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

Los Angeles-based aircraft operator and charter marketplace provider FlyHouse has named wholesale charter operator Baker Aviation as the first recipient of its <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2026-01-12/flyhouse-introduces-culture-based-safety-standard">FlyHouse Safety Seal</a>, recognizing operators “that demonstrate exceptional rigor in safety risk management, organizational transparency, and day-to-day operational discipline.” FlyHouse developed the program as an equitable safety evaluation system for pilots and aircraft seeking to be listed on its online market platform.&nbsp;
The award follows an in-depth onsite review conducted in October 2025 across Baker’s leadership practices, flight operations, and safety systems.
“We always welcome our vendors’ requests for safety inspections,” said Baker Aviation president Tim Livingston. “Our partners place their clients and their reputations in our hands [and] it is our responsibility to ensure they feel complete confidence in our operation.”
FlyHouse evaluates prospective operators through its proprietary Culture and Safety Assessment. Unlike traditional checklist audits, it measures how safety functions in real-world conditions, examining leadership behaviors, communication, accountability, and frontline decision making to determine how effectively risk is understood and managed across the organization.
“Safety is not a department at FlyHouse, it is the foundation of every decision we make,” said company CEO Jack Lambert, Jr. “Partners like Baker Aviation set the standard for what disciplined, professional operations should look like.”

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

FlyHouse Names First Safety Seal Operator Recipient

Audit program is necessary for companies to be listed on FlyHouse’s marketplace

Flyhouse has named the first aircraft operator recipient of its newly-launched FlyHouse Safety Seal.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Chad Trautvetter

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

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.

Electric aircraft will be used for transfer and sightseeing flights in Tokyo

Japan’s AirX Opts for up to 50 Eve eVTOL Aircraft Worth $250 million

Amy Wilder

Additions boost charter capacity, long-range operations

Luxaviation Expands APAC Managed Aircraft Fleet

Charles Alcock

Charter group will hold educational and conference sessions 

Air Charter Association Backs Aero Friedrichshafen Show

Neelam Mathews

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

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

Accident killed deputy chief minister of Maharashtra state

Indian Investigators Probe Fatal Learjet Charter Crash 

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

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Air Charter Association Backs Aero Friedrichshafen Show

Charter group will hold educational and conference sessions

Indian Investigators Probe Fatal Learjet Charter Crash

Accident killed deputy chief minister of Maharashtra state

Wheels Up Streamlines Brand and Service Delivery

Sales and other functions unified across product offerings

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Based at NYC-area Republic Airport, the company manages 40 private jets

Luxaviation One To Expand Team in U.S.

Newly appointed U.S. managing director will help grow subsidiary’s presence in charter market

Wheels Up Achieves Record Reliability To Start 2026

Company reports 99% on-time performance including holiday period

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