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

Ahead of the annual Citation Jet Pilots Association Conference next week in San Antonio, Texas, MRO provider Elliott Aviation has launched a three-tiered avionics upgrade program for Cessna Citation CJ1s and CJ2s.&nbsp;Intended to address avionics obsolescence, enhance safety, and improve aircraft value, the program offers package options that provide CJ1/CJ2 operators with a solution to modernize their cockpits.
The base Silver package includes the 10.6-inch Garmin G600 TXi displays and GFC 600 autopilot, which replaces the legacy equipment with a glass cockpit. Meanwhile, the Gold package features 12.1-inch TXi displays, GDR 66 VHF datalink&nbsp;transceiver with DataComm and push-to-load functionality, GDL 60 PlaneSync wireless connectivity, and Send Airtext Classic for texting capability.
For the highest package level, Platinum adds Garmin’s most advanced equipment on top of the Gold package, including dual GI 275 standby flight instruments, GWX 8000 StormOptix weather radar, GTS 825 traffic, and Airtext+ with a bulkhead moving map display.
According to the company, installations can be completed in fewer than 25 working days. For upgrades booked before the end of September, it is offering a promotion of three years of nav database and/or datacom or other Garmin services for Gold package customers and five years for Platinum.
“Our goal with the CJ Flight Deck Evolution Program is to give Citation operators a straightforward upgrade path that matches their needs,” said Bill Forbes, Elliott’s senior v-p of avionics and business development. “Whether you want the essential benefits of the Silver package, the performance upgrades in the Gold, or the fully-featured Platinum upgrade, Elliott Aviation delivers the right solution with proven installation expertise.”

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

Elliott Introduces Citation CJ1/CJ2 Avionics Upgrade Packages

CJ1 and CJ2 operators have three tiers to choose from

Elliott Aviation is introducing three new avionics upgrade tiers for Citation CJ1 and CJ2 business jets.

Elliott Introduces Citation CJ1/Cj2 Avionics Packages

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Hanneke Weitering

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 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.

Glass cockpit features large touchscreen flight displays

XTI Picks Garmin G700 TXi Avionics for TriFan 600 VTOL Aircraft

Matt Thurber

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

U.S. Coast Guard deal has option years that run though 2030

Acron Awarded Standby Display Contract for USCG Jayhawk

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

Company says it has installed the most Garmin upgrades of any dealer

Elliott Aviation Completes 5th G600 TXi CJ Installation

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.

Tech like this can act as additional eyes for the pilot.

Daedalean’s AI Situational Intelligence Promises Extra Dimension for Flight Safety

Addition of radome didn’t affect cruise performance

Epic Certifies Weather Radar for E1000 Turboprops

Charles Alcock

News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

Destinus has put plans for a hydrogen-powered hypersonic aircraft on hold

Drone Developer Destinus Acquires AI Pioneer Daedalean

Upgrade replaces original avionics with touchscreen displays and digital autopilot

Garmin Integrated Flight Deck Approved for Citation CJ1

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.

More In Avionics