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

The new general aviation terminal at Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd International Airport (OEDF) in Dammam was inaugurated today in a ceremony attended by government and General Authority of Civil Aviation officials, who also named Universal Aviation as the facility’s operator. The company was granted an economic license to serve as the sole general aviation services provider at the airport.
The $20 million complex—which includes a 28,000-sq-ft hangar capable of sheltering Boeing Business Jet and Airbus Corporate Jet-class aircraft, and a 14,000-sq-ft terminal—includes all the amenities of an upscale FBO: onsite customs, immigration, and quarantine services; a reception/passenger lounge area; two private VIP suites; conference room, food and refreshment area; pilot lounge with shower facilities; and offices.&nbsp;It is expected to welcome its first guests over the next few months.
“Saudi Arabia is investing in world-class aviation infrastructure, and we are honored to be entrusted with delivering the operating discipline, safety culture, and hospitality standards that international operators expect,” said Greg Evans, managing principal of Evans Aviation, Universal’s parent company that last year <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2025-09-03/world-kinect-makes-major-deal-universal-weather-aviation">sold</a> its Universal Weather and Aviation&nbsp;trip support services division. “Our vision is to position Saudi Arabia at the forefront of private aviation globally—combining world-class infrastructure with disciplined operations and a distinctly Saudi standard of service.”
This latest announcement is part of Universal’s broader expansion across the kingdom. In Jeddah, it will manage a dedicated 108,000-sq-ft private aviation hangar and ground handling operation at King Abdulaziz International Airport (OEJN), while at King Khalid International Airport (OERK) in Riyadh, the company will open a Universal-exclusive private aviation lounge and deliver full-service ground handling.

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