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

Fresh off its successful air charter trip to Spain to view Wednesday’s total eclipse, UK-based private lift specialist Air Charter Service (ACS) is already planning for next year’s celestial occurrence.
For this most recent event, the company arranged for nearly 100 people to travel on a chartered Embraer 190. Its planning identified three possible locations for prime viewing of the eclipse on the path of totality: Keflavik, Iceland; Valladolid, on mainland Spain; or Palma, Mallorca. The decision for Valladolid was made last Friday based on weather forecasts, and the passengers who departed from London Stansted Airport (EGSS) enjoyed spectacular views. Thousands of Spaniards also experienced the first total solar eclipse visible in the country in more than a century.
“We booked the day return flight more than a year ago, knowing that we would be able to help eclipse-chasers, astronomy enthusiasts, and photographers get the best view of the first total solar eclipse in continental Europe since 2006,” said Matthew Purton, ACS’ group aviation services director. He added that the company chartered private jets into Zaragoza, Spain, and Palma for other clients also eager to see the phenomenon.
According to Purton, ACS is now looking ahead to next year’s eclipse on August 2, which many are dubbing “The Eclipse of the Century” due to its lengthy 6.5 minutes of totality.

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

Charter Broker Delivers Stellar Eclipse Viewing

Air Charter Service organized the sun-gazing event

In planning for more than a year, Air Charter Service’s chartered flight to Spain gave customers the views of a lifetime during the total eclipse.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

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.

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