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

Following a lobbying effort spearheaded by the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has elected to retain the <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAAPHIS/bulletins/3df2d4c">current</a> Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection user fee exemption for certain aircraft with 64 or fewer seats. The measure, which had been set to expire next month, will now be maintained indefinitely.
Along with input from aircraft operators, the trade organization argued that the smaller aircraft in Part 135 service pose a lower agricultural contamination risk due to their limited payload capacities, compared to large freighters and airliners, which often carry volumes of bagged and palletized cargo. NATA noted that medevac flights, which constitute a portion of Part 135 operations, have even lower risk because of their medical safety standards and protocols.
Charging Part 135 operators the same fee as cargo or commercial airline operators would have “subsidized large corporations at the expense of small businesses, contradicting APHIS’s mandate to ensure fees align with the cost of services provided.”
“Removing the small aircraft exemption would have unfairly burdened the Part 135 sector, mostly comprising small businesses,” said Jenny Lee Urban, NATA’s v-p of regulatory affairs. “We are pleased APHIS recognized the minimal inspection demands and low agricultural risk of these operations by continuing the exemption.”

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.

NATA Efforts Lead To APHIS Fee Decision Reversal

The agriculture inspection fee waiver for Part 135 was set to expire

NATA efforts led to the retention of a business aviation fee exemption for agriculture inspection.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Kerry Lynch

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.

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.

Facing multiple crises in short-time as acting administrator

FAA's Rocheleau: Managing through 'Bumpy' Transition

Bonus depreciation included in Ways & Means portion of budget reconciliation

House Lawmakers To Consider Bonus Depreciation Extension

News, issues, personnel, equipment and developments about air traffic management.

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Sen. Cantwell fears spectrum auctions could jeopardize aviation safety

U.S. Senator Urges Caution on Spectrum Auction Plans

Amy Wilder

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

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.

Aircraft can still request weather via North Atlantic HF

Gander Volmet Service Set for June Decommission

Bipartisan leaders, industry groups back ATC system upgrade plan

Duffy’s U.S. ATC Plan Draws Unified Industry Support

NBAA endorsed the nomination

Senate Commerce Advances Isaacman Nomination for NASA

Gordon Gilbert

News and information about crew, passenger, aircraft and airport security issues.

Allows for a 60-day comment period on rule limiting data disclosure to the public

Comment Period Extended for Concealing Aircraft Owner Data

Chad Trautvetter

News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

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