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

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U-Fuel, a provider of aircraft fueling stations, has designed a self-contained unmanned “FBO-in-a-box” concept that it says is aimed at lowering the cost of operating at small airports.


The design consists of a weatherproof steel enclosure that contains self-service pumps for various fuels, an air-conditioned lounge with restroom, as well as a meeting room with telephone, wireless Internet and vending equipment for food, beverages and aviation items.


According to the company, access to the approximately $100,000 facility would be permitted through scanned credit cards or RFID devices, and a daily maintenance visit would be recommended to check the fuel sump and clean, maintain and restock the structure.


Some options call for the pre-fabricated unit to be solar or wind powered for use in areas that lack electricity. The manufacturer said the concept is perfect for small airports lacking basic services or for FBOs that wish to offer after-hours self-service to reduce costs associated with extended operational hours.

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

U-Fuel Touts Self-Service FBO Design

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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