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

Gama Aviation has opened its new FBO at the UAE’s Sharjah International Airport (OMSJ). The $60 million new-build facility was designed and delivered to set a new benchmark for business aviation operations in the region, according to the company.
It features a 32,300-sq-ft, two-story terminal with onsite immigration and customs services; a well-appointed main lounge; private lounges with dedicated entertainment systems, business facilities, and staff attendants; and a relaxation area with recliners and ambient lighting. Upstairs, an observation bar overlooking the ramp provides gourmet dining and refreshments.
For crews, it offers a lounge facing the ramp for preflight briefings and planning, sleep rooms, showers, 24-hour on-demand catering and refreshments, and priority parking adjacent to the terminal.
The complex’s 130,000-sq-ft hangar greatly increases the region’s aircraft shelter space and accommodates Gama’s line maintenance operations. It allows direct taxi-in/taxi-out capability, minimizing the need for towing and allowing faster aircraft turnaround. Rounding out the development is a dedicated helipad for seamless connectivity with Sharjah, Dubai, and the Northern Emirates.
With direct runway access, minimal taxi times, and no slot restrictions, the airport by ground transport is situated 30 to 40 minutes from Dubai.
“This is a hugely proud moment for Gama Aviation and for everyone who has worked to bring the Sharjah business aviation center to life,” said Tom Murphy, Gama’s managing director of FBO Services. “From day one, our focus has been on delivering a fully functioning FBO that genuinely supports operators, owners, and crews. Seeing aircraft arrive, depart, and move seamlessly into the hangar is a powerful demonstration of that.”

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Gama Aviation FBO at UAE’s Sharjah Airport Now Operational

$60 million facility offers a gateway to Dubai and the Northern Emirates

Gama Aviation’s long-anticipated new FBO at the UAE’s Sharjah Airport is now operational.

Gama Aviation FBO at UAE’s Sharjah Airport Now Open

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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.

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