuel load is an important milestone in that commitment.”
Also in attendance this week at the Avfuel stand is Castle &amp; Cooke Aviation, which has FBO locations in California and Hawaii. At its Los Angeles-area Van Nuys Airport facility, the company offers continuous supplies of 30% SAF blend, which provides a 24% lifecycle reduction in carbon emissions.
“SAF is not new to our facility; the difference lies in how seamlessly we can provide it,” said Tony Marlow, the company’s president of aviation operations and business development. “With close proximity to a Neste SAF blending facility and supply terminal, operators seeking high-volume SAF can count on Castle &amp; Cooke VNY and Avfuel for quick, local access.”
With solar energy panels on the roofs of its hangars and an array of electric ground handling equipment, Castle &amp; Cooke VNY is actively working to reduce its own environmental impact. The facility also offers U.S. Customs and Border Protection clearance on-site.
Avfuel also announced several new members of its sales team. Joining its staff as U.S. area managers are Blake Bannon (Mountain region); Collin Cowsert and Chris Hayes (South Central); and Stephen Tong and Levi Weiss (Pacific Northwest). Laura Polin, previously sales director with Fly Louie, will continue to support Part 135 operators now with Avfuel, while Mark Leonard joins the company as commercial sales manager.
“We’re thrilled to welcome seven talented and dedicated professionals to our sales team,” said Avfuel senior v-p of sales Joel Hirst. “Their expertise and commitment allow us to continue to provide the exceptional support our customers expect as all business lines continue to grow.”

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