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

California-based FBO services and aircraft maintenance chain ACI Jet has completed the installation of a solar array at its facility at San Luis Obispo County Airport (KSBP).
Taking advantage of the state’s bountiful sunshine, the 900-panel array—which spans the roofs of the location’s aircraft maintenance and storage hangars—is capable of generating nearly 600 kilowatts of peak power for much of the year, enough to power the entire FBO, Part 145 repair station, and flight operations center at KSBP.
For ACI, the development represents a major milestone for Paradigm Positive, its ESG, sustainability, and innovation strategy.
“Alternative and renewable energy already supports many of our modernized aircraft ground support systems,” said Andrew Robillard, the company’s head of FBOs and facilities. “As the aviation industry moves toward increased electrification of aircraft, vehicles, and equipment, establishing a clean, reliable, and scalable energy source becomes not just beneficial, but essential.”
The improvement fits as part of a larger renewable energy effort at KSBP. The airport recently completed the installation of a 940-kilowatt solar system over its parking facilities, further reducing its reliance on conventional energy sources.

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

California-based Services Provider ACI Jet Has Gone Solar at KSBP

New solar array provides enough juice to power the entire facility

The new 900-panel solar array at ACI Jet’s San Luis Obispo County Airport location can provide enough juice to power the entire facility.

California FBO/MRO Goes off the Grid

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