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

Plans for Pakistan’s first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant got a boost with the announcement that the International Finance Corporation (IFC) will provide up to $35 million in long-term capital financing to help establish the facility in Sheikhupura, Punjab.
Construction of the SAFCO Venture Holdings project is expected to begin in January, with an anticipated start of SAF production in September 2026.
Pakistan generates more than a million tons of used oils, fats, and greases annually, and the plant—the first of its kind in South Asia—is expected to convert 250,000 tons of it as a feedstock to produce 200,000 tons of SAF a year via the HEFA production pathway.
The facility will create more than 300 direct jobs as well as support an estimated 20,000 indirect jobs in the waste-to-fuel value chain.
“This initiative demonstrates how fuel production can be part of a circular economy, drawing from raw materials that would otherwise go to waste and, therefore, how it can be done with no adverse impact on food production or water supplies,” said Ashruf Megahed, IFC’s regional head for manufacturing, agribusiness, and services for the Middle East, Central Asia, Turkey, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. “As IFC’s first investment in sustainable aviation fuel production, it also sets the tone for similar IFC investments in this space, as well as for other financiers to follow suit.”

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

Pakistan's First SAF Plant Gets Funding Boost

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

The International Finance Corporation will provide up to $35 million to help finance construction of Pakistan's first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) facility. 

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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

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.

Environmental regulatory schemes are growing exponentially worldwide

4Air Compliance Services Expand with 21 More Enviro Regs

Charles Alcock

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

Rules are intended to drive up availability of sustainable aviation fuel at airports

UK Mandate To Require More SAF Use Starting in 2025

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.

The report sees the Midwest as a future hotbed of SAF production

Environmental Group Sees U.S. e-Fuel Potential

NBAA called a study suggesting business aviation emissions will need to be regulated 'misleading' 

NBAA Challenges Study Highlighting Bizav Emissions

NASA's Gulfstream G-III will use lidar technology to scan contrails of GE's Boeing 747

NASA and GE Plan Flight Tests To Study Contrails

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.

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