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

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (KMSP) received its first shipment of locally produced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) this week, which will be used to power a Delta Air Lines flight tomorrow as the ceremonial first SAF flight to depart the state.
The blended fuel—with its SAF component produced from locally grown winter camelina, a low-carbon-intensity oilseed crop—demonstrated the regional capabilities of biofuel production as championed by the <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2024-09-10/minnesota-saf-coalition-notes-progress">Minnesota SAF Hub</a>.
Farmers in Minnesota and North Dakota planted 2,000 acres of winter camelina, a variety developed by the University of Minnesota. After this summer’s harvest, the seed crop was crushed and processed at Cargill’s facility in Fargo, North Dakota, and then moved to the Montana Renewables plant in Great Falls, where it was refined and blended into SAF. The fuel was then sold to Delta Air Lines—which operates a major hub at KMSP—and transported directly to the airport’s fueling facility.
“The fact that this first flight is fueled with SAF made from camelina, an innovative regenerative agricultural crop grown in Minnesota, is a breakthrough far beyond what we thought possible just six months ago,” said Peter Frosch, president and CEO of the Greater MSP partnership. “This first batch of SAF is a demonstration of how we plan to decarbonize air travel and improve water quality on agricultural lands while providing new income sources for farmers in and around Minnesota.”

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

Minnesota Flight To Fly on Locally Grown and Produced SAF

Delta flight will highlight the region's SAF production chain

Minnesota's first flight fueled by sustainable aviation fuel is scheduled for takeoff this week, showing off the potential of the region's SAF production chain.

Minnesota Flight To Fly on Locally Grown SAF

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

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.

Pipistrel's Velis Electro two-seater is the only electric aircraft certified for passenger flights in the UK

UK's Electric Aircraft Fleet Grows, Mainly for Training

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.

All three Las Vegas airports will give operators the choice to participate

SAF Options Abound at NBAA-BACE

Kerry Lynch

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 international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Formation follows the creation of a Sustainable Aviation Caucus in the House

Lawmakers Form Senate Sustainable Aviation Caucus

Mark Huber

New 'green tax' applies to aircraft with 10 or more seats

Denmark's Air Pax Tax Begins in 2025

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.

Program is a joint project between NASA and NREL

Connecticut Airport Selected for Future Energy Research Program

Demands come as new UK government prepares to announce budget in October 

Climate Action Group Calls for Taxes on Private Jets

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

More In Environment

UK's Electric Aircraft Fleet Grows, Mainly for Training

Pipistrel's Velis Electro two-seater is the only electric aircraft certified for passenger flights in the UK

SAF Options Abound at NBAA-BACE

All three Las Vegas airports will give operators the choice to participate

Lawmakers Form Senate Sustainable Aviation Caucus

Formation follows the creation of a Sustainable Aviation Caucus in the House

Denmark's Air Pax Tax Begins in 2025

New 'green tax' applies to aircraft with 10 or more seats

Connecticut Airport Selected for Future Energy Research Program

Program is a joint project between NASA and NREL

Climate Action Group Calls for Taxes on Private Jets

Demands come as new UK government prepares to announce budget in October

SkyNRG To Partner on Swedish SAF Plant

Slated for completion by 2030, the faciilty will eventually produce 100,000 tonnes of SAF a year

California Shuts Window on PFAS Firefighting Foam

After a year-long delay in enactment, the ban took effect last week

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