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

In its first-half 2020 financial numbers released on Monday, Signature Aviation indicates continuation of a&nbsp;rising trend as the industry recovers from Covid-19 headwinds. The company—which operates Signature Flight Support, the world’s largest FBO chain along with its TechnicAir maintenance business and Epic fuel distributor—saw a 38 percent decline in revenues during the first six months of 2020 as a result of traffic loss from the pandemic (31 percent when adjusted for lower fuel prices). According to FAA data, business and general aviation movements fell by 30 percent over the same period.

 


Signature said business aircraft flight activity is continuing to improve, with May off&nbsp;58 percent from the same period in 2019 and June down just 32 percent. By contrast,&nbsp;April activity was down&nbsp;77 percent year-over-year.

 


Due to an $80 million stimulus from the U.S. CARES Act (the final $20 million of which is scheduled for delivery by the end of July), Signature said all of its furloughed U.S. employees have been recalled. The&nbsp;$80 million includes a $19 million loan that&nbsp;the company expects to prepay before the end of the year. Signature&nbsp;has also reached an agreement with its lenders aimed at preserving liquidity in its revolving credit facilities.

 


Even during the crisis, the company is working to increase its network, with an agreement to purchase TAG Aviation’s two Swiss FBOs in Geneva and Sion, Switzerland. More information on that deal will be released shortly.

 


"As we look forward, I remain confident in the resilience and potential of our market-leading business model, the quality of our network, the strength of our liquidity, and therefore our ability to continue to invest in and grow our attractive and high-return business," said company CEO Mark Johnstone.

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

Signature Aviation Sees Rising Traffic

While the company noted overall first-half 2020 declines in revenue based on diminished general aviation traffic, it also cited a rising trend.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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.

The complex is viewed as the cornerstone of an aviation conglomerate

Major Las Vegas Hangar Complex Changes Hands

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

Projects totaled more than $5 million in infrastructure development

Oklahoma Airport Gets More Hangars, Upgraded Ramp

The facility will lean heavily towards sustainability

Clay Lacy Aviation Starts Construction on New KSNA FBO

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

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OEMs and FBOs talk about how electric aircraft can be accommodated at FBOs

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Construction is expected to begin next year

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