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.

Business Aviation Services Editor

Curt Epstein

In response to the recent devastating earthquakes that rocked Venezuela, W Aviation—an FBO at Florida’s Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE)—has organized a humanitarian relief initiative in partnership with nonprofit organizations Giving Smiles TTLO and Sunrisas.
The company has turned one of its hangars into a receiving and staging area for donated supplies to be flown down to the devastated areas.&nbsp;Needed goods such as medical supplies, first-aid materials, baby care products, hygiene kits, water filtration systems, and other essential items are being collected and prepared for transport.
Aircraft owners, operators, pilots, FBO partners, and local businesses are working together to donate aircraft, flight crews, fuel, logistics, and operational support to transport these critical supplies directly to Venezuela. The location is a member of the AEG Fuels Connect network, which is contributing funding and other resources to support the mission.
“What makes this effort unique is the overwhelming support from within business aviation,” Hugo Cortes, the FBO’s general manager, told AIN. “Our goal is to demonstrate how the business aviation industry can respond quickly and effectively during times of humanitarian need by using its infrastructure, expertise, and network to deliver life-saving aid.”
During the first day of the donation drive, more than 150 volunteers came together to receive, organize, sort, and prepare thousands of pounds of humanitarian supplies for immediate air transport. The first relief aircraft organized under this effort arrived in Caracas yesterday, delivering the initial shipment of emergency supplies. Three additional flights are scheduled for tomorrow, with more expected as donations continue to arrive.
“Watching our aviation community, volunteers, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and local leaders unite for one purpose has been truly inspiring,” said W Aviation CEO Ignacio Martinez. “Every box packed, every hour volunteered, every aircraft donated, and every contribution represents hope for families facing unimaginable hardship.”

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