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

While California-based ACI Jet has had a maintenance presence at San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (KSBP) since 2008, the grand opening of its new FBO/MRO facility in 2021 was muted by the then-pandemic. But in the half-decade since, the company has seen its repair business expand on average by 9% annually due to its increased space. Over the past year, the maintenance provider handled 174 different tails in its shop. An FAA Part 145 repair station, it also carries repair designations from Transport Canada, Isle of Man, and, as of last year, <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2025-08-27/wes-coast-mro-aci-jet-obtains-easa-part-145-approval">EASA</a>.
The 35,000-sq-ft hangar can accommodate the latest ultra-long-range business jets, which, for ACI, means the Bombardier Global 8000. The company is a Bombardier factory-authorized service center, as well as a parts depot for the Canadian OEM, and handles the full line of Challengers and Globals.
ACI also specializes in Textron Aviation Cessna Citations, with the two airframers accounting for virtually all of the company’s customer aircraft. “For AOG, we will help anybody out if they have a problem,” said ACI CEO Bill Borgsmiller. “But for scheduled inspections, modifications, and large-scale work packages, we’re really focused on the Bombardier and Citation product lines. We’re focused on being a master of something instead of a jack-of-all-trades.”
When asked about the scope of work ACI performs, Borgsmiller simply replied, “Everything.” That claim was recently put to the test with a major renovation project on a 20-year-old Citation XLS. At the conclusion of the four-month project, the owner received what was practically a new airplane, with a new Garmin G5000 cockpit, Starlink connectivity, and cabin upgrade. Engine swaps are a common occurrence at the KSBP facility, which also offers a full avionics shop supporting all the major equipment brands.
At any given time, the company can have up to nine aircraft in the hangar simultaneously, depending on the size mix. Given California’s typically agreeable weather, additional work can be done on the ramp. In terms of backlog, for a major project, ACI is scheduling three months out, but smaller-duration tasks, such as connectivity installations, are used to backfill any gaps in the schedule.
To take advantage of the Golden State’s abundant sunshine, the complex was recently <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2026-02-06/california-fbo-mro-goes-grid">equipped</a> with a 900-panel solar array, which generates enough electricity to meet all its needs.
The MRO also has another 8,000 sq ft of administrative and guest offices located in the FBO terminal. “One thing we do probably better than most service facilities is the customer experience,” said Borgsmiller, describing the amenities provided for visiting directors of maintenance and other stakeholders. “It’s like taking your car to a really nice dealership for service, but a couple levels up from that. I think we go a lot further than most do in that regard.”
At KSBP, ACI has 52 employees on the maintenance side, while its mobile repair teams are based out of its other FBO at John Wayne Orange County Airport (KSNA) in Santa Ana. There are another 14 technicians to handle AOG situations. The company has seven work vans (soon expanding to nine) that travel as far north as Canada, and as far south as Mexico. “There’s not a location we won’t go,” said Isaac Garner, the company’s MRO quality control manager.
ACI’s shop runs an overlapping four-day, 10-hour work week. “Our goal is to grow where we’re running two shifts, seven days a week, ultimately,” Borgsmiller told AIN. “If we can get to where we’re effectively using our hangar during hours when people can be expected to be awake seven days a week, then I think we’re in a good spot.”
To help fill its ranks, the company has partnered with a local community college to establish an aircraft maintenance technician program, which has already paid dividends, with six newly minted airframe and powerplant graduates joining ACI’s staff and a seventh on the way. Each new hire is assigned to a mentor for their first three months. “We want to encourage good habits, and we want to teach good habits,” said Garner. “We want to make sure that people are understanding what they’re doing on the floor every day.”
Despite a “minimal” turnover rate, like most in the aircraft maintenance arena, retaining its talent is a key concern for ACI. “I think treating people well is probably the best thing you can do,” explained Borgsmiller. “You have to pay a fair wage, but at the end of the day, that’s not what usually makes the difference.” The company runs internal surveys and holds quarterly open town hall meetings where no topic is off limits, so employees can express their concerns.
And unusually among its worker benefits is an employee flying club, with each employee receiving a monthly budget for subsidized flying. “The goal is to get everyone up in the air, and not just to learn how to fly, but also to essentially become customers themselves,” said John Tucker, the company’s director of marketing and communications. “They understand the importance of a well-functioning airplane and to trust your maintenance providers, so there’s kind of a dual benefit there.”

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.

MRO Profile: ACI Jet Growing with Focus on Bombardier, Citation Mx

Serving Central Coast California and beyond since 2008

Since 2008, ACI Jet has had a maintenance footprint at California’s San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport, but it has grown since its expansion in 2021.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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.

Company will base mobile repair teams at Gabreski Westhampton Beach Airport

Mx Provider Altus Aerospace Hopes To Score at U.S. Open

Matt Thurber

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.

Company counters claim that components won’t be available 

Eclipse Aero Says It Has about 3 Years of Parts in Stock

Will help provide input on future products and improvements

Alpha Wingman Advisory Board Paves Roadmap for Future

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Facility will offer MRO services and parts for South America operators

Heli-One Opens S-92 Customer Support Center in Brazil

The company can provide approved repair and overhaul services for certain equipment

UK Avionics Shop Tapped for Innovative Aerosystems Work

Repair involves replacement of 700 rivets and a detailed inspection 

DAS and AQRD Partner on Phenom 300 Engine Inlet Fix

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.

In this article

More In Maintenance and Modifications

Mx Provider Altus Aerospace Hopes To Score at U.S. Open

Company will base mobile repair teams at Gabreski Westhampton Beach Airport

Eclipse Aero Says It Has about 3 Years of Parts in Stock

Company counters claim that components won’t be available

Alpha Wingman Advisory Board Paves Roadmap for Future

Will help provide input on future products and improvements

Heli-One Opens S-92 Customer Support Center in Brazil

Facility will offer MRO services and parts for South America operators

UK Avionics Shop Tapped for Innovative Aerosystems Work

The company can provide approved repair and overhaul services for certain equipment

DAS and AQRD Partner on Phenom 300 Engine Inlet Fix

Repair involves replacement of 700 rivets and a detailed inspection

FDH Unites Hardware, Electronics Divisions at Bengaluru

New site to be led by Adhavan Kamalanathan and Victor Bharath

Steiner Aviation Expands Facility for Midsize Jet Mx

New 12,000-sq-ft hangar now operational at Akron-Canton

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN