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

Carly Simon’s 1972 hit song “You’re So Vain” described someone flying their Learjet up to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun. That scenario will be repeated on April 8 as the U.S. will be treated to the first total eclipse in seven years.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the “<a href="https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/domesticnotices/dom24008_gen.html">Great North American Eclipse</a>” will transit a narrow path of totality from southwest to northeast across 13 U.S. states, as well as swathes of Canada and Mexico. This event is predicted to be spectacular, with those along the direct path experiencing several minutes of totality.
The <a href="https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEpath/SEpath2001/SE2024Apr08Tpath.html">eclipse path</a> will impact the U.S. from approximately 1830 to 1940 UTC, and the DoT warns that aircraft operators should be prepared for potential airborne holding, reroutes, and/or Expect Departure Clearance Times (EDCTs) that may be issued for all domestic IFR arrivals and departures.
The agency also noted that there may be higher traffic volumes than normal at airports along the path of the eclipse, and to assist FBOs with staging aircraft and to ease ramp congestion, aircraft departing airports along the eclipse path are strongly encouraged to coordinate their departure times as early as possible.
One such airport—Watertown International in New York at the Canadian border—will be holding a viewing party for the celestial event with bands and food trucks. A $20 special event fee (in addition to the normal ramp fees for turbine aircraft) will be charged per aircraft to cover extra staffing and security, comfort stations, entertainment, and eclipse viewing glasses. Pilots are encouraged to bring “yard games.”

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

U.S. DOT Issues Aviation Guidance ahead of Total Eclipse

First total eclipse to hit the U.S. in seven years is expected to be a great spectacle

The Great North American Eclipse on April 8 promises a fantastic celestial show and the potential for air traffic disruption.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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 developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

Organization holds its sixth annual Green Aero Days event in Toulouse

Green Aviation Takes Root in France's Aerospace Valley 

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.

Collins Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney are committed to new R&D efforts in the Netherlands

RTX Launches Sustainability Alliance With Dutch Aerospace Sector

Total funding for the third phase of work could top €950 million

EU's Clean Aviation Set to Invite Proposals for Decarbonization R&D Work

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

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

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.

Naples Aviation is the first of many to begin offering SAF in the coming months

Florida FBO Becomes First on East Coast To Offer SAF

The large-scale plant is expected to come online in 2026

Pakistan's First SAF Plant Gets Funding Boost

The multi-billion-dollar facility is expected to be running by 2029

New Major SAF Plant Planned for Texas

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.

The move could bolster the Kingdom's circular economy and sustainability

TotalEnergies, Aramco Sign SAF Development Agreement

Kerry Lynch

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.

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