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

Paris-Saclay-Versailles Airport (LFPN) is the latest location in Europe to begin receiving continual supplies of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Supplied by TotalEnergies, the HEFA-produced SAF is provided in a 35% SAF blend that will provide a 30% life cycle carbon emissions savings over conventional fossil-based jet fuel.
Among those applauding the news is aircraft manufacturer Daher.&nbsp;“The provision of [SAF] at Paris-Saclay-Versailles Airport, where we have one of our main maintenance bases in France, is an important step for the promotion of these fuels to our customers,” said Nicolas Chabbert, CEO of Daher's aircraft division. “Since 2022 we have been using the mixture of jet-A1 and SAF on our TBM and Kodiak aircraft for flight operations at our French industrial site in Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées or at airports where it is available.” He added that the airframer is strongly committed to the transition towards carbon neutrality by 2050.
LFPN is owned by Groupe ADP, which views it as an innovation and training laboratory for its decarbonization plans.&nbsp;“After the installation of charging stations to support the growth of electric aviation in 2023, this new initiative in favor of decarbonization of general aviation is aimed more particularly at travel airplanes and helicopters present on the platform,” said Sébastien Couturier, director of ADP’s general aviation airports. “[Our SAF offering] will generate increasing demand that will gradually allow us to decarbonize all operations.”

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

Paris-Saclay-Versailles Airport Now Stocks SAF

The TotalEnergies supplied blend provides a 30% life cycle carbon emissions savings 

Paris-Saclay-Versailles Airport is now among the French airports offering permanent supplies of sustainable aviation fuel.

Paris-area GA Airport Latest To Receive Continuous SAF

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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

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

Kerry Lynch

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.

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

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.

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.

Project also includes Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Honeywell Aerospace, and American Airlines, plus MIT and University of Michigan

NASA Contracts Electra for AACES Sustainable Airliner Program

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

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

4,000 solar panels have been fitted on buildings across the London-area facility

Solar Generates 25% of Farnborough's Electric Power

Matt Thurber

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.

More In Environment

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

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NASA and GE Plan Flight Tests To Study Contrails

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

NASA Contracts Electra for AACES Sustainable Airliner Program

Project also includes Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Honeywell Aerospace, and American Airlines, plus MIT and University of Michigan

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4,000 solar panels have been fitted on buildings across the London-area facility

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High-octane unleaded avgas is becoming more available in California

Minnesota Selected for SAF Production Site

DG Fuels plans for the $5 billion production facility to be operational by 2030

Still In Its Infancy, SAF Growing by Leaps and Bounds

With jet-A holding a 75-year head start over SAF, it will take time to catch up

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