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

Passenger helicopter flight provider Blade has launched what it describes as “the largest urban air mobility initiative (UAM)” in the U.S., with the announcement that it will offer continuous daytime shuttle flights in New York, between midtown Manhattan and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The per-seat service, which will run on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. using a Bell 206L-4 operated by Zip Aviation, will fly between Blade’s lounge at the West 30th Street Heliport&nbsp;and the JFK helipad, with ground transportation then linking to the airline terminals, for $195 per passenger.

 


According to Blade, that cost is comparable to that for car service on the same route during rush hour but at a fraction of the time.&nbsp;At JFK, Blade will soon open a counter in the lobby of the TWA Hotel.

 


“The heavy traffic between urban centers and area airports is a key point of friction in city life,” said Blade CEO Rob Wiesenthal. “Our UAM service begins to remedy this issue at a reasonable price today, while paving the way for even more affordable solutions tomorrow driven by our partners’ next-generation electric aircraft.”

 


Earlier this year, Blade <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2019-02-22/american-airlines-adds-private-aviation-touches">announced an agreement with American Airlines</a>, whose Five Star Service passengers at JFK can book an airplane to helicopter transfer option at the time of their ticket purchase.

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

Blade Launches Continuous Helicopter Shuttle at JFK

The helicopter flight provider will offer the aerial transfers between midtown Manhattan and John F. Kennedy International Airport for $195 per seat.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Matt Thurber

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

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.

Making flying easier and safer is company's goal

Skyryse Unveils Cockpit Design for Fly-by-wire R66

Charles Alcock

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

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.

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.

Tools can be freely downloaded for use by companies and organizations

EASA Releases Rotorcraft Noise Software and Database

Helicopters will fly for law enforcement and emergency medical operations

Bahrain Orders Nine Airbus H145 Helicopters for Police

Operators in Argentina, the EU, India, and Japan can now install the empennage kit

Robinson Symmetrical Stabilizer Acquires New Approvals

AmyWilder

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Lithium-ion battery STC expands options for helicopter operators 

Airwolf Aerospace Gets Brazil STC for TB17 Batteries 

Jessica Reed

LifeFlight's Mount Isa-based helicopter team rescued the couple and their two dogs

Helicopter Crew Makes Rescue in Australian Outback

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

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Skyryse Unveils Cockpit Design for Fly-by-wire R66

Making flying easier and safer is company's goal

EASA Releases Rotorcraft Noise Software and Database

Tools can be freely downloaded for use by companies and organizations

Bahrain Orders Nine Airbus H145 Helicopters for Police

Helicopters will fly for law enforcement and emergency medical operations

Robinson Symmetrical Stabilizer Acquires New Approvals

Operators in Argentina, the EU, India, and Japan can now install the empennage kit

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LifeFlight's Mount Isa-based helicopter team rescued the couple and their two dogs

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Testing was also conducted by the Air Force

Subaru Bell 412EPX Certified by EASA

European operators can now fly the helicopter in EU countries

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